IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchEnfoncer une porte ouverte
Meaning: To make a great effort to establish something nobody disputes.
Literally: To break down an open door
Example: “Une étude à cent mille euros pour prouver que les enfants aiment les vacances : on enfonce une porte ouverte.” — A hundred-thousand-euro study to prove that kids like vacations is reinventing the wheel.
English equivalent: To reinvent the wheel
Equivalents in other languages
English: reinvent the wheel
Origin: The force is entirely wasted because the obstacle was not there. It is the standard French rebuke to an argument that has won nothing.
More French idioms
- Tomber en quenouille To decline into neglect; to fall apart through mismanagement.
- Sans queue ni tête Making no sense at all.
- Être sur le qui-vive To be tensely alert.
- En rade Stranded; left behind.
- Faire du ramdam To make a great deal of noise.
- Un remède de bonne femme A folk cure of doubtful value.
Explore another collection: Proverbs
Short sayings of timeless wisdom from more than 50 cultures, each with its meaning and origin.
- Il ne faut pas vendre la peau de l'ours avant de l'avoir tué Don't count on a gain before you actually have it.
- Loin des yeux, loin du cœur When people are apart, their feelings for each other fade.
- C'est au pied du mur qu'on voit le maçon You only know what someone can do when they are put to the test.
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