IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchLe dessus du panier
Meaning: The pick of the crop; the best of a group.
Literally: The top of the basket
Example: “Pour la finale, le jury n'a gardé que le dessus du panier.” — For the final, the judges kept only the cream of the crop.
English equivalent: The cream of the crop
Equivalents in other languages
English: cream of the crop
Origin: Market sellers laid the best produce on top where buyers would see it, which is also why the phrase carries a faint suspicion about what is underneath.
More French idioms
- Dire pis que pendre de quelqu'un To speak extremely ill of someone.
- Remettre les pendules à l'heure To set the record straight and restore order.
- Ce n'est pas le Pérou It is not a fortune; it is nothing to get excited about.
- Un pétard mouillé A revelation that was supposed to explode and did not.
- Peu ou prou More or less; to some degree.
- Y a pas photo It's not even close; there is no question about it.
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