À pied d'œuvre
Meaning: On site and ready to begin.
Language: French
Literally: At the foot of the work
Category: Daily Life
Origin: A building term: materials delivered au pied de l'œuvre were at the foot of the structure, in position for use. The phrase means readiness in place, not merely willingness.
More idioms — Daily Life
- S'occuper de ses oignons — To mind one's own business.
- Pousser des cris d'orfraie — To protest with theatrical outrage.
- Un ouvrier de la onzième heure — A latecomer who receives the same reward as those who did the work.
- La paille et la poutre — Noticing a small fault in others while ignoring a large one in oneself.
- Un homme de paille — A front man acting for someone who stays hidden.
- Envoyer paître — To tell someone to get lost.
More French idioms
- La boîte de Pandore — Something that releases a host of troubles once opened.
- Le dessus du panier — The pick of the crop; the best of a group.
- Un panier percé — Someone incapable of holding on to money.
- Le parcours du combattant — A gruelling series of obstacles.
- La flèche du Parthe — A wounding remark delivered while leaving.
- Graisser la patte — To bribe someone.
From our tongue twisters
- Un chasseur sachant chasser doit savoir chasser sans son chien. — The classic French 'ch' / 's' tangler.
- Les chaussettes de l'archiduchesse sont-elles sèches, archi-sèches? — A merciless duel between 'ch' and 's'.
- Si six scies scient six cyprès, six cents scies scient six cents cyprès. — An 's' / 'si' minefield.
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