IdiomBody & Senses
French
FrenchJoindre le geste à la parole
Meaning: To back up what you say with action; to keep your promises.
Literally: To join the gesture to the word
Example: “Il avait promis de ranger le garage, et il a joint le geste à la parole dès samedi.” — He had promised to clean out the garage, and he followed through that very Saturday.
English equivalent: To put one's money where one's mouth is
Equivalents in other languages
English: put one's money where one's mouth is
Origin: Words are easy; the gesture is the proof. The phrase describes someone who does at once what they have just said, whether a promise or a threat, and in older French novels it often comes just before a blow, as in a 1912 serial by Gustave Le Rouge. Its first use is not documented.
More French idioms
- Faire dresser l’oreille To catch someone's attention or spark their interest.
- Renaître de ses cendres To rise again and flourish after near-total destruction.
- Donner un coup de pied dans la fourmilière To strike a major blow or take bold action that stirs up considerable agitation and contr…
- Remettre en selle To help someone recover a former position or regain their footing after a setback.
- Prendre des gants To handle a delicate matter with great tact and care to avoid offending someone.
- Remettre en train To restart or reactivate something that has stopped or slowed down.
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