Part 13

*_Pays ruiné vaut mieux que pays perdu_ = Half a loaf is better than no bread.

_Je lui ferai voir du pays_ = I will lead him a pretty dance.

Peau

*_Il ne faut pas vendre la peau de l’ours avant de l’avoir tué_ = Do not count your chickens before they are hatched; First catch your hare.

[“_Il m’a dit qu’il ne faut jamais Vendre la peau de l’ours qu’on ne l’ait mis par terre._” LA FONTAINE, _Fables_, v. 20.]

_Il crève dans sa peau_ (fam.) = (lit.) He is extremely fat; (fig.) He is bursting with pride, spite.

_Faire peau neuve_ = To turn over a new leaf.

Péché

*_Péché avoué est à demi pardonné_ = A fault confessed is half redressed.

_Elle est laide comme les sept péchés capitaux_ = She is as ugly as sin.

Pécher

_On est puni par où l’on a péché_ =

“The Gods are just, and of our pleasant vices Make instruments to scourge us.” [_King Lear_, v. 3.]

Peine

_Cela ne vaut pas la peine_ = It is not worth the trouble; It is not worth while.

_Mourir à la peine_ = 1. To die in harness. 2. To work oneself to death.

Peinture

_Je ne peux pas le voir même en peinture_ = I hate the very sight of that man.

Pelé

_Il y avait quatre pelés et un tondu_ = There were only a few people and those of no importance; Only the tag, rag, and bobtail were there.

Pelle

*_La pelle se moque du fourgon_ = It is the pot calling the kettle black.

[Another English variant is: “The kiln calls the oven: Burnt house.” The Italians say: “La padella dice al pajuolo, ‘Fatti ni la che tu me tigni’” = The pan says to the pot, “Keep off or you’ll smutch me.” The Germans: “Ein Esel schimpft den andern Langohr” = One ass nicknames another Longears.]

_Remuer l’argent à la pelle_ = To have plenty of money.

Pelote

_Il a fait sa pelote_ = He has feathered his nest.

Pendant

_Cet homme n’a pas son pendant_ (or, _pareil_) = That man has not his match.

Pendre

_Il a dit pis que pendre de vous_ = He said everything that was bad of you; According to him, hanging is too good for you.

Penser

_À ce que je pense_ = To my mind.

_Sans penser à mal_ = Without meaning any mischief.

_Rien que d’y penser j’en ai le frisson_ = The bare thought of it makes me shudder.

_Cela donne furieusement à penser_ = That is very suggestive.

_Sans arrière-pensée_ = Without reserve; With no after-thought.

Perdre

*_Un de perdu, deux de retrouvés_ = When one door shuts, another opens.

_Je m’y perds_ = I am getting bewildered; I cannot make head or tail of it.

_Il perd la carte_ = He is getting confused.

_C’est du bien perdu_ = It is casting pearls before swine.

*_Qui perd pèche_ = He who loses sins; Nothing succeeds like success.

Perdrix

*_Toujours des perdrix_ = The best things pall in time.

Perle

_Nous ne sommes pas ici pour enfiler des perles_ = We are not here to trifle our time away.

Pérou

_Ce n’est pas le Pérou_ (fam.) = It’s no great catch.

Personne

_C’est la bonté en personne_ = He (_or_, She) is kindness itself.

Perte

_À perte de vue_ = As far as the eye can reach.

_Je suis en perte_ = I am out of pocket.

_J’ai fait cela en pure perte_ = What I have done is completely useless; All I have done is to no purpose.

Pesant

_Il vaut son pesant d’or_ = He is worth his weight in gold.

Petit

_Elles sont aux petits soins pour leur vieille mère_ = They are all attention to their old mother.

*_Les petits ruisseaux font les grandes rivières_ = Many a little makes a mickle.

*_Petit à petit l’oiseau fait son nid_ = Little strokes fell great oaks. (See _Maille_ and _Ruisseau_.)

[Also: _Grain à grain amasse la fourmi son pain. Peu à peu la vieille file sa quenouille._

Latin: Adde parvum parvo tandem fit magnus acervus.

Italian: A passo a passo se va lontana.

Little and often fills the purse.]

_En petit_ = On a small scale.

*_Petit mercier, petit panier_ = A small pack becomes a small pedlar.

