Faire d'une mouche un éléphant
Meaning: To make a mountain out of a molehill; to exaggerate wildly.
Language: French
Literally: To make an elephant out of a fly
Category: Animals
Origin: French expression, 18th century, parallel to the Latin musca elephantus.
More idioms — Animals
- faire la morte — Pretending not to notice something or ignoring a situation.
- montrer les dents — Displaying aggression, defiance, or readiness to fight.
- être un ours — Being unfriendly, grumpy, and difficult to approach socially.
- avoir une mémoire d'éléphant — Having exceptional ability to remember details over time.
- avoir une langue de vipère — Speaking maliciously, spreading rumors, or being verbally cruel.
- faire ses griffes — Practicing or preparing oneself for a challenging task or confrontation.
More French idioms
- avoir des fourmis — Experiencing a tingling or prickling sensation in a limb losing circulation.
- être sur des charbons ardents — Being extremely anxious or impatient about something.
- avoir un chat dans la gorge — Having difficulty speaking due to hoarseness or a sore throat.
- se battre contre les moulins à vent — Fighting a hopeless battle against something immovable or pointless.
- faire ses choux gras — Profiting greatly from a situation at someone else's expense.
- avoir un tuyau — Having inside information or a useful tip about something.
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