IdiomAnimals
French
FrenchMuet comme une carpe
Meaning: Completely silent; saying absolutely nothing.
Literally: Mute as a carp
Example: “Interrogé par la police, le témoin est resté muet comme une carpe.” — Questioned by the police, the witness stayed silent as the grave.
English equivalent: Silent as the grave
Equivalents in other languages
English: clam up
Origin: A carp at the surface opens and closes its mouth continually without producing any sound, which makes it the perfect image of someone visibly working their jaw and emitting nothing. Earlier French said muet comme un poisson before the carp took the role in the 16th century.
More French idioms
- La caque sent toujours le hareng However far you rise, low origins always show through.
- Aller à Canossa To humble oneself completely before someone; to submit and beg forgiveness.
- Parler à la cantonade To speak to a group at large without addressing anyone in particular.
- Un capitaine d'industrie The head of a large company.
- Il n'y a pas loin du Capitole à la roche Tarpéienne Glory and disgrace are close neighbors — the fall can follow the honors very quickly.
- Arriver comme les carabiniers To turn up far too late, when everything is already over.
Explore another collection: Proverbs
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- Chien sur son fumier est hardi Everyone is bold on their own ground.
- Il y a un commencement à tout Everything has to start somewhere; first attempts are allowed to be clumsy.
- Trop de zèle gâte tout Too much eagerness ruins things.
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