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

by de V. Payen-Payne

Rendre compte à livres, sous et deniers = To give an account to the uttermost farthing.

Dent

J’ai les dents bien longues aujourd’hui = I am very hungry to-day.

Je suis sur les dents = I am done up.

J’ai une dent contre lui = I have a grudge against him.

[Also: Je lui garde un chien de ma chienne (pop.).]

Autant prendre la lune avec les dents = You might just as well try and scale the moon.

Manger du bout des dents = To eat without an appetite; To eat daintily.

[“Dente superbo.”—Horace, Satires, ii. 6, 87. Compare: rire du bout des dents.]