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farine

English translation: turn to dust

10:44 Apr 26, 2018
French to English translations [PRO]
Other
French term or phrase: farine
Sorry, I had no idea what category to put this under.....

This is a paragraph about an insect-repelling varnish.

Il sèche rapidement, il est sans odeur et ne farine pas.

Farine - chip, flake? Something else?
Alison Wedley
France
Local time: 18:20
English translation:turn to dust
Explanation:
Perdre son brillant, devenir poudreux en surface.

or pulverize
turn chalky
Selected response from:

Odette Grille (X)
Canada
Local time: 12:20
Grading comment
thanks
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3turn to dust
Odette Grille (X)
1does not go cloudy
Tony M


  

Answers


22 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
turn to dust


Explanation:
Perdre son brillant, devenir poudreux en surface.

or pulverize
turn chalky


    Reference: http://www.cnrtl.fr/definition/fariner
Odette Grille (X)
Canada
Local time: 12:20
Native speaker of: French
PRO pts in category: 15
Grading comment
thanks

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tony M: Perhaps not 'dust', but certainly 'chalky', yes :-)
0 min
  -> Thank you Tony and yes, chalky is better
agree  José Patrício: Grains at least three-quarters of the surface of which looks opaque and chalky
35 mins
agree  GILLES MEUNIER: yes, of course
1 day 22 hrs
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23 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5
ne farine pas
does not go cloudy


Explanation:
A pure guess! But, if we are talking about supposedly 'clear' varnish, then I can imagine it might be referring to the way after a certain time of weathering, some varnish goes disappointingly 'cloudy', hiding the attractive grain of the wood behind an ugly white 'veil'; I would have instinctively called it a 'voile' in FR, but why not 'farine', in the sense of 'a white coating'? And cf. how we often talk about thinge becoming 'farineux' — though admittedly, this is usually about an unpleasant texture in fruit like apples and pears when they get a bit old.
I can't think of any other characteristic of varnish that would come anywhere close.

Tony M
France
Local time: 18:20
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 294
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Tony. It is a clear varnish so cloudy seems a good word.

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