La caque sent toujours le hareng
Meaning: However far you rise, low origins always show through.
Language: French
Literally: The barrel always smells of herring
Category: Food & Drink
Origin: A caque is the wooden barrel in which salted herring were packed. The oil soaks into the staves and the smell never comes out, whatever the barrel is later used for — so the vessel is permanently marked by what it first held. The saying is generally unkind, and generally meant to be.
More idioms — Food & Drink
- Tomber dans les pommes — Suddenly losing consciousness — possibly derived from the older expression 'être dans les…
- Avoir la moutarde qui monte au nez — To be getting angry.
- Pédaler dans la semoule — To be confused and getting nowhere.
- Raconter des salades — To tell lies or tall tales.
- En faire tout un fromage — To make a big deal out of nothing.
- Mettre son grain de sel — To give an unsolicited opinion.
More French idioms
- Aller à Canossa — To humble oneself completely before someone; to submit and beg forgiveness.
- Parler à la cantonade — To speak to a group at large without addressing anyone in particular.
- Un capitaine d'industrie — The head of a large company.
- Il n'y a pas loin du Capitole à la roche Tarpéienne — Glory and disgrace are close neighbors — the fall can follow the honors very quickly.
- Arriver comme les carabiniers — To turn up far too late, when everything is already over.
- Le dernier carat — The very last moment; the absolute limit.
From our compliments & insults
- Tu es un as — You're brilliant at what you do — the very best.
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