Home › Idioms

Prendre ses jambes à son cou

Meaning: To run away very fast.

Language: French

Literally: To take one's legs around one's neck

Category: Body & Senses

Origin: Old French expression, attested from the 16th century.

More idioms — Body & Senses

  • Se lever du pied gauche — To wake up in a bad mood.
  • Mettre les pieds dans le plat — To put one's foot in it; to say something awkward or blunt.
  • avoir des fourmis — Experiencing a tingling or prickling sensation in a limb losing circulation.
  • avoir un chat dans la gorge — Having difficulty speaking due to hoarseness or a sore throat.
  • avoir un bleu — Having a bruise on the skin from impact or injury.
  • avoir une dent contre quelqu'un — Holding a grudge or resentment toward someone.

More French idioms

  • C'est la croix et la bannière — It is an enormous effort or ordeal.
  • Faire la fine bouche — To be overly picky or hard to please.
  • Avoir le vent en poupe — To be doing very well; everything is going your way.
  • Tourner autour du pot — To beat around the bush.
  • Avoir la tête dans les nuages — To be a daydreamer; out of touch with reality.
  • Casser du sucre sur le dos de quelqu'un — To talk behind someone's back.

← Back to Idioms

Loading the full interactive collection…