sentir la naphtaline
Meaning: To be old-fashioned or antiquated.
Language: French
Literally: to smell of mothballs
Category: Daily Life
Origin: Naphthalene (mothballs) are used to preserve old fabrics and clothes in storage, so something that smells of them is associated with age and the past.
More idioms — Daily Life
- passer maître — To become the foremost expert in something.
- courir après les cotillons — To pursue amorous or romantic adventures.
- avoir de la tchatche — To be talkative and persuasive, to have the gift of gab.
- remonter plus haut — To begin a story or explanation at an earlier point in time to clarify or better illumina…
- n’avoir qu’à bien se tenir — A warning or threat implying that one must behave properly or face consequences.
- recoller les morceaux — to repair a broken relationship or reconcile after a quarrel.
More French idioms
- plumer la poule sans la faire crier — To extract money or advantage from someone so skillfully that they do not complain or res…
- compter sur les doigts d’une main — To be so few in number that they can be counted on five fingers or fewer.
- faire fureur — To provoke great enthusiasm or widespread popularity.
- tirer l’oreille — To scold or reprimand someone.
- pousser les feux — To intensify effort or energy; to redouble one's exertions to achieve a goal.
- tirer les oreilles — To scold someone harshly or punish them.
From our proverbs
- To give and keep there is need of wit. — Generosity requires discernment about when and how much to give without depleting your ow…
- He giveth twice who gives in a trice. — Quick generosity prevents the recipient's anxiety and disappointment, making one gift fee…
- A man of gladness seldom falls into madness. — Sustained cheerfulness builds psychological resilience against despair and mental deterio…