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Couper l’herbe sous le pied de quelqu’un

“Couper l’herbe sous le pied de quelqu’un” is a fun figurative French idiom that translates directly to “to cut the grass under somebody’s feet”. Here’s the English meaning:

  • to cut the ground from under somebody’s feet
  • to pull the rug out from under somebody’s feet

Expressio.fr offers the following meaning in French: To frustrate somebody with an expected advantage by passing them, or to prevent somebody from succeeding in business by taking their place.

Here’s an example sentence:

Frenchlearner.com a coupé les pieds de tous ses concurrents en sortant plus de contenu utile et interessant. Frenchlearner.com pulled the rug out from under the feet of its competitors by coming out with more useful and interesting content.

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David Issokson
David Issokson is the founder and French teacher of Frenchlearner.com. With over 30 years of experience as a French learner and speaker, he is passionate about making the language accessible and enjoyable for everyone. David is dedicated to providing clear, practical, and effective resources to help you master French. Learn more about FrenchLearner on our about us page. Visit davidissokson.com, David's personal website.

David Issokson

David Issokson is the founder and French teacher of Frenchlearner.com. With over 30 years of experience as a French learner and speaker, he is passionate about making the language accessible and enjoyable for everyone. David is dedicated to providing clear, practical, and effective resources to help you master French. Learn more about FrenchLearner on our about us page. Visit davidissokson.com, David's personal website.

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