au nez et à la barbe de

ByFast French

“au nez et à la barbe de” is a French expression that literally means “under the nose and in front of the beard of.” But it means “in front of someone, with the intention of taunting them,” or “to the detriment of someone, although done in his presence.”

Although it refers to a beard, it can be applied to anyone without a beard, including women and children. As such, the idiom is an example of a metaphor, not a simile.

The saying dates back to the 15th century.

Common English equivalents include “right under someone’s nose” or “in someone’s face.”

Don’t miss out on new posts – subscribe now!

Don’t miss new articles!

Get 1 email a week with new articles about French

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy

Similar Posts

  • ralentir

    ByFast French

    The French verbs “alentir” and “ralentir” are related to the adjective “lent,” which means “slow.” The two verbs both mean “to slow down.” “Alentir” is only used in literature (or in Québec) these days, while “ralentir” is in common usage. Meanings and Usage: Conjugation in the Present Tense: Conjugation in the Passé Composé: Etymology: Both…

  • How to say “under” in French

    ByFast French

    Translating prepositions from one language to another can be a tricky task. One group of prepositions that often poses challenges in learning French is the one containing “under,” “underneath,” “below” and “beneath.” “Sous” The most common and straightforward translation for “under” in French is “sous.” This word is the primary equivalent of “under” and is…

  • Boire en Suisse

    ByFast French

    “Boire en Suisse” means to drink alone, to eat alone, to do something without inviting friends or even to do something in Switzerland. Literally it means to drink in Switzerland, but “en Suisse” can either mean “in Switzerland” or “like a Swiss person.” It comes from an expression dating back to around 1800. This was…

  • conscient

    ByFast French

    Meanings of “Conscient” Etymology of “Conscient” The word “conscient” has a Latin origin, derived from the Latin word “conscientia,” which means “knowledge” or “consciousness.” Over time, this Latin term evolved into the Old French “conscient,” maintaining its core meaning of awareness or consciousness. It is important to note that the word “conscience” in modern French…

  • en catimini

    ByFast French

    “En catimini” is a French expression that means furtively, stealthily, on the sly or discreetly. It dates back to the second half of the 14th century. The word “catimini” is often linked to the Greek word “katamenia” which means menstruation. The idea being that women of the era kept their menstrual status largely to themselves….

  • charger

    ByFast French

    The French verb “charger” has a variety of different meanings. It can mean to load, to charge, to make responsible for, to bring evidence against, or to launch an attack. To load To charge To give someone the responsibility for To load (a weapon) To bring/give evidence against To launch an attack Etymology “Charger” comes…