IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchJeter la première pierre
Meaning: To be the first to condemn someone.
Literally: To cast the first stone
Example: “Avant de jeter la première pierre au ministre, regardez vos propres notes de frais.” — Before you cast the first stone at the minister, look at your own expense reports.
English equivalent: To cast the first stone
Equivalents in other languages
English: cast the first stone
Origin: From John's gospel, where Jesus tells the crowd gathered to stone an adulterous woman that whoever is without sin should start. Nobody does, which is the point the phrase usually forgets.
More French idioms
- Savonner la planche à quelqu'un To sabotage someone quietly so they fail.
- Glisser une peau de banane To engineer someone's public downfall.
- Battre son plein To be in full swing.
- Péter les plombs To lose one's temper completely.
- Faire le point To take stock of where things stand.
- Pomme de discorde The particular thing two parties are fighting over.
Explore another collection: Proverbs
Short sayings of timeless wisdom from more than 50 cultures, each with its meaning and origin.
- Vouloir, c'est pouvoir If you want something badly enough, you will find a way to do it.
- Il faut balayer devant sa porte Deal with your own faults before criticizing other people's.
- Avec des si, on mettrait Paris en bouteille Speculating about what might have been is pointless.
Keep exploring