Avoir bon pied bon œil
Meaning: To be in excellent shape, especially for one's age.
Language: French
Literally: To have a good foot and a good eye
Category: Body & Senses
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 idioms — Body & Senses
- Avoir le pied marin — To keep one's balance on a moving deck; to be unshaken by turbulence.
- Au pied levé — At a moment's notice, with no preparation.
- Se noyer dans un verre d'eau — To be defeated by the smallest difficulty.
- 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.
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.
From our compliments & insults
- Tu es un as — You're brilliant at what you do — the very best.
- Tu as de la répartie — You're brilliantly quick-witted — always ready with the perfect comeback.
- T'as pas inventé le fil à couper le beurre — You're not exactly a genius — the wire to cut butter is about the most obvious tool imagi…
Browse all compliments & insults →
Loading the full interactive collection…