raining and the sun is shining at the same time.
_Tirer le diable par la queue_ = To be always hard up for a
living.
_Faire le diable à quatre_ = To make a terrible noise; To play
all sorts of tricks. (See _Quatre_.)
_Le diable chante la grand’messe_ = He hides his vices under the
cloak of religion.
_C’est le diable à confesser_ = It is terribly hard to do.
_Il a le diable au corps_ = He is never still, quite
unmanageable, very energetic.
_C’est un air de porter le diable en terre_ = It is an air to
conjure up the devil.
*_Il n’est pas si diable qu’il est noir_ = The devil is not as
black as he is painted.
[Or: _Le diable n’est pas si noir qu’il en a l’air._]
_Se démener comme un diable dans un bénitier_ = To rush about
half-mad.
_Loger le diable dans sa bourse_ = To be penniless. (See
_Bourse_.)
[“Et logeant le diable en sa bourse,
C’est à dire, n’y logeant rien.”
LA FONTAINE, _Fables_, ix. 16.]
_Quand le diable fut vieux il se fit ermite_ = The devil was
sick, the devil a monk would be, The devil was well, the devil a
monk was he!
[Compare the Italian:
Passata il punto, gabbato il santo = The peril past, the saint
mocked.
Also: The river past and God forgotten.]
_Aller au diable Vauvert_ (corrupted into _au vert_) = To go very
far away, a devil of a way; To disappear.
[The Carthusians having been given a large building at Gentilly
by St. Louis, coveted the abandoned mansion of Vauvert (= _vallon
vert_), which they could see from their windows. But to ask for
it without a valid reason was to court refusal. So they caused
it to be haunted by evil spirits, and the king was soon glad to
get rid of this uncanny possession. It is needless to add that
the spirits were exorcised directly the monks took possession. It
stood in the _rue de Vauvert_, beyond the Luxembourg, which was
until lately called the _rue d’Enfer_. As this was then a remote
suburb of Paris, the expression was equivalent to going to the
end of the town, and thus, very far off.]
_C’est là le diable_ (or, _le hic_) = There is the rub.
_Elle a la beauté du diable_ = All her beauty consists in her
youth and freshness.
_Fait à la diable_ (i.e. _à la manière du diable_) = Done anyhow,
in a slipshod way.
Dieu
_À Dieu ne plaise!_ = God forbid!
_Jurer ses grands dieux_ = To affirm vehemently; To swear by all
that one holds sacred.
Différer
*_Ce qui est différé n’est pas perdu_ = All is not lost that is
delayed.
[German: Aufgeschoben ist nicht aufgehoben.]
Diligence
_Voyager par la diligence d’Adam_ = To travel on shanks’ nag.
[German: Auf Schusters Rappen.]
Dindon
_C’est un franc dindon_ = He is a thorough goose.
_Être le dindon de la farce_ = To be the dupe.
Dire
_Pour tout dire_ = In a word.
_C’est tout dire_ = That is saying all, enough.
[_e.g._ “Cet homme est-il honnête?”--“Je lui ai prêté 500 fr. il
y a deux ans et il n’a jamais voulu me rendre un sou. C’est tout
dire.”]
_Pour ainsi dire_ = So to speak.
_Je ne vous dis que ça_ = I cannot tell you any more, but it is a
fact.
[This can also be translated: “I can tell you!” as in “Je me suis
bien amusé, je ne vous dis que ça!”]
_Pour mieux dire_ = Or rather.
_Je me le suis tenu pour dit_ = I took it for granted.
_Soit dit entre nous_ = Quite between ourselves.
_Cela est bon à dire, mais..._ = That is all very well for a
speech, but...; That is all very fine, but...
_Il est sensible au qu’en dira-t-on_ = He is sensitive to public
opinion; He is easily influenced by what people say about him, by
what Mrs. Grundy will say.
_Il était dit que j’arriverais trop tard_ = The Fates had willed
that I should come too late.
_Quand je vous le disais!_ (or, _Je vous l’avais bien dit!_) = I
told you so!
