Donner un soufflet à Vaugelas = To murder the King’s English; To offend Lindley Murray.
[Vaugelas (1585-1650) was a celebrated writer on French grammar, one of the first members of the Académie Française, and one of the chief contributors to its Dictionary. Comp. Molière, Les Femmes Savantes, ii. 7: “Elle y met Vaugelas en pièces tous les jours.” Donner un soufflet à Ronsard was also used, and, in the Middle Ages, Casser la tête de Priscien, from the famous grammarian of the fourth century.]
Souhait
| *Si souhaits fussent vrais, Pastoureaux rois seraient. | } = { | If wishes were horses, Beggars would ride. |
[Compare Si.]
Souhaiter
Je t’en souhaite! (pop.) = I wish you may get it.
Souhaiter la bonne année à quelqu’un = To wish some one a happy new year.
Soûl