none of your beeswax
Meaning: A playful way of saying "none of your business."
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “"Who were you texting?" "None of your beeswax."”
Category: The Absurd
Origin: American schoolyard slang, playing on the sound of "business." "Beeswax" in this sense is recorded in the early 20th century. A story that it came from women's wax make-up melting is a modern invention.
Equivalents in other languages
- French: C'est pas tes oignons — literally: It's not your onions
- French: Est-ce que je te demande si ta grand-mère fait du vélo ? — literally: Am I asking you whether your grandmother rides a bike?
- French: S'occuper de ses oignons — literally: To mind one's own onions
More idioms — The Absurd
- thick as a brick — Very stupid.
- the die is cast — A decision has been made and cannot be undone.
- sell one's soul to the devil — To give up one's principles in exchange for money, power or success.
- a Tower of Babel — A noisy scene where many people speak different languages, or a confusion of voices.
- like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic — Doing something pointless while a disaster happens.
- come down on someone like a ton of bricks — To criticize or punish someone very severely.
More English idioms
- that's all she wrote — That is the end of it; there is nothing more.
- the butt of the joke — The person everyone laughs at or makes fun of.
- Aunt Flo is visiting — A euphemism for having one's menstrual period.
- roll in the hay — To have casual sex.
- shed light on — To help explain something or make it clearer.
- pull an all-nighter — To stay up all night, usually to study or work.
From our compliments & insults
- Joli comme un cœur — Utterly charming or adorable.
- Tu as un cœur d'or — You are genuinely kind and generous.
- Tu déchires — You're awesome — you totally rock.