[“Little boats should keep the shore, Larger ships may venture more.”

Latin: Pauper agat caute.]

*_Petite cervelle, prompte colère_ = A little pot is soon hot.

Pétrin

_Je suis dans le pétrin_ (fam.) = I am in a mess, fix.

_Les finances sont en ce moment dans un pétrin impossible_ = The finances are in horrible disorder just now.

Peu

_Si peu que rien_ = Next to nothing.

_Imaginez un peu!_ = Just fancy!

_Pour peu que cela vous ennuie_ = However little it annoys you.

_Tant soit peu meilleur_ = Be it ever so little better; A shade better.

_À peu de chose près_ = Not far off.

Peur

_Elle était mise à faire peur_ = She looked a fright.

_Il a eu plus de peur que de mal_ = He was more frightened than hurt.

Phrase

_Faire des phrases_ = To speak affectedly.

Pie

*_Il a trouvé la pie au nid_ = He has found a mare’s nest.

_Elle jase comme une pie borgne_ = She chatters like a magpie.

Pièce

_J’ai fait cela de toutes pièces_ = I have done that entirely (_i.e._ every part of it).

_Je lui ai donné la pièce_ = I gave him a trifle, tip.

_C’est la pièce de résistance_ = It is the principal dish (of a meal).

Pied

_Il a bon pied, bon œil_ = He is hale and hearty.

_Sur le pied où en sont les choses_ = Considering how matters stand.

_Il ne sait sur quel pied danser_ = He does not know which way to turn.

_Partir du bon pied_ = To put one’s best foot foremost.

_Je ferai des pieds et des mains pour vous être utile_ = I will do my utmost (strain every nerve) to serve you.

_Armé de pied en cap_ = Armed from head to foot, cap-à-pie.

_Le pied m’a manqué_ = My foot slipped.

_Mettre (quelqu’un) à pied_ = (fam.) To dismiss (a functionary); To deprive a cabman of his licence.

_Il a trouvé chaussure à son pied_ = He has found just what he wanted; He has found his match.

_Lâcher pied_ = 1. To lose ground. 2. To scamper away.

_Lever le pied_ = To decamp (of a dishonest banker, etc.).

_Vous m’avez tiré une épine du pied_ = (fig.) You have got me out of a difficulty. (See _Épine_.)

_J’ai fait mon travail d’arraché pied_ = I did my work straight off, without stopping.

_De plain pied_ = On the same level (of rooms on the same floor, or on a level with the ground).

_Il a le pied marin_ = He has got his sea-legs; He is a good sailor.

_Sauter à pieds joints sur quelqu’un_ = (fig.) To ride rough-shod over any one.

_Il ne se mouche pas du pied_ (pop.) = 1. He is a man of importance; He gives himself airs. 2. He is no fool.

[A favourite trick of a tumbler in olden times was to take one of his feet in his hands and pass it quickly under his nose. Hence the expression would be equivalent to: he is no tumbler or common fellow. “N’est pas un homme, non, qui se mouche du pied.” MOLIÈRE, _Tartufe_, iv. 5.]

_Aller du pied_ (or, _Courir_) _comme un chat maigre_ = To be a good walker.

_Il sèche sur pied_ = He is pining away.

_La mort l’a pris au pied levé_ = Death took him without a moment’s notice.

[Literally, just at the moment he was starting to go out.]

Pierre

*_Faire d’une pierre deux coups_ = To kill two birds with one stone.

*_Pierre qui roule n’amasse pas mousse_ = A rolling stone gathers no moss.

[The Greek form was: λίθος κυλινδόμενος τὸ φῦκος οὐ ποιεῖ.]

_Cela ferait rire un tas de pierres_ = That would make a cat laugh.

Piété

_Sa montre est au mont de piété_ = His watch is at the pawnbroker’s. (See _Accrocher_.)

Pignon

_Avoir pignon sur rue_ = To have a house of one’s own.

Pile

_Jouer à pile ou face_ = To play pitch and toss, heads or tails.

_Il n’a ni croix ni pile_ = He has not a rap.

[“Sans croix ne pile.”--LA FONTAINE, _Contes_, ii. “Whacum had neither cross nor pile.”--BUTLER, _Hudibras_, ii. 3. _Pile_ is literally the reverse of a coin.]

