What does the French idiom “Revenons à nos moutons !” mean? It means, “Let’s get back to the topic,” or “let’s get back on track.” It dates back to 1464, when it was first found in a comedy of the Late Middle Ages. Literally, however, it means, “Let’s come back to our sheep.” Learn more amusing expressions like this one when you book an online lesson with Fast French.
This French expression means “to go window shopping.” However it translates literally as “to do some lick-window.” This phrase comes from the idea that the window shopper is standing so close to the window and gazing in with such pleasure that it looks like she is licking the window. The idiom first appeared in the 20th…
“à huis clos” is a French saying that means in private, with all doors closed, in secret. It is an expression dating from the middle of the 16th century, meaning “with doors closed.” “Huis” is an old 11th century word for door, now replaced by the word “porte.” The original word for door was “us,”…
The French expression “mordre la poussière” translates literally to “to bite the dust” in English and carries similar connotations. It is used to refer to defeat, failure, or death. Meaning “Mordre la poussière” typically conveys: Origins The expression has ancient roots dating back to Homer’s Iliad, where fallen warriors were described as “biting the earth”…
“Battre la campagne” is a French saying that literally means “to beat the countryside.” What it really means is “to talk nonsense,” “to rant,” or “to travel over large areas in search of something or someone.” It comes from a practice used by hunters of getting servants or friends to use sticks to beat bushes…
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…
The French saying “cracher dans la soupe” literally translates as “to spit in the soup.” What it really means is “to show contempt for something that benefits you” or “to criticise that which enables you to survive.” The origin of this saying is unknown. Its meaning, however, is quite clear. To spit in one’s own…
