David Issokson

Jouer l’arlésienne is a French expression meaning to fail to materialize.

The French expression “s’attirer les foudres” translates literally to “attract thunderbolts” and can also be seen as “s’attirer foudres de quelqu’un” or to attract thunderbolts from somebody. English meanings include: to provoke an angry response from somebodyto incur somebody’s wrath A French definition on expressio.fr suggests the meaning is to attract negative comments (reproach) or…

The French expression “tirer sur l’ambulance” translates literally to “to shoot at the ambulance”. English meanings or equivalent idioms include: to throw somebody under the busto kick somebody when they’re downto pour water on a drowning manto flog a dead horse French meanings on expressio.fr translate to “to oppress somebody when they’re in a desperate…

“Prendre la mouche” is a fun little French expression that translates literally to “to take the fly”. English meanings include: According to expressio.fr, the French meaning is to get angry easily, often over a futile reason. Here’s an example sentence: Here are some more French expressions dealing with anger: main expressions page

Avoir le couteau sous la gorge is a French idiom that literally to “to have a knife under the throat” and means “to be under the gun”.