Le supplice de Tantale
Meaning: Having what one wants permanently in sight and permanently out of reach.
Language: French
Literally: The torment of Tantalus
Category: The Absurd
Origin: Tantalus stood in water that receded when he stooped, beneath fruit that lifted when he reached. English takes the verb tantalize from him without usually noticing.
More idioms — The Absurd
- Une solution de continuité — A break or gap — not, despite appearances, a solution to anything.
- Demain, on rase gratis — A promise perpetually postponed.
- À vos souhaits — Bless you — said when someone sneezes.
- Une vérité de La Palice / Une lapalissade — A statement so obvious it is comic — a truism.
- Prendre des vessies pour des lanternes — To be grossly deceived about something.
- Être piqué de la tarentule — To be seized by frantic, uncontrollable agitation.
More French idioms
- Pierre qui roule n'amasse pas mousse — Constant movement prevents anything from accumulating.
- Les petits ruisseaux font les grandes rivières — Small contributions accumulate into something substantial.
- Un soleil de plomb — A crushing, oppressive heat.
- Une planche de salut — A last resort; the only remaining hope.
- Sentir le sapin — To be close to death.
- Mettre à pied — To suspend someone from their duties.
From our proverbs
- A single fact is worth a ship-load of argument. — Concrete evidence settles disputes more effectively than prolonged debate or rhetoric alo…
- Faint heart never won a fair lady. — Romantic success requires courage; passive timidity guarantees failure in matters of love.
- Fair and softly go far in a day. — Steady, moderate effort sustains progress better than rushed, forceful action that exhaus…
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