The French saying “mettre de l’eau dans son vin” means literally “to put some water in one’s wine.” It means to be less ambitious, to moderate one’s claims or to moderate one’s demands.
It comes from the practice of moderating the intensity of wine by adding water to it.
The expression dates back at least to the middle of the 16th century.
Equivalent English expressions include “to eat humble pie,” “to lower one’s sights,” and “to tone it down.”
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…
“L’arbre qui cache la forêt” – what does this French expression mean? Literally it translates as “the tree that hides the forest.” In English, you would refer to someone who “can’t see the forest for the trees” or who “can’t see the wood for the trees.” Someone who gets caught up in details that prevent…
“Un phoque” is a French masculine noun meaning “a seal,” referring to the marine mammal. Idiomatic expressions Etymology The word “phoque” is derived from the Latin “phoca,” a feminine noun meaning “seal.” Its first surviving recorded usage in French was in 1532, when it was spelled “focque.” By 1573 its spelling had changed to “phoque”…
“Faire en sorte que” is a versatile French expression that often challenges language learners because it doesn’t have a direct word-for-word translation in English. Literal Translation The expression breaks down as: So literally, it means “to make in such a way that” or “to do in such a manner that.” Figurative Translations In practical usage,…
Both “humour” and “humeur” are French nouns. But they mean different things. “L’humour” (masculine) means “the humour” or “the comedy.” It corresponds fairly closely to the English word “humour” (or “humor,” in US English). In French culture, especially cultivated and sophisticated French culture, “wit” was seen as more important. The French idea of “wit” is…
“Compter les étoiles” is a French saying that means “to count the stars,” literally. But what does it really mean? It means to undertake an impossible action, or to try to accomplish something that is virtually impossible to achieve. The idiom in French dates back to the year 1531, but it comes originally from the Bible,…