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_WORKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR_


  JULES SANDEAU. LA ROCHE AUX MOUETTES (Extracts). [_Nutt’s Short
  French Readers, 6d._]

  THÉOPHILE GAUTIER. VOYAGE EN ITALIE. [_Cambridge University
  Press, 3s._]

  ÉMILE SOUVESTRE. LE PHILOSOPHE SOUS LES TOITS (Extracts).
  [_Blackie’s Little French Classics, 4d._]

  PIERRE CŒUR. L’ÂME DE BEETHOVEN. [_Siepmann’s French Series.
  Macmillan, 2s._]




                   FRENCH IDIOMS AND PROVERBS


    “_Omne epigramma sit instar apis; sit aculeus illi,
    Sint sua mella, sit et corporis exigui._”
                                                      MARTIAL.

[Thus Englished by Archbishop Trench:

    “_Three things must epigrams, like bees, have all;
    Its sting, its honey, and its body small._”]

[And thus by my friend, Mr. F. Storr:

    “_An epigram’s a bee: ’tis small, has wings
    Of wit, a heavy bag of humour, and it stings._”]

    “_Celebre dictum, scita quapiam novitate insigne._”
                                                     ERASMUS.

“_The genius, wit, and spirit of a nation are discovered in its
proverbs._”--BACON.

    “_The people’s voice the voice of God we call;
    And what are proverbs but the people’s voice?_”
                                                  JAMES HOWELL.

    “_What oft was thought, but ne’er so well expressed._”
                                    POPE, _Essay on Criticism_.

“_The wit of one man, the wisdom of many._”--Lord JOHN RUSSELL
(_Quarterly Review_, Sept. 1850).




                   FRENCH IDIOMS AND PROVERBS

                   A COMPANION TO DESHUMBERT’S

                  “DICTIONARY OF DIFFICULTIES”

                               BY

                        DE V. PAYEN-PAYNE

            PRINCIPAL OF KENSINGTON COACHING COLLEGE
         ASSISTANT EXAMINER TO THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON

              _FOURTH REVISED AND ENLARGED EDITION_

                        [Fifth Thousand]

                             LONDON
                   DAVID NUTT, 57-59 LONG ACRE
                              1905




             “_Tant ayme on chien qu’on le nourrist,
             Tant court chanson qu’elle est aprise,
             Tant garde on fruit qu’il se pourrist,
              Tant bat on place qu’elle est prise.
               Tant tarde on que faut entreprise,
                Tant se haste on que mal advient,
               Tant embrasse on que chet la prise,
               Tant crie l’on Noel qu’il vient._”
                             VILLON, _Ballade des Proverbes_.




PREFACE


In this edition I have endeavoured to keep down additions as much
as possible, so as not to overload the book; but I have not been
sparing in adding cross-references (especially in the Index) and
quotations from standard authors. These quotations seldom give
the first occasion on which a proverb has been used, as in most
cases it is impossible to find it.

I have placed an asterisk before all recognised proverbs; these
will serve as a first course for those students who do not wish
to read through the whole book at once. In a few cases I have
added explanations of English proverbs; during the eleven years
I have been using the book I have frequently found that pupils
were, for instance, as ignorant of “to bell the cat” as they were
of “attacher le grelot.”

I must add a warning to students who use the book when
translating into French. They must not use expressions marked
“familiar” or “popular” except when writing in a familiar or
low-class style. I have included these forms, because they are
often heard in conversation, but they are seldom met with in
serious French literature. A few blank pages have been added at
the end for additions. Accents have been placed on capitals to
aid the student; they are usually omitted in French printing.

In conclusion, I have to thank Mr. W. G. Lipscomb, M.A.,
Headmaster of Bolton Grammar School, Mr. E. Latham, and
especially M. Georges Jamin of the École Lavoisier, Paris, for
valuable suggestions; while M. Marius Deshumbert, and Professor
Walter Rippmann, in reading through the proof sheets, have made
many corrections and additions of the greatest value, for which I
owe them my sincere gratitude.

                                               DE V. PAYEN-PAYNE.




AUTHORITIES CONSULTED


BELCHER, H., and DUPUIS, A., “Manuel aux examens.” London, 1885.

BELCOUR, G., “English Proverbs.” London, 1888.

