IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchMettre à pied
Meaning: To suspend someone from their duties.
Literally: To put on foot
Example: “Le chauffeur a été mis à pied pendant l'enquête.” — The driver was suspended during the investigation.
Origin: A cavalryman deprived of his horse was mis à pied — still in the army, but unable to do the job he was there for. The modern employment sense keeps that exact shape.
More French idioms
- Pas piqué des vers Remarkable; really something.
- Savonner la planche à quelqu'un To sabotage someone quietly so they fail.
- Glisser une peau de banane To engineer someone's public downfall.
- Battre son plein To be in full swing.
- Péter les plombs To lose one's temper completely.
- Faire le point To take stock of where things stand.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
- Si six scies scient six cyprès, six cents scies scient six cents cyprès. An 's' / 'si' minefield.
- Dans ta tente ta tante t'attend. A gentle 'ta / ten / tan / t'' warm-up that sounds faster than it reads.
- Seize chaises sèches sur seize arches sèches. A relentless collision of 'sei', 'sèch', and 's' — the tongue can't find traction.
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