Il n’y a qu’à pleuvoir = It may happen to rain; What if it rains?
Je vais lui dire cela.—Non, il n’aurait qu’à se fâcher = I will tell him that.—No, don’t, he might get angry.
C’est un homme comme il n’y en a point = He is a man who has not his match; There is no equal to him.
Avril
En avril Ne te découvre pas d’un fil = Change not a clout Till May be out.
[En mai
Fais ce qu’il te plaît.]
B.
B
Être marqué au b = To be either hump-backed, one-eyed, lame, or a stutterer.
[i.e. bossu, borgne, boiteux, ou bègue.]
Bâcler
Bâcler son ouvrage = To do one’s work quickly and badly; To “polish off” (or, scamp) one’s work.
[Also: travailler à dépêche-compagnon.]
Badiner
*“On ne badine pas avec l’amour” = Love is not to be trifled with.
[This is the title of one of Alfred de Musset’s Proverbes. See Porte.]
Bagage
Quel est le bagage de cet auteur? = What works has that author written? What is that author’s output?
Plier bagage = To pack up and be off.
Bagatelle
Bagatelles que tout cela = That is all stuff and nonsense.
Vive la bagatelle! = Away with care!
Bague
Cette place est une bague au doigt = That position is a sinecure.
[C’est une bague au doigt is said of any advantageous possession of which one can dispose easily. Quitard derives it from the custom of the seller of land giving to the purchaser as his title a ring on which both had sworn.]
Baguette
Mener les gens à la baguette = To rule men with a rod of iron; To be a martinet.
Baiser
Il y a toujours l’un qui baise et l’autre qui tend la joue = Love is never exactly reciprocal.
[Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida, iv. 5.]
Baisser
Baisser l’oreille = To look confused (or, sheepish.)
[From the action of dogs when expecting a beating.]
Ma vue baisse = I am getting short-sighted; My sight is failing.
[In this sense baisser means to weaken, and is also used of moral and intellectual qualities, as: le sens moral a baissé, ma mémoire baisse.]
Il a donné tête baissée dans le piège (panneau) = He ran headlong into the trap.
Je lui ai fait baisser les yeux = I stared him out of countenance.
Il n’a qu’à se baisser pour en prendre = He has only to stoop and pick it up; He has merely to ask for it to get it.
Balai
*Il n’est rien de tel que balai neuf = A new broom sweeps clean.
On lui a donné du balai = They gave him the sack (i.e. dismissed him).
Donner un coup de balai = To make a clean sweep.
Balance
Faire pencher la balance = To turn the scale.
Balancer
Il n’y a pas à balancer = We must not hesitate, but act.
Balle
Une balle perdue = A wasted shot; A useless effort.
Une balle morte = A spent ball.
A vous la balle = It is now your turn to act.
Renvoyer la balle = To return the compliment.
Prendre la balle au bond = Not to miss an opportunity; To take time by the forelock; To make hay while the sun shines.
[Also: Prendre l’occasion aux cheveux.
Compare:
“Rem tibi quam nosces, aptam dimittere noli;
Fronte capillata post est Occasio calva.”
Cato, Distichs, ii. 26.
“Her lockes, that loathly were and hoarie grey,
Grew all afore, and loosely hong unrold,
But all behind was bald, and worne away
That none thereof could ever taken hold.”
Spenser, Faerie Queene, ii. 4, 4.
“Occasion turneth a bald noddle after she hath presented her locks in front and no hold taken.”
Bacon, Essays, xxi.
“Remember the old adage and make use o’t,
Occasion’s bald behind.”
Massinger, Guardian, iv. 1.]
Il s’en acquittera bien, c’est un enfant de la balle = He will do it well, he is his father’s son.
[Originally this was applied to children of tennis-players, but now to all who follow the profession of their fathers.]
Ballon
Il lança un ballon d’essai avant de produire son grand ouvrage = He sent out a feeler before publishing his great work.
Ban
Le roi convoqua le ban et l’arrière-ban = The king assembled all his dependants.
[Le ban were the king’s direct vassals, such as earls, barons, and knights; l’arrière-ban were the king’s indirect vassals, or the vassals of vassals. “A proclamation whereby all (except some privileged officers and citizens) that hold their lands of the Crowne, are summoned to meet at a certaine place, there to attend the King whithersoever and against whomsoever he goes.”—Cotgrave.]
Bande
Faire bande à part = Not to mix with other people.
[In Parliamentary parlance, “to form a cave” (of Adullam).]
Banquette
Jouer devant les banquettes = (of actors) To play to empty benches.
Barbe
Se faire la barbe = To shave.
Rire dans sa barbe = To laugh in one’s sleeve.
[See Cape. This is used always of men, whereas rire sous cape is used chiefly of women.]
Je le lui dirai à sa barbe = I will say it to his face.
Je lui ferai la barbe quand il voudra = I will show him who is master whenever he likes.
Barre