BOHN, H. G., “Handbook of Proverbs.” London, 1855.

CATS, JACOB, and FAIRLIE, R., “Moral Emblems.” London, 1860.

DUPLESSIS, M. GRATET, “La fleur des Proverbes français.” Paris,
1851.

FURETIÈRE, A., “Dictionnaire universel.” La Haye, 1727.

GÉNIN, F., “Récréations philologiques.” Paris, 1856.

HOWELL, JAMES, “Lexicon Tetraglotton.” London, 1660.

KARCHER, T., “Questionnaire français.” Seventh Edition. London,
1886.

LACURNE DE STE. PALAYE, “Dictionnaire historique de l’ancien
langage françois.” Paris, 1875-82.

LARCHEY, LORÉDAN, “Nos vieux Proverbes.” Paris, 1886.

LAROUSSE, P., “Grand Dictionnaire universel du xix^e siècle.”
1865-76.

LE ROUX DE LINCY, A. J., “Livre des Proverbes français.” 2^e
édition. Paris, 1859.

LITTRÉ, E., “Dictionnaire de la langue française.” Paris,
1863-72.

LOUBENS, D., “Proverbes de la langue française.” Paris, 1889.

MARTIN, ÉMAN, “Le Courrier de Vaugelas.” Paris, 1868.

QUITARD, P. M., “Dictionnaire étymologique des Proverbes.” Paris,
1842.

QUITARD, P. M., “Études sur les Proverbes français.” Paris, 1860.

RIGAUD, LUCIEN, “Argot moderne.” Paris, 1881.

TARVER, J. C., “Phraseological Dictionary.” London, 1854.

TRENCH, R. C., “Proverbs and their Lessons.” Sixth Edition.
London, 1869.

_Quarterly Review._ July 1868.

_Notes and Queries._ _Passim._




FRENCH IDIOMS AND PROVERBS


_Expressions to which an Asterisk is prefixed are Proverbs._


A.


A

  _Il ne sait ni A ni B_ = He does not know B from a bull’s foot;
  He cannot read; He is a perfect ignoramus.

  _Être marqué à l’A_ = To stand high in the estimation of others.

    [This expression is supposed to have originated in the custom of
    stamping French coin with different letters of the alphabet. The
    mark of the Paris Mint was an “A,” and its coins were supposed
    to be of a better quality than those stamped at provincial
    towns. But as this custom only began in 1418 by command of the
    Dauphin, son of Charles VI., and as the saying was known long
    previous, it is more probable that its origin is to be sought in
    the pre-eminence that A has always held in all Aryan languages,
    and that the French have borrowed it from the Romans. Compare
    MARTIAL, ii. 57, and our A i, at Lloyd’s.]


Abandon

  _Tout est à l’abandon_ = Everything is at sixes and sevens, in
  utter neglect, in confusion.

    [Also: _Tout va à la dérive._]


Abattre

  *_Petite pluie abat grand vent_ = A little rain lays much dust;
  Often quite a trifle calms a torrent of wrath.

    [Compare: “Hi motus animorum atque haec certamina tanta Pulveris
    exigui jactu compressa quiescunt.”
                                      VERGIL, _Georgics_, iv. 86-7.]

  _Abattre de l’ouvrage_ = To get through a great deal of work.


Aboi

  _Être aux abois_ = To be reduced to the last extremity; To be at
  bay.

    [Compare BOILEAU: “Dès que j’y veux rêver, ma veine est aux
    abois.”]


Abondance

  *_Abondance de biens ne nuit pas_ = Store is no sore; One cannot
  have too much of a good thing.

  _Parler avec abondance_ = To speak fluently.

  _Parler d’abondance_ = To speak extempore.


Abonder

  _Il abonde dans mon sens_ = He is entirely of the same opinion as
  I am; He has come round to my opinion.


Abord

  _Il a l’abord rude, mais il s’adoucit bientôt_ = He receives you
  roughly at first, but that soon passes off.

  _A_ (or, _De_) _prime abord_ = At first sight; At the first blush.


Aboutir

  _Les pourparlers n’ont pas abouti_ = The preliminary negotiations
  led to nothing.


Absent

  *“_Les absents ont toujours tort_” = When absent, one is never in
  the right.