_Ah! vous m’en direz tant!_ = 1. Well, that alters the case! 2.
Ah! now I understand, why did you not say so at first? 3. There’s
no going against such a reason as that.
[This expression has almost as many meanings as _n’est-ce pas_.
The above are a few of them. It is often used ironically.]
_A qui le dites-vous?_ = Am I not perfectly aware of it? Don’t I
know it?
_Au dire de tout le monde_ = According to what everybody says;
According to the general opinion.
_Je l’irai dire à Rome_ = It is so unlikely, that if it happens I
will undertake a pilgrimage to Rome; I’ll eat my hat.
[Comp. RACINE, _Épigramme III. Sur Andromaque_.]
_Cela ne me dit rien_ = That has no effect upon me; I have no
desire for it.
Discrétion
_On nous donna du vin à discrétion_ = They gave us as much wine
as we wanted (wine _ad libitum_).
Distance
_La distance grandit tout prestige_ =
“’Tis distance lends enchantment to the view,
And robes the mountain in its azure hue.”
[CAMPBELL, _Pleasures of Hope_, i. 7.]
Doigt
_Je lui ai donné sur les doigts_ = I rapped his knuckles (lit.
and fig.).
_Il y met les quatre doigts et le pouce_ = (lit.) He eats
greedily; (fig.) He acts clumsily.
_Ils sont comme les deux doigts de la main_ = They are hand and
glove together, inseparable.
_Vous avez mis le doigt dessus_ = You have hit the right nail on
the head; You have touched the spot.
_Mon petit doigt me l’a dit_ = A little bird told me so.
_Il était à deux doigts de la mort_ = He was at death’s door,
within an ace of death.
_Se fourrer le doigt dans l’œil jusqu’au coude_ (pop.) = To
deceive oneself most blindly; To put one’s foot in it.
_Savoir sur le bout du doigt_ = To know perfectly; To have at
one’s finger-ends.
_Il lui obéit au doigt et à l’œil_ = He is at his beck and call.
_Un doigt de vin_ (fam.) = A toothful of wine.
Dommage
_C’est dommage!_ = What a pity.
Donner
_Ils lui en ont donné tout du long de l’aune_ = They beat him
black and blue.
_Je vous le donne en dix_ = I bet you ten to one you will not
guess it.
*_Qui donne tôt donne deux fois_ = He gives twice who gives in a
trice.
[“Bis dat qui celeriter dat.”--PUBLIUS SYRUS. _Cito_, which
is now used instead of _celeriter_, appears to be a later
alteration.]
_Le régiment a donné_ = The regiment has engaged.
_On ne lui donnerait pas quarante ans_ = You would not take him
for forty.
_On t’en donnera des tabliers propres pour les salir_ = You ask
too much.
_J’ai passé quinze jours à Paris et je m’en suis donné_ = I spent
a fortnight in Paris, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
[This idiom implies movement, excitement, &c.]
Dormir
_Dormir sur les deux oreilles_ = (lit.) To sleep soundly; (fig.)
To have no cause for anxiety.
_Dormir comme une marmotte, comme un sabot, comme une souche,
les_ (or, _à_) _poings fermés_ = To sleep like a top, like a log.
_Dormir la grasse matinée_ = To lie late in bed.
_Il nous a dit des contes à dormir debout_ = He told us tedious,
nonsensical tales, old wives’ tales.
[“Γραῶν ὕθλος.”--PLATO, _Rep._ 350 E.
“Aniles fabellae.”--CICERO.]
*_Qui dort dîne_ = Sleeping is as good as eating.
*_Qui a renommée de se lever matin peut dormir jusqu’à midi_ = A
good reputation covers a multitude of sins.
_Dormir en gendarme_ = To sleep with one eye open.
Dos
*_Il ne se laisse pas manger la laine sur le dos_ = He is not the
man to let himself be made a fool of; He will not allow people to
take the food out of his mouth; He will not tamely submit to any
imposition.
