baisser pavillon
Meaning: To concede defeat or accept inferiority; to surrender.
Language: French
Literally: to lower the pavilion
Category: Daily Life
Origin: From naval tradition, where a ship lowers its flag or ensign as a sign of surrender or submission to a superior force.
More idioms — Daily Life
- être dos au mur — To be in a desperate situation with no way to retreat or escape.
- chercher des misères — To deliberately provoke a quarrel with someone.
- retourner à la case départ — To find oneself back where one began, as if no progress had been made.
- sentir la naphtaline — To be old-fashioned or antiquated.
- passer maître — To become the foremost expert in something.
- courir après les cotillons — To pursue amorous or romantic adventures.
More French idioms
- réduire la voilure — To cut back on spending, resources, or ambitions.
- se mettre la rate au court-bouillon — To worry pointlessly and obsessively over something.
- prendre à la gorge — To seize someone or something forcefully; to make breathing or speech difficult; to trigg…
- regarder la pointe de ses souliers — To lower one's eyes in embarrassment or shame.
- faire florès — To achieve success and build a reputation.
- fuir comme la peste — To avoid something or someone as much as possible.
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