IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchN'être pas à prendre avec des pincettes
Meaning: To be in such a foul mood as to be unapproachable.
Literally: Not to be picked up with tongs
Example: “Depuis qu'il a raté son train, il n'est pas à prendre avec des pincettes.” — Since he missed his train, he's been like a bear with a sore head.
English equivalent: Like a bear with a sore head
Other ways to say this
Spanish: Tener mala leche Literally: To have bad milk- French: Être de mauvais poil Literally: To be of bad hair
English: like a bear with a sore head
Origin: Tongs are for handling what is too hot or too filthy to touch, and the phrase says even they would not be enough. It is also used literally of something disgusting.
More French idioms
- Faire le point To take stock of where things stand.
- Pomme de discorde The particular thing two parties are fighting over.
- En grande pompe With elaborate ceremony.
- Comme le Pont-Neuf In excellent shape despite considerable age.
- Enfoncer une porte ouverte To make a great effort to establish something nobody disputes.
- La portion congrue A bare minimum, grudgingly given.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
- Un chasseur sachant chasser doit savoir chasser sans son chien. The classic French 'ch' / 's' tangler.
- 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.
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