      “When a man’s away,
      Abuse him you may.”

  [NÉRICAULT-DESTOUCHES, _L’obstacle imprévu_, i. 6.]


Absurde

  _L’homme absurde est celui qui ne change jamais_ = The wise man
  changes his opinion--the fool never.

  [BARTHÉLEMY, _Palinode_. 1832.]


Accommodement

  _Il est avec le ciel des accommodements_ = One can arrange things
  with heaven.

    [Compare MOLIÈRE, _Tartufe_, iv. 5:

      “Le ciel défend, de vrai, certains contentements,
      Mais on trouve avec lui des accommodements.”

    The scene in which Orgon, hidden beneath the table, learns
    Tartufe’s hypocrisy.]

  _Un méchant accommodement est mieux que le meilleur procès_ = A
  bad arrangement is better than the best lawsuit.


Accommoder

  _Je l’accommoderai comme il faut_ = I will give him a good hiding.

  _Il s’accommode de tout_ = He is satisfied with everything; He is
  easy to please.


Accord

  _D’accord_ = Granted.


Accorder

  _Accordez mieux vos flûtes, si vous voulez réussir_ = You must
  agree better among yourselves if you wish to succeed.

    [Generally in bad sense. “Mettez, pour me jouer, vos flûtes mieux
    d’accord.”--MOLIÈRE, _L’Etourdi_, i. 4.]

  _S’accorder comme chien et chat_ = To live a cat and dog life.


Accoutumer

  _Chose accoutumée n’est pas fort prisée_ = Familiarity breeds
  contempt.

    [The Latin version of a sentence in PLUTARCH’S _Morals_ runs:
    “Nimia familiaritas contemptum parit.”

    Fais feste au chien, il te gastera ton habit.

      “Jamais trop compagnon à nul ne te feras
      Car bien que moins de joye moins d’ennuy tu auras.”]


Accrocher

  _Un homme qui se noie s’accroche à tout_ = A drowning man catches
  at a straw.

  _Il a accroché sa montre_ (pop.) = He has “popped” his watch.

    [Other popular synonyms are the following:--

    _Il a mis sa montre au clou_ (pop.) = His watch is up the spout.

    _J’ai porté ma montre chez ma tante_ (pop.) = My watch is at my
    uncle’s.]


Acheter

  _Acheter à vil prix_ = To buy dirt cheap, for a mere song.

  _Acheter chat en poche_ = To buy a pig in a poke.

  _Acheter par francs et vendre par écus_ = To buy in the cheapest
  market and sell in the dearest; To sell at a high profit.


Achever

  _C’est un voleur achevé_ = He is an arrant thief.


Achoppement

  _La pierre d’achoppement_ = The stumbling-block.


Acquérir

  *_Le bien mal acquis ne profite jamais_ = Ill-gotten gains
  benefit no one; Cheats never prosper; Ill got, ill spent.


Acquit

  _Faire quelque chose par manière d’acquit_ = To do something for
  form’s sake, perfunctorily.

    [This is a shortened form of _faire quelque chose pour l’acquit
    de sa conscience_ = to do something to satisfy one’s conscience.]

  _Donner l’acquit_ = To break (at billiards).

  _Pour acquit_ = Received (on bills).


Acte

  _Faire acte de présence_ = To put in an appearance.


Adieu

  _Sans adieu_ = I shall not say good-bye; I shall see you again
  soon.

    [“Adieu” is shortened from “Je vous recommande à la grâce de
    Dieu.” Comp. “Sans adieu, chevalier, je crois que nous nous
    reverrons bientôt.”--LESAGE.]


Adresse

  _Le trait est arrivé à son adresse_ = The shaft (_or_, arrow) hit
  the mark; He took the hint.


Adresser

  _Vous vous adressez mal_; _Vous vous adressez bien_ (ironic.) =
  You have come to the wrong person; You have mistaken your man.


Advenir

  *_Advienne que pourra_ = Happen what may.


Affaire

  _Cela fera parfaitement l’affaire_ = That will do capitally; That
  will suit down to the ground.

  _C’est son affaire_ = That is his business, his look-out.

  _Ça, c’est mon affaire_ = That is my business; It is no business
  of yours.

  _Il est sûr de son affaire_ = He will pay for it; He will catch
  it.

