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.”
“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. Don’t miss out on new posts – subscribe now!
English contains a lot of adjectives of French origin. One of the features of these adjectives is that they have come from the feminine version of the French adjective, not the masculine version, which is normally the default. That’s because the feminine version of any French adjective is usually easier for English speakers to pronounce. It…
The French phrase “il me faut” means “I need.” Literally translated, it means “it to me is necessary.” Versions also exist for you, he/she, we, you (formal/plural) and they. This is an alternative to the expression “avoir besoin de” (to have need of). “Il me faut” is always followed by a noun. It is never…
The French saying “être mal barré” means “to get off to a bad start,” “to be heading for failure,” or “to get into big trouble.” Literally it translates as “to be badly steered” or “to be badly guided,” in the nautical sense of steering or guiding. “La barre” is the tiller or the helm of…
Meanings of “Craindre”: The French verb “craindre” primarily translates to “to fear” or “to be afraid.” However, its meanings extend beyond mere fear, encompassing a spectrum of related emotions: Conjugation in Present and Passé Composé: “Craindre” belongs to the third group of French verbs, which are often irregular in their conjugations. Here is how “craindre”…
The French verb “être” is important in the French language. It serves as the equivalent of the English verb “to be” and plays a vital role in constructing sentences, expressing identity, existence, and characteristics. With its diverse conjugation patterns, “être” encapsulates the essence of being in the French language. As an irregular verb, “être” defies…