Jeter sa gourme
Meaning: To sow one's wild oats.
Language: French
Literally: To throw off one's strangles
Category: Animals
Origin: La gourme is strangles, a respiratory infection that young horses characteristically get and recover from. Throwing it off was the sign of having passed through youth, which is exactly what the phrase claims for the young man.
More idioms — Animals
- Tirer à hue et à dia — To pull in opposite directions; to work at cross purposes.
- Une grenouille de bénitier — A woman conspicuously and tiresomely devout.
- Faire le pied de grue — To stand around waiting for a long time.
- Une hirondelle ne fait pas le printemps — A single encouraging sign does not prove a trend.
- Crier haro sur le baudet — To denounce someone publicly and unanimously.
- Courir plusieurs lièvres à la fois — To pursue too many aims at the same time and catch none.
More French idioms
- Lever un lièvre — To raise an awkward question nobody wanted opened.
- Une tête de linotte — A scatterbrain.
- La part du lion — By far the largest portion, taken by the strongest party.
- Être connu comme le loup blanc — To be known by absolutely everyone.
- Se jeter dans la gueule du loup — To walk straight into obvious danger.
- Un vieux loup de mer — A seasoned old sailor.
From our proverbs
- When the cat winketh, little wots the mouse what the cat thinketh. — A predator's benign appearance masks hidden intentions; never trust surface calm from tho…
- Though the cat winks awhile, yet sure she is not blind. — Temporary inattention doesn't indicate genuine inability; the cat merely feigns sleep whi…
- A cat loves fish, but she's loth to wet her feet. — Desire for something doesn't overcome reluctance to pay its necessary cost or risk.
Loading the full interactive collection…