IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchLa corde au cou
Meaning: Entirely at someone's mercy; forced to submit on any terms.
Literally: With the rope around the neck
Example: “Endetté jusqu'au cou, il a signé le contrat la corde au cou.” — Up to his neck in debt, he signed the contract with his back to the wall.
English equivalent: Over a barrel
Equivalents in other languages
English: over a barrel
Origin: From the ritual of surrender and the judicial amende honorable, in which the penitent appeared barefoot with a rope about the neck. The burghers of Calais surrendering to Edward III is the image most French readers have.
More French idioms
- Avoir la cote To be well regarded; to be popular.
- Sans coup férir Without any resistance at all; effortlessly.
- Un coup de fil A telephone call.
- Tomber comme un couperet To land suddenly and irrevocably, as of bad news.
- Faire la cour à quelqu'un To court someone romantically.
- La cour des grands The top tier, where the serious players are.
Explore another collection: Compliments & Insults
Compliments and insults from around the world, from the sweet to the savage.
- Avoir un poil dans la main To be incurably lazy.
- Tête de linotte A scatterbrain who can't hold a thought.
- Courir sur le haricot To get badly on someone's nerves.
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