Pilier

_C’est un pilier d’estaminet_ (or, _de café_) = He is a public-house lounger, a pub-loafer.

Pilule

_Dorer la pilule_ = To gild the pill.

Pipe

_Casser sa pipe_ (pop.) = To kick the bucket; To hop the twig; To die.

Piquer

_Piquer la curiosité de quelqu’un_ = To rouse some one’s curiosity.

_Il se pique d’un rien_ = He takes offence at the slightest thing.

_Il s’est piqué d’honneur_ = He made it a point of honour; He was put upon his mettle.

_Piquer des deux_ = (lit.) To spur a horse with both heels; To gallop off at full speed; (fig.) To run very fast.

_Piquer une tête_ (fam.) = To take a header.

_Voilà un discours qui n’est pas piqué des vers_ = That’s a fine speech if you like [lit. not worm-eaten.]

_Se piquer au jeu_ = (lit.) To continue obstinately to play although losing; (fig.) To go on in an enterprise in spite of all obstacles.

Place

*_Qui va à la chasse perd sa place_ = If you leave your place, you lose it.

Plaider

“_Accordez-vous si votre affaire est bonne, Si votre cause est mauvaise, plaidez._” [J. B. ROUSSEAU, _Épigrammes_, ii. 19] = If you’ve a good case, try and compromise; If you’ve a bad one, take it into court.

Plaie

_Il ne demande que plaie et bosse_ = He seeks quarrels only to draw profit from them.

_Il ne cherche que plaie et bosse_ = He is always hankering after a black eye.

Plaisanterie

_Une bonne plaisanterie mérite les honneurs du bis_ = A good tale is none the worse for being told twice.

Plan

_Reléguer (mettre) au second plan_ = To put into the background.

Planche

_Faire la planche_ = 1. To show others the way; 2. To float on one’s back.

_C’est sa planche de salut_ = It is his last hope, his sheet-anchor.

Plancher

_Le plancher des vaches_ (fam.) = Dry land; _Terra firma_.

_Débarrasse-moi le plancher_ (fam.) = Get out of my way.

Planter

_Vous m’avez planté là_ = You left me without any warning; You left me in the lurch.

Plat

_Il nous a servi un plat de son métier_ (or, _de sa façon_) = He played us one of his tricks.

_On mit les petits plats dans les grands pour le bien recevoir_ (fam.) = They spared neither trouble nor money to receive him well; They received him with much fuss.

_Il a mis les pieds dans le plat_ (fam.) = He put his foot in it.

Plâtre

_Ce mari bat sa femme comme plâtre_ = That husband beats his wife like a dog.

_Essuyer les plâtres_ = To live in a newly-built house (and therefore damp). (See _Essuyer_.)

Plein

_Battre son plein_ = To be in full swing.

_Plein comme un œuf_ (fam.) = Chock-full.

_En pleine rue_ = In the open street.

_En pleine mer_ = On the high seas.

Pleurer

_La niaise! pleurer à chaudes larmes pour une vétille_ = The silly girl! to cry her eyes out for a trifle.

Pleuvoir

_Pleuvoir des hallebardes_ = To rain cats, dogs, and pitchforks.

Pli

_Cela ne fera pas un pli_ = There will not be the slightest difficulty.

_Si vous n’y prenez (pas) garde, il prendra un mauvais pli_ = If you are not careful he will get into bad habits.

Pluie

*_Après la pluie le beau temps_ = Every cloud has a silver lining.

_Nous parlions de la pluie et du beau temps_ = We were talking of indifferent matters.

_Il fait la pluie et le beau temps dans cette maison_ = His will is law in that house; He is the boss of that show (fam.).

Plus

*_Plus on a, plus on veut avoir_ = Much would have more.

Poche

_Il connaît Paris comme sa poche_ = He knows Paris perfectly; He knows all the ins and outs of Paris; His knowledge of Paris is extensive and peculiar.

Poil

_Un brave à trois poils_ = The bravest of the brave; A hero of the first water.

[This expression is derived from three-piled velvet. See MOLIÈRE, _Les Précieuses Ridicules_, 12.]

_Monter à poil_ = To ride barebacked.

Point

*_Un point à temps en épargne cent_ = A stitch in time saves nine.

