Manger sur le pouce
Meaning: To eat in a hurry, standing up.
Language: French
Literally: To eat on the thumb
Category: Food & Drink
Origin: Attested from the start of the 19th century, and the picture is a specific one rather than a vague idea of haste. Think of a laborer or a soldier with a short break and a hunk of bread: one hand holds the bread, the other a knife, and the knife cuts a piece and pushes it onto the thumb — which, being opposable, works as a ledge — holding it there while it travels to the mouth. Once you have seen the gesture, which was ordinary enough to need no explaining at the time, the expression explains itself.
More idioms — Food & Drink
- Cucul la praline — Twee; soppy; embarrassingly naive.
- Pour des prunes — For nothing; in vain.
- Tomber dans les pommes — Suddenly losing consciousness — possibly derived from the older expression 'être dans les…
- Avoir la moutarde qui monte au nez — To be getting angry.
- Pédaler dans la semoule — To be confused and getting nowhere.
- Raconter des salades — To tell lies or tall tales.
More French idioms
- S'en moquer comme de l'an quarante — To not care in the slightest.
- Ça ne casse pas trois pattes à un canard — It's nothing special or impressive.
- C'est comme pisser dans un violon — A completely pointless effort.
- Avoir le cafard — To feel depressed or down.
- Poser un lapin — To stand someone up on a date.
- Avoir d'autres chats à fouetter — To have more important things to do.
From our compliments & insults
- Tu as un cœur d'or — You are genuinely kind and generous.
- Tu déchires — You're awesome — you totally rock.
- Bête comme ses pieds — Really not very bright.
Browse all compliments & insults →
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