IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchSavonner la planche à quelqu'un
Meaning: To sabotage someone quietly so they fail.
Literally: To soap someone's plank
Example: “Ses propres collègues lui ont savonné la planche avant l'entretien annuel.” — His own colleagues pulled the rug out from under him before his annual review.
English equivalent: To pull the rug out from under someone
Equivalents in other languages
English: pull the rug out from under someone
Origin: A soaped plank cannot be walked on, and the person crossing it has no way to see that it has been prepared. The sabotage is deniable, which is the point.
More French idioms
- Comme le Pont-Neuf In excellent shape despite considerable age.
- Enfoncer une porte ouverte To make a great effort to establish something nobody disputes.
- La portion congrue A bare minimum, grudgingly given.
- Saoul comme un Polonais Extremely drunk.
- Défendre son pré carré To protect one's own territory or area of authority.
- Lâcher la proie pour l'ombre To give up something real in pursuit of something illusory.
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