IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchLa portion congrue
Meaning: A bare minimum, grudgingly given.
Literally: The congruous portion
Example: “Dans le budget de la ville, la culture est réduite à la portion congrue.” — In the city budget, culture gets the short end of the stick.
English equivalent: To get the short end of the stick
Other ways to say this
English: get the short end of the stick
Polish: Wyjść jak Zabłocki na mydle Literally: To come out like Zabłocki on soap- French: L'avoir dans l'os Literally: To have it in the bone
Origin: The portion congrue was the fixed minimum stipend a parish priest received from the tithe-holder, set by law and famously inadequate. Congrue meant merely sufficient, which is the whole complaint.
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