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French > expressions et idiomes > Flashcards

expressions et idiomes Flashcards

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1
Q

to go down the drain, go to pieces

A

aller à vau-l’eau

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2
Q

to put your foot in your mouth

A

mettre les pieds dans le plat

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3
Q

to play your cards right, to come out well

A

tirer son épingle du jeu

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4
Q

to follow in someone’s footsteps

A

emboîter le pas à quelqu’un

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5
Q

to avoid the question

A

botter en touche

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6
Q

at short notice, on the spot

A

au pied levé

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7
Q

to invent out of thin air

A

monter de toutes pièces

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8
Q

to take over, pick up for someone else

A

prendre le relais

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9
Q

to target, have as a goal, have in mind

A

avoir en ligne de mire

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10
Q

to be left speechless

A

en rester coi

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11
Q

to nitpick, to pester over unimportant details

A

chercher des poux dans la tête á qqn

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12
Q

To expose oneself to attack from

A

prêter le flanc à

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13
Q

very quickly, at full speed

A

au pas de charge

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14
Q

to soar, rise quickly

A

monter en flèche

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15
Q

to go bankrupt

A

mettre la clef sous la porte

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16
Q

to talk in circles

A

parler la longue du bois

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17
Q

to start over, overhaul, start from scratch

A

remettre à plat

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18
Q

the race, battlefield (to enter)

A

en lice (entrer)

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19
Q

with all one’s effort (fight, defend)

A

bec et ongles

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20
Q

to disturb the calm of s.o. or s.th.

A

jeter un pavé dans la mare de

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21
Q

to be on the same wavelength

A

être sur la même longueur d’onde

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22
Q

sporadically, piecemeal

A

par à coups

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23
Q

the cost is worth it

A

Le jeu en vaut la chandelle

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24
Q

to get confused

A

s’emmêler les pinceaux

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25
Q

to eat hand to mouth

A

manger/vivre au jour le jour

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26
Q

seize a problem/issue, tackle it head on

A

prendre (qqch) à bras-le-corps

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27
Q

Work tirelessly, diligently, relentlessly

A

travailler d’arrache-pied

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28
Q

(performance) was up to par

A

être au rendez-vous

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29
Q

a problem that will not go away, keeps rearing its head

A

un serpent de mer

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30
Q

to handpick, select out the best with care

A

trier sur le volet

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31
Q

to be popular

A

avoir la cote

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32
Q

to have a hand/role in something

A

y être pour quelque chose

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33
Q

easily, handily

A

haut la main

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34
Q

to be astonished, not be able to believe

A

ne pas en revenir de

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35
Q

to really move, shock, touch someone

A

prendre qqn aux tripes

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36
Q

scapegoat

A

un bouc-émissaire

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37
Q

to improve one’s image

A

redorer son blason

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38
Q

to have it both ways

A

jouer sur deux tableaux

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39
Q

fair enough, fair game

A

C’est de bonne guerre.

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40
Q

not at all

A

que nenni

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41
Q

nothing is for sure, determined

A

rien n’est joué

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42
Q

to right the ship, get back in track

A

redresser la barre

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43
Q

hard at work

A

à pied d’oeuvre

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44
Q

to go all out on, to give one’s best to

A

mettre le paquet (sur, pour)

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45
Q

to have your cake and eat it too

A

avoir le beurre et l’argent du beurre

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46
Q

on its last legs/at the end of the road

A

à bout de souffle/au bout du rouleau

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47
Q

up to the task

A

à la hauteur

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48
Q

Low, flagging (of morale or confidence)

A

en berne

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49
Q

to get worked up about

A

se prendre le chou avec

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50
Q

That’s where the problem lies.

A

C’est là où le bât blesse.

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51
Q

to set your sights on, set a course for

A

mettre le cap vers

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52
Q

to recover, find your footing

A

reprendre du poil de la bête

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53
Q

to catch off guard, take by surprise

A

prendre au dépourvu

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54
Q

to make a fuss, a stink

A

faire du foin

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55
Q

farfetched , outlandish

A

tiré par les cheveux

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56
Q

to not go out of s.o’s sights

A

Ne pas lâcher qqn d’une semelle

57
Q

Point blank, out of the blue

A

de but en blanc

58
Q

To flounder, be doing poorly

A

battre de l’aile

59
Q

to rock the boat

A

faire tanguer le bateau

60
Q

to bring to heel, rein in, get control of

A

mettre au pas

61
Q

to have a lot of work to do

A

avoir du pain sur la planche

62
Q

to be at a standstill

A

faire du sur-place

63
Q

all out, at all costs, across the board

A

à tout-va

64
Q

to be outdone, left behind

A

être en reste

65
Q

to rile up to the maximum

A

chauffer à blanc

66
Q

to be visibly affected, to process an affliction

A

accuser le coup

67
Q

to beat your chest, flex your muscles, rattle your saber

A

bomber le torse

68
Q

to be firmly against

A

être vent debout contre

69
Q

to take it without flinching, roll with the punches

A

encaisser sans broncher

70
Q

to (not) spare (any) efforts

A

(ne pas) ménager ses efforts

71
Q

to be at its peak, strongest

A

être à son comble

72
Q

mislead

A

induire en erreur

73
Q

at all costs, whatever the cost

A

coûte que coûte

74
Q

to have a voice (at the table)

