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Être un pince-sans-rire (Deadpan sense of humor)

The French expression “être un pince-sans-rire” translates literally to “to be a pinch without laughing”.

English meaning:

  • to have a deadpan sense of humor
  • to have dry-wit humor

French meaning:

  • pratiquer l’humour sans en avoir l’air – to practice humor without seeming to do so

Example sentence:

  • Jean a fait rire les gens sans aucune expression du visage. C’est un vrai pince-sans-rire. Jean made the people laugh without showing any facial expression. he has a real deadpan sense of humor.

Related:

  • impassible, inexpressif, figéall adjectives for deadpan
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David Issokson Founder & French Teacher at FrenchLearner.com
David Issokson is the founder of FrenchLearner.com, where he’s been helping students master French through vocabulary, grammar, and cultural lessons since 2012.

    David Issokson

    About the Author – David Issokson David Issokson is the founder and French teacher behind FrenchLearner.com. He’s been teaching French online since 2014 and brings over 30 years of experience as a passionate French learner and fluent speaker. David is dedicated to making the language clear, practical, and enjoyable for students at all levels. 📘 About David » 🌐 David’s personal site » 👍 Follow on Facebook »

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