Rouler des mécaniques
Meaning: To swagger; to throw one's weight around.
Language: French
Literally: To roll one's mechanics
Category: Body & Senses
Origin: At the start of the 20th century a solidly built man was said to have something dans les mécaniques — the mécaniques being the skeleton and its joints, which, well made and well covered, make a man look sturdy. Rolling them is the exaggeration: an overdone way of carrying yourself, meant to impress anyone easily impressed. Meant to, only, and rouler said as much itself in the slang of the same period, where it also meant to overdo or lay it on thick, and a rouleur was a talker and a braggart — which is exactly our roller of mechanics.
More idioms — Body & Senses
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More French idioms
- Sauver les meubles — To salvage what matters from a disaster.
- Ça ne casse pas trois pattes à un canard — It's nothing special or impressive.
- C'est comme pisser dans un violon — A completely pointless effort.
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- Poser un lapin — To stand someone up on a date.
- Pédaler dans la semoule — To be confused and getting nowhere.
From our compliments & insults
- Tête de mule — An impossibly stubborn person who refuses to change their mind no matter what.
- C'est une vraie chèvre — They're hopelessly stubborn and infuriating — a goat that refuses to be moved.
- Casse-pieds — A massive bore or pain in the neck — someone who wears you down with their irritating way…
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