Retourner sa veste

Meaning: To change one's allegiance opportunistically.

Literally: To turn one's jacket inside out

Example: “Hier il défendait le projet ; aujourd'hui, il a retourné sa veste.” — Yesterday he was defending the project; today he's done a complete about-face.

English equivalent: To jump ship

Other ways to say this

French: Tourner casaque Literally: To turn one's tabard
English: jump ship

Origin: The same figure as tourner casaque brought forward to modern dress, and the more common of the two today. It is always pejorative, implying the change follows advantage rather than conviction.

More French idioms

Appuyer sur le champignon To accelerate hard; to floor it.
Devoir une fière chandelle à quelqu'un To owe someone a considerable debt of gratitude.
Le jeu n'en vaut pas la chandelle The effort or cost outweighs anything to be gained.
Tenir la chandelle To be the awkward third party to a couple.
Sur les chapeaux de roues At top speed; also, of a start, immediately and forcefully.
Avoir voix au chapitre To have a say in a decision.

Explore another collection: False Friends

Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.

Sensible Actually means 'sensitive'. For sensible/level-headed, say raisonnable.
Librairie Actually means 'bookshop'. A library is une bibliothèque.
Pain Actually means 'bread'. The hurting kind of pain is la douleur.

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