tendre les bras

Meaning: To offer help and support to someone, or to welcome them warmly.

Language: French

Literally: to stretch out one's arms

Category: Body & Senses

Origin: The literal gesture of extended arms is the universal posture of welcome, embrace, and the offering of aid.

More idioms — Body & Senses

• compter sur les doigts d’une main — To be so few in number that they can be counted on five fingers or fewer.
• tirer l’oreille — To scold or reprimand someone.
• tirer les oreilles — To scold someone harshly or punish them.
• ne plus savoir où donner de la tête — To be overwhelmed with work or demands.
• avoir les yeux qui sortent de la tête — To stare with eyes wide open in anger or astonishment.
• faire baiser les verges — To force someone you have mistreated to beg your pardon.

More French idioms

• retourner à la case départ — To find oneself back where one began, as if no progress had been made.
• sentir la naphtaline — To be old-fashioned or antiquated.
• passer maître — To become the foremost expert in something.
• plumer la poule sans la faire crier — To extract money or advantage from someone so skillfully that they do not complain or res…
• faire fureur — To provoke great enthusiasm or widespread popularity.
• pousser les feux — To intensify effort or energy; to redouble one's exertions to achieve a goal.

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