Se retrouver une main devant, une main derrière
Meaning: To be left with absolutely nothing.
Language: French
Literally: To be left one hand in front, one hand behind
Category: Body & Senses
Origin: From the 1960s, and specifically a man's picture. Someone destitute enough to have no clothes at all is left standing naked, and the reflex in a society where public nudity is not the norm is to cover up with both hands — which for a man means one in front and one behind. The arithmetic is the joke: a woman in the same position would put both hands in front, so the expression only counts out the way it does for half the population.
More idioms — Body & Senses
- Ne pas y aller de main morte — To hit hard; to act without the slightest restraint.
- Bourrer le mou — To feed someone lies; to try to con them.
- Rouler des mécaniques — To swagger; to throw one's weight around.
- Se casser la margoulette — To come a cropper; to take a bad fall.
- Se faire du mouron — To worry oneself.
- Tomber dans les pommes — Suddenly losing consciousness — possibly derived from the older expression 'être dans les…
More French idioms
- Se faire la malle — To clear off; to make a run for it.
- Avoir vu le loup — Said of a young woman, to have had sex; also, in some regions, to be hoarse.
- Enculer les mouches — To split hairs; to fuss over trivial detail. Vulgar.
- Être dans la mouise / Être dans la panade / Être dans la purée — To be broke and in real trouble.
- Faire le mariole — To show off; to play the smart aleck.
- Fumer la moquette — To be talking obvious nonsense; to be off one's head.
From our compliments & insults
- Bête comme ses pieds — Really not very bright.
- Avoir un poil dans la main — To be incurably lazy.
- Tête de linotte — A scatterbrain who can't hold a thought.
Browse all compliments & insults →
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