IdiomBody & Senses
French
FrenchAvoir bon pied bon œil
Meaning: To be in excellent shape, especially for one's age.
Literally: To have a good foot and a good eye
Example: “À quatre-vingt-dix ans, mon voisin a toujours bon pied bon œil.” — At ninety, my neighbor is still hale and hearty.
English equivalent: Hale and hearty
Equivalents in other languages
English: hale and hearty
Origin: Originally military, describing a soldier still fit to march and to shoot. It is now said almost exclusively of the elderly, which changes the compliment somewhat.
More French idioms
- Merde ! Good luck — said to a performer before going on stage.
- Voilà pourquoi votre fille est muette Said of a grand explanation that explains nothing.
- Passez, muscade ! Hey presto — said when something vanishes suspiciously conveniently.
- Se croire le premier moutardier du pape To have a wildly inflated sense of one's own importance.
- Mystère et boule de gomme Nobody has the faintest idea.
- Promettre monts et merveilles To promise far more than could ever be delivered.
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