C1 Level Vocabulary - Idiomatic Expressions
Learn advanced C1 French idiomatic expressions used in speech and writing, understand their figurative meanings, and use them naturally to make your French richer and more authentic.
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être très généreux et prêt à aider les autres
to be very generous, to have a kind heart
He is very generous and often gives money to charities.
situation où l'on efface tout ce qui existait auparavant pour recommencer à partir de zéro
clean slate, fresh start, blank slate
The new director wants to wipe the slate clean of the old methods.
![[toucher] du bois](https://cdn.langeek.co/photo/47314/thumb/350?type=jpeg "[toucher] du bois")
geste superstitieux pour éviter qu'un malheur n'arrive
knock on wood, touch wood
Everything's fine for now, I'm touching wood.
avoir un solde bancaire négatif
to be in the red, to be overdrawn
If you withdraw more, you'll be overdrawn.
![[perdre] sa ligne](https://cdn.langeek.co/photo/62978/thumb/350?type=jpeg "[perdre] sa ligne")
prendre du poids et perdre sa silhouette fine
to lose one's figure, to put on weight
At menopause, many women fear putting on weight.
extrêmement mince, de façon presque excessive
thin as a rail, skinny as a stick
This model has always been skinny as a stick.
![[avoir] la peau et les os](https://cdn.langeek.co/photo/66920/thumb/underweight/350?type=jpeg "[avoir] la peau et les os")
être extrêmement maigre au point de voir les os sous la peau
to be skin and bones, to be skeletal
This abandoned dog is skeletal, we need to feed him urgently.
![[taper] sur les nerfs](https://cdn.langeek.co/photo/53138/thumb/350?type=jpeg "[taper] sur les nerfs")
irriter ou énerver quelqu'un de manière répétée
to get on someone's nerves, to annoy
Stop annoying me with your questions!
![[trembler] comme une feuille](https://cdn.langeek.co/photo/42788/thumb/350?type=jpeg "[trembler] comme une feuille")
trembler beaucoup, surtout de peur
to shake like a leaf, to tremble with fear
She was trembling with fear before her exam.
![[sauter] de joie](https://cdn.langeek.co/photo/60634/thumb/cheerful/350?type=jpeg "[sauter] de joie")
manifester une grande joie par des sauts
to jump for joy, to leap with happiness
The children leap with happiness when hearing they'll go to the amusement park.
![[avoir] de la classe](https://cdn.langeek.co/photo/33995/thumb/350?type=jpeg "[avoir] de la classe")
avoir une élégance naturelle et sophistiquée
to be classy, to have style
She has style even in casual clothes.
avoir beaucoup de travail à accomplir
to have a lot on one's plate, to have one's work cut out
She has her work cut out before the weekend.
![[tomber] dans les pommes](https://cdn.langeek.co/photo/21459/thumb/350?type=jpeg "[tomber] dans les pommes")
perdre connaissance soudainement
to faint, to pass out
He passed out after making intense effort.
être complètement exaspéré ou ne plus supporter une situation
to have had enough, to be fed up
She is fed up with always having to organize everything alone.
être triste, mélancolique ou déprimé
to feel down, to be depressed, to feel blue
He feels blue when he thinks about his childhood.
une personne d'une extrême gentillesse et générosité
heart of gold, golden-hearted
My grandfather was a golden-hearted man.
sommeil très profond et difficile à interrompre
leaden sleep, heavy sleep
Nothing could wake him from his heavy sleep.
absence de compassion ou d'émotion chez une personne
heart of stone, cold-heartedness
Only a heart of stone would remain unmoved by this distress.
une santé extrêmement robuste et résistante
iron constitution, iron health
She works tirelessly thanks to her iron health.
très ferme et inflexible dans ses opinions ou décisions
adamant, unyielding
Despite criticism, she remains unyielding in her stance.
