De la poudre de perlimpinpin
Meaning: A worthless remedy sold with great confidence.
Language: French
Literally: Perlimpinpin powder
Category: The Absurd
Origin: Perlimpinpin means nothing at all — it is invented sound, of the kind fairground quacks used to name a powder that cured everything. The word's emptiness is precisely what it is for.
More idioms — The Absurd
- Un lit de Procuste — A standard imposed regardless of what it does to the thing being measured.
- Le rocher de Sisyphe — A labor that must be repeated forever and never completes.
- Le supplice de Tantale — Having what one wants permanently in sight and permanently out of reach.
- Une solution de continuité — A break or gap — not, despite appearances, a solution to anything.
- Demain, on rase gratis — A promise perpetually postponed.
- À vos souhaits — Bless you — said when someone sneezes.
More French idioms
- Pierre qui roule n'amasse pas mousse — Constant movement prevents anything from accumulating.
- Les petits ruisseaux font les grandes rivières — Small contributions accumulate into something substantial.
- Un soleil de plomb — A crushing, oppressive heat.
- Une planche de salut — A last resort; the only remaining hope.
- Sentir le sapin — To be close to death.
- Mettre à pied — To suspend someone from their duties.
From our false friends
- Déception — Actually means 'disappointment'. For deception (a trick), say tromperie.
- Monnaie — Actually means 'change' or 'coins'. Money in general is l'argent.
- Sensible — Actually means 'sensitive'. For sensible/level-headed, say raisonnable.
Loading the full interactive collection…