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.
From our tongue twisters
- 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.