Faire le pied de grue
Meaning: To stand around waiting for a long time.
Language: French
Literally: To do the crane's foot
Category: Animals
Origin: A crane rests for long periods on a single leg, motionless. The phrase catches the posture of enforced waiting rather than the elegance of the bird.
More idioms — Animals
- Une hirondelle ne fait pas le printemps — A single encouraging sign does not prove a trend.
- Crier haro sur le baudet — To denounce someone publicly and unanimously.
- Courir plusieurs lièvres à la fois — To pursue too many aims at the same time and catch none.
- Lever un lièvre — To raise an awkward question nobody wanted opened.
- Une tête de linotte — A scatterbrain.
- La part du lion — By far the largest portion, taken by the strongest party.
More French idioms
- Être connu comme le loup blanc — To be known by absolutely everyone.
- Se jeter dans la gueule du loup — To walk straight into obvious danger.
- Un vieux loup de mer — A seasoned old sailor.
- Avoir des yeux de lynx — To have extremely sharp eyesight, or to notice everything.
- Des larmes de crocodile — Insincere grief performed for effect.
- Se laisser tondre la laine sur le dos — To let oneself be exploited without resisting.
From our untranslatable words
- Épanouissement — The full flourishing of a person — blooming into your most complete, radiant self. More t…
- Ressourcement — The act of returning to one's roots or origins to find renewal — going back to a place, t…
- Dépaysement — The disorienting yet often pleasant feeling of being far from home, immersed in the unfam…
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