A “semaine des quatre jeudis” means “never,” “something impossible,” “something that will never happen.” Literally it means “a week with four Thursdays,” implying that Friday and therefore the weekend will never come. This expression is quite old, having been around since the end of the 15th century, when it was known as “la semaine à…
“Recevoir une avoinée” is a French saying that means “to receive a correction, to get beaten or to get hit.” English equivalents would include “to get a licking” or “to take a thrashing.” It comes from the word “‘l’avoine,” meaning “oat.” Oats were used as feed for horses. The expression “l’avoine de cocher” from 1866 meant…
“Tourner autour du pot” is a French idiom that literally means “to turn around the pot.” In plain English, it means to hesitate, to avoid the main topic, to seek advantage in a roundabout way, or to procrastinate. This saying dates from the 15th century, when it originally meant someone who seeks to gain undue advantage….
“Pour des prunes” is a French expression that literally means “for plums.” Its closest English equivalent is “for nothing.” The saying dates from the start of the 16th century. However, the association of plums with a complete lack of value dates back to the end of the Second Crusade, which finished around 1150 AD and was…
“Décrocher le cocotier” means literally “to unhook the coconut tree” or “to take down the coconut tree.” In English, it means “to achieve one’s goals, to win a prize, or to triumph.” An equivalent English expression would be “to hit the jackpot.” The saying dates from the 19th century. It refers to greasy pole competitions in…
“gagner ses éperons” is a French saying meaning “to gain one’s spurs.” It means to get a promotion, to rise in rank, or to accede to a higher social status. Similar English expressions include “to earn one’s stripes” or “to win one’s spurs.” The French idiom only appeared in the 19th century, but makes a…