filer à l’anglaise

The French expression “filer à l’anglaise” translates to “to run away English style”. It’s interesting here that both the English and the French use the other nationality in the same expression!

English meanings:

• to do a runner
• to sneak out
• to take French leave

French meanings:

• partir sans prevenir – to leave without warning
• partir sans dire au revoir – to leave without saying good-bye

Example sentence:

• Martin et Julie ont filé à l’anglaise: Ils ont dine au restaurant sans payer l’addition! Martin and Julie did a runner. They ate at a restaurant without paying the bill!

Another expression with “file”:

• filer un mauvais coton – to be in a bad way