IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchTenir les cordons du poêle
Meaning: To be a pallbearer at a funeral, as a mark of honor.
Literally: To hold the cords of the pall
Example: “Ses anciens coéquipiers ont tenu les cordons du poêle à son enterrement.” — His former teammates were pallbearers at his funeral.
Origin: The poêle is the cloth draped over the coffin, not a stove, and the cordons are the cords at its corners held by the most distinguished mourners. The honor was in holding the cloth rather than carrying the weight.
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