En avoir gros sur le cœur
Meaning: To be full of unspoken hurt or resentment.
Language: French
Literally: To have it heavy on the heart
Category: Body & Senses
Origin: The heart is figured as bearing a physical weight that speaking would relieve. French offers the same construction with l'estomac and, more recently and jokingly, la patate.
More idioms — Body & Senses
- En son for intérieur — In one's heart of hearts; in private conscience.
- Être médusé — To be struck dumb with astonishment.
- Motus et bouche cousue — Not a word to anyone.
- À fleur de peau — Raw and easily provoked, of emotions; or just at the surface.
- Avoir bon pied bon œil — To be in excellent shape, especially for one's age.
- Avoir le pied marin — To keep one's balance on a moving deck; to be unshaken by turbulence.
More French idioms
- À la Saint-Glinglin — Never — on a day that will never come.
- Une guerre picrocholine — A furious conflict over something trivial.
- Est-ce que je te demande si ta grand-mère fait du vélo ? — Mind your own business — a retort to an intrusive question.
- Décrocher la lune — To achieve the impossible — or, promised, to offer what cannot be delivered.
- Tomber comme à Gravelotte — To come down thick and fast, of rain or of blows.
- Veiller au grain — To stay alert for trouble.
From our compliments & insults
- Avoir un poil dans la main — To be incurably lazy.
- Tête de linotte — A scatterbrain who can't hold a thought.
- Courir sur le haricot — To get badly on someone's nerves.
Browse all compliments & insults →
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