Un soleil de plomb
Meaning: A crushing, oppressive heat.
Language: French
Literally: A sun of lead
Category: Nature
Origin: Lead supplies weight rather than temperature, so the sun is figured as pressing down rather than burning. French reaches for the same metal in un ciel de plomb.
More idioms — Nature
- Une planche de salut — A last resort; the only remaining hope.
- Sentir le sapin — To be close to death.
- Une tempête dans un verre d'eau — A great commotion over something trivial.
- Contre vents et marées — In the face of every obstacle.
- Autant en emporte le vent — Said of promises and words that will come to nothing.
- Aller à vau-l'eau — To fall into ruin; to drift towards collapse.
More French idioms
- Mettre à pied — To suspend someone from their duties.
- Jeter la première pierre — To be the first to condemn someone.
- Avoir pignon sur rue — To be soundly established, with a visible and respectable position.
- Jouer à pile ou face — To decide by tossing a coin.
- Un pince-sans-rire — Someone who jokes with a completely straight face.
- N'être pas à prendre avec des pincettes — To be in such a foul mood as to be unapproachable.
From our compliments & insults
- Tête de linotte — A scatterbrain who can't hold a thought.
- Courir sur le haricot — To get badly on someone's nerves.
- Tu as du chien — You have a certain irresistible magnetism — a je-ne-sais-quoi that draws people in.
Browse all compliments & insults →
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