Ne pas pouvoir être au four et au moulin
Meaning: To be unable to be in two places at once.
Language: French
Literally: Not to be able to be at the oven and the mill
Category: Daily Life
Origin: Under feudal banalités, tenants were obliged to use the lord's oven and the lord's mill and to pay for both. The two errands were the standard pair of obligations, which is why they became the standard image of an impossible demand.
More idioms — Daily Life
- Épater la galerie — To show off for the benefit of onlookers.
- Sans crier gare — Without any warning at all.
- Une promesse de Gascon — A promise nobody expects to be kept.
- Vouer aux gémonies — To denounce someone publicly and utterly.
- Cousin germain — A first cousin.
- Faire partie du Gotha — To belong to the highest society.
More French idioms
- Des goûts et des couleurs on ne discute pas — There is no arguing with personal preference.
- Mettre le grappin sur quelque chose — To get one's hooks into something and not let go.
- De gré ou de force — Willingly or unwillingly; one way or another.
- Le Grenelle de quelque chose — A large multi-party negotiation convened to settle a national issue.
- L'habit ne fait pas le moine — Appearances do not establish what someone is.
- C'est de l'hébreu — It is completely incomprehensible.
From our false friends
- Déception — Actually means 'disappointment'. For deception (a trick), say tromperie.
- Monnaie — Actually means 'change' or 'coins'. Money in general is l'argent.
- Sensible — Actually means 'sensitive'. For sensible/level-headed, say raisonnable.
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