#27 - Bouquiner

Bouquiner...LaRousse Dictionary Online defines it simply as "lire un livre"--or "to read a book"--but this is one time where LaRousse falls short.

L'Internaute gives a much better definition:

• Bouquiner représente l'action de lire un livre.  Ce terme un peu familier sous-entend qu'une personne en train de bouquiner s'adonne à cette activité de manière ininterrompue et avec un certain plaisir.
• ("Bouquiner represents the action of reading a book.  This somewhat casual term implies that a person is reading for an uninterrupted time and with a certain enjoyment.")

In short, it means to read for your own enjoyment.  Needless to say, I love this word.  English has no equivalent, although WordReference.com suggests the phrase "to have your head in a book."  Though it's not far off, really this expression implies that you are so engrossed in your reading that you're kind of oblivious to the world around you, which is not necessarily the case with bouquiner.  Bouquiner is light, casual, and fun.  See how it's used in this travel ad for Belle-Isle-en-Terre:

• "Sur place, vous aurez également loisir à flâner, bouquiner, pique-niquer…le tout au bord de l’eau."  
• ("There, you can go for a stroll, read, or have a picnic at your leisure...all right by the water.")

Or you could just do a Google image search for bouquiner.

Nuff said.  ^_^