IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchLe fer de lance
Meaning: The leading element of an effort; the part that goes in first.
Literally: The spearhead
Example: “Cette start-up est le fer de lance de la voiture électrique en Europe.” — This startup is spearheading the electric car in Europe.
Origin: The iron head is the only part of a spear that does any work, the shaft existing to deliver it. Used of products, units and campaigns.
More French idioms
- Le dos au feu et le ventre à table In a state of complete physical contentment.
- Marquer à la culotte To watch someone so closely they cannot move freely.
- Revoir sa copie To go back and rework a proposal that has been rejected.
- 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.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
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- Seize chaises sèches sur seize arches sèches. A relentless collision of 'sei', 'sèch', and 's' — the tongue can't find traction.
- Un beau ver vert dans un verre vert verra un ver vert. Ver (worm), vert (green), and verre (glass) are near-homophones — distinguishing them at…
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