Avoir pignon sur rue
Meaning: To be soundly established, with a visible and respectable position.
Language: French
Literally: To have a gable on the street
Category: Daily Life
Origin: The pignon is the gable end of a house. Owning a building whose gable faced the street meant owning real property in the town rather than renting a room, which was the medieval measure of standing.
More idioms — Daily Life
- Jouer à pile ou face — To decide by tossing a coin.
- Un pince-sans-rire — Someone who jokes with a completely straight face.
- N'être pas à prendre avec des pincettes — To be in such a foul mood as to be unapproachable.
- Damer le pion à quelqu'un — To outmaneuver someone decisively.
- Pas piqué des vers — Remarkable; really something.
- Savonner la planche à quelqu'un — To sabotage someone quietly so they fail.
More French idioms
- Glisser une peau de banane — To engineer someone's public downfall.
- Battre son plein — To be in full swing.
- Péter les plombs — To lose one's temper completely.
- Faire le point — To take stock of where things stand.
- Pomme de discorde — The particular thing two parties are fighting over.
- En grande pompe — With elaborate ceremony.
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- 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.
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