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C'est la croix et la bannière

Meaning: It is an enormous effort or ordeal.

Language: French

Literally: It is the cross and the banner

Category: Daily Life

Origin: Religious procession imagery, medieval French.

More idioms — Daily Life

  • Faire d'une pierre deux coups — To kill two birds with one stone.
  • être sur des charbons ardents — Being extremely anxious or impatient about something.
  • avoir un tuyau — Having inside information or a useful tip about something.
  • être à court de — Lacking or running low on something essential.
  • crier sur les toits — Announcing something publicly that should remain secret.
  • avoir un poisson d'avril — Being fooled by a prank or hoax on April 1st.

More French idioms

  • Faire la fine bouche — To be overly picky or hard to please.
  • Se lever du pied gauche — To wake up in a bad mood.
  • Avoir le vent en poupe — To be doing very well; everything is going your way.
  • Mettre les pieds dans le plat — To put one's foot in it; to say something awkward or blunt.
  • Tourner autour du pot — To beat around the bush.
  • Avoir la tête dans les nuages — To be a daydreamer; out of touch with reality.

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