manger sur le pouce

manger sur le pouce

The French saying “manger sur le pouce” translates literally as “to eat on the thumb.” Figuratively, however, it means “to eat quickly,” “to eat rapidly,” or “to eat hastily.” It dates back to the 19th century. People like factory workers and soldiers often ate on the spot, with one hand holding a piece of bread…

laid comme un pou

laid comme un pou

The French saying “laid comme un pou” translates literally as “(as) ugly as a louse.” It means “very ugly.” This idiom dates back to the end of the 18th century. Although there are plenty of other insects that are uglier than a louse, which is responsible for head lice infestations, the effects of this insect…

verb: craindre

verb: craindre

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”…

être mal barré

être mal barré

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…