curer

Senses

1. 1.

   to clean out

   to remove dirt, debris, or buildup from (a ditch, channel, drain, etc.)

2. 2.

   to dredge

   to deepen and clear a waterway by removing sediment

3. 3.

   to excavate; to dig out

   to remove material from the ground or a cavity

Examples

• "Il faut curer le fossé avant l'hiver."

  We need to clean out the ditch before winter.

• "Les ouvriers ont curé le canal pour éviter les inondations."

  The workers dredged the canal to prevent flooding.

• "On doit curer les égouts de la ville régulièrement."

  The city's sewers must be cleaned out regularly.

Usage

Curer is a somewhat technical or formal verb, commonly used in contexts of maintenance, agriculture, and public works. It is often used with fossés (ditches), canals, égouts (sewers), and waterways. The past participle curé/curée may also appear as an adjective.