
IdiomDaily Life
French
À l'emporte-pièce
Meaning: Trenchant and uncompromising, of a remark or judgment.
Literally: Punch-cut
Example: “Ses jugements à l'emporte-pièce vexent souvent ses collègues.” — His blunt, sweeping judgments often offend his colleagues.
Origin: An emporte-pièce is the punch that stamps a shape cleanly out of leather or metal in a single stroke. A statement made that way leaves no ragged edge and no room for qualification.
More French idioms
- Tomber dans l'escarcelle de quelqu'un To end up in someone's possession, often without their working for it.
- À bon escient Advisedly; with proper judgment about when to do it.
- Des espèces sonnantes et trébuchantes Hard cash, as opposed to promises or credit.
- D'estoc et de taille With everything one has, by every available means.
- Ne connaître ni d'Ève ni d'Adam Not to know someone at all.
- Fauché comme les blés Completely broke.
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