The French expression “faire des pieds et des mains” translates literally to “to make feet and hands.
English meaning:
- to move heaven and earth
- to make every effort
- to pull out all the stops
French meanings:
- faire tous ses efforts – to make all one’s efforts
Example sentence:
- Ses parents ont fait des pieds et des mains pour qu’il soit accepté dans une université prestigieuse. His parents moved heaven and earth so that he could be accepted at a prestigious university.
Related expression:
- remuer ciel et terre – to move the sky (heavens) and earth
- sortir le grand jeu – Lit: to bring out the big game (to pull out all the stops)
- mettre le paquet, mettre la gomme – Lit: to put the package or gum/resin (to pull out all the stops)
- se donner à fond – Lit: to give of oneself to the end (to go all out)
- donner tout ce qu’on a se surpasser – Lit: to give everything that one has to outperform (to go all out)
