IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchÊtre sujet à caution
Meaning: To be unreliable; not to be taken at face value.
Literally: To be subject to surety
Example: “Ce témoignage recueilli dix ans après les faits est sujet à caution.” — This testimony, gathered ten years after the events, should be taken with a grain of salt.
English equivalent: To take something with a grain of salt
Equivalents in other languages
Italian: con beneficio d'inventario Literally: With benefit of inventory
English: take with a grain of salt
Origin: A caution was the guarantor or security required from someone whose word alone would not do. Being subject to one is being the kind of party for whom a guarantee has to be demanded.
More French idioms
- Le jeu n'en vaut pas la chandelle The effort or cost outweighs anything to be gained.
- Tenir la chandelle To be the awkward third party to a couple.
- Sur les chapeaux de roues At top speed; also, of a start, immediately and forcefully.
- Avoir voix au chapitre To have a say in a decision.
- Trouver chaussure à son pied To find exactly the right match, usually a partner.
- Ne pas y aller par quatre chemins To come straight to the point.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
- Didon dîna, dit-on, du dos d'un dodu dindon dont le dodu dos dodine. A 'd' / 'din' / 'dod' avalanche that seems designed to jam the tongue in third gear.
- Un chasseur sachant chasser doit savoir chasser sans son chien. The classic French 'ch' / 's' tangler.
- Les chaussettes de l'archiduchesse sont-elles sèches, archi-sèches? A merciless duel between 'ch' and 's'.
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