Des larmes de crocodile
Meaning: Insincere grief performed for effect.
Language: French
Literally: Crocodile tears
Category: Animals
Origin: From the medieval belief, repeated in bestiaries and by Mandeville, that crocodiles weep while devouring their prey. Crocodiles do produce tears when feeding, though for reasons entirely unconnected to remorse.
More idioms — Animals
- Se laisser tondre la laine sur le dos — To let oneself be exploited without resisting.
- S'entendre comme larrons en foire — To be thick as thieves; to understand one another perfectly.
- 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.
More French idioms
- À la fortune du pot — Taking potluck; sharing whatever happens to be cooking.
- Séparer le bon grain de l'ivraie — To distinguish what is valuable from what is worthless.
- Se demander si c'est du lard ou du cochon — To be unable to tell what something is or how it is meant.
- Une autre paire de manches — A different matter entirely; a far harder proposition.
- Faire du lèche-vitrine — To go window shopping.
- L'huile de coude — Hard physical effort; elbow grease.
From our tongue twisters
- 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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