_Le juge les a renvoyés dos à dos_ = The judge nonsuited them
both.
_Il fait le gros dos_ = He gives himself airs.
_En dos d’âne_ = Sloping on both sides, sharp-ridged.
_Je me suis mis le juge à dos_ = I have made an enemy of the
judge.
_J’en ai plein le dos_ (pop.) = I am sick and tired of it.
_Il a bon dos_ = His back is broad enough to stand a good deal.
Double
_C’est un double coquin_ = He is a thorough rascal.
_C’est un homme double_ = He is a double-faced man.
Douceur
*_Plus fait douceur que violence_ = Kindness does more than
harshness; More flies are caught with honey than with vinegar.
[LA FONTAINE, _Fables_, vi. 3.]
_Il faudra le prendre en douceur_ = You must tackle him gently.
Doute
_Cela ne fait aucun doute_ = There is no doubt about it.
_Dans le doute abstiens-toi_ = When in doubt, do nothing.
Douter
_Je ne me doutais de rien_ = I did not suspect anything.
_Je m’en doutais_ = I thought so.
Douzaine
_C’est un poète comme on en trouve à la douzaine_ = He is a very
minor poet.
[RÉGNIER, _Sat._ iv.]
Dragée
_Tenir la dragée haute à quelqu’un_ = To make a person pay well
(_or_, wait a long time) for what he desires.
Dragon
_Cette femme est un vrai dragon_ = 1. That woman is a virago. 2.
That woman is very masculine (in appearance and manners).
Drap
_Je suis dans de beaux draps_ = I am in a fine mess, in a pretty
pickle.
_Il voudrait avoir le drap et l’argent_ = He would like to have
his cake and eat it too.
Drapeau
_Elle a déjà un fils sous les drapeaux_ = She already has a son
in the army.
Droit
_Remettez ceci à qui de droit_ = Give this to the proper person,
to the person who has a right to it.
_Il fera droit à votre demande_ = He will accede to your request.
_Il fait son droit_ = He is studying for the bar.
Drôle
_C’est un drôle de corps_ = He is a queer fish.
_C’est un mauvais drôle_ = He is a downright scamp.
Dru
_Frapper fort et dru_ = To strike with might and main.
E.
Eau
*_Il n’est pire eau que l’eau qui dort_ = Still waters run deep.
*_C’est porter de l’eau à la mer_ (or, _rivière_) = It is
carrying coals to Newcastle.
[The Greek equivalent was Γλαῦκας εἰς Αθήνας = Owls to Athens;
the Hebrew “Enchantments to Egypt,” and the Late Latin
“Indulgences to Rome.”]
_Cet homme aime à pêcher en eau trouble_ = That man likes fishing
in troubled waters.
*_Ils se ressemblent comme deux gouttes d’eau_ = They are as like
as two peas.
_Tout va à vau l’eau_ = All is going to wreck and ruin.
[_A vau l’eau_ = With the current.]
_Pendant l’inondation le toit de cette maison était à fleur
d’eau_ = During the flood the top of that house was on a level
with the water.
_C’est un donneur d’eau bénite de cour_ = He makes empty promises.
_Les eaux sont basses chez lui_ = He is hard up; He is in low
water.
_C’est donner un coup d’épée dans l’eau_ = It is useless trouble,
an unsuccessful attempt.
[“Ἐν ὕδατι γράφειν.”--PLATO, _Phaedrus_, 276 C.]
_Faire venir l’eau au moulin_ = To bring grist to the mill.
_Faire venir l’eau à la bouche_ = To make one’s mouth water.
*_L’eau va toujours au moulin_ = Property always goes to those
who have some already; Money makes money; Nothing succeeds like
success.
_D’ici là il passera bien de l’eau sous le pont_ = It will be a
long time before that happens.
_Mettre de l’eau dans son vin_ = (fig.) To come down a peg.
*_L’eau qui tombe goutte à goutte cave la pierre_ = Dropping
water will wear away a stone.
[Ovid begins a line with “Gutta cavat lapidem” an abbreviation of
the proverb “Gutta cavat lapidem non vi sed saepe cadendo.”
