IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchAu débotté
Meaning: On the spot, with no time to prepare.
Literally: At the unbooting
Example: “Interrogé au débotté par un journaliste, le ministre a bafouillé.” — Asked a question off the cuff by a reporter, the minister stumbled over his words.
English equivalent: Off the cuff
Equivalents in other languages
German: aus dem Handgelenk Literally: From the wrist
English: off the cuff
Origin: The moment a rider dismounted and pulled off his boots was the first at which he could be spoken to, and petitioners caught the king au débotté. It means catching someone before they have settled, not merely surprising them.
More French idioms
- Faire son deuil de quelque chose To accept that something is lost and give up on it.
- Jeter son dévolu sur quelque chose To settle firmly on something one intends to have.
- À Dieu ne plaise God forbid.
- Dieu reconnaîtra les siens Act without discriminating and let a higher authority sort out the innocent.
- Mon petit doigt m'a dit I know something you did not expect me to know.
- Dorer la pilule To make an unpleasant fact easier to accept by dressing it up.
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