main

n. f.

1. Avoir la main heureuse: To 'have a knack with things', to be lucky by nature.

2. Avoir la main baladeuse: To 'have wandering hands', to have a tendency to 'paw'.

3. Avoir un poil dans la main: To be an 'idle git', to be a lazy so-and-so.

4. Etre en main (of prostitute): To be with a client.

5. Se faire la main: To 'try one's hand at something', to practise.

6. Ça fait ma main! It suits me to a T! — That's fine by me!

7. Faire une main tombée:

  a To make a swoop for, to 'pinch', to steal.

  b To give a woman a sly stroke on the behind.

8. Se prendre en main (joc.): To 'pull one's wire', to masturbate.

9. Se prendre par la main: To pluck up courage, to act in a confident manner.

10. Ne pas y aller de main morte: To 'make no bones about something', to be ruthlessly frank and aggressive.

11. Passer la main dans le dos à quelqu'un: To 'butter up', to flatter someone. Il aime bien se passer la main dans le dos: He likes to pat himself on the back.

12. Avoir un enfant de la main gauche: To have an illegitimate child.

13. Ne pas se moucher de la main gauche (iron.): To 'fancy oneself', to have no mean opinion of oneself.

14. C'est du cousu main: It's done to a turn—It's perfectly done.

15. Passer la main:

  a To 'give in', to let someone else handle things.

  b To 'let things ride', to be amenable.

16. La main de ma sœur dans la culotte d'un zouave: This jocular catch phrase has no specific meaning, but implies that whatever has been said or done is highly ridiculous.