Avoir une dent contre quelqu’un is a fun little French expression that translates literally to “to have a tooth against somebody” and means “to have a grudge against somebody”. Other meanings are simply to have resentment to feel anger towards somebody else.
Avoir une dent contre quelqu’un
to have a grudge against somebody
Example sentences
Patty ne m’a pas invité à sa soirée chez elle et j’ai une dent contre cette femme depuis plus de deux mois.
Patty didn’t invited me to her party at her house and I’ve had a grudge against that woman for more than two months.
Il refuse de me parler depuis très longtemps. Il doit avoir une dent contre moi.
He’s refused to speak to me for a long time. He must be holding a grudge towards me.
Notes for the example sentences
- The preposition chez means “at the home of”.
- The feminine noun soirée can refer to both an evening party and the duration of an evening. This lesson explains the greeting bonsoir (good evening).
- Depuis can translate to “since” or “for + amount of time”.
- The verb devoir translates to “must” or “have to”.
Similar expressions
- Avoir de la rancune – to have a grudge
- Avoir du ressentiment – to have a resentment
- En vouloir à quelqu’un – to be angry at somebody
Expressions about emotion
- Être fleur bleue – moved emotionally, sentimental
- Avoir le cafard – to be down in the dumps
- Être aux anges – to be over the moon
- Avoir la flemme – to be lazy, can’t be bothered
- Être soupe au lait – to get angry easily
- Être soupe au lait – to get angry easily – to lose your temper
- Avoir les jetons – to have the jitters
Reference
French expressions | Lessons by David Issokson
