S'aplatir comme une carpette
Meaning: To grovel; to let oneself be walked over.
Language: French
Literally: To flatten oneself like a rug
Category: Daily Life
Origin: A carpette is a small rug, and the whole of its existence is being underfoot. The phrase describes someone adopting that position voluntarily.
More idioms — Daily Life
- Rester sur le carreau — To be knocked out of the running; to be left for dead.
- Rouler carrosse — To live in grand style.
- Donner carte blanche — To grant someone complete freedom to act as they see fit.
- Tourner casaque — To switch sides or change allegiance.
- Retourner sa veste — To change one's allegiance opportunistically.
- Coiffer Sainte Catherine — To reach twenty-five while still unmarried — said of a woman.
More French idioms
- Être sujet à caution — To be unreliable; not to be taken at face value.
- Caviarder un texte — To censor a piece of writing by blacking out passages.
- 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.
From our false friends
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