FrenchÊtre dans de beaux draps
Meaning: To be in a real mess.
Literally: To be in fine sheets
Example: “Plus d'essence et pas de réseau : nous voilà dans de beaux draps.” — Out of gas and no signal: now we're in a fine mess.
English equivalent: To be in hot water
Origin: Ironic: beaux draps are fine sheets, and being in them here is anything but comfortable. The older phrase was mettre quelqu'un en beaux draps blancs (to put someone in fine white sheets): the Académie française's first dictionary (1694) uses it for running someone down, and Molière has it in Les Précieuses ridicules (1659), where a father furious at his daughter and niece tells them they have landed him in fine white sheets. Littré records être dans de mauvais draps (bad sheets) alongside the ironic form. Wiktionnaire suggests the white sheets were those worn by penitents doing public penance, but this is not confirmed.
Other ways to say this
Portuguese: estar com a corda no pescoço Literally: To be with the rope around the neck
English: up the creek without a paddle
Czech: Být v rejži Literally: To be in the rice- English: in hot water
- French: Être dans la mouise Literally: To be in the gruel
More French idioms
- Se faire rouler dans la farine To be conned or deceived.
- Passer du coq à l'âne To switch topics abruptly and illogically.
- Avoir le melon To be bigheaded and conceited.
- Avoir le cœur sur la main To be very generous and giving.
- Être soupe au lait To be quick-tempered and flare up easily.
- Ne pas être sorti de l'auberge To be far from done with one's troubles.
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