Coiffer Sainte Catherine
Meaning: To reach twenty-five while still unmarried — said of a woman.
Language: French
Literally: To coif Saint Catherine
Category: Daily Life
Origin: Saint Catherine of Alexandria was patron of unmarried women, and on her feast day young women of twenty-five, the catherinettes, wore elaborate hats and dressed her statue. The custom was affectionate and the phrase behind it was not.
More idioms — Daily Life
- Être sujet à caution — To be unreliable; not to be taken at face value.
- Caviarder un texte — To censor a piece of writing by blacking out passages.
- Se serrer la ceinture — To economize and go without.
- La femme de César ne doit pas être soupçonnée — Those in public office must be above even the appearance of wrongdoing.
- Se réduire comme une peau de chagrin — To dwindle away steadily until nothing is left.
- Appuyer sur le champignon — To accelerate hard; to floor it.
More French idioms
- Devoir une fière chandelle à quelqu'un — To owe someone a considerable debt of gratitude.
- Le jeu n'en vaut pas la chandelle — The effort or cost outweighs anything to be gained.
- Tenir la chandelle — To be the awkward third party to a couple.
- Sur les chapeaux de roues — At top speed; also, of a start, immediately and forcefully.
- Avoir voix au chapitre — To have a say in a decision.
- Trouver chaussure à son pied — To find exactly the right match, usually a partner.
From our untranslatable words
- L'esprit de l'escalier — Thinking of the perfect comeback only after the moment has passed — on your way down the…
- Terroir — The unique character that a place — its soil, climate and tradition — gives to a wine or…
- Râler — To complain and grumble with a certain national flair — a beloved French pastime.
Browse all untranslatable words →
Loading the full interactive collection…