[Spanish: Quien no adoba gotera adoba casa entera = Who repairs not his gutter repairs his whole house.]

_Cela vient à point_ = That comes opportunely.

_La viande est cuite à point_ = The meat is done to a turn.

_Vous venez à point nommé_ = You come in the nick of time, at the necessary moment, just when you are wanted.

_Mettez les points sur les i_ = Be precise, clear (in speaking or writing); Cross your t’s and dot your i’s.

_Il vous rendrait des points_ = He is more than a match for you; He could give you points.

_Il vous rendra des points_ = He will give you odds (at a game).

_Il y a un point noir à l’horizon_ = There are breakers ahead.

Poire

*_Coupons la poire en deux_ = Let us split the difference.

_Elle faisait trop sa poire_ (pop.) = She needed pressing; She played the prude (_or_, disdainful).

[“Il était trop homme pour faire sa poire.”]

_Nous en causerons entre la poire et le fromage_ = We will talk it over at dessert.

_Garder une poire pour la soif_ = To lay up something for a rainy day.

Poisson

_On lui a fait un poisson d’avril_ = They made him an April fool.

_Je suis comme un poisson sur la paille_ = I am like a fish out of water.

Polichinelle

_C’est le secret de Polichinelle_ = It is an open secret; Every one knows it.

_Il a avalé la pratique de Polichinelle_ = He is very hoarse.

[_La pratique de Polichinelle_ is the squeaker that a Punch-and-Judy man puts in his mouth during a performance.]

Politesse

*_Force politesse, trop de finesse_ = Full of courtesy, full of craft.

Pont

_Il se porte comme le Pont Neuf_ = He is in splendid health.

_C’est vieux comme le Pont Neuf_ = Queen Anne is dead; It is as old as the hills.

[The Pont Neuf was finished in 1604 during the reign of Henry IV., and is now the oldest bridge in Paris. The statue of Henry IV. in the middle of the bridge was erected originally in 1635, but the present one dates only from 1818.

Another expression is:

_Henri Quatre est sur le Pont Neuf_ = That’s stale news.]

Pontoise

_Il a l’air de revenir de Pontoise_ = He looks down in the mouth; He answers in a silly fashion.

[The origin of this expression is said to be that in 1720 and in 1753 the Parlement was exiled to Pontoise, about twenty miles north of Paris, for its rebellion to the King. Perhaps from the fact that when they returned they were besieged with questions, to which they gave confused answers, the saying arose and was applied to anyone that had a simple, idiotic appearance.]

Porte

_Ils ont mis la clef sous la porte_ = They absconded.

_Il faut qu’une porte soit ouverte ou fermée_ = You must decide one way or the other.

[The title of one of Alfred de Musset’s Proverbes.]

_On l’a mis à la porte_ = They turned him out.

_Il a été mis à la porte par les oreilles et les deux épaules_ = He was turned out ignominiously, neck and crop.

_On a condamné la porte_ = The door is nailed up, blocked up.

Portée

_À sa portée_ (or, _à portée de sa main_) = Within his reach.

_À (la) portée de la voix_ = Within call.

_À (une) portée de fusil_ = Within gunshot.

Porter

_C’est elle qui porte la culotte_ = She is mistress in this house (not her husband); The grey mare is the better horse.

_On le porte aux nues_ = They praise him to the skies.

_Ses plaisanteries portent coup_ = His jokes hit the mark.

Poseur

_C’est un poseur_ = He is a prig (lit. attitudiniser).

[There are several varieties of prigs, _e.g._--

_un savantasse_ = a learned prig. _un collet monté_ = a stiff-and-starched prig. _un cafard_ = a Pecksniff. _un fat_ = a conceited ass. _un freluquet_ = a whipper-snapper. See _Journal of Education_, March 1896.]

Possession

*_En fait de meubles possession vaut titre_ = Possession is nine points of the law.

Possible

_Pas possible!_ = You don’t say so! “Well, I never!”

Pot

_Il découvrit bientôt le pot aux roses_ = He soon found out the secret.

*_Un pot fêlé dure longtemps_ = A creaking door hangs long: Ailing folk live longest.

*_Il n’y a si méchant pot qui ne trouve son couvercle_ = Every Jack must have his Jill.

