tailler

Tailler is a French verb meaning to cut, trim, or carve, typically by removing material to shape something. It is widely used in contexts such as pruning plants and trees, shaping wood or stone, or sharpening and trimming objects. In horticulture, la taille refers to the practice of pruning or training plants to promote health, flowering, or fruit production, with techniques varying by species and season. In crafts, tailler describes carving, chiseling, or sculpting surfaces to achieve a desired contour or detail.

The sense of tailler extends to everyday tasks such as tailler un crayon (to sharpen a pencil) or tailler une surface (to trim a surface). The verb is transitive and commonly paired with direct objects, often accompanied by adjectives indicating the shape or condition sought (e.g., tailler en biseau, tailler droit).

Etymology: tailler derives from Old French tailler and is related to tailler in the figurative sense of cutting or shaping; the noun forme la taille denotes the act or result of cutting, as well as size or stature in other contexts.

Conjugation: tailler follows the regular -er verb pattern. Present tense examples: je taille, tu tailles, il taille, nous taillons, vous taillez, ils taillent. Passé composé: j'ai taillé; imperfect: je taillais; future: je taillerai; subjunctive: que je taille; imperative: taille, taillons, taillez.

See also: taille (cut, size), taillage (carving or cutting technique), tailleur (person who tailors or carver).