IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchConvoquer le ban et l'arrière-ban
Meaning: To call in absolutely everyone available.
Literally: To summon the ban and the rear-ban
Example: “Pour le déménagement, il a convoqué le ban et l'arrière-ban de la famille.” — For the move, he called in every last member of the family.
English equivalent: All hands on deck
Other ways to say this
Japanese: 猫の手も借りたい (Neko no te mo karitai) Literally: I want to borrow even a cat's paw- French: Un branle-bas de combat Literally: A hammock-down for combat
English: all hands on deck
Origin: Under feudal law the ban was the king's summons to his direct vassals and the arrière-ban extended it to their vassals in turn. Calling both meant mobilizing the last man the realm could produce.
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