“Stillicidi casus lapidem cavat.”--LUCRETIUS, i. 313.]
*_Une goutte d’eau suffit pour faire déborder un vase plein_ =
The last straw breaks the camel’s back.
_Nager entre deux eaux_ = (lit.) To swim under water; (fig.) To
run with the hare and hunt with the hounds.
_Faire eau_ (of boats) = To spring a leak.
_Faire de l’eau_ (of boats) = To take in fresh water.
_Laissez couler l’eau_ = Do not be anxious about what cannot be
helped; Don’t cry over spilt milk.
_Cela s’en est allé en eau de boudin_ = That collapsed utterly,
came to nothing.
[The more correct form is _s’en aller en aune de boudin_,
alluding to Perrault’s tale of _Les Souhaits Ridicules_.]
Échapper
_Ce mot m’est échappé_ = That word escaped me inadvertently
(_i.e._, I did not mean to say it).
_Ce mot m’a échappé_ = I have forgotten that word.
Échéant
_Le cas échéant_ = Should such a thing happen; If such should be
the case.
Échelle
_Faire la courte échelle à quelqu’un_ = To allow some one to
climb on one’s shoulders to scale a height; To give a lift to
some one.
_Après lui il faut tirer l’échelle_ = One cannot do better than
he has (_or_, does); He beats the record, takes the cake.
École
_Faire l’école buissonnière_ = To play truant.
_Faire une école_ = To make a blunder.
_Faire école_ = To found (_or_, to be a leader of) a school of
art, literature, music, &c.
Écolier
_Faire un tour d’écolier_ = To play a schoolboy trick.
_Faire une faute d’écolier_ = To make a foolish mistake.
Économie
*_Il n’y a pas de petites économies_ = A penny saved is a penny
earned; Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of
themselves.
[Also: _Les petites économies font les bonnes maisons._]
Écorcher
*_Jamais beau parler n’écorcha la langue_ = Fair words never did
harm; Civility costs nothing.
_Il écorche le français_ = He murders French.
_Il écorche l’anguille par la queue_ = He sets (goes) the wrong
way to work.
Écorner
_Il fait un vent à écorner_ (or, _décorner_) _un bœuf_ = The wind
is enough to blow one’s head off.
Écot
_Chacun a payé son écot_ = Each paid for himself.
Écouter
_Comme cet homme s’écoute!_ = What care that man takes of himself!
_C’est un écoute s’il pleut_ = He is a man who cannot be relied
upon.
[Mills were so called which depended for their motive-power on
rain-water and consequently were continually stopping.]
_Il n’écoute que d’une oreille_ = He pays very little attention.
Écrire
_Écrire de bonne encre à quelqu’un_ = To write to some one in
strong terms.
Écuelle
_Être propre comme une écuelle de chat_ = To be very dirty.
Écurie
*_Fermer l’écurie quand les chevaux sont dehors_ = To lock the
stable door when the steed is stolen.
_C’est un cheval à l’écurie_ = It is a white elephant.
Effet
_Cela fait de l’effet_ = That looks well; That is showy; That
makes a fine display.
_Cela me fait cet effet_ = That seems so to me.
Égal
_Cela m’est égal_ = It is all the same to me; I don’t care.
_Tout lui est égal_ = Everything is the same to him.
_D’égal à égal_ = 1. Between equals. 2. On equal terms.
_C’est égal, je me suis joliment amusé_ = Anyhow (All the same),
I enjoyed myself very much.
Église
*_Près de l’église, loin de Dieu_ = The nearer the church, the
farther from God.
_Gueux comme un rat d’église_ = As poor as a church mouse.
Élan
_Prendre son élan_ = To take one’s spring (before a jump).
Embarras
_Ne faites donc pas tant d’embarras_ = Do not make such a fuss.
_Ce n’est pas l’embarras_ = There is no great difficulty in it;
After all; For the matter of that.
_Elle n’a que l’embarras du choix_ = She has only too much to
choose from.
