IdiomAnimals
French
FrenchS'entendre comme larrons en foire
Meaning: To be thick as thieves; to understand one another perfectly.
Literally: To get on like thieves at a fair
Example: “Mes deux fils s'entendent comme larrons en foire quand il s'agit de bêtises.” — My two sons are thick as thieves when it comes to mischief.
English equivalent: Thick as thieves
Equivalents in other languages
Spanish: Ser uña y carne Literally: To be fingernail and flesh
Portuguese: unha e carne Literally: Fingernail and flesh
English: thick as thieves
Origin: A fair drew crowds and therefore pickpockets, who cooperated with unusual efficiency because the takings depended on it. Larron is an archaic word for thief, surviving essentially only here.
More French idioms
- À la fortune du pot Taking potluck; sharing whatever happens to be cooking.
- Séparer le bon grain de l'ivraie To distinguish what is valuable from what is worthless.
- Se demander si c'est du lard ou du cochon To be unable to tell what something is or how it is meant.
- Une autre paire de manches A different matter entirely; a far harder proposition.
- Faire du lèche-vitrine To go window shopping.
- L'huile de coude Hard physical effort; elbow grease.
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