IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchÊtre en odeur de sainteté
Meaning: To be in favor with someone in authority.
Literally: To be in the odor of sanctity
Example: “Depuis son rapport critique, il n'est plus en odeur de sainteté auprès de la direction.” — Since his critical report, he's no longer in management's good books.
English equivalent: In someone's good books
Other ways to say this
- French: Être dans les petits papiers de quelqu'un Literally: To be in someone's little papers
English: in someone's good books
Origin: From the sweet smell reported to rise from the bodies of certain saints after death, offered as evidence in canonization proceedings. Modern French uses it almost exclusively in the negative.
More French idioms
- La paille et la poutre Noticing a small fault in others while ignoring a large one in oneself.
- Un homme de paille A front man acting for someone who stays hidden.
- Envoyer paître To tell someone to get lost.
- La boîte de Pandore Something that releases a host of troubles once opened.
- Le dessus du panier The pick of the crop; the best of a group.
- Un panier percé Someone incapable of holding on to money.
Explore another collection: Compliments & Insults
Compliments and insults from around the world, from the sweet to the savage.
- Bête comme ses pieds Really not very bright.
- Avoir un poil dans la main To be incurably lazy.
- Tête de linotte A scatterbrain who can't hold a thought.
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