Emblée
_La loi passa d’emblée_ = The law passed straight off, by
acclamation.
_Il a été reçu d’emblée_ = He passed his examination the first
time he went up, without any difficulty.
Embrasser
*_Qui trop embrasse mal étreint_ = Grasp all, lose all.
[“Qui totum vult totum perdit.”--PUBLIUS SYRUS.
Qui tout convoite tout perd.
L’avarice rompt le sac.
Too much is stark naught.
“Oh, the little more, and how much it is!
And the little less, and what worlds away!”
BROWNING, _Dramatic Lyrics_,
‘_By the Fireside_,’ 39.]
Employer
_Il a employé le vert et le sec pour y parvenir_ = He left no
stone unturned to secure success.
Emporter
_S’emporter comme une soupe au lait_ = To be very hasty-tempered.
_Ne faites pas attention à ses menaces, autant en emporte le
vent_ = Pay no attention to his threats, they are as light as air.
_Emporter ses cliques et ses claques_ = To clear off, bag and
baggage.
_C’est une réponse à l’emporte-pièce_ = It is a very cutting
answer, and to the point.
[_À l’emporte-pièce_ = Cut out by a machine-punch.]
_Cela m’emporte la bouche_ = It burns my mouth (_i.e._ it is too
highly spiced).
Empressé
_Il fait l’empressé auprès de sa vieille tante_ = He pays marked
attention to his old aunt.
Emprunter
_Elle a un air emprunté_ = She looks awkward, embarrassed,
affected.
_Ne choisit pas qui emprunte_ = Beggars cannot be choosers.
[“Qui empruncte ne choisist mie.”
_Maistre Pierre Pathelin_, 79.]
Encensoir
_Casser le nez à quelqu’un à coups d’encensoir_ = To flatter some
one fulsomely to his face. (See _Casser_.)
Enchère
_Payer la folle enchère_ = To pay for one’s rashness, for one’s
folly.
[When a man bids at an auction and does not pay for what he has
bought, the lot is put up again and he has to pay the difference
(if any) between the price it is then sold at and the price he
bid for it.]
_Enchère au rabais_ = A Dutch auction.
Enclume
_Je suis entre l’enclume et le marteau_ = I am in a dilemma; I am
between the devil and the deep sea.
*_Il frappe toujours sur la même enclume_ = He is always harping
on the same string.
*_A dure enclume marteau de plume_ = The strokes of adversity
find the wise man unmoved.
[“Impavidum ferient ruinae.”
HORACE, _Odes_, iii. 3.]
Endroit
_Frapper au bon endroit_ = To touch the right spring; To hit the
right nail on the head; To hit the mark; To touch the spot.
Endimancher
_Des gens endimanchés_ = Folk rigged out in their Sunday best.
Enfant
_Des enfants perdus_ (military) = A forlorn hope.
_Un enfant terrible_ = A child who tells awkward truths.
[Gavarni, the caricaturist, published a series of sketches in
1865 under the title of “Les Enfants Terribles.”]
_Elle a deux enfants du premier lit_ = She has two children by
her first husband.
_C’est un enfant de la balle_ = He is his father’s son; He
follows the profession of his father. (See _Balle_.)
_C’est bien l’enfant de sa mère_ = He is the very image of his
mother.
_Faire l’enfant_ = To behave childishly (on purpose).
Enfiler
_Je ne suis pas ici pour enfiler des perles_ = I am not here to
waste my time.
_Cela ne s’enfile pas comme des perles_ = That is by no means an
easy matter.
Enfonceur
_C’est un enfonceur de portes ouvertes_ = 1. He is a braggart. 2.
He takes a deal of trouble to solve a difficulty which does not
exist.
Engrenage
_Être pris dans l’engrenage_ = To be caught in the toils.
Enlever
_On enleva les journaux comme du pain_ = The papers sold like hot
rolls, like wild-fire.
Ennemi
_Il n’y a pas de petit ennemi_ = Every enemy is to be feared.
