IdiomBody & Senses
French
FrenchAvoir les coudées franches
Meaning: To have complete freedom of action.
Literally: To have free elbow-lengths
Example: “La nouvelle directrice veut avoir les coudées franches pour réorganiser le service.” — The new director wants a free hand to reorganize the department.
English equivalent: To have a free hand
Equivalents in other languages
Portuguese: carta branca Literally: White letter
English: have a free hand
Origin: The coudée was a cubit, the forearm's length, and having them franches meant having enough clear space to move your arms without obstruction. The measurement is medieval; the sense of latitude is unchanged.
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