IdiomBody & Senses
French
FrenchBattre sa coulpe
Meaning: To publicly acknowledge one's own wrongdoing.
Literally: To beat one's fault
Example: “Après la défaite, l'entraîneur a battu sa coulpe devant les journalistes.” — After the defeat, the coach publicly admitted his mistakes to the reporters.
English equivalent: To wear sackcloth and ashes
Equivalents in other languages
English: wear sackcloth and ashes
Origin: Coulpe is culpa, and the phrase describes the gesture accompanying the mea culpa at Mass, in which the penitent strikes the breast. It survives entirely outside religion, usually of politicians.
More French idioms
- Se croire sorti de la cuisse de Jupiter To have an absurdly high opinion of one's own importance.
- Le tonneau des Danaïdes A hopeless undertaking that consumes everything and is never finished.
- Au diable vauvert Miles from anywhere; the back of beyond.
- Il n'y a pas le feu au lac There's no rush.
- Par l'opération du Saint-Esprit By some unexplained miracle — said sarcastically of something nobody will account for.
- Au creux de la vague At a low point, with the expectation that things will rise again.
Explore another collection: Proverbs
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- Pas à pas on va bien loin Slow, steady progress takes you a long way.
- Bien mal acquis ne profite jamais What is gained dishonestly brings no lasting good.
- Chaque chose en son temps Deal with things one at a time, when the right moment comes.
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