IdiomNature
French
FrenchJeter son bonnet par-dessus les moulins
Meaning: To throw propriety to the wind and stop caring what people think.
Literally: To throw one's bonnet over the windmills
Example: “À quarante ans, elle a jeté son bonnet par-dessus les moulins et est partie vivre en Italie.” — At forty, she threw caution to the wind and moved to Italy.
English equivalent: To throw caution to the wind
Equivalents in other languages
English: throw caution to the wind
Origin: The bonnet was the headwear that marked a woman's respectability, and the mills stood at the edge of the village — so throwing it past them is discarding decorum beyond the bounds of the community. Attested from the 17th century and long applied chiefly to women.
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