IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchRouler carrosse
Meaning: To live in grand style.
Literally: To roll a carriage
Example: “Depuis qu'il a vendu son entreprise, il roule carrosse sur la Côte d'Azur.” — Since he sold his company, he's been living the high life on the Riviera.
English equivalent: The life of Riley
Equivalents in other languages
Finnish: Olla kuin Ellun kanat Literally: To be like Ellu's hens
English: the life of Riley
Origin: Keeping a private coach and the horses and servants it required was among the clearest possible displays of wealth under the Ancien Régime (pre-revolutionary France). The phrase survives long after the object it describes.
More French idioms
- Se serrer la ceinture To economize and go without.
- La femme de César ne doit pas être soupçonnée Those in public office must be above even the appearance of wrongdoing.
- Se réduire comme une peau de chagrin To dwindle away steadily until nothing is left.
- 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.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
- Les chaussettes de l'archiduchesse sont-elles sèches, archi-sèches? A merciless duel between 'ch' and 's'.
- Si six scies scient six cyprès, six cents scies scient six cents cyprès. An 's' / 'si' minefield.
- Dans ta tente ta tante t'attend. A gentle 'ta / ten / tan / t'' warm-up that sounds faster than it reads.
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