IdiomThe Absurd
French
FrenchFaire un bide
Meaning: Experiencing complete failure or lack of success.
Literally: To make a belly
Example: “Sa blague a fait un bide total : personne n'a ri.” — His joke fell completely flat: nobody laughed.
English equivalent: To go over like a lead balloon
Origin: Bide is slang for the belly, shortened in the 19th century from bidon, itself slang for the stomach. Its use for a flop comes from show business, where a play or an act that fails is a bide. Larousse reports the usual explanation, that a performer booed off the stage left crawling on his belly, but that is a story, not a documented origin.
Equivalents in other languages
English: go over like a lead balloon
More French idioms
- Avoir la chair de poule Experiencing fear, cold, or emotional reaction causing skin reaction.
- Crier sur les toits To announce something loudly and publicly, for everyone to hear.
- Mettre le doigt sur la plaie Identifying the exact problem or sensitive issue in a situation.
- Faire un poisson d'avril To play an April Fools' prank on someone.
- Être une girouette Being inconsistent, constantly changing opinions or allegiances.
- Avoir le compas dans l'œil Having excellent judgment of distance, measurement, or proportion.
Explore another collection: Compliments & Insults
Compliments and insults from around the world, from the sweet to the savage.
- C'est une vraie chèvre They're hopelessly stubborn and infuriating — a goat that refuses to be moved.
- Casse-pieds A massive bore or pain in the neck — someone who wears you down with their irritating way…
- Espèce de patate You dim bulb — a potato being the very picture of inert, unthinking stodginess.
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