extreme

extrême, intense

Bien plus grand, plus fort ou plus grave que d’habitude.

En anglais simple : Much greater, stronger, or more serious than usual.

• The plants died in the extreme heat.
• Extreme poverty affects millions of families.
• Doctors use this treatment only in extreme cases.

Synonymes : severe, intense

Contraires : mild, moderate

Expressions courantes : extreme heat, extreme weather, extreme cases, extreme fear

extrême, le plus éloigné

Situé au point le plus éloigné ou au bord le plus extérieur de quelque chose.

En anglais simple : At the farthest point or outermost edge of something.

• A small village lies in the extreme north.
• The crack reaches the extreme edge of the glass.
• Place the label at the extreme right of the page.

Synonymes : outermost, farthest

Expressions courantes : extreme edge, extreme north, extreme left

extrême

L’un des deux points, valeurs ou états les plus différents sur une échelle.

En anglais simple : One of the two most different points, amounts, or conditions in a range.

• The two proposals represent opposite extremes.
• Temperatures swing between extremes here.
• At the other extreme, some families own several homes.

Comment l'utiliser : at one/the other extreme (At one extreme, people have almost nothing.)

Synonymes : limit, end

Expressions courantes : opposite extreme, at one extreme, between two extremes

mesure extrême

Action particulièrement sévère qu’on entreprend pour atteindre un objectif.

En anglais simple : An unusually severe action taken to achieve something.

• He goes to extremes for attention.
• We should avoid such extremes.
• She went to extremes to keep the secret.

Comment l'utiliser : go to extremes to do something (They went to extremes to protect their privacy.)

Synonymes : drastic measure

Expressions courantes : go to extremes, such an extreme