IdiomThe Absurd
French
FrenchMystère et boule de gomme
Meaning: Nobody has the faintest idea.
Literally: Mystery and gumball
Example: “Où sont passées les clés de la voiture ? Mystère et boule de gomme.” — Where did the car keys go? Search me.
English equivalent: Search me
Equivalents in other languages
English: search me
Origin: The gumball contributes nothing but the rhyme, which is the point — the phrase performs unhelpfulness. It dates from the early 20th century and is often said to children.
More French idioms
- Entre le marteau et l'enclume Caught between two opposing forces with no way out.
- Un pavé dans la mare A revelation or intervention that disturbs a settled situation.
- Il y a de l'orage dans l'air Trouble is brewing.
- Rouler sur l'or To be enormously wealthy.
- Valoir son pesant d'or To be extremely valuable.
- Manu militari By force; with physical compulsion.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
- Un beau ver vert dans un verre vert verra un ver vert. Ver (worm), vert (green), and verre (glass) are near-homophones — distinguishing them at…
- Didon dîna, dit-on, du dos d'un dodu dindon dont le dodu dos dodine. A 'd' / 'din' / 'dod' avalanche that seems designed to jam the tongue in third gear.
- Un chasseur sachant chasser doit savoir chasser sans son chien. The classic French 'ch' / 's' tangler.
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