n’avoir qu’à bien se tenir

Meaning: A warning or threat implying that one must behave properly or face consequences.

Language: French

Literally: to have only to hold oneself well

Category: Daily Life

Origin: The phrase frames proper conduct as a simple matter of maintaining one's composure and discipline.

More idioms — Daily Life

• recoller les morceaux — to repair a broken relationship or reconcile after a quarrel.
• brûler ses dernières cartouches — to exhaust one's final resources or use one's last arguments in desperation.
• passer un mauvais quart d’heure — to experience a brief but unpleasant or distressing moment.
• envoyer des piques — To make cutting or barbed remarks intended to irritate or provoke someone.
• prendre le train en marche — To join opportunely in an action or endeavor already underway.
• aiguiser ses couteaux — To prepare oneself for conflict or confrontation.

More French idioms

• battre les fourrés — To range far and wide in search of adventure or chance encounters.
• donner du poing sur la table — To express strong disagreement or disapproval with a situation.
• avoir sur les bras — To be burdened with or responsible for someone or something; to be occupied with a demand…
• ne s’être pas regardé — to judge others harshly while being blind to one's own equal or greater faults.
• ne pas tourner rond — to be unwell or not functioning properly.
• prendre le maquis — To go into hiding or join a resistance movement to escape authority or persecution.

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