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barbouze. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
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French
Etymology
From barbe (“beard”) + -ouze, because of the fake beard supposedly worn to hide the face.
Pronunciation
Noun
barbouze m or f by sense (plural barbouzes)
- (espionage, colloquial) secret agent; agent of a paramilitary force
1962 April 5, L'Express:Le « barbouze » […] joue un rôle fondamental dans l’univers politique élémentaire du « pied-noir ». Il cristallise l’ensemble des forces occultes qui s’acharnent à sa perte.- (please add an English translation of this quotation)
1964 December 18, Le Monde:« Les Barbouzes » c’est d’abord un très bon titre (de film). Affublé d’un nom pareil, l’agent secret perd tout son mystère, se dépouille de sa légende. Il devient un rigolo qui amuse au lieu d’inquiéter.- (please add an English translation of this quotation)
2019, Alain Damasio, chapter 3, in Les furtifs [The Stealthies], La Volte, →ISBN:Depuis qu’il est à l’armée, j’imagine qu’on lui a enseigné ces réflexes de barbouze, d’espion du dimanche.- (please add an English translation of this quotation)
Derived terms
Further reading