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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Un beau brin de fille
“Un beau brin de fille” means a pretty, young girl, or a beautiful, seductive woman, or a good looking girl. “Un brin” can mean a blade (of grass), a piece, a sprig (of plant), a little, a tad, a touch of or a bit of. So the idiom literally means something like “a beautiful bit…
aller à la selle
The French idiom “aller à la selle” means literally “to go to the saddle.” But it doesn’t really have anything to do with horse riding. What it literally means is “to go to the toilet,” or “to have a bowel movement.” The saying is somewhat dated, so it is not used very frequently these days,…
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…
appel du pied
An “appel du pied” literally means a “call of the foot” but actually means a discrete invitation, a seduction attempt, an allusive proposal or simply an invitation. Its origin is unknown. There is a related term that exists in the world of fencing with swords, but it doesn’t seem to be linked to this usage….
c’est fort de café
“c’est fort de café !” means “it’s over the top!” or simply “it’s too much!”. This idiom is a way of saying something is excessive or exaggerated. It translates literally as “it’s strong of coffee” (or “this coffee is strong!”) and comes from a 17th century expression “c’est trop fort,” meaning literally “it’s too strong,”…