IdiomAnimals
French
FrenchLe plancher des vaches
Meaning: Dry land, as seen from the sea.
Literally: The cows' floor
Example: “Après trois jours de tempête en mer, les passagers étaient ravis de retrouver le plancher des vaches.” — After three stormy days at sea, the passengers were delighted to be back on terra firma.
English equivalent: Terra firma
Equivalents in other languages
English: terra firma
Origin: Sailors' term for the ground, named for what stands on it and cannot be found at sea. It is used on returning to shore and, by extension, of leaving an aircraft.
More French idioms
- Cracher dans la soupe To disparage the thing that sustains you.
- Trempé comme une soupe Drenched to the skin.
- Payer rubis sur l'ongle To pay in full, immediately and to the last penny.
- Faire avancer le schmilblick To make actual progress on something.
- Avaler des poires d'angoisse To endure something bitterly painful.
- En cinq sec In no time at all.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
- Un chasseur sachant chasser doit savoir chasser sans son chien. The classic French 'ch' / 's' tangler.
- Les chaussettes de l'archiduchesse sont-elles sèches, archi-sèches? A merciless duel between 'ch' and 's'.
- Si six scies scient six cyprès, six cents scies scient six cents cyprès. An 's' / 'si' minefield.
Keep exploring