IdiomAnimals
French
FrenchTirer à hue et à dia
Meaning: To pull in opposite directions; to work at cross purposes.
Literally: To pull to hue and to dia
Example: “Les deux associés tirent à hue et à dia, et l'entreprise n'avance plus.” — The two partners are at cross purposes, and the business has ground to a halt.
English equivalent: To be at cross purposes
Equivalents in other languages
Chinese: 鸡同鸭讲 (jī tóng yā jiǎng) Literally: A chicken talking to a duck
English: at cross purposes
Origin: Hue and dia were the carter's commands to a draft horse for turning one way and the other. A team given both at once cannot move, which is the state being described.
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- Un vieux loup de mer A seasoned old sailor.
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