sauver les meubles

French

Etymology

Literally, “to save the furniture”. Cognate with Spanish salvar los muebles; compare also English save the furniture.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /so.ve le mœbl/
  • Audio:(file)

Verb

sauver les meubles

  1. (figuratively, informal) to salvage what can be salvaged, to save as much as possible, to do damage control, to cut one's losses, to minimize one's losses
    Synonyms: limiter les dégâts, arrêter les frais
    • 2024 July 7, “Législatives : dans la commune de Cassis (9e circo), le front républicain a-t-il fonctionné ?”, in La Provence‎[1]:
      "Un vote par dépit, sans grande conviction politique, mais pour essayer de sauver les meubles", confie-t-il.
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Descendants

  • → Dutch: de meubels redden (calque)

See also

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