IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchLe dos au feu et le ventre à table
Meaning: In a state of complete physical contentment.
Literally: Back to the fire and belly to the table
Example: “Un soir d'hiver, le dos au feu et le ventre à table, il ne demandait rien de plus.” — On a winter evening, warm by the fire with a full plate, he was as snug as a bug in a rug.
English equivalent: As snug as a bug in a rug
Equivalents in other languages
English: snug as a bug in a rug
Origin: The two conditions of comfort in a house heated by one hearth: warmth behind and food in front. It describes a satisfaction that is entirely bodily and makes no apology for it.
More French idioms
- Ronger son frein To wait in barely contained impatience.
- Jeter sa gourme To sow one's wild oats.
- Tirer à hue et à dia To pull in opposite directions; to work at cross purposes.
- Une grenouille de bénitier A woman conspicuously and tiresomely devout.
- Faire le pied de grue To stand around waiting for a long time.
- Crier haro sur le baudet To denounce someone publicly and unanimously.
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- Espèce de patate You dim bulb — a potato being the very picture of inert, unthinking stodginess.
- Quel râleur / quelle râleuse You never stop moaning — everything is a complaint, nothing is ever good enough.
- Peau de vache A mean, difficult, and unpleasant person — tough and unyielding like tanned hide.
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