IdiomAnimals
French
FrenchFaire ses griffes
Meaning: Practicing or preparing oneself for a challenging task or confrontation.
Literally: To sharpen one's claws
Example: “Il a fait ses griffes dans une petite agence avant de rejoindre un grand groupe.” — He cut his teeth at a small agency before joining a big company.
English equivalent: To cut one's teeth
Origin: A cat scratches at trees and furniture to keep its claws sharp and in shape. Said of people, the phrase means training, toughening up and building skills, usually in a modest first post before a bigger one. Its history is not documented; Wiktionnaire's earliest example is from a 1940 diary entry, published in 1962.
Equivalents in other languages
English: cut one's teeth
More French idioms
- Manger du bout des dents Eating without appetite or showing disinterest in the meal.
- Avoir une peur bleue Being terrified or extremely frightened of something.
- Être du voyage To come along; to be one of those taking part in a trip or shared undertaking.
- Faire le gendarme Acting authoritarian or enforcing rules with excessive zeal.
- Avoir des étoiles dans les yeux Being dreamy, hopeful, or enchanted by romantic ideals.
- Faire un couac Making an embarrassing mistake or producing a discordant sound.
Explore another collection: Proverbs
Short sayings of timeless wisdom from more than 50 cultures, each with its meaning and origin.
- La beauté ne se mange pas en salade Good looks alone don't put food on the table or make a good partner.
- On ne change pas une équipe qui gagne Don't change something that's working.
- La curiosité est un vilain défaut Being too curious about others' business is a bad habit.
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