IdiomBody & Senses
French
FrenchAvoir des fourmis dans les jambes
Meaning: Experiencing a tingling or prickling sensation in a limb losing circulation.
Literally: To have ants in the legs
Example: “Je suis resté assis trop longtemps, j'ai des fourmis dans les jambes.” — I sat for too long; I've got pins and needles in my legs.
English equivalent: To have pins and needles
Equivalents in other languages
English: have pins and needles
Origin: The tingling of a leg that has "gone to sleep" feels like ants crawling over the skin, which is the first sense of the phrase. Wiktionnaire also gives a second: the urge to get up and move after sitting still too long, since crawling ants make you want to shake your legs. English calls the sensation "pins and needles."
More French idioms
- Être sur des charbons ardents Being extremely anxious or impatient about something.
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- Faire ses choux gras Profiting greatly from a situation at someone else's expense.
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- Faire la pluie et le beau temps Having complete control over a situation or someone's fate.
- Tirer les vers du nez Getting someone to reveal information they want to keep secret.
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