IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchÊtre du propre
Meaning: Used ironically to criticize something as morally or physically filthy.
Literally: To be the clean
Example: “Tu as renversé la peinture sur le tapis ? C'est du propre !” — You spilled paint on the rug? Well, isn't that nice!
Origin: Ironic praise: propre means clean or proper, and calling a mess or a misdeed du propre says the opposite. Littré noted that ordinary people say C'est du propre ! En voilà du propre ! to run something down, and that exclamation is still the form in which the phrase is used.
More French idioms
- Remuer ciel et terre To exert all possible effort and use every available means to achieve a goal.
- Joindre le geste à la parole To back up what you say with action; to keep your promises.
- Faire dresser l’oreille To catch someone's attention or spark their interest.
- Renaître de ses cendres To rise again and flourish after near-total destruction.
- Se payer la tête de quelqu'un To mock or ridicule someone.
- Avoir les sangs tournés To be profoundly shocked or horrified.
Explore another collection: Proverbs
Short sayings of timeless wisdom from more than 50 cultures, each with its meaning and origin.
- Le singe est toujours singe, fût-il vêtu de pourpre Finery can't change someone's true nature.
- Vent au visage rend un homme sage Hardship makes a person wiser.
- Un tiens vaut mieux que deux tu l'auras A certain small gain beats a larger promised one.
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