IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchTomber dans l'escarcelle de quelqu'un
Meaning: To end up in someone's possession, often without their working for it.
Literally: To fall into someone's purse
Example: “Grâce à l'héritage, la villa est tombée dans son escarcelle.” — Thanks to the inheritance, the villa fell into her lap.
English equivalent: To fall into someone's lap
Equivalents in other languages
English: fall into someone's lap
Origin: The escarcelle was a large purse hung from the belt in the Middle Ages. The phrase is used almost entirely of money, contracts and territory.
More French idioms
- Cherchez la femme There is a woman behind this somewhere.
- Jeter l'argent par les fenêtres To spend recklessly and pointlessly.
- Croire dur comme fer To believe something with complete and unshakeable conviction.
- Le fer de lance The leading element of an effort; the part that goes in first.
- Avoir le feu sacré To be driven by genuine, burning vocation.
- Être tout feu tout flamme To be full of ardent enthusiasm.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
- Un chasseur sachant chasser doit savoir chasser sans son chien. The classic French 'ch' / 's' tangler.
- Les chaussettes de l'archiduchesse sont-elles sèches, archi-sèches? A merciless duel between 'ch' and 's'.
- Si six scies scient six cyprès, six cents scies scient six cents cyprès. An 's' / 'si' minefield.
Keep exploring