IdiomFood & Drink
French
FrenchAvoir le melon
Meaning: To be bigheaded and conceited.
Literally: To have the melon
Example: “Depuis sa promotion, il a vraiment le melon.” — Since his promotion, he's really gotten a big head.
English equivalent: To have a big head
Origin: Melon is French slang for the head, from the shape, and a head swollen to melon size is the same image as avoir la grosse tête (to have a big head). The phrase is modern colloquial French, used in France and Belgium, along with prendre le melon, to become bigheaded; its first use is not documented.
Other ways to say this
- French: Avoir la grosse tête Literally: To have a big head
Estonian: Nina püsti käima Literally: To walk with your nose up
Albanian: I rri gjel dikujt Literally: He stands like a rooster to someone
Swedish: styv i korken Literally: Stiff in the cork
English: too big for one's britches- French: Se croire sorti de la cuisse de Jupiter Literally: To think oneself born from Jupiter's thigh
- French: Se croire le premier moutardier du pape Literally: To think oneself the pope's chief mustard-maker
- English: have a big head
More French idioms
- Mettre la charrue avant les bœufs To do things in the wrong order.
- Avoir le cœur sur la main To be very generous and giving.
- Tirer son épingle du jeu To extract yourself cleverly from a tricky situation.
- Être soupe au lait To be quick-tempered and flare up easily.
- Ne pas être sorti de l'auberge To be far from done with one's troubles.
- Avoir la pêche To be full of energy and on top form.
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