This French idiom means literally, “the English have disembarked.” From 1815 to 1820, the English Army, wearing their traditional red uniforms, occupied France in their war against Napoléon. After they left, Parisians started using this phrase to mean, “to have her period,” since the flow of unwelcome English invaders wearing red coats resembled red menstrual blood.
The French saying “quand on parle du loup, on voit sa queue” literally means “when one speak of the wolf, one sees his tail.” What does this mean? It means that often when you talk about someone, they will suddenly and unexpectedly appear. A variation of this saying appeared in the 16th century. It referred…
The French saying “à couteaux tirés” means literally “at knives drawn,” or “with knives drawn.” What it actually means is a situation of open war, or great tension, or great hostility, or diametrically opposed. The idiom dates back to the end of the 17th century. Historically, arguments were often “resolved” with knives or daggers. So…
“Mode” is a French noun that can either be masculine or feminine. Its meaning changes depending on whether it is the masculine version of the noun or the feminine version. In its masculine form, it means “mode” or “way.” In the feminine, it means “fashion.” So you can remember the difference by remembering that women…
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 l’horloge du palais” is a French expression used to describe a clock that doesn’t tell the right time. Although it translates as “It’s the palace clock,” there is no equivalent English saying. King Charles V of France (1338-1380) had a clock installed in his palace in Paris by the clockmaker Henri de Vic of…
This expression means “that’s it,” “that’s enough” or “we’re all squared up.” It refers to payment and is based on the street “rue Michel le Comte” in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris. This street received its name in 1270. The expression comes from the drivers of horse drawn hackney cabs who were originally based in the…