IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchOutre mesure
Meaning: Excessively, unreasonably, to an unwarranted degree.
Literally: Beyond measure
Example: “Ne t'inquiète pas outre mesure, ce n'est qu'une petite toux.” — Don't worry unduly; it's just a little cough.
Origin: Outre here is not the wineskin but Latin ultra, 'further' — the same sense Belgians use in outre-Quiévrain for what lies past the border town. The phrase marks a limit actually crossed, not merely approached, which is why it means excessivement (to excess) rather than extrêmement (extremely).
More French idioms
- Être comme l'âne de Buridan To be so paralyzed between two equally attractive options that you choose neither.
- Rire comme une baleine To laugh uproariously, with your mouth wide open.
- Un vent à décorner les bœufs A ferociously strong wind.
- La bave du crapaud n'atteint pas la blanche colombe Insults from a contemptible source cannot touch the person they target.
- Savoir où le bât blesse To know exactly where the real difficulty or sore point lies.
- Faire un bœuf To improvise music together; to hold a jam session.
Explore another collection: Untranslatable Words
Words that capture a feeling or idea English needs a whole sentence for.
- Épanouissement The full flourishing of a person — blooming into your most complete, radiant self. More t…
- Ressourcement The act of returning to one's roots or origins to find renewal — going back to a place, t…
- Dépaysement The disorienting yet often pleasant feeling of being far from home, immersed in the unfam…
Keep exploring