avancer masqué
Meaning: To act in a hidden or anonymous way, concealing one's intentions or identity.
Language: French
Literally: to advance masked
Category: Daily Life
Origin: Origin uncertain; the phrase pictures someone approaching while wearing a mask, unseen and unrecognized.
More idioms — Daily Life
- passer un savon — To scold or rebuke someone harshly.
- baisser pavillon — To concede defeat or accept inferiority; to surrender.
- être dos au mur — To be in a desperate situation with no way to retreat or escape.
- chercher des misères — To deliberately provoke a quarrel with someone.
- retourner à la case départ — To find oneself back where one began, as if no progress had been made.
- sentir la naphtaline — To be old-fashioned or antiquated.
More French idioms
- tenir du miracle — To be exceptional or extraordinary; to have a miraculous quality.
- ne pas fermer l’œil de la nuit — To be unable to sleep; to stay awake all night.
- réduire la voilure — To cut back on spending, resources, or ambitions.
- se mettre la rate au court-bouillon — To worry pointlessly and obsessively over something.
- prendre à la gorge — To seize someone or something forcefully; to make breathing or speech difficult; to trigg…
- regarder la pointe de ses souliers — To lower one's eyes in embarrassment or shame.
From our tongue twisters
- 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.
- Dans ta tente ta tante t'attend. — A gentle 'ta / ten / tan / t'' warm-up that sounds faster than it reads.