Loiseau Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Thanks for pm, mint!Hmm, can't guess what that expression means...Hooray for this thread! Was dining with a group of French friends last night, and "cassoss" came up! Was very proud that I knew it.On the other hand, I also learnt a new expression from them: "pêter sur une toile cirée". I think it's a bit "familier" for polite company though.Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericd Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 [quote user="mint"]PM alert for loisseau.And a new expression for those interested: mettre quelqu'un sur les dents.[/quote]Hi Sweet/mint or whatever you now call yourself (I liked sweet17....!) You can definitely "etre sur les dents" as in being on high alert for something to happen but I somewhat don't think you can turn someone in this state. I might be wrong but ...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 So something like being on tenterhooks (whatever they are!)Or shpilkes in yiddish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share Posted June 17, 2014 [quote user="ericd"][quote user="mint"]PM alert for loisseau.And a new expression for those interested: mettre quelqu'un sur les dents.[/quote]Hi Sweet/mint or whatever you now call yourself (I liked sweet17....!) You can definitely "etre sur les dents" as in being on high alert for something to happen but I somewhat don't think you can turn someone in this state. I might be wrong but ......[/quote]Hi, Eric, I don't mind what you call me as long as you help me with my French!For on high alert for something to happen, I would say en branle-bas de combat.I understood that mettre quelqu'un sur les dents is to annoy them. Is that not correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cendrillon Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Could the saying mean the same as being on edge about something? which seeing it isolated like that doesn't say a lot.[I] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericd Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 [quote user="mint"][quote user="ericd"][quote user="mint"]PM alert for loisseau.And a new expression for those interested: mettre quelqu'un sur les dents.[/quote]Hi Sweet/mint or whatever you now call yourself (I liked sweet17....!) You can definitely "etre sur les dents" as in being on high alert for something to happen but I somewhat don't think you can turn someone in this state. I might be wrong but ......[/quote]Hi, Eric, I don't mind what you call me as long as you help me with my French!For on high alert for something to happen, I would say en branle-bas de combat.I understood that mettre quelqu'un sur les dents is to annoy them. Is that not correct?[/quote]Hi Susie ;-)I must admit never ever used this expression as a meaning of annoying someone. I would rather say " l'embeter (embeter cette personne)" or other expressions a tad more rude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted June 18, 2014 Author Share Posted June 18, 2014 [quote user="ericd"]Hi Susie ;-)I must admit never ever used this expression as a meaning of annoying someone. I would rather say " l'embeter (embeter cette personne)" or other expressions a tad more rude.[/quote]Hi EricI must have got it wrong and I think it must be closer to what you and Cinders have explained. I read it in a detective story where there were murderers "out there" and it is the murders that have alarmed the police and put them on alert for more murders!LOL, I try to read a range of books to get used to different vocabulary and style of writing.bonne journéeSusie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cendrillon Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I have just found th efollowing explanations in the dictionary.Mettre son personnel sur les dents = to work one's staff to deathetre sur les dents = to be worn out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwmcn Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Patf,Hooks in a device called a tenter.David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted June 18, 2014 Author Share Posted June 18, 2014 [quote user="Cendrillon"]I have just found th efollowing explanations in the dictionary.Mettre son personnel sur les dents = to work one's staff to deathetre sur les dents = to be worn out[/quote]Hey, Cinders, it truly wasn't a story about modern day slavery...............................[:-))]Anyway, seeing that I now no longer have the chateau or indeed slaves, I don't know when I'd be able to try out the expression. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tancrède Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Now that Loiseau has let rip with the p-word, I can admit that phrase I particularly enjoy is :Il pète plus haut que son cul.Describing a tedious, overreaching, self-referential windbag, all of whose geese are inevitably swans.Not only is it an expression hallowed by some four hundred years of literary currency, but it has gain even further dignity by a recent employment in connection with the President of the USA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted June 24, 2014 Author Share Posted June 24, 2014 [quote user="Gengulphus"]Now that Loiseau has let rip with the p-word, I can admit that phrase I particularly enjoy is :Il pète plus haut que son cul.Describing a tedious, overreaching, self-referential windbag, all of whose geese are inevitably swans.Not only is it an expression hallowed by some four hundred years of literary currency, but it has gain even further dignity by a recent employment in connection with the President of the USA.[/quote]Huh? I would have thought that is somewhat of an impossible physical feat?[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 mint, if I have not actually said this, I have thought this expression on many an occasion. It is really in current usage, or maybe I mix with slightly vulgar people[Www].Gengulphus said: all of whose geese are inevitably swans.Now that I don't get. I would have rather thought all of those 'swans' are inevitably geese. Not that there is much wrong with geese, sounds like me, tend to be noisy and like geese, me having me bad knees, I do tend to waddle these days, such is life[:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted August 11, 2014 Author Share Posted August 11, 2014 I have a new word AND a new phrase this week, so riches indeed[:)]The new word is "gringoler" and it was used in reference to President Hollande who would surely be gringolé come the general election in 2016.The phrase is this and they are talking about the tennis final in Toronto yesterday played by Tsonga and Federer:C'est Federer qui a mordu la poussièreI use that phrase fairly frequently in English and hadn't realised that there was a French equivalent so I was very pleased to discover it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 I know dégringoler which has the sense of fall or rush down.... 'collapse' in fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted August 11, 2014 Author Share Posted August 11, 2014 [quote user="NormanH"]I know dégringoler which has the sense of fall or rush down.... 'collapse' in fact.[/quote]Of course, don't know why I missed out the prefix[:-))]It means chuter, I think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 often of prices or popularity in the polls etc.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 I see that both Norman and Betty are on-line or at least "about", so j'en profite.............Je m'en suis rendu compte: first of all, is that phrase correct?Secondly, does it mean "I realised"?merci Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Je me suis rendu compte can certainly translate 'I realised' 'I discovered' 'I found out that' it is followed by 'que'.... 'that...'If you add the 'en' it is' I realised it', so no need for a continuation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 Thank you, Norman for the explanation which, as usual, is excellent.And I appreciate greatly your patience as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 You might like 'Vous aurez beau faire' in this quotation, which has the slightly old fashioned feel of 'Try as you might'[URL=http://s253.photobucket.com/user/bfb_album/media/10405466_317818741726222_7894928584361387335_n_zps9995af74.jpg.html][IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh80/bfb_album/10405466_317818741726222_7894928584361387335_n_zps9995af74.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted August 29, 2014 Author Share Posted August 29, 2014 YES! I do like it; so elegant........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soupagirl Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 My newly acquired useful phrase - last night at the village fete I went off to the loo (I know, too much information) and the very strong water pressure in the very small sink resulted in me going back into the salle des fetes looking as if I'd been out in the rain.'T'es pas sortable!' declared my friend. I can't take you anywhere? I like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cendrillon Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 bien arrosé (one e or two?) [;-)]LOL in more sense than one![:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericd Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 [quote user="NormanH"]You might like 'Vous aurez beau faire' in this quotation, which has the slightly old fashioned feel of 'Try as you might'[URL=http://s253.photobucket.com/user/bfb_album/media/10405466_317818741726222_7894928584361387335_n_zps9995af74.jpg.html][IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh80/bfb_album/10405466_317818741726222_7894928584361387335_n_zps9995af74.jpg[/IMG][/URL][/quote]Goes to prove that women are so shallow..... and men are to the point ! I love it ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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