crier sur les toits
Meaning: Announcing something publicly that should remain secret.
Language: French
Literally: to shout on the roofs
Category: Daily Life
Origin: Rooted in real architecture: in the biblical Near East, houses commonly had flat roofs used as everyday terraces, where families gathered in the cool of the evening and could talk easily across to neighboring roofs — a natural place from which news traveled fast. The wording itself is scriptural, from Matthew's gospel: what I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. The phrase is on record in French from the 16th century, carrying forward the sense that a housetop was the one place a secret was guaranteed not to stay one.
More idioms — Daily Life
- avoir un poisson d'avril — Being fooled by a prank or hoax on April 1st.
- être aux petits soins — Receiving attentive, careful treatment and consideration from someone.
- faire un esclandre — Creating a public disturbance or embarrassing scene.
- faire la fortune de quelqu'un — Bringing great wealth or success to another person.
- être sur la brèche — Being actively engaged in battle or difficult work.
- être du voyage — Being involved in an illicit or questionable scheme.
More French idioms
- mettre son doigt sur la plaie — Identifying the exact problem or sensitive issue in a situation.
- être une girouette — Being inconsistent, constantly changing opinions or allegiances.
- faire ses dents — A baby is teething and developing their first teeth.
- avoir le compas dans l'oeil — Having excellent judgment of distance, measurement, or proportion.
- faire la soupe à la grimace — Complaining or grumbling about something constantly.
- avoir les pieds qui démangent — Wanting to travel or move to a different place.
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.