Être sur le qui-vive
Meaning: To be tensely alert.
Language: French
Literally: To be on the who-lives
Category: Daily Life
Origin: Qui vive? was the sentry's challenge, meaning roughly whose side are you on — the expected answer named a king. Being on it is being in the state of readiness the challenge implies.
More idioms — Daily Life
- En rade — Stranded; left behind.
- Faire du ramdam — To make a great deal of noise.
- Un remède de bonne femme — A folk cure of doubtful value.
- Tirer sa révérence — To take one's leave, with a show of formality.
- À tour de rôle — Each in turn.
- Un rond-de-cuir — A petty bureaucrat.
More French idioms
- Au bout du rouleau — Completely exhausted; at the end of one's resources.
- Hommes de sac et de corde — Thorough scoundrels.
- L'affaire est dans le sac — It is as good as settled.
- Mettre à sac — To plunder a place completely.
- À bon entendeur, salut — A word to the wise — take the hint.
- Bon sang ! — Good grief — an exclamation of exasperation.
From our proverbs
- Well may he smell of fire whose gown burneth. — A person reeking of smoke has demonstrably experienced flames, so visible consequences pr…
- He that would catch fish must not mind getting wet. — Success requires accepting the inevitable discomforts and risks inherent to your goal.
- Tis good fish if it were but caught. — Potential alone means nothing without the effort and skill required to seize actual oppor…
Loading the full interactive collection…