set-phrases - expressions consacrées

set-phrase

meaning

origin

circumstance

date

lire entre les lignes

deviner le sens caché

read between the lines

guess hidden meaning

il faut commencer par balayer devant sa porte

commencer par corriger ses propres défauts ?

clean up one's own backyard first

???

avoir d'autres chats à fouetter / avoir mieux à faire

sans objet ?

bigger fish to fry

If you aren't interested in something because it isn't important to you and there are more important things for you to do, you have bigger fish to fry.

un “Tiens.” vaut mieux que deux “Tu l'auras.”

mieux vaut avoir un gain en main que deux gains hypothétiques

bird-dog

bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

knock on wood

“A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush” is a proverb meaning that it is better to have something that is certain than take a risk to get more, where you might lose everything.

bird-dog

(USA) If you bird-dog, you follow someone or something very closely, monitoring them.

toucher du bois

pour porter chance ou éloigner la malchance

knock on wood

Knocking on wood – in Britain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Ireland the phrase is touch wood – is an apotropaic tradition of literally touching, tapping, or knocking on wood, or merely stating that one is doing or intending to do so, in order to avoid "tempting fate" after making a favourable observation, a boast, or declaration concerning one's own death or other unfavorable situation beyond one's control or sadness . Only the spoken party (a singular person) is to actually "knock on wood" at a time.

Knocking_on_wood sur wikipédia

birds and the bees

If a child is taught about the birds and the bees, they are taught about sex.

Qui se ressemble s'assemble

Ceux qui se ressemblent se rejoignent ?

birds of a feather flock together

This idiom means that people with similar interests will stick together.

ça porte malheur de fêter un anniversaire avant et ça porte malheur de fêter une fête après : seconde partie à vérifier

blind as a bat

If you are in total darkness and can't see anything at all, you are as blind as a bat.

à l'impossible nul n'est tenu

On dit ça quand quelque chose est trop difficile à faire, pour exprimer qu'on à pas à le faire

break the back of the beast

If you break the back of the beast, you accomplish a challenge.

comme un éléphant dans un magasin de porcelaine

le mec pas doué, quoi !

bull in a China shop

If someone behaves like a bull in a China shop, they are clumsy when they should be careful.

bulle financière ?

bull market

A bull market is a period when investors are optimistic and there are expectations that good financial results will continue.

bull session

If you have a bull session, you have an informal group discussion about something.

têtu ? indécrottable ?

bull-headed

If you're a bull-headed, you're stubborn or inflexible.

busy as a beaver

If you're as busy as a beaver, you're very busy indeed.

busy as a bee

If you are as busy as a bee, you are very busy indeed.

butterflies in your stomach

The nervous feeling before something important or stressful is known as butterflies in your stomach.

by a whisker

If you do something by a whisker, you only just manage to do it and come very near indeed to failing.

call the dogs off

If someone calls off their dogs, they stop attacking or criticising someone.

camel's nose

A camel's nose is a small, seemingly harmless act that can have undesirable consequences if allowed.

can of worms

If an action can create serious problems, it is opening a can of worms.

canary in a coal mine

(UK) A canary in a coal mine is an early warning of danger.

Donner de la confiture à des cochons

cast pearls before swine

If you cast pearls before swine, you offer something of value to someone who doesn't appreciate it- 'swine' are 'pigs'.

cast sheep's eyes at

If you cast sheep's eyes at at someone, you look lovingly or with longing at them.

cat among the pigeons

If something or someone puts, or sets or lets, the cat among the pigeons, they create a disturbance and cause trouble.

cat and dog life

If people lead a cat and dog life, they are always arguing.

cat and mouse

If people play cat and mouse, one side is trying to catch or trap the other, with evasions and near-misses.

à la fortune du pot ?

cat fur and kitty britches

(USA) When I used to ask my grandma what was for dinner, she would say 'cat fur and kitty britches'. This was her Ozark way of telling me that I would get what she cooked. (Ozark is a region in the center of the United States)

t'as perdu ta langue ?

cat got your tongue?

If someone asks if the cat has got your tongue, they want to know why you are not speaking when they think you should.

cat nap

If you have a short sleep during the day, you are cat napping.

cat's lick

(Scot) A cat's lick is a very quick wash.

cat's pajamas

(USA) Something that is the cat's pajamas is excellent.

cat's whiskers

Something excellent is the cat's whiskers.

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modification n'a pas pu être sauvegardée. [Désolé de la gêne occasionnée].
Veuillez réessayer dans quelques (dizaines?) de minutes.

Mais je leur en veux pas, car leur site (jimdo.com) est (très) facile à utiliser, et surtout d'une souplesse si grande que les possibilités sont quasi infinies!

Thank you, jimdo team!

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