IdiomBody & Senses
French
FrenchEn avoir gros sur le cœur
Meaning: To be full of unspoken hurt or resentment.
Literally: To have it heavy on the heart
Example: “Après la dispute, elle en avait gros sur le cœur.” — After the argument, she had a heavy heart.
English equivalent: To have a heavy heart
Equivalents in other languages
English: have a heavy heart
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 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.
Explore another collection: Compliments & Insults
Compliments and insults from around the world, from the sweet to the savage.
- 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.
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