The French idiom filer à l’anglaise translates literally to “to dash off English style” and means “to dash off”, “to do a runner” or “to slip out/away”. French definitions include partir sans prevenir (to leave without warning) and partir sans dire au revoir (to leave without saying goodbye).
Filer à l’anglaise
to dash, do a runner
Expression origin
The expression filler a l’anglaise dates back to 1890. The site suggests a theory that the expression somehow makes reference to an eel, an animal which is difficult to trap.
Another theory is that the expression is realated to the formerly used verb anglaiser, which means to steal. One last and most probably theory is that the expression in a French reaction to the English expression “to take French leave”.
Example sentences
Martin et Julie ont fîlé à l’anglaise: Ils ont diné au restaurant sans payer l’addition!
Martin and Julie did a runner. They ate at a restaurant without paying the bill!
Pierre a filé à l’anglaise très tôt le matin sans dire au revoir à sa petite copine.
Pierre slipped out very early in the morning without saying goodbye to his girlfriend.
French expressions | Lessons by David Issokson
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