piquer

I.

v. trans.

1. To 'jab', to inject. (The verb is only really encountered with this meaning when it refers to the 'putting to sleep' of a pet dog or cat. Elle a dû faire piquer son chien: She had to have her dog put down.)

2. To stab, to knife.

3. To 'cop', to catch (a disease). Il a piqué une chtouille maison! He caught a right dose of clap!

4. Piquer une sale note (sch.): To get a rotten mark. (In schools and colleges, the verb piquer with reference to an assessment can sometimes have a positive connotation as with piquer un quinze sur vingt: To get a first-class mark.)

5. Piquer un 100 mètres:

  a To 'skedaddle', to 'make tracks', to run away.

  b (fig.): To be off and away when something unpleasant has occurred.

6. En piquer un: To 'have a kip', to 'take some shuteye', to steal a few minutes for a snooze (also: piquer un roupillon).

7. To 'nick', to 'pinch', to steal. Elle m'a piqué tout mon fric. She filched all my dough.

8. To 'nab', to 'collar', to arrest. A ce train-là, on va se faire piquer par les cognes! If we keep this up, the fuzz'll do us!

9. Piquer le dix (Prison slang): To pace up and down a cell like a bear in a cage.

II.

v. intrans. Piquer à quelque chose:

  a To 'get the hang of something', to understand the workings of something.

  b To get 'hooked' on, to have a compulsive liking for something.

III.

v. trans. reflex.

1. (Drugs): To 'mainline', to inject intravenously.

2. Se piquer le nez: To 'get pickled', to get drunk. (The expression reflects the habitual nature of the act whereby the subject is well on the road to dipsomania.)