Vouloir faire passer un chameau par le chas d'une aiguille
Meaning: To attempt something manifestly impossible.
Language: French
Literally: To try to pass a camel through the eye of a needle
Category: Animals
Origin: From the Gospels, where it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. A persistent theory that 'needle's eye' was a narrow Jerusalem gate has no archaeological support — the absurdity is the point.
More idioms — Animals
- Acheter chat en poche — To buy something sight unseen, and be cheated.
- Il n'y a pas un chat — There is nobody around at all.
- À cheval donné on ne regarde pas les dents — Do not find fault with a gift.
- Monter sur ses grands chevaux — To take offense and react with indignant superiority.
- Un cheval de Troie — A gift or arrangement that conceals a hostile purpose.
- C'est le chien de Jean de Nivelle — Said of someone who makes himself scarce precisely when he is called.
More French idioms
- Les chiens ne font pas des chats — Children inevitably resemble their parents.
- Les chiens aboient et la caravane passe — Criticism from bystanders does not stop those who are getting on with it.
- Ne pas attacher son chien avec des saucisses — To be extremely tight-fisted.
- Un temps de chien — Filthy, miserable weather.
- Mettre les bouchées doubles — To work twice as hard in order to catch up.
- La dive bouteille — Wine, treated with mock reverence.
From our false friends
- Coin — Actually means 'corner'. A coin you spend is une pièce.
- Chance — Actually means 'luck'. Bonne chance! = Good luck! For chance (probability), say une possi…
- Sympathique — Actually means 'nice' or 'pleasant'. Il est très sympathique = He's very nice — not 'He's…
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