Affirmer mordicus
Meaning: To insist on something absolutely and refuse to be moved.
Language: French
Literally: To affirm by biting
Category: Daily Life
Origin: Mordicus is Latin for biting, used of holding on with the teeth. The word entered French in the 17th century and has only ever been used for stubbornness.
More idioms — Daily Life
- Être dans les bras de Morphée — To be fast asleep.
- Prendre au mot — To hold someone to exactly what they said.
- Un moulin à paroles — Someone who talks incessantly.
- Sainte Nitouche — A woman who feigns innocence she does not have.
- Le nerf de la guerre — Money, as the thing without which nothing can be done.
- Convoler en justes noces — To get married.
More French idioms
- Trancher le nœud gordien — To solve an intractable problem by refusing its terms.
- Chercher des noises — To pick a quarrel deliberately.
- Être en odeur de sainteté — To be in favor with someone in authority.
- Œil pour œil, dent pour dent / La loi du talion — Retaliation exactly proportionate to the injury.
- Tuer dans l'œuf — To stop something before it can develop.
- À pied d'œuvre — On site and ready to begin.
From our false friends
- Ignorer — Actually means 'to be unaware of' or 'not to know'. J'ignore la réponse = I don't know th…
- Déception — Actually means 'disappointment'. For deception (a trick), say tromperie.
- Monnaie — Actually means 'change' or 'coins'. Money in general is l'argent.
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