IdiomBody & Senses
French
FrenchJeter de la poudre aux yeux
Meaning: To create a dazzling false impression.
Literally: To throw powder in the eyes
Example: “Avec ses bureaux luxueux, la société jetait de la poudre aux yeux des investisseurs.” — With its luxurious offices, the company was pulling the wool over investors' eyes.
English equivalent: To pull the wool over someone's eyes
Other ways to say this
- French: Raconter des salades Literally: To tell salads
Russian: Не вешай лапшу на уши (Ne veshay lapshu na ushi) Literally: Don't hang noodles on my ears
Latvian: Pūst pīlītes Literally: To blow little ducks
Romanian: A umbla cu cioara vopsită Literally: To go around with a painted crow- Russian: пудрить мозги (pudrit' mozgi) Literally: To powder the brains
English: pull the wool over someone's eyes- English: tell tall tales
Origin: Ancient foot races supplied the image: a runner ahead of the field kicked up dust that blinded those behind. The deception is about appearances rather than argument.
More French idioms
- Vider son sac To say everything one has been holding back.
- De la poudre de perlimpinpin A worthless remedy sold with great confidence.
- Un lit de Procuste A standard imposed regardless of what it does to the thing being measured.
- Le rocher de Sisyphe A labor that must be repeated forever and never completes.
- Le supplice de Tantale Having what one wants permanently in sight and permanently out of reach.
- Une solution de continuité A break or gap — not, despite appearances, a solution to anything.
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