IdiomNature
French
FrenchRemuer ciel et terre
Meaning: To exert all possible effort and use every available means to achieve a goal.
Literally: To stir sky and earth
Example: “Ses parents ont remué ciel et terre pour retrouver le chien perdu.” — Her parents moved heaven and earth to find the lost dog.
English equivalent: To move heaven and earth
Equivalents in other languages
English: move heaven and earth
Origin: Heaven and earth together are the whole of creation, and stirring them both is leaving nothing in the universe undisturbed in pursuit of a goal. The grammarian Féraud defined it in 1787 as pulling every string and looking everywhere for support, and the Académie française listed it in 1798. English "move heaven and earth" is the same phrase.
More French idioms
- Joindre le geste à la parole To back up what you say with action; to keep your promises.
- Faire dresser l’oreille To catch someone's attention or spark their interest.
- Renaître de ses cendres To rise again and flourish after near-total destruction.
- Se payer la tête de quelqu'un To mock or ridicule someone.
- Avoir les sangs tournés To be profoundly shocked or horrified.
- Donner un coup de pied dans la fourmilière To strike a major blow or take bold action that stirs up considerable agitation and contr…
Explore another collection: Compliments & Insults
Compliments and insults from around the world, from the sweet to the savage.
- Tu as du chien You have a certain irresistible magnetism — a je-ne-sais-quoi that draws people in.
- Tu as la tête sur les épaules You're grounded, sensible, and dependable — not easily swept off course.
- Tu as le vent en poupe Everything is going your way — you're riding a wave of momentum and success.
Keep exploring