A idiom is a turning or a phrase particular to a Langue, which is untranslatable, i.e. it is difficult even impossible to accurately return it in another language. By extension, one calls also idiom a word, a turning or an error made by a foreign speaker, inspired by his Native tongue.

Thus, “to cut grass under the foot” or “to put the key under the door mat” is completely incomprehensible expressions if they are translated word for word in a foreign language. In the same way, an english-speaking proposing that one “shakes the hands” instead of “tightening the hand” will make one (bad) Anglicisme in copying what it must say with the English expression idiomatic to shake hands .

List idioms

• animalist Idiom
• botanical Idiom
• toponymic Idiom

Examples

• “to have the bottom between two chairs”: to hesitate.
• “to piss in a violin”: to do something which is not used for nothing.
• “to speak with a wall”: to speak with somebody unnecessarily, the not listening interlocutor.

Category: Lexicology

Simple: Idiom