IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchDepuis belle lurette
Meaning: For ages; for a very long time.
Literally: Since a fine little hour
Example: “Ce cinéma a fermé depuis belle lurette.” — That movie theater closed donkey's years ago.
English equivalent: For donkey's years
Equivalents in other languages
English: for donkey's years
Origin: Lurette is a worn-down form of heurette, a little hour, so the phrase means since a good long while. The word survives nowhere else, which is why it looks like nonsense.
More French idioms
- Tout le saint-frusquin The whole lot; everything one owns.
- Des yeux de merlan frit A soppy, languishing look.
- Payer en monnaie de singe To pay with worthless promises instead of money.
- La montagne accouche d'une souris A vast effort or grand announcement produces something trivial.
- La mouche du coche Someone who bustles importantly while contributing nothing.
- On n'attrape pas les mouches avec du vinaigre Gentleness achieves what harshness cannot.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
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- Un chasseur sachant chasser doit savoir chasser sans son chien. The classic French 'ch' / 's' tangler.
- Les chaussettes de l'archiduchesse sont-elles sèches, archi-sèches? A merciless duel between 'ch' and 's'.
- Si six scies scient six cyprès, six cents scies scient six cents cyprès. An 's' / 'si' minefield.
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