IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchRevoir sa copie
Meaning: To go back and rework a proposal that has been rejected.
Literally: To revise one's paper
Example: “Face aux protestations, le gouvernement a dû revoir sa copie.” — Faced with the protests, the government had to go back to the drawing board.
English equivalent: To go back to the drawing board
Equivalents in other languages
English: go back to the drawing board
Origin: From school and university marking, where a copie is the written answer handed in. Being told to revise it is being told the work was not merely imperfect but not yet acceptable.
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