Haut comme trois pommes
“Haut comme trois pommes” is a French expression meaning “Knee high to a grasshopper,” ie very small, tiny or very young. Literally it means “as tall as three apples.” Its origin is unknown but its meaning is quite clear.
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avoir la dent dure
French is full of colorful expressions that don’t always have obvious meanings at first glance. One such expression is “avoir la dent dure”, which literally translates to “to have a hard tooth.” Its figurative meaning, however, is quite different. Meaning and Origin of the Expression The expression “avoir la dent dure” is used to describe…
violon d’Ingres
The French saying “violon d’Ingres” literally translates as “violin of Ingres.” What it really means is “hobby,” “pastime,” or “an activity that you enjoy outside your main job.” Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres was a 19th century painter who created a number of famous works, including Grande Baigneuse (1808), Oedipus and the Sphinx (1808), and La Grande Odalisque…
pousser
The French verb “pousser” means “to push,” “to move,” “to push aside,” “to let out,” or “to grow,” among a variety of different meanings. The green sign in the photo means “Push to open.” To push: “Pousser” mainly means to push or shove. To grow: Expressions and Idiomatic Usage: Etymology: The French verb “pousser” traces…
Du tac au tac
“Du tac au tac” is a French expression meaning immediately, with vivacity, like lightning, scathingly, or with a quick response. It has nothing to do with Tic Tacs or Tiktok. It comes from the world of fencing. In fencing, to retaliate “du tac au tac” means to reply immediately to an assault. The word “tac” refers…
un chien de commissaire
“Un chien de commissaire” is a French saying that literally means “a police chief’s dog.” It is used to refer to a police commissioner’s assistant, a police officer or a police inspector. It is an idiom that contains a certain amount of contempt for the person whose job it is to assist the police chief…
Avoir la frite / la patate
“Avoir la frite” or “avoir la patate” means to be in very good shape, to have energy and dynamism, or to be full of beans. Literally, “avoir la frite” means to have the (French) fry and “avoir la patate” means to have the potato. At the start of the 20th century, the round shape of…