Idiomatic expressions Flashcards

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1
Q

To fire/dismiss

A

Mettre à pied

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2
Q

To have a narrow escape

A

L’échapper belle

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3
Q

To have a bone to pick with (sb)

A

Avoir malle à partir avec

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4
Q

To do (something)to somebody’s face

A

Faire qqch à la barbe de quelqu’un

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5
Q

To laugh without showing it/in secret

A

Rire dans sa barbe

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6
Q

To keep lips sealed

A

Garder bouche cousue

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7
Q

With open arms (with joy)

A

À bras ouverts

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8
Q

To do nothing (fold the arms)

A

Se croiser les bras

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9
Q

To have a hangover

A

Avoir mal aux cheveux/avoir la gueule de bois

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10
Q

To make one’s hair stand on end - To inspire horror, fear, to terrify

A

Faire dresser les cheveux sur la tête

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11
Q

To be only holding on by the strings

A

Ne tenir qu’à un cheveu / ne tenir qu’à un fil

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12
Q

to worry yourself sick, worry yourself to death

A

Se faire des cheveux blancs

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13
Q

A long stretch from logic/ far from logic

A

Tirer par les cheveux

E.g. Tes excuses sont tirées par les cheveux

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14
Q

To pull at ones heart strings

A

Aller droit au cœur

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15
Q

To be a heart breaker

A

Bourreau des cœurs

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16
Q

To not hold someone in your heart/ to not love somebody

A

Ne pas porter quelqu’un dans son cœur

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17
Q

A heartache (rupture d’une relation amoureuse)

A

Une peine de cœur

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18
Q

To throw yourself on someone to show your affection (give a bear hug)

A

Se jeter au cou

E.g. Il s’est jeté au cou de son amie lors de son arrivée à l’aéroport

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19
Q

To drink alcohol

A

Lever le coude

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20
Q

To be well prepared

A

Être armé jusqu’aux dents

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21
Q

To put your finger on it (figurative)

A

Mettre le doigt sur

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22
Q

To be the talk of the town

A

Se faire montrer du doigt

E.g. Les jeunes musiciens ont quitté le village, car ils étaient l’as (weary) de se faire montrer du doigt

23
Q

To kick yourself (regret)

A

S’en mordre les doigts

24
Q

To have had it up to here/be fed up

A

En avoir plein le dos

E.g. J’en ai plein le dos de tous ces devoirs, je veux tout lâcher!

25
Q

At the same time

A

De front

E.g. Elle travaille et fait ses études de front

26
Q

On both fronts

A

Sur deux fronts

E.g. On doit se méfier des attaques sur deux fronts

27
Q

To roar with laughter/ laugh heartily

A

Rire à gorge déployée

28
Q

Without interruption

A

D’une seule haleine

E.g. Elle a fait son travail d’une seule haleine

29
Q

To run as fast as your legs can take you

A

(S’enfuir) à toutes jambes

30
Q

To come out of your shell

A

Sortir de sa coquille

31
Q

To be in a strong position

A

Avoir les reins solides

32
Q

To tell stories/ to yarn/ tell fibs

A

Raconter des salades

33
Q

To have a hell of a time/ to hurt like hell

A

Avoir un mal de chien

34
Q

To have goosebumps

A

Avoir la chair de poule

35
Q

To cost an arm and a leg

A

Coûter les yeux de la tête

36
Q

To change your look/ look like a new man or woman

A

Faire peau neuve

E.g. Elle a fait peau neuve avec sa nouvelle coiffure.

37
Q

To regain your strength/ perk up again/ bounce back

A

Reprendre du poil de la bête

38
Q

To do nothing

A

Coincer la bulle (literally: to wedge the bubble)

39
Q

tomber dans les pommes

A

to faint

40
Q

to have overeaten

A

avoir les dents du fond qui baignent (literally: to have backteeth that are swimming)

41
Q

To mind your own business

A

S’occuper de ses onions (mind your own onions)

42
Q

This wine is delicious

A

C’est le petit Jésus en culotte velours (It’s like baby jesus in velvet underpants)

43
Q

To be duped

To be conned

A

Rouler dans le farine (which makes a fool out of you)

Se faire avoir

44
Q

To engage in a long, pointless task

A

Peigner la giraffe

45
Q

To give up (in an argument)

A

Donner sa langue au chat

46
Q

To get on someone’s nerves

A

Courir sur le haricot (to run on the bean)

47
Q

There is something wrong/ to see a red flag

A

Il y a quelque chose qui cloche

48
Q

To be lazy

A

Avoir un poil dans le main

49
Q

To look for something to complain about

A

Chercher la petite bête

50
Q

It’s no big deal

A

Il n’y a pas de quoi (there’s no reason to) fouetter un chat

51
Q

To be depressed

A

Avoir le cafard (from Les Fleurs du mal)

52
Q

To face a complicated problem (that detains you in the local inn)

A

Ne pas être sortir de l’auberge

53
Q

To have a screw loose (be a little odd)

A

Avoir une araignée au plafond

54
Q

To stand somebody up

A

Poser le lapin