IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchÀ bon escient
Meaning: Advisedly; with proper judgment about when to do it.
Literally: With good knowing
Example: “Utilise les antibiotiques à bon escient, pas au moindre rhume.” — Use antibiotics wisely, not for every little cold.
Origin: Escient descends from Latin sciens, knowing, and appears in modern French only in this phrase and its opposite, à mauvais escient. It is about timing and appropriateness rather than being correct.
More French idioms
- Jeter l'argent par les fenêtres To spend recklessly and pointlessly.
- Croire dur comme fer To believe something with complete and unshakeable conviction.
- Le fer de lance The leading element of an effort; the part that goes in first.
- Avoir le feu sacré To be driven by genuine, burning vocation.
- Être tout feu tout flamme To be full of ardent enthusiasm.
- Faire fi de quelque chose To scorn something; to dismiss it as beneath notice.
Explore another collection: Proverbs
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- L'habit ne fait pas le moine Appearances do not establish what someone is.
- Pierre qui roule n'amasse pas mousse Constant movement prevents anything from accumulating.
- On ne fait pas d'omelette sans casser des œufs Worthwhile results require some damage along the way.
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