Aller à Canossa
Meaning: To humble oneself completely before someone; to submit and beg forgiveness.
Language: French
Literally: To go to Canossa
Category: Daily Life
Origin: In January 1077 the excommunicated Emperor Henry IV crossed the Alps to the castle of Canossa and waited three days in the snow before Pope Gregory VII would receive him and lift the sentence. Bismarck revived the phrase in 1872 during the Kulturkampf, declaring that Germany would not go to Canossa.
More idioms — Daily Life
- Parler à la cantonade — To speak to a group at large without addressing anyone in particular.
- Un capitaine d'industrie — The head of a large company.
- Il n'y a pas loin du Capitole à la roche Tarpéienne — Glory and disgrace are close neighbors — the fall can follow the honors very quickly.
- Arriver comme les carabiniers — To turn up far too late, when everything is already over.
- Le dernier carat — The very last moment; the absolute limit.
- Pédaler dans la semoule — To be confused and getting nowhere.
More French idioms
- Ça ne casse pas trois pattes à un canard — It's nothing special or impressive.
- C'est comme pisser dans un violon — A completely pointless effort.
- Avoir le cafard — To feel depressed or down.
- Poser un lapin — To stand someone up on a date.
- Tomber dans les pommes — Suddenly losing consciousness — possibly derived from the older expression 'être dans les…
- Avoir la moutarde qui monte au nez — To be getting angry.
From our false friends
- Blesser — Actually means 'to wound' or 'to injure'. Je suis blessé = I am injured — not blessed.
- Location — Actually means 'rental'. Une location de voiture = a car rental. For location (place), sa…
- Assister — Actually means 'to attend' an event. J'assiste à la réunion = I attend the meeting. For a…
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