remuer ciel et terre
Meaning: To exert all possible effort and use every available means to achieve a goal.
Language: French
Literally: to stir sky and earth
Category: Nature
Origin: The image pictures moving heaven and earth itself—the grandest possible effort to accomplish something.
More idioms — Nature
- de aquellos polvos, estos lodos — Consequences or problems arise later from careless or harmful actions taken earlier; misd…
- a contracorriente — To act or think in opposition to prevailing opinion, custom, or the natural course of eve…
- ahogarse en poca agua — to panic or overreact to a minor problem.
- salga el sol por donde quiera — It does not matter what happens or what difficulties arise; one will accept whatever come…
- ley del hielo — A state of deliberate coldness or refusal to speak to someone as a form of punishment or…
- írsele la onda — To lose focus or to forget an important point.
More French idioms
- joindre le geste à la parole — To back up what you say with action; to keep your promises.
- mettre à terre — To defeat or knock someone down.
- 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.
From our compliments & insults
- 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.