French Idioms and Proverbs / A Companion to Deshumbert's "Dictionary of Difficulties"

by de V. Payen-Payne

Je l’ai pris à court = I took him unawares.

Il se trouve à court (d’argent) = He is short of money.

Dites cela tout court = Say that and no more.

Il l’a appelé Jean tout court = He called him simply (or, just) John (without Mr. or surname).

Couteau

Ils sont à couteaux tirés = They are at daggers drawn.

[Formerly: Ils en sont aux couteaux tirés.]

Aller en Flandre sans couteau = To embark in an enterprise without the necessary resources.

[Also: Aller aux mûres sans crochet.]

C’est comme le couteau de Jeannot = That is like the Irishman’s gun (said of anything that has been mended so often as to have nothing of the original left).