faire un poisson d'avril
Meaning: To play an April Fools' prank on someone.
Language: French
Literally: to make an April fish
Example: “Mes collègues m'ont fait un poisson d'avril en annonçant que le bureau fermait.” — My coworkers pulled an April Fools' prank on me by announcing that the office was closing.
Category: Daily Life
Origin: Poisson d'avril first appears in 1466, in a work by Pierre Michault, where it meant a go-between who carried love letters; its use for the traditional April 1 hoax is attested only from 1691. Why a fish is uncertain: one theory ties it to the 16th-century move of New Year's Day from around April to January 1, another to April falling at the end of Lent, when fish was the required food.
More idioms — Daily Life
- être aux petits soins — To wait on someone hand and foot; to lavish care and attention on them.
- faire un esclandre — Creating a public disturbance or embarrassing scene.
- faire la fortune de quelqu'un — Bringing great wealth or success to another person.
- être sur la brèche — Being actively engaged in battle or difficult work.
- 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.
More French idioms
- être une girouette — Being inconsistent, constantly changing opinions or allegiances.
- faire ses dents — A baby is teething and developing their first teeth.
- avoir le compas dans l'oeil — Having excellent judgment of distance, measurement, or proportion.
- faire la soupe à la grimace — To sulk; to give someone a sour, unwelcoming face, especially at home.
- avoir les pieds qui démangent — Wanting to travel or move to a different place.
- montrer les dents — Displaying aggression, defiance, or readiness to fight.
From our proverbs
- Don't look a gift horse in the mouth — Don't question the value of a gift.
- When it rains, it pours — Troubles often come all at once.
- All roads lead to Rome — There are many ways to reach the same goal.