Expressions Idiomatiques #1 pages 1-62 Flashcards
avoir le bras long
to have influence
être un bourreau des coeurs
to be a Casanova, to be a lady killer
avoir le coeur sur le main
to be kindhearted, to give the shirt off one’s back
se croire sorti de la cuise de Jupiter
to think a lot of oneself, to think of oneself as God’s gift to the world
se mettre le doigt dans l’oeil
to be entirely mistaken, to kid oneself
tenir la jambe à quelqu’un
to bore someone with endless conversation, to corner someone
avoir un poil dans la main
to shy away from work, to avoid work at all costs
tomber sur un os
to meet a difficulty, to hit a snag
casser les pieds à quelqu’un
to get on someone’s nerves, to bore someone stiff
manger sur le pouce
to have a quick snack, to grab a bite to eat
tirer le diable part la queue
to be hard up, to live from hand to mouth
partir ventre à terre
to leave in a flash, to race off
fair l’âne pour avoir du son
to play dumb
chercher le petite bête
to nitpick, to split hairs
avoir le cafard
to have the blues, to be down in the dumps
appeler un chat un chat
to call a spade a spade
entre le chien et le loup
at dusk, in the twilight
sauter du coq à l’âne
to jump from one subject to another
avaler des couleuvres
to put up with a lot, to swallow one’s pride
poser un lapin à quelqu’un
to stand someone up
courir deux lièvres à la fois
to work both ends against the middle, to have on’e finger in more that one pie
avoir mangé du lion
to have a tiger in one’s tank, to have incredible energy
une truie n’y retrouverait pas ses enfants
this place is a mess
manger de la vache enragée
to go through hard times, to have very lean times
fair un chèque en bois
to bounce a check, to write a rubber check
casser du bois
to smash up one’s car
montrer de quel bois on se chauffe
to show what one is made of
ramasser une bûche
to fall down, to take a bad fall
enlever une épine du pied à quelqu’un
to get someone out of a jam
jeter des fleurs à quelqu’un
to speak highly of someone, to sing the praises of someone
couper l’herbe sous les pied de quelqu’un
to pull the rug out from under someone, to cut the ground from under somebody’s feet
manger les pissenlits par la racine
to push up daisies, to be dead
couper la poire en deux
to meet halfway
faire le poireau
to be kept waiting, to be left cooling one’s heels
tomber dans les pommes
to faint, to pass out
tirer les marrons du feu
to be used as a dupe or a tool
se fendre la pêche
to laugh uproariously, to laugh one’s head off, to split one’s sides
jeter de l’huile sur le feu
to stir up a quarrel, to add fuel to the fire
tondre les oeufs
to be a skinflint, stingy
pédaler dans la semoule
to take leave of one’s senses
cracher dans la soupe
to spoil something so that it can only be enjoyed by you
casser du sucure sur les dos de quelqu’un
to talk about someone behind his or her back
rôtir le balai
to lead the high life
mettre quelqu’un en boîte
to make fun of someone, to pull someone’s leg
tirer la couverture à soi
to take the lion’s share, to take all the credit
tomber sur les quartre fers en l’air
to fall flat one’s back
être une vraie girouette
to change with the weather
passer au peigne fin
to search thoroughly, to go through something with a fine tooth comb
envoyer quelqu’un aux pelotes
to send someone away, to send someone about his or her business
tourner autour du pot
to beat around the bush
payer les pots cassés
to pay the piper, to suffer the consequences
passer un savon à quelqu’un
to reprimand someone, to give someone a good dressing-down
tirer les sonnettes
to network, to put the word out about something
se mettre à table
to confess, to come clean
saisir la balle au bond
to seize the opportunity, to jump at the opportunity
mettre les bâtons dans les roues de quelqu’un
to throw a monkey wrench into someone’s business
reprendre ses billes
to renege on a deal
un coup d’épée dans l’eau
a wasted effort
ronger son frein
to champ at the bit, to barely contian one’s impatience
il tombe des hallebardes
it’s raining cats and dogs
avoir les jetons
to be scared, to have the jitters or willies
voir le monde par le petit bout de la lorgnette
to exaggerate about oneself, to get things out of proportion