[“Croire qu’un faible ennemi ne peut pas nuire, c’est croire
qu’une étincelle ne peut pas causer un incendie.” Sa’adi.]
Enseigne
_Nous sommes logés à la même enseigne_ = We are both in the same
predicament, in the same boat.
[“ἐν γὰρ τῷ αὐτῷ ἐσμεν σκάμματι.” St. Clement’s Epistle to the
Church of Corinth.]
_À telles enseignes_ = In proof whereof; So much so that.
_Je ne le croirai qu’à bonnes enseignes_ = I shall only believe
it upon good authority.
Entendre
_Il entend à demi mot_ = He can take a hint.
*_À bon entendeur, salut_ = A word to the wise is enough; _Verbum
sap._
[“A bon entendeur ne fault qu’une parole.”--RABELAIS,
_Pantagruel_, v. 7.]
_Il n’entend pas de cette oreille_ = (fig.) He will listen to
nothing on that subject.
_Vous ne vous y entendez pas_ = You do not know how to set about
it, how to manage it.
_Il n’entend pas raillerie là-dessus_ = 1. You must not speak
lightly of that before him. 2. He will not be trifled with on
that point.
_Entendre la raillerie_ = To know how to be witty; To be a good
hand at chaff.
_Entendre raillerie_ = Not to be offended at a joke; To stand
chaff well.
_Il n’y entend pas malice_ = 1. He does not mean any harm; He
means no more than he says. 2. He takes it innocently.
_Faire l’entendu_ = To put on a knowing look.
*_Il n’est pire sourd que celui qui ne veut pas entendre_ = None
so deaf as those who will not hear.
Entente
_Un mot à double entente_ = A word (_or_, remark) with two
meanings.
Enterrer
*_Mieux vaut goujat debout qu’empereur enterré_ = A living dog is
better than a dead lion.
Envie
_J’ai bien envie d’aller à Paris avec vous_ = I have a good mind
to go to Paris with you.
_Il ne porte envie à personne_ = He envies no one.
_Il ne fait envie à personne_ = No one envies him.
_Si l’envie m’en prend_ = If I feel inclined to do it.
Envoyer
_Je l’ai envoyé promener_ (or, fam., _paître_) = I sent him about
his business.
Épée
_C’est son épée de chevet_ = 1. That is his trusty counsellor. 2.
That is what he is always talking about.
[Literally, a sword that hung at the head of a bed to guard one
from nocturnal attacks.
“Voilà leur épée de chevet, de l’argent.”--MOLIÈRE, _L’Avare_,
iii. 5.]
_Passer au fil de l’épée_ = To put to the sword.
_Qui porte épée porte paix_ = One sword keeps another in its
scabbard; _Si vis pacem, para bellum._
Épervier
*_Mariage d’épervier, la femelle vaut mieux que le mâle_ = The
grey mare is the better horse.
Épine
_Tirer une épine du pied à quelqu’un_ = To take a thorn out of
some one’s side; To get some one over a difficulty.
Épingle
_Il est toujours tiré à quatre épingles_ = He always looks as if
he came out of a band-box.
_J’ai tiré mon épingle du jeu_ = I have saved my stake; I got
well out of a bad job.
[Une locution qui vient d’un jeu de petites filles: elles mettent
des épingles dans un rond, et, avec une balle qui, lancée contre
le mur, revient vers le rond, elles essayent d’en faire sortir
les épingles: quand on fait sortir sa mise, on dit qu’on retire
son épingle du jeu.]
_Une épingle par jour fait huit sous par an_ = A pin a day is a
groat a year.
Éponge
_Passons l’éponge là-dessus_ = Let us say no more about it; Let
us forget all about it; Let bygones be bygones.
Épreuve
_C’est un ami à toute épreuve_ = He is a well-tried, faithful,
trusty friend.
Épuiser
_L’édition est épuisée_ = The book is out of print.
Équipée
_Oh! la belle équipée!_ = Here’s a pretty kettle of fish!
Ergot
_Se dresser sur ses ergots_ = To stand on one’s dignity.
