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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sur les chapeaux de roues
“Sur les chapeaux de roues” is a French saying that literally translates as “on the hats of the wheels.” A better translation would be “on the hubcaps.” It is a way of saying “at high speed.” If a vehicle travels at high speed and goes around a curve or a corner, it will tend to…
le jeu n’en vaut pas la chandelle
“Le jeu n’en vaut pas la chandelle” is a French saying that means “it isn’t worth it.” Literally it means “the game isn’t worth the candle.” Equivalent English expressions include “it isn’t worth breaking your neck over” and even (in the UK) “the game isn’t worth the candle.” This idiom dates back to the 16th…
comme
The French word “comme” can function either as an adverb or as a conjunction. Adverb As an adverb, “comme” means “how.” Another word that is used similarly is “que.” Conjunction Comme as a conjunction can mean “as” or “like.” Idiomatic expressions Etymology: The word “comme” comes from the Latin word “quam.” In Old French, it…
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,”…
faire grève
“Faire grève” or “faire la grève” is a French idiom that means “to strike,” or “to go on strike.” This is when workers purposely stop working in their attempt to achieve higher wages and/or better conditions from their employers. The word “grève” in the expression comes from the word for gravel (gravier) which in turn came…
l’alpha et l’oméga
The French idiom “l’alpha et l’oméga” translates literally as “the alpha and the omega.” What it really means is the start and end of something, or something in its totality, or just the totality. Its origin is the Bible. In the book of Isaiah, God says “I am the first and the last.” This means…
