IdiomAnimals
French
FrenchSe faire prendre pour un pigeon
Meaning: To be duped as an easy mark.
Literally: To be taken for a pigeon
Example: “Avec ce faux concours en ligne, des milliers de gens se sont fait prendre pour des pigeons.” — With that fake online contest, thousands of people were taken for a ride.
English equivalent: To be taken for a ride
Other ways to say this
- French: Se faire rouler dans la farine Literally: To get rolled in flour
Polish: wziąć na bajer Literally: To take on a trick
English: be taken for a ride
Origin: The pigeon has stood for the gullible victim in French since the 16th century, on the reasoning that it comes when fed and is trivially easy to catch. English keeps the same idea in being a pigeon for something.
More French idioms
- Cracher dans la soupe To disparage the thing that sustains you.
- Trempé comme une soupe Drenched to the skin.
- Payer rubis sur l'ongle To pay in full, immediately and to the last penny.
- Faire avancer le schmilblick To make actual progress on something.
- Avaler des poires d'angoisse To endure something bitterly painful.
- En cinq sec In no time at all.
Explore another collection: Compliments & Insults
Compliments and insults from around the world, from the sweet to the savage.
- Quel râleur / quelle râleuse You never stop moaning — everything is a complaint, nothing is ever good enough.
- Peau de vache A mean, difficult, and unpleasant person — tough and unyielding like tanned hide.
- Tu as une cervelle de moineau You're scatterbrained and forgetful.
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