Une faim de loup
Meaning: Ravenous hunger.
Language: French
Literally: A wolf's hunger
Category: Animals
Origin: The wolf is the standard French figure for appetite that is not merely large but predatory, appearing across the language in dents de loup and manger comme un loup. It carries an edge that a phrase like 'starving' does not.
More idioms — Animals
- Tailler des croupières à quelqu'un — To harass an opponent and make life difficult for them.
- Mettre le pied à l'étrier à quelqu'un — To give someone the help they need to get started.
- Gagner ses éperons — To prove oneself and earn recognition.
- Un mauvais coucheur — A cantankerous, difficult person.
- Ronger son frein — To wait in barely contained impatience.
- Jeter sa gourme — To sow one's wild oats.
More French idioms
- Un cordon-bleu — An outstanding cook.
- Il y a loin de la coupe aux lèvres — Much can still go wrong between intention and result.
- Né avec une cuillère d'argent dans la bouche — Born into wealth and advantage.
- Des économies de bouts de chandelle — Petty economies that save nothing worth having.
- Un étouffe-chrétien — Food so dense and stodgy it is hard to swallow.
- Mettre de l'eau dans son vin — To moderate one's demands or soften one's position.
From our false friends
- Déception — Actually means 'disappointment'. For deception (a trick), say tromperie.
- Monnaie — Actually means 'change' or 'coins'. Money in general is l'argent.
- Sensible — Actually means 'sensitive'. For sensible/level-headed, say raisonnable.
Loading the full interactive collection…