IdiomAnimals
French
FrenchLes moutons de Panurge
Meaning: People who follow the crowd without thinking.
Literally: Panurge's sheep
Example: “Dès qu'un influenceur recommande une crème, les moutons de Panurge se ruent dessus.” — As soon as an influencer recommends a cream, everyone follows the herd and rushes to buy it.
English equivalent: To follow the herd
Equivalents in other languages
English: follow the herd
Origin: From Rabelais's Quart Livre: Panurge buys one sheep from a merchant and throws it overboard, and the whole flock leaps after it, taking the merchant with them. The detail that matters is that the flock had no reason at all.
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- C'est la mer à boire It is an impossible or endless task — most often used in the negative.
- Faire son miel de quelque chose To turn something to one's own advantage.
- La substantifique moelle The essential substance of something, reached only by real effort.
- Refiler la patate chaude To hand an awkward problem to someone else.
- Dans le pétrin In serious trouble.
- Avoir du pain sur la planche To have a great deal of work ahead.
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- Qui trop embrasse mal étreint Attempting too many things at once means doing none of them properly.
- Tous les chemins mènent à Rome There are many routes to the same result.
- La fin justifie les moyens A worthwhile goal excuses whatever it takes to reach it.
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