IdiomBody & Senses
French
FrenchEntrer dans le vif du sujet
Meaning: To get to the heart of the matter.
Literally: To enter the living part of the subject
Example: “Assez de politesses, entrons dans le vif du sujet : le budget.” — Enough small talk; let's get down to brass tacks: the budget.
English equivalent: To get down to brass tacks
Equivalents in other languages
English: get down to brass tacks
Origin: Le vif is living flesh, the sense preserved in couper dans le vif and piqué au vif. Reaching it means passing the preliminaries and touching something that will react.
More French idioms
- Une lapalissade A statement so obvious it is comic — a truism.
- Prendre des vessies pour des lanternes To be grossly deceived about something.
- Être piqué de la tarentule To be seized by frantic, uncontrollable agitation.
- Tonnerre de Brest ! An exclamation of astonishment or annoyance.
- En voiture, Simone ! Right then, off we go.
- Une tempête dans un verre d'eau A great commotion over something trivial.
Explore another collection: Proverbs
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- Faute de grives, on mange des merles When you can't have what you want, you make do with what's available.
- Tout vient à point à qui sait attendre Patience is rewarded in the end.
- Qui se ressemble s'assemble People tend to seek out others like themselves.
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