[Also: _À un boiteux, femme qui cloche_.]

_Il a reçu un pot-de-vin_ = He received a bribe, an illicit commission.

[A _pot-de-vin_ is a gratuity given to B by A because B obtained for A an order from C. It implies the idea of a bribe, for if everything had been fair A would not have obtained his order from C, either because his terms were too high or his wares not good enough.]

_Payer les pots cassés_ = To stand the racket; To pay the damage; To face the music.

_Tourner autour du pot_ = To beat about the bush.

_C’est le pot de terre contre le pot de fer_ = It is a most unequal combat.

Potasser

_Je vais potasser (piocher) un brin_ (students’ slang) = I’m going to swot (mug up) a bit.

Potin

_Faire du potin (chambard, boucan)_ (pop.) = To kick up a row, a shindy.

Pouce

_Manger sur le pouce_ = To take a snack.

_Mettre les pouces_ = To give in, to knuckle under.

_Lire du pouce_ (or, _doigt_) = To skip in reading (_i.e._ to do more work with the thumb than the brain).

Poudre

*_Il n’a pas inventé la poudre_ = He will never set the Thames on fire.

Poule

_C’est une poule mouillée_ = He is a milk-sop.

Pourpoint

_Mettre un homme en pourpoint_ = To pull a man’s cloak off; To ruin a man.

_Se mettre en pourpoint_ = To be ready to fight; To roll up one’s sleeves.

_Tirer un coup_ (_de pistolet_, etc.) _à brûle-pourpoint_ = To fire point-blank.

_Un argument à brûle-pourpoint_ = A convincing argument.

_Donner à quelqu’un un pourpoint de pierre_ = To give any one a stone doublet; To imprison any one.

Pouvoir

_Je n’y puis rien_ = I cannot help it; I can do nothing in the matter.

_Si faire se peut_ = If possible.

_Je n’en puis plus_ = I am done up, exhausted.

_Je n’en puis mais_ = I cannot help it; It is no fault of mine. (See _Mais_.)

_Cela se peut_ = That may be.

_Cela ne se peut pas_ = It cannot possibly be; It cannot be done.

_On fait comme on peut_ = We must do the best we can; We have done the best we could.

_Il est toujours on ne peut plus aimable_ = He is always as nice as can be.

Prêcher

_Il prêche dans le désert_ = (lit.) He preaches to empty benches; (fig.) All his talking will not convince any one.

_Chacun prêche pour son saint_ = Every one has an eye to his own interest.

Premier

_Nous sommes au premier_ = We are on the first floor.

_Nous sommes en première_ = We are in a first-class railway carriage.

_Le premier venu_ = (fig.) No matter who (_or_, whom); The man in the street.

*_Les premiers vont devant_ = First come, first served.

[“Whoso first cometh to the mill, first grint.”--CHAUCER.]

Prendre

_Il prend sur son sommeil pour étudier_ = He works far into the night.

_C’est autant de pris sur l’ennemi_ = So much saved out of the fire; So much to the good.

_Bien lui en prit d’avoir fermé sa porte_ = It was lucky for him that he shut his door.

_Il prend le chemin de l’hôpital_ = He is on the highway to ruin.

_Je m’en prends à vous_ = I lay the blame at your door.

_Je vous y prends_ = I catch you at it.

_Ça ne prend pas_ (fam.) = “That’s no go.”

_Je sors d’en prendre_ (fam.) = I had rather be excused; You will not catch me again so soon.

_Qu’est-ce qui vous prend?_ = What is the matter with you?

[This is said to persons doing something suddenly without any apparent reason, or suddenly becoming bad-tempered, etc., not to invalids.]

_Je vais vous montrer comment il faut s’y prendre_ = I am going to show you how to set about it.

*_Ce qui est bon à prendre est bon à garder_ = What is worth taking is worth keeping; “Findings, keepings.”

_Prenez-vous-en à vous-même_ = You have yourself to thank for it.

_À tout prendre_ = On the whole; Everything considered.

Près

_À cela près il est bon enfant_ = Except for that he is a good fellow.

Presse

_Il n’y a pas presse_ = There is no hurry!

*_Plus on se presse, moins on arrive_ = The more haste, the less speed.

_Fendre la presse_ = To make one’s way through the crowd.

