IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchTrancher le nœud gordien
Meaning: To solve an intractable problem by refusing its terms.
Literally: To cut the Gordian knot
Example: “Face au blocage des négociations, le président a tranché le nœud gordien en organisant un référendum.” — With the negotiations deadlocked, the president cut the Gordian knot by calling a referendum.
English equivalent: To cut the Gordian knot
Equivalents in other languages
Italian: Tagliare la testa al toro Literally: To cut the bull's head off
English: cut the Gordian knot
Origin: The knot at Gordium was prophesied to yield Asia to whoever untied it; Alexander cut it with his sword. Whether that counts as solving it is the question the phrase quietly carries.
More French idioms
- Pousser des cris d'orfraie To protest with theatrical outrage.
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- La paille et la poutre Noticing a small fault in others while ignoring a large one in oneself.
- Un homme de paille A front man acting for someone who stays hidden.
- Envoyer paître To tell someone to get lost.
- La boîte de Pandore Something that releases a host of troubles once opened.
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- Si six scies scient six cyprès, six cents scies scient six cents cyprès. An 's' / 'si' minefield.
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