[Clerks bet a newcomer that he cannot write with a pen in his mouth. On his endeavouring to do so, they pull the pen sharply through his lips, thus inking his face. “Qu’on me fasse passer la plume par le bec.” Molière, Les Femmes Savantes, iii. 6.]
C’est un blanc bec = He is a beardless boy, greenhorn.
“Souffrez que je lui montre son bec jaune” = Allow me to show him he is a silly goose.
[Molière, Le Malade Imaginaire, iii. 17. Bec jaune or béjaune is an allusion to young birds whose beaks are generally yellow.]
Il a bec et ongles = He knows how to defend himself.
Avoir bon bec (fam.) = To be a chatterbox; To speak well; To be able to answer back.
[“Il n’est bon bec que de Paris” is the refrain of Villon’s “Ballade des Femmes de Paris.”]
Bécasse
C’est une bécasse = She is a goose.
Bêcher
Bêcher quelqu’un (fam.) = To pick a person to pieces.
Bénéfice
Sous (or, par) bénéfice d’inventaire = 1. (lit. in a legal sense) Without prejudice. 2. (fig.) Only to a certain point, conditionally, for what it is worth, with a pinch of salt.
[e.g. Il faut croire ce conte sous bénéfice d’inventaire. The origin of the legal phrase arose from the fact that an inheritor is liable for the debts of the deceased only in proportion to his inheritance, which is verified by the inventory. Thus, if the debts are more than the inheritance, a sole heir would decline to inherit at all.
Compare: “Un païen, qui sentait quelque peu le fagot
Et qui croyait en Dieu, pour user de ce mot,
Par bénéfice d’inventaire.”
La Fontaine, Fables, iv. 19.]
Il faut prendre le bénéfice avec les charges = One must take the rough with the smooth.
Bercer
J’ai été bercé de cela = I have heard that from my cradle.
Berger
Bon berger tond mais n’écorche pas = We may use but not abuse our subordinates.
Berlue
Avoir la berlue (fam.) = To see things which do not exist; To have a wrong idea of anything.
Besogne
Aimer la besogne faite = To hate work; To like to get work over.
Abattre de la besogne = To get through a great deal of work.
Besoin
*On connaît les amis au besoin = A friend in need is a friend indeed. (See Ami.)
*On a souvent besoin d’un plus petit que soi = A mouse may be of service to a lion.
[La Fontaine, Fables, ii. 11.]
Bête
*Morte la bête, mort le venin = Dead dogs cannot bite; Dead men tell no tales.
Cet homme est ma bête noire (mon cauchemar) = That man is my pet aversion; I hate the very sight of that man.
Pas si bête = Not so green, foolish.
Il est bête à manger du foin = He is a perfect idiot.
[Also: bête comme (un) chou, une oie, un pot, une cruche.]
*Qui se fait bête, le loup le mange = If one is too confiding, one is imposed upon. (See Brebis.)
C’est une bonne bête (or, la bête du bon Dieu) = He is a good-natured fellow (not over-clever).
Une bête à bon Dieu (or, bête à Dieu) = A ladybird.
Plus fin que lui n’est pas bête = It would take a smart man to deceive him.
Beurre
On ne peut manier le beurre qu’on ne se graisse les doigts = One cannot touch pitch without soiling one’s fingers; If you have to do with money, some will stick.
[“But I think they that touch pitch will be defiled.” Much Ado about Nothing, iii. 3.]
Il faut faire son beurre = One must make a profit; One must feather one’s nest.
Ça entre comme dans du beurre = (fig.) It is as easy as anything.
Bien
*Le mieux est l’ennemi du bien = Leave well alone.
Grand bien vous fasse = Much good may it do you.
Le navire a péri corps et biens = The ship went down with all hands on board.
Il a du bien au soleil = He has landed property.
Ils sont séparés de corps et de biens = They have had a judicial separation (a mensa et thoro).
Tout va bien = It is all right.
C’est bien fait = It serves you (him, her) right.
C’est bien lui = That’s he all over.
On y est très bien = The accommodation there is very good.
Je suis très bien ici = I am quite comfortable here.
*Qui est bien qu’il s’y tienne = Rest content where thou art; Better dry bread at home than roast meat abroad.
Cet homme est très bien = He is a gentleman.
Mener une entreprise à bien = To bring an affair to a successful issue.
Il est sur son bien-dire = He is on his best behaviour; He minds his p’s and q’s.
Nous voilà bien (ironic.) = Here is a nice state of things.
Il ne faut attendre son bien que de soi-même = Always rely on yourself.
Le bien lui vient en dormant = He becomes rich without any trouble.
Tant bien que mal = So-so; Neither well nor ill; After a fashion. (See Tant.)
Bientôt
Cela est bientôt dit = That is easier said than done.
Bile
Ne pas se faire de bile (fam.) = To take things easily.
Billet
Un billet de faire part = A letter by which a birth, marriage, or death is made known to friends.
[Cards are used in England for marriages and deaths.]
Un billet doux = A love letter.
*Ah! le bon billet qu’a La Châtre = Promises are like pie-crust, made to be broken.
[The Marquis de la Châtre was the lover of the celebrated Ninon de l’Enclos (1616–1706). When he was obliged to go off to the wars, he made her write him a letter promising to remain faithful to him. On taking another lover, she remembered the letter she had written, and uttered these words, which have become proverbial for any worthless promise.]
Blanc
J’ai passé une nuit blanche = I have not slept a wink all night.
Dire tantôt blanc, tantôt noir = To say first one