Anglais Express : les expressions liées au temps

English idiom

Meaning

Example

Translation / Equivalent

Raining cats and dogs

If it is raining cats and dogs, it is raining very heavily.

Don’t forget your umbrella: it’s raining cats and dogs outside!

Pleuvoir des cordes.

Indian summer

A period of warm, sunny weather in late autumn or early winter, usually occurring after a period of cold or frosty weather.

Last October, Europe experienced an Indian summer with high temperatures lasting until November

Été indien.

Brighten up the day

If something brightens up your day, something happens that makes you feel positive and happy all day long.

Thanks for buying me lunch, it really brightened up my day.

Egayer, colorer, ensoleiller sa journée.

Cloud nine

If you are on cloud nine, you are extremely happy.

She has been on cloud nine since getting married.

Etre au septième ciel, être aux anges, être sur un petit nuage.

Take a rain check

To postpone something.

Can we take a rain check on our cinema date? I have too much homework.

Remettre à plus tard, reporter.

To be a breeze

To be easy.

This exam is going to be a breeze.

Être facile.

To blow hot and cold

To keep changing your attitude.

I’m not sure if she likes me. She keeps blowing hot and cold.

Faire souffler le chaud et le froid, être d’humeur changeante.

The calm before the storm

A quiet time before a busy or difficult period.

It’s going to get very busy tomorrow. Today is the calm before the storm.

Le calme avant la tempête.

Every cloud has a silver lining

Every bad situation has a positive side to it.

I’m not going on holiday this year, but every cloud has a silver lining, as I’m able to spend more time with my family at home!

A quelque chose malheur est bon.

To be snowed under

To be very busy.

I am snowed under with English homework.

Être submergé, noyer sous le travail

Come rain or shine

Whatever happens.

I will play football tonight come rain or shine.

Qu’il pleuve ou qu’il vente.

To steal someone’s thunder

To do what someone else was going to do and receive all the praise; or take the attention away from someone else.

My classmate stole my thunder when he told the teacher that he did all the work on the presentation.

Couper l’herbe sous le pied de quelqu’un, voler la vedette à quelqu'un.