ProverbMorality
French origin
French originQui se sent morveux, qu'il se mouche
Meaning: If a criticism applies to you, take it to heart.
Literally: Whoever feels snotty should blow his nose
Example: “Je n'ai cité personne dans ma lettre. Qui se sent morveux, qu'il se mouche.” — I didn't name anyone in my letter: if the shoe fits, wear it.
Equivalents in English, Spanish, German, and Dutch
English: If the shoe fits, wear it
Spanish: Al que le quede el guante, que se lo ponga (literally: Whoever the glove fits, put it on)
German: Getroffene Hunde bellen (literally: Dogs that have been hit are the ones that bark)
Dutch: Wie de schoen past, trekke hem aan (literally: Whom the shoe fits, let him put it on)
Origin: Molière gives it to the valet La Flèche in L'Avare (1668), when the miser Harpagon suspects that a general remark about misers is aimed at him.
Explore another collection: Idioms
Colorful expressions from dozens of languages, with their word-for-word translations.
- Ne pas y aller de main morte To hit hard; to act without the slightest restraint.
- Bourrer le mou To feed someone lies; to try to con them.
- Enculer les mouches To split hairs; to fuss over trivial detail. Vulgar.
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