Les expressions idiomatiques

Question 1

to beat around the bush

Answer 1

tourner autour de pot

Question 2

to go straight to the point

Answer 2

aller droit au fait

Question 3

uphill struggle

Answer 3

la croix et la bannière

Question 4

on the same wavelength

Answer 4

sur la même longueur d’onde

Question 5

to move heaven and earth
to pull out all the stops
to try everything possible
to bend over backwards

Answer 5

faire des pieds et des mains

Question 6

to be in trouble with
to be on the firing line
to have an eye on s.o. (negative)

Answer 6

être dans le collimateur de

avoir qqn dans le collimateur

Question 7

to be annoying or a pain in the neck

to get on s.o.’s nerves “Il m’a casse les pieds.”

Answer 7

être casse-pieds

Casser les pieds de quelqu’un

Question 8

I’m already imagining (looking forward to)

Answer 8

J’imagine déjà

Question 9

To spend your life

Answer 9

Passer sa vie

Question 10

After all

Answer 10

Après tout

Question 11

Compared to, in relation to

Answer 11

Par rapport à

Question 12

As pleasurable/recreational eating

Answer 12

Par gourmandise

Question 13

A real adventure!

Answer 13

Une véritable aventure!

Question 14

In comparison with others: to come out ahead;
to limit the damages; to play one’s cards right;
to make out alright; to get free or extricate oneself from a delicate situation

Answer 14

tirer son épingle du jeu

Question 15

completely, thoroughly, in depth

Answer 15

à fond

Question 16

phone call

Answer 16

un coup de fil

Question 17

to have a snack, to have a bite to eat, to grab a bite (lit. to break the crust of a loaf of bread)

Answer 17

casser la croûte

Question 18

sandwich, light meal

Answer 18

le casse-croûte

Question 19

to may be

Answer 19

avoir beau être

Question 20

anyway

Answer 20

quoi qu’il en soit

Question 21

prohibitively expensive

Answer 21

hos de prix

Question 22

to act as if nothing is happening OR has happened
business as usual
to ignore

Answer 22

faire come si de rein n’était

Question 23

re: people with differing opinions/views:
to come together
to reach agreement
to get their stories straight
to get their act together

Answer 23

accorder ses violons

Question 24

What’s the point?

Answer 24

À quoi bon?

Question 25

very easy

piece of cake

Answer 25

les doigts dan le nez

Question 26

to put one’s shoulder to the wheel (sense of teamwork to accomplish a chore to everyone’s benefit)

Answer 26

mettre la main à la pâte

[“to put one’s hand in the dough”]

Question 27

to work twice as hard
to double one’s efforts
to give it your all

Answer 27

mettre les bouchées doubles

[“to take double bites”]

Question 28

as time went/goes on

Answer 28

au fil du temps

Question 29

to blow up
to come unhinged
to suddenly lose control and become angry

Answer 29

sortir de ses gonds

Question 30

a loved one

Answer 30

un être cher

Question 31

to each his own
to judge for oneself
to each see from one’s own point of view

Answer 31

voire midi à sa porte

Question 32

to take the fall/blame (for)

to be the scapegoat (for)

Answer 32

porter le chapeau (pour)

Question 33

in one’s element

Answer 33

comme un poisson dans l’eau

Question 34

to adhere firmly to something

To be a stickler about something

Answer 34

être à cheval sur qqch

Question 35

to exercise all the power (sense of abuse)

to rule the roost

Answer 35

faire la pluie et le beau temps

Question 36

to be getting nowhere fast OR
to be spinning one’s wheels OR
to be at a complete loss

Answer 36

pédaler dans la choucroute OU
pédaler dans la semoule OU
pédaler dans le yaourt

Question 37

to pass away or kick the bucket

Answer 37

passer l’arme à gauche