IdiomFood & Drink
French
FrenchAvaler des poires d'angoisse
Meaning: To endure something bitterly painful.
Literally: To swallow pears of anguish
Example: “Pendant son procès, il a dû avaler bien des poires d'angoisse.” — During his trial, he had to swallow many a bitter pill.
English equivalent: A bitter pill to swallow
Equivalents in other languages
Spanish: mal trago Literally: Bad swallow
Dutch: een bittere pil Literally: Bitter pill
English: bitter pill to swallow
Origin: The poire d'angoisse was both a genuinely bitter wild pear and the name of a gag forced into a prisoner's mouth. Both senses were current together, and the phrase draws on the pair.
More French idioms
- Jeter de la poudre aux yeux To create a dazzling false impression.
- Tenir à quelque chose comme à la prunelle de ses yeux To guard something as one's most precious possession.
- Allumer ses quinquets To open one's eyes and pay attention.
- Couper le sifflet à quelqu'un To silence someone abruptly, usually with an unanswerable point.
- Être dans ses petits souliers To be acutely ill at ease.
- Mordre la poussière To be defeated; to fall.
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