se mettre à table

The French expression “se mettre à table” is interesting in that it’s literal translation is “to sit down at the table”, while its real meaning is totally different. English translation of the idiom include:

• to come clean
• to spill the beans
• to let the cat out of the bag

On good French definition on wordreference.com is “finir par avouer” or “to end up admitting”. Here’s an example sentence:

• Après cinq heures d’interrogation par la police, le suspect s’est mis a table: il a avoue que c’etait lui qui a commit le crime. After five hours of interroagion by the police, the suspect came clean. He admitted he was the one who committed the crime.

Here are some synonymous expressions and verbs for se mettre à table:

• tout avouer – to admit everything
• cracher le morceau – to spit the piece

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