Les petits ruisseaux font les grandes rivières
Meaning: Small contributions accumulate into something substantial.
Language: French
Literally: Little streams make great rivers
Category: Nature
Origin: The hydrology is the whole argument, and needs no elaboration. It is used of savings above all.
More idioms — Nature
- 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.
- Une tempête dans un verre d'eau — A great commotion over something trivial.
- Contre vents et marées — In the face of every obstacle.
- Autant en emporte le vent — Said of promises and words that will come to nothing.
More French idioms
- Mettre à pied — To suspend someone from their duties.
- Jeter la première pierre — To be the first to condemn someone.
- Avoir pignon sur rue — To be soundly established, with a visible and respectable position.
- Jouer à pile ou face — To decide by tossing a coin.
- Un pince-sans-rire — Someone who jokes with a completely straight face.
- N'être pas à prendre avec des pincettes — To be in such a foul mood as to be unapproachable.
From our proverbs
- One may sooner fall than rise. — Damage spreads faster than repairs; decline requires less effort than recovery.
- If a man once fall, all will tread on him. — Misfortune invites exploitation; those already disadvantaged face renewed abuse from othe…
- When the tree falls every man runs with his hatchet. — Misfortune creates opportunity for opportunists to exploit the vulnerable.
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