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Idiomatic expressions in English

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Idiomatic expressions in English Empty Idiomatic expressions in English

Message  MicD Mer 10 Jan - 12:12

I don't know him from Adam.
Je ne le connais ni d'Eve ni d'Adam.

This collar costs an arm and a leg.
Ce collier coûte les yeux de la tête.

I got my driver's license, it's in the bag!
J'ai eu mon permis, c'est dans la poche !

My boyfriend started to spin a yarn but I already knew the truth.
Mon copain m'a raconté des histoires à dormir debout mais je connaissais déjà la vérité.

I am an early bird, I get up at 6 a.m.
Je suis un lève-tôt, je me lève à 6 heures.

My colleague is an albatross around my neck!
Mon collègue est un boulet !

We could kill two birds with a stone.
Nous avons pu faire d'une pierre deux coups.

I don't like his present but it's the thought that counts.
Je n'aime pas son cadeau mais c'est l'intention qui compte.

I will give up when pigs fly.
J'abandonnerai quand les poules auront des dents.

Wow, you are dressed up to the nines!
Waouh, tu t'es mise sur ton trente-et-un !

It is raining cats and dogs.
Il pleut des cordes.

My children have ants in their pants.
Mes enfants ne tiennent pas en place.

Speak louder, he is deaf as a post.
Parle plus fort, il est sourd comme un pot.

My cousin wouldn't rock climb, he got cold feet.
Mon cousin n'a pas voulu faire de l'escalade, il a eu la trouille.

An actor has always butterflies in his stomach before playing in the theater.
Un acteur a toujours le trac avant de jouer une pièce de théâtre.

She has to bring home the bacon because she is a single mother.
Elle doit faire bouillir la marmite car elle est fille mère.

You're right to have big plans but don't put the cart before the horse.
Tu as raison d'avoir de grands projets, mais ne mets pas la charrue avant les bœufs.

My sister let the cat out of the bag...
Ma sœur a lâché le morceau...

I'm almost done wtiting my speech, I still have to dot the i's and cross the t's.
J'ai presque fini d'écrire mon discours, il me reste à mettre la touche finale.

I am going down memory lane with this photo album.
Cet album photo fait remonter des souvenirs.
MicD
MicD

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Message  MurielB Mer 10 Jan - 17:58

Thanks a lot Mic the very interesting expressions. Any way I had to search on the internet for one of them
To spin a yarn
https://wordhistories.net/2021/07/31/spin-yarn/
The phrase to spin a yarn, and its variants, mean to tell a long, far-fetched story.

Many of the texts containing the early occurrences of this phrase that I have found indicate that to spin a yarn originated in nautical slang—perhaps, therefore, the phrase alludes to making ropes from lengths of yarn on board ship: the men would have told one another stories while performing this long and tedious task.


Dernière édition par MurielB le Mer 10 Jan - 18:44, édité 1 fois

_________________
Idiomatic expressions in English Image_10
La langue c'est Le Lien, 
Language is The Link,
La Lengua es el Nexo de unión,
Sprache ist die Verbindung, 
Il Linguaggio è Il Legame,
La Lingvo estas La Ligilo etc.
MurielB
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Message  MicD Mer 10 Jan - 18:40

https://context.reverso.net/traduction/anglais-francais/spin+a+yarn?utm_source=reversoweb&utm_medium=contextresults&utm_campaign=resultpage

I promise not to spin a yarn (=talk nonsense/ lie/ 'raconter des salades') but we can ask for confirmation from our British friends.
MicD
MicD

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Idiomatic expressions in English Empty Idiomatic Expressions in English

Message  johnB Mer 17 Jan - 13:16


I enjoyed this list very much. Thank you Mic.

They are all English expressions ( with the occasional American spelling ! ) .

The definition of " to spin a yarn " is correct.

One phrase I would mention is " this collar costs an arm and a leg. Maybe in American " collar" can mean a necklace - I don't know . In English " collar "
always means the top of a shirt . It does not mean necklace . There used to be shirts with a detachable collar but I have never owned one and wouldn't know how to put it together ! Too smart for me ! johnB

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Message  MicD Dim 21 Jan - 19:28

You are right John, it is a mistake.
I should have written necklace.
Thank you for your help.
MicD
MicD

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