Pretentaine

_Courir la pretentaine_ = To gad about.

Prêter

_Il prête de l’argent à la petite semaine_ = He lends money for a short time at a high rate of interest.

_Un prêté pour un rendu_ = A Roland for an Oliver.

_Prêter le flanc à ..._ = To lay oneself open to...

_Prêter serment_ = To take the oath.

_Ce drap prête_ = This stuff gives, stretches.

Primer

_Elle prime par sa laideur_ = She takes the cake for ugliness.

Princesse

_Aux frais de la Princesse_ = At another’s expense (chiefly of the State Government).

Prise

_Ils étaient aux prises_ = They had closed; They were at close quarters.

_Je les ai mis aux prises_ = I have set them one against the other.

_Je leur ai donné prise sur moi_ = I gave them a handle on me.

_Lâcher prise_ = To let go one’s hold.

Procès

_Sans autre forme de procès_ = Without any more ado.

Promener

_Je l’ai envoyé promener_ (or, _paître_) = I sent him about his business.

_Va te promener!_ (fam.) = Go to Jericho! Get along with you!

[Compare: “Βάλλ᾽ εἰς μακαρίαν” = Go to Glory.--PLATO, _Hipp. Major_, 293A--a euphemism for Βάλλ᾽ εἰς ἅδον.]

Promettre

*_Chose promise, chose due_ = Promises should be kept.

_Promettre et tenir sont deux_ = It is one thing to promise, another to perform.

Propos

_Il est venu fort à propos_ = He came very opportunely.

_À propos, viendrez-vous ce soir?_ = By the way, shall you come this evening?

_L’à-propos fait le mérite_ = Seasonableness gives everything its price.

_À propos de bottes_ = With reference to nothing in particular; With no reference to the subject in hand.

_Il le dit à tout propos_ = He says it on every occasion, at every turn.

_Il l’a fait de propos délibéré_ = He did it of set purpose; He had made up his mind to do it.

_Il l’a fait fort mal à propos_ = He did it very unseasonably, just at the wrong time.

Propre

_C’est du propre_ (ironic.) = A fine thing indeed.

_Il n’a rien en propre_ = He has nothing of his own.

_Un propre-à-rien_ = A good-for-naught.

_Propre à tout et bon à rien_ = Jack of all trades and master of none.

_Propre comme un sou neuf_ = As clean as a whistle; As neat as a new pin.

Prune

_Je ne le ferai pas pour des prunes_ (fam.) = I shall not do it for nothing.

[Also: _Je ne le ferai pas pour le roi de Prusse._ This latter saying is said to have originated with Voltaire, who, after having been exceedingly intimate with Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, finally quarrelled with him. Both this King and his father, Frederick William I., were known to be exacting and miserly.]

Puce

_Je lui ai mis la puce à l’oreille_ = I made him feel uneasy (by rousing his suspicions, etc.); I sent him away with a flea in his ear.

Puits

_Cet homme est un puits de science_ = He is a man of deep learning.

Q.

Quand

_Je le ferai quand même_ = I shall do it just the same; I shall do it whatever it may cost.

Quant

_Se tenir sur son quant-à-soi_ = To stand on one’s dignity.

Quart

_Le quart d’heure de Rabelais_ = The moment of payment. (See _Heure_.)

_Passer un mauvais quart d’heure_ = To have a bad time of it.

Quatorze

_Avoir quinte et quatorze_ = To have the game in one’s own hand.

[This phrase refers to terms used in the game of piquet. _Quinte_ is to have five cards of the same colour, which counts fifteen. _Quatorze_ is to have four cards of the same value (_i.e._ four knaves, aces, etc.), and counts fourteen.]

Quatre

_Il se mettrait en quatre pour un ami_ = He would go through fire and water for a friend.

_Faire le diable à quatre_ = To kick up a terrible noise; To exert oneself to the utmost.

[This expression originated in the time of the miracle plays, when four performers represented _la grande diablerie_, and less than four _la petite diablerie_.]

_Entre quatre-z-yeux_ (fam.) = Between ourselves.

_On le tenait à quatre_ = It needed four men to hold him down.

_Il se tenait à quatre pour ne pas lui dire des injures_ = It was as much as he could do not to abuse him.

_Travailler comme quatre_ = To work like a nigger.

Que