IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchUn moulin à paroles
Meaning: Someone who talks incessantly.
Literally: A word mill
Example: “Ma voisine de train était un vrai moulin à paroles ; je n'ai pas pu lire une ligne.” — The woman next to me on the train could talk the hind legs off a donkey; I couldn't read a single line.
English equivalent: To talk the hind legs off a donkey
Equivalents in other languages
English: talk the hind legs off a donkey
Origin: A mill runs continuously, noisily, and without needing supervision. The comparison is about the mechanism rather than the output.
More French idioms
- Œil pour œil, dent pour dent Retaliation exactly proportionate to the injury.
- Tuer dans l'œuf To stop something before it can develop.
- À pied d'œuvre On site and ready to begin.
- S'occuper de ses oignons To mind one's own business.
- Pousser des cris d'orfraie To protest with theatrical outrage.
- Un ouvrier de la onzième heure A latecomer who receives the same reward as those who did the work.
Explore another collection: Proverbs
Short sayings of timeless wisdom from more than 50 cultures, each with its meaning and origin.
- Mieux vaut être tête de chien que queue de lion It is better to lead something small than to follow in something great.
- Goutte à goutte, l'eau creuse la pierre Small, constant efforts achieve great results.
- À beau jeu, beau retour You get back what you give; good treatment earns good treatment.
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