Idiomatic English expressions with the word French
There are dozens of expressions in English which contain the word French... but are these things actually French? Take a look at this list with the French equivalents and the literal translations - you might be surprised
French bean - le haricot vert
green bean
French boxing - la boxe française
French braid - la tresse française
(hair style) French plait in UK
French bread - la baguette
French bulldog - le bouledogue français
French chalk - la craie de tailleur
literally, "tailor's chalk"
French chop
1. (cuisine) chop with the meat and fat trimmed from the end (unknown translation)
2. (juggling) tomahawk jeté de l'autre côté de la tête
French cleaners - le nettoyage à sec
literally, "dry cleaning"
French clock (unknown translation)
elaborately decorated French clock from the 18th century
French cricket (unknown translation)
informal type of cricket without stumps in which the batsman is out if the ball hits his/her legs
French cuff - le poignet mousquetaire
literally, "musketeer's cuff"
French curve - le pistolet
literally, "pistol"
French cut (unknown translation)
(lingerie) high-waisted style
French dip (unknown translation)
beef sandwich dipped into beef juice (called au jus)
French disease - la maladie anglaise
literally, "English disease." An old-fashioned term in both languages to refer to syphilis.
French door - la porte-fenêtre
literally, "window-door"
French drain - le drain français
French dressing - la vinaigrette
Only in England does French dressing mean vinaigrette. In the US, French dressing refers to a sweet, tomato-based salad dressing that does not, as far as I know, exist in France.
French fry - la (pomme de terre) frite
literally, "fried potato." Note that French fries are actually Belgian
to French-fry - frire à la friteuse
literally, "to fry in the fryer"
French harp (unknown translation)
This term is used in the southern US to refer to an instrument made of metal or glass strips attached to a frame and struck with a hammer.
French heel (unknown translation)
(women's shoes) a curved, high heel
French hen (unknown translation)
In the song "12 Days of Christmas" :-)
French horn - le cor d'harmonie
literally, "horn of harmonie"
French kiss
noun: un baiser avec la langue, un baiser profond
verb: embrasser avec la langue
French knickers - la culotte-caleçon
French knitting (unknown translation)
also called "spool knitting"
French knot - le point de nœud
literally, "knot point"
to take French leave - filer à l'anglaise (informal)
literally, "to split/take off the English way"
French lentils - les lentilles du Puy
literally, "lentils from (the French town of) Puy"
French letter - la capote anglaise (informal)
literally, "English condom"
French maid - la femme de chambre
chambermaid
French manicure - le French manucure
American-invented style of manicure, with light pink polish on the nail and white polish underneath
French marigold - un œillet d'Inde
literally, "Indian carnation"
French mustard - la moutarde douce
literally, "sweet mustard"
French onion dip (unknown translation)
vegetable dip made from sour cream, onion, and herbs
French onion soup - la soupe à l'oignon
onion soup (topped with cheese and broiled)
French onion soup recipe
French pastry - la pâtisserie
pastry
French plait - la tresse française
(hair style) French braid in US
French pleat (unknown translation)
a pleat at the top of a curtain consisting of three smaller pleats
French polish (unknown translation)
shellac diluted with alcohol and used to produce a high gloss on wood
French poodle - un caniche
literally, "poodle"
French press - une cafetière
literally, "coffee maker"
French provincial (unknown translation)
(architecture, furniture) style characteristic of the French provinces in the 17th and 18th centuries
French roast coffee - café mélange français
literally, "French blend coffee"
French roll - un chignon banane
literally, "banana bun"
French roof - un toit à la mansarde
literally, "Mansard roof"
French saddle - une selle française
breed of horse
French seam - la couture anglaise
literally, "English sewing"
French silk pie (unknown translation)
pie with a chocolate mousse or pudding filling and whipped cream topping
French skipping (unknown translation)
also known as "Chinese skipping," "Chinese jump rope," and "elastics."
French stick - une baguette
French telephone (unknown translation)
telephone with the receiver and transmitter as a single piece
French toast - le pain perdu
literally, "lost bread"
French toast recipe
French trotter - un trotteur français
breed of horse
French twist - le chignon
bun
French vanilla - la vanille bourbon
literally, "(the French town of) Bourbon vanilla"
French vermouth - le vermouth
dry vermouth
French window - la porte-fenêtre
literally, "window-door"
Pardon my French. - Passez-moi l'expression.
Allow me the expression
http://www.raazesokhan.com
/french.about.com