  _Je ne dis pas mes affaires aux autres_ = I do not tell others my
  plans (_or_ business); I keep my concerns to myself.

  _J’entends votre affaire_ = I see what is to be done for you.

  _Ils parlent affaires_ = They are talking business.

  _Ils parlent boutique_ = They are talking shop.

  _C’est une triste affaire_ = It is a sad business.

  _S’attirer une mauvaise affaire_ = To get into a mess, scrape.

  _Quand on a de l’esprit, on se tire d’affaire_ = When one has
  brains, one gets out of any difficulty.

    [Distinguish between _se tirer_ and _s’attirer_.]

  _Si quelque affaire t’importe, ne la fais pas par procureur_ = If
  you want a thing done, do it yourself.

  _L’affaire a été chaude_ = It was warm work (referring to a
  fight).

  _Une affaire d’honneur_ = A duel.

  _Où sont mes affaires?_ = Where are my things?

  _Les affaires ne vont pas (ne marchent pas)_ = Trade is dull,
  slack.

  _Je suis dans les affaires_ = I am in business.

    [“Les affaires? C’est bien simple, c’est l’argent des
    autres.”--ALEX. DUMAS fils, _La Question d’Argent_, ii. 7.]

  _Mêlez-vous de vos affaires_ = Mind your own business.

  _Avoir affaire_ = To be occupied.

  _Avoir affaire à quelqu’un_ = To have to speak to (to deal with)
  a person.

    [Sometimes as a threat: _Il aura affaire à moi_ = He will have to
    deal with me.]

  _Avoir affaire de quelqu’un_ = To need a person.

    [“J’ai affaire de vous, ne vous éloignez pas.”]

  _Avoir son affaire_ = To have what suits one. _J’ai mon affaire_
  = I have found what I want. _J’ai votre affaire_ = I have got the
  very thing for you. _Il aura son affaire_ (ironic.) = He will
  catch it.

  _C’est toute une affaire_ = It is a serious matter; It means a
  lot of bother (_or_, trouble).

  _C’est une affaire faite_ = It is as good as done.

  _Son affaire est faite_ = He is a dead man (of one dying); He is
  done for; He is a ruined man.

  _Faire son affaire_ = (of oneself) To succeed. _Il fait tout
  doucement son affaire_ = He is getting on slowly but surely. (Of
  others) To punish. _S’il le rencontre, il lui fera son affaire_ =
  If he meets him he will give it to him, will “do” for him.

  _Il a fait ses affaires dans les vins_ = He made his money in the
  wine trade.

  _J’en fais mon affaire_ = I will take the responsibility of the
  matter; I will see to it; I will take it in hand.

  _Vous avez fait là une belle affaire_ (ironic.) = You have made a
  pretty mess of it.

  _Une affaire de rien_ = A mere nothing, a trifle.

  _Il est hors d’affaire_ = He is out of danger.

  _Être au dessous de ses affaires, être au dessus de ses affaires_
  (ironic.) = To be unable to meet one’s liabilities, to be
  unsuccessful.

  _Quelle affaire! En voilà une affaire!_ (ironic.) = What a to-do!
  What a row about nothing!

  _La belle affaire!_ = Is that all? (_i.e._ it is not so difficult
  or important as you seem to think).

  _Il n’y a point de petites affaires_ = Every trifle is of
  importance.

  _Ceux qui n’ont point d’affaires s’en font_ = Those who have no
  troubles invent them; Idle people make business for themselves.

  _Les affaires sont les affaires_ = Business is business; One must
  be serious at work.

  _Ce scandale sera l’affaire de huit jours_ = That scandal will be
  a nine days’ wonder.

  _Dieu nous garde d’un homme qui n’a qu’une affaire_ = God save us
  from the man of one idea.

    [Because he is always talking of it, and tires every one. Compare
    “Beware of the man of one book.”]

  _Chacun sait ses affaires_ = Every one knows his own business
  best.

  *_A demain les affaires sérieuses_ = I will not be bothered with
  business to-day; Time enough for business to-morrow.

    [The saying of Archias, governor of Thebes, on receiving a letter
    from Athens warning him of the conspiracy of Pelopidas; he would
    not even open the letter. Soon after, the conspirators rushed in
    and murdered him and his friends as they were feasting.]

