IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchAvoir un tuyau
Meaning: Having inside information or a useful tip about something.
Literally: To have a pipe
Example: “J'ai un tuyau pour trouver des billets de concert moins chers.” — I've got a tip for finding cheaper concert tickets.
Origin: Tuyau (pipe, tube) was slang for the ear canal and, by extension, as the Académie française explains, for confidential information whispered into it: in the 19th century, above all a racing tip about a likely winner. Wiktionnaire quotes the verb tuyauter, to pass such tips, from 1877. The sense has since widened to any useful piece of advice. The story of secret messages passed through actual pipes is folk etymology.
More French idioms
- Faire la pluie et le beau temps Having complete control over a situation or someone's fate.
- Avoir une dent contre quelqu'un Holding a grudge or resentment toward someone.
- Tirer les vers du nez Getting someone to reveal information they want to keep secret.
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- Ravaler ses paroles To take back what one has said; also, to hold back words one was about to say.
- Mettre l'eau à la bouche Making someone crave or desire something through temptation.
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