Esprit
_Je suis bien dans son esprit_ = He has a good opinion of me.
_Où avez-vous donc l’esprit?_ = What are you thinking of?
_Il a l’esprit aux talons_ = He shines at the wrong end; He is
not witty.
_Il a l’esprit de l’escalier_ = He never thinks of the right
answer at the proper moment.
[_i.e._ He thinks of the right answer going down the staircase,
after leaving the room.]
_Faire de l’esprit_ = To try and be witty.
_Il a de l’esprit comme quatre_ = He is very witty.
_L’esprit court les rues_ = Wit is a drug in the market.
_Avoir l’esprit bien fait_ = To be good-tempered.
_Les grands esprits se rencontrent_ = Great wits always jump
together; We both said the same thing at the same moment.
Essuyer
_Essuyer les plâtres_ = To move into a newly-built house before
the walls are dry; (fig.) To experience the disadvantages of a
beginning.
Estomac
_Avoir l’estomac dans les talons_ = To be as hungry as a hunter.
État
_Nous faisons peu d’état de cet homme_ = We consider that man
very little; We take little account of that man.
_De son état_ = By profession, by trade.
_Je l’ai mis hors d’état de vous nuire_ = I have put it out of
his power to harm you.
_Pour un rien il se met dans tous ses états_ (fam.) = He gets
very excited over a mere trifle.
_L’État, c’est moi!_ = The State! I am the State.
[CHÉRUEL, _Histoire de l’Administration monarchique en France_,
Livre II. p. 32.]
Étoffe
_Il y a de l’étoffe dans cet enfant_ = There is grit in that boy.
Étoile
_Voir des étoiles (la lune) en plein midi_ = To receive a
violent blow in the eye, so as to “see stars.”
Étourdir
_Étourdir la grosse faim_ = To take the edge off one’s appetite.
Être
_Je n’y suis pour personne_ = I am not at home to anybody.
_Je n’y suis pour rien_ = I have nothing to do with it; I have no
hand in it.
_Vous n’y êtes pas_ = You do not understand it; “You are out of
it.”
_J’y suis, j’y reste_ = Here I am, here I stop.
[Marshal MacMahon in the trenches before the Malakoff, Sept. 9,
1855.]
_Cette fois, ça y est_ = Now it is done, and no mistake.
_Je n’en suis plus_ = I am no longer one of the party; I no
longer belong to it.
_Il n’en a rien été_ = Nothing came of it.
_Il en a été pour sa peine_ = He had his trouble for nothing.
_Il en sera ce qu’il vous plaira_ = It shall be just as you
please.
_Je ne sais plus où j’en suis_ = 1. I have lost the place where I
left off (in reading, etc.). 2. I do not know what I am about.
_Je suis très bien avec lui_ = I am on very good terms with him.
_Êtes-vous de la noce?_ = Are you one of the wedding party?
_Êtes-vous des nôtres_ = Are you one of our party? Are you one of
us? Do you think as we do?
_Voilà ce que c’est que de se mettre en colère_ = That is the
consequence of losing one’s temper.
_Je suis à l’étroit_ = I am cramped for room.
*_On ne peut pas être et avoir été_ = One cannot have one’s cake
and eat it. (See _Drap_.)
Étrenne
_Tu n’en auras pas l’étrenne_ = You will not be the first to use
it.
Étrier
_Il a le pied à l’étrier_ = He is ready to start.
_Buvez le coup de l’étrier_ = Drink the stirrup-cup.
_A franc étrier_ = At full speed. (See _Bride_ and _Train_.)
Évangile
_C’est l’Évangile_ (or, _c’est parole d’Évangile_) = It is gospel
truth.
Excuser
*_Qui s’excuse, s’accuse_ = If you try to excuse yourself you
practically acknowledge that you have done wrong; A guilty
conscience needs no accuser.
_Excusez du peu_ (ironic.) = Only that? How modest!
Exemple
_Il prêcha d’exemple_ = He practised what he preached; He set the
example.