FOREST nf (low lat. Forestis [silva], forest falling under the king's court of justice; c. 1100).

- 1. Large expanse of land planted with trees. - 2. (v. 1300). Large quantity of long and tight objects: See a forest of flags at the head of a procession. - 3. (1857). Vast and confused set where one risks getting lost: Getting confused in a forest of contradictory hypotheses.

- 4. (v.1300). Constr. Set of many structural pieces forming the roof of a building. - 5. The trees hide the forest, the details make it impossible to see the whole.

Larousse de la langue française, Lexis, Librairie Larousse, 1979