IdiomBody & Senses
French
FrenchÀ fleur de peau
Meaning: Raw and easily provoked, of emotions; or just at the surface.
Literally: At the flower of the skin
Example: “Depuis le divorce, elle a les nerfs à fleur de peau.” — Since the divorce, her feelings have been right on the surface; she wears her heart on her sleeve.
Origin: À fleur de means level with the surface, the same construction as à fleur d'eau. Nerves at the level of the skin have nothing covering them.
More French idioms
- Merde ! Good luck — said to a performer before going on stage.
- Voilà pourquoi votre fille est muette Said of a grand explanation that explains nothing.
- Passez, muscade ! Hey presto — said when something vanishes suspiciously conveniently.
- Se croire le premier moutardier du pape To have a wildly inflated sense of one's own importance.
- Mystère et boule de gomme Nobody has the faintest idea.
- Promettre monts et merveilles To promise far more than could ever be delivered.
Explore another collection: Proverbs
Short sayings of timeless wisdom from more than 50 cultures, each with its meaning and origin.
- Mieux vaut prévenir que guérir It is better to stop a problem before it happens than to fix it afterwards.
- On n'a rien sans rien You have to give something, effort or money, to get something.
- On récolte ce que l'on sème Your actions bring consequences that match them.
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