IdiomBody & Senses
French
FrenchNe pas être dans son assiette
Meaning: To feel out of sorts, physically or mentally off-form.
Literally: Not to be in one's plate
Example: “Je rentre chez moi, je ne suis pas dans mon assiette ce soir.” — I'm heading home; I'm feeling under the weather tonight.
English equivalent: To be under the weather
Other ways to say this
English: under the weather- French: Avoir un pet de travers Literally: To have a fart sideways
Origin: The assiette here is not the dinner plate but the older sense of seat or posture — the same word used for a rider's seat on a horse. To be out of one's assiette is to be off balance, and the culinary reading is a later misunderstanding.
More French idioms
- L'arbre qui cache la forêt A conspicuous detail that distracts attention from the larger reality behind it.
- Jeter son bonnet par-dessus les moulins To throw propriety to the wind and stop caring what people think.
- Un baroud d'honneur A last stand fought for honor when defeat is already certain.
- Un ange passe Said to acknowledge a sudden awkward silence in a conversation.
- Être aux anges To be overjoyed, in raptures.
- Être aux abonnés absents To be unreachable, or to fail to show up when needed.
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- Les chaussettes de l'archiduchesse sont-elles sèches, archi-sèches? A merciless duel between 'ch' and 's'.
- 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.
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