  _Il vaut mieux avoir affaire à Dieu qu’à ses saints_ = It is
  better to deal with superiors than subordinates.

    [Two quotations from La Fontaine are proverbial:--

      “On ne s’attendait guère
      A voir Ulysse en cette affaire.”
                                  _La Tortue et les deux Canards._

      “Le moindre grain de mil
      Serait bien mieux mon affaire.”
                                            _Le Coq et la Perle._]


Affamer

  *_Ventre affamé n’a point d’oreilles_ = A hungry man will not
  listen to reason.
                                  [LA FONTAINE, _Fables_, ix. 18.]


Afficher

  _Défense d’afficher_ = Stick no bills.

  _C’est un homme qui s’affiche_ = He is a man who tries to get
  talked about (generally in a disparaging sense).

    [_Être affiché_ is also said of a man who has been “posted” at
    his club.]


Affront

  _Faire affront à quelqu’un_ = To shame some one in public.

  _Le fils fait affront à sa famille_ = The son is a disgrace to
  his family.

  _Boire_ (_essuyer_ or _avaler_) _un affront_ = To pocket an
  insult.


Affût

  _Être à l’affût_ = To be watching for a favourable opportunity;
  To be on the look-out. (See _Aguets_.)


Âge

  _Il est entre deux âges_ = He is middle-aged.

  _Il est président d’âge_ = He is chairman by seniority.

  _Le bas âge_ = Infancy.

  _Le bel âge_ = Childhood; youth.

    [Some idea is generally understood after _le bel âge_. Thus
    “childhood” is not always the right translation. For an author
    _le bel âge_ would be after thirty, for a politician later still,
    and so on. Chicaneau, in Racine’s _Plaideurs_, calls sixty _le
    bel âge pour plaider_ (i. 7).]

  _La fleur de l’âge_ = The prime of life.

  _Le moyen âge_ = The Middle Ages.


Agir

  _Il s’agit de_... = The question is...; The point is...

  _Il s’agit de votre vie_ = Your life is at stake.

  _Il ne s’agit pas de cela_ = That is not the point.

  _Il s’agit bien de cela_ (ironic.) = That is quite a secondary
  consideration.


Agiter

  _Qui s’agite s’enrichit_ = If you wish to get rich, you must work
  (hustle); No pains, no gains.


Agonie

  _Même à travers l’agonie la passion dominante se fait voir_ = The
  ruling passion is strong in death.

    [“Elle a porté ses sentiments jusqu’à l’agonie.”--BOSSUET.

      “And you, brave Cobham! to the latest breath
      Shall feel your ruling passion strong in death.”
                                     POPE, _Moral Essays_, i. 262.]


Aguets

  _Il est aux aguets_ = He is on the watch; He is in ambush. (See
  _Affût_.)


Aide

  *_Un peu d’aide fait grand bien_ = Many hands make light work.


Aider

  _Bon droit a besoin d’aide_ = Even a good cause needs support.

  *_Aide-toi, le ciel t’aidera_ = God helps those who help
  themselves.

    [LA FONTAINE, _Fables_, vi. 18, _Le Chartier embourbé_, copying
    RÉGNIER, Sat. xiii.:

    “Aydez vous seulement et Dieu vous aydera.”

    Lat.: Dii facientes adjuvant.

    ÆSCHYLUS, _Persae_, 742: Σπεύδοντι σαυτῷ χῶ θεὸς ξυνάψεται.

    SOPHOCLES, _Camicii_, frag. 633, in Dindorf’s edition: Οὐκ ἐστι
    τοῖς μή δρῶσι σύμμαχος Τύχη.

    Another Greek saying was: Σύν, Αθηνᾷ καὶ χείρα κίνει = With
    Minerva on your side, yet use your own hand.

    Cromwell is reported to have said at the battle of Dunbar: “Trust
    in God, but keep your powder dry.”

    The Basques say: “Quoique Dieu soit bon ouvrier, il veut qu’on
    l’aide.”]


Aiguille

  _De fil en aiguille_ = Bit by bit; One thing leading to another.

    [“De propos en propos et de fil en eguille.”--RÉGNIER, Sat. xiii.]

  _Raconter de fil en aiguille_ = To tell the whole