A

avoir droit au chapitre

75
Q

to have no place here, is not acceptable

A

ne pas avoir droit de cité

76
Q

the spearhead, at the forefront (of)

A

le fer de lance (de)

77
Q

a narrow victory

A

une victoire sur le fil

78
Q

It was a close call, close but no cigar

A

Il s’en est fallu de peu

79
Q

there is a good chance, it is a safe bet

A

Il y a fort à parier

80
Q

to rob someone of, snatch from s.o.

A

lui ravir qqch

81
Q

to sit on the fence, try to please both sides

A

ménager la chèvre et le chou

82
Q

a battle, exchange of fire, heated exchange

A

une passe d’armes

83
Q

to work around the clock (24 hrs)

A

faire les trois huit

84
Q

to pickpocket

A

faire les poches

85
Q

to pull the plug

A

retirer ses billes

86
Q

a thorn in your side (a person)

A

le poil à gratter

87
Q

to lose one’s temper

A

sortir de ses gonds

88
Q

do not hide one’s delight

A

ne pas bouder son plaisir

89
Q

to pay the price (for something)

A

en faire les frais

90
Q

scapegoat (2)

A

tête de Turc

91
Q

a cash cow (someone exploited for their money)

A

une vache à lait

92
Q

to butter someone up

A

caresser dans le sens du poil

93
Q

to put in the extra effort, pick up the slack

A

mettre les bouchées doubles

94
Q

Doesn’t need to be asked twice, is eager to do

A

ne se fait pas prier / sans se faire prier

95
Q

to twiddle your thumbs

A

se tourner les pouces

96
Q

cannot stand someone

A

avoir qqn dans le nez / ne pas pouvoir le pifer

97
Q

to make a profit/ benefit at the expense of

A

faire son beurre (de, sur)

98
Q

Is doing great (figurative)

A

être au beau fixe

99
Q

To reduce extremely, gradually disappear

A

se réduire comme peau de chagrin

100
Q

authentic, through and through

A

pur beurre

101
Q

take the hit (accept sthg against your will), be gullible

A

avaler des couleuvres

102
Q

to mourn sthg

A

faire son deuil de qqch

103
Q

to be timid, easily scared

A

avoir froid aux yeux

104
Q

cannon fodder

A

de la chair à canon

105
Q

hit the mark, be right on the money

A

faire mouche

106
Q

to be on bad terms with

A

être en froid avec

107
Q

the balance of power

A

le rapport de force

108
Q

not .. at all

A

pas… pour un sous

109
Q

to stall, not advance

A

marquer le pas

110
Q

to put s.o. on the job

A

mettre qqn sur le coup

111
Q

like crazy, all out

A

à tour de bras

112
Q

steal the spotlight

A

voler la vedette

113
Q

to wing it, to do with no need for direction

A

en roue libre

114
Q

to be a hit, make it big, hit it out of the park

A

faire un tabac

115
Q

to tell lies

A

raconter des salades

116
Q

well aware of , well informed about

A

bien au fait de

117
Q

to take literally

A

Prendre au pied de la lettre

118
Q

(int) get out of trouble, (trans) bail out

A

sortir d’affaire

119
Q

to be picky

A

faire la fine bouche (sur)

120
Q

to have the nerve, audacity to

A

avoir le culot de

121
Q

between a rock and a hard place

A

entre le marteau et l’enclume

122
Q

without remorse

A

sans états d’âme

123
Q

to brush aside, dismiss out of hand

A

balayer d’un revers

124
Q

in a real mess, in a tight spot, in trouble

A

dans le pétrin

125
Q

to beat around the bush

A

tourner autour du pot

126
Q

to get yourself in a real mess

A

se fourrer dans un sale pétrin

127
Q

in a desperate situation, cornered

A

aux abois

128
Q

to build bridges (figurative)

A

dresser des passerelles

129
Q

Big deal!

A

La belle affaire!

130
Q

commonplace, par for the course, a common occurrence

A

monnaie courante

131
Q

indirect strategy

A

Coup à trois bandes

132
Q

to sleep soundly, rest easy

A

dormir sur ses deux oreilles

133
Q

down to earth

A

terre à terre

134
Q

Checks and balances

A

Les freins et les contrepoids

135
Q

a double standard

A

deux poids deux mesures

136
Q

to be in x’s good favors, enjoy their support

A

être dans les petits papiers de x

137
Q

No matter, no big deal

A

qu’à cela ne tienne

138
Q

save s.o.’s skin

A

lui sauver la mise

139
Q

in bad weather, in rough times

A

par gros temps

French (3 decks)

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