IDIOMES

Idiomes

Under Construction

ON this page you will find a list of English idioms arranged alphabetically, their French equivalents and a literal translation of the French.

It's raining cats and dogs
Il tombe des cordes (ropes are falling)

Let sleeping dogs lie
Il ne faut pas réveiller le chat qui dort (one shouldn't wake a sleeping cat)

Like a bull in a china shop
Comme un éléphant dans un magasin de porcelaine

Pigs might fly
Quand les poules auront des dents (when hens have teeth)

To be in a mess / in the soup
Être dans le pétrin (to be in the kneading-trough)

To butter someone up / soft soap someone
Passer de la pommade à quelqu'un

To catch someone red-handed
Prendre quelqu'un la main dans le sac (to catch someone with his hand in the bag)

To turn one's coat/ change one's colours
Retourner sa veste (to turn one's jacket inside out)

To have bats in the belfry
Avoir une araignée dans le plafond (to have a spider on the ceiling

To leave no stone unturned
Remuer ciel et terre (to move heaven and earth)

To let the cat out of the bag

Vendre la mêche (to sell the wick)

To push up the daisies
Manger les pissenlits par la racine (eat dandelions by the root)

To put one's head in the lion's mouth
Se jêter / se précipiter dans la gueule du loup (to throw oneself into the wolf's mouth)

To put one's shoulder to the wheel
Mettre la main à la pâte (to put one's hand in the dough)

To see something in its true colours / light
Voir quelque chose sous son vrai jour (to see something under its true light)

To set the cat among the pigeons

To skate on thin ice

To throw money down the drain

To twist someone round your little finger

To see stars

You could have knocked me down with a feather