IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchDéménager à la cloche de bois
Meaning: To do a moonlight flit, leaving without paying the rent.
Literally: To move out by the wooden bell
Example: “Le locataire du deuxième a déménagé à la cloche de bois avec trois mois de loyer impayés.” — The second-floor tenant did a moonlight flit with three months' rent unpaid.
English equivalent: To do a moonlight flit
Equivalents in other languages
English: do a moonlight flit
Origin: A wooden bell makes no sound, so moving to its ringing is moving in complete silence. The phrase is nearly always about escaping a landlord.
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