excuse my French

Excuse my inappropriate language. Usually used humorously, especially around children, as if to suggest that an inappropriate word was in fact a word from a different language. A: "John, don't use language like that in front of the kids." B: "Oops, excuse my French, everyone!" Excuse my French, but this tasted like shit. Excuse my French, but Charles is being a complete asshole right now.

See also: excuse, french

French kiss

1. noun An open-mouthed kiss in which both partners' tongues touch. I was a little surprised when she gave me a French kiss on our first date. No, I've never had a French kiss, because I've never kissed anyone, actually. A: "Wait, my son kissed someone at the dance?" B: "Yes, but it was a very innocent little smooch, not, like, a French kiss or anything."

2. verb To kiss in such a manner. I'd prefer it if people didn't French kiss in public; it's just not something other people want to see! A: "He's older than you, so he's probably going to want to French kiss. You do know how to French kiss, right?" B: "Yeah, sure, totally." Everyone knows you two sit in the back of the bus and French kiss the whole ride home.

French kissing

The practice of open-mouthed kissing in which both partners' tongues touch. In my day and age, French kissing was not something one did in public! A: "He's older than you, so he's probably going to want to French kiss. You do know what French kissing is, right?" B: "Yeah, sure, totally." Does your demerit literally say it's for "French kissing on the school bus"? Ha, that's hilarious.

French leave

1. An absence or departure from some place or event without ceremony, permission, or announcement. The official story is that he's sick, but I think he's just taking French leave. As the evening wore on, we decided to just take French leave and make our way home. A: "Would you quit yawning?" B: "I'm sorry, but I've been ready to take French leave from the moment this event started."

2. In the military, desertion of one's unit. The sergeant is facing a court martial after it was discovered that he'd taken French leave just before the deadly operation. The young soldier was arrested for taking French leave when he should have been at his post. A: "You think French leave is the explanation?" B: "I do. He really didn't seem right anymore after all those months on the battlefield."

French letter

slang A condom. Primarily heard in UK. I have a date tonight, so I need to make sure I have a French letter in my wallet. In an effort to promote safe sexual practices, the student union began handing out French letters to everyone passing by. A: "Why on earth wouldn't you use a French letter, dude?" B: "She told me she was on the pill!"

French tickler

slang A condom designed with additional tactile elements, such as bumps, spirals, ribs, etc., so as to heighten stimulation of one's partner during intercourse. Primarily heard in UK, Ireland. Trust me, you should definitely try wearing a French tickler at least once—your partner will love it. He was reluctant to use a French tickler, but once we tried it, he loved how much more I enjoyed myself in the bedroom. Have you tried a French tickler with your boyfriend? Ooh, it's quite an experience!

pardon my French

Excuse my inappropriate language. Usually used humorously, especially around children, as if to suggest that an inappropriate word was in fact a word from a different language. A: "John, don't use language like that in front of the kids." B: "Oops, pardon my French, everyone!" Pardon my French, but this tasted like shit.

See also: french, pardon

take French leave

1. To depart or absent oneself from some place or event without ceremony, permission, or announcement. The official story is that he's sick, but I think he's just taking French leave. As the evening wore on, we decided to take French leave and make our way home.

2. In the military, to desert one's unit. The sergeant is facing a court martial after it was discovered that he'd taken French leave just before the deadly operation.

Pardon my French,

and Excuse my French.

Inf. Excuse my use of swear words or taboo words. (Does not refer to real French.) Pardon my French, but this is a hell of a day. What she needs is a kick in the ass, if you'll excuse my French.

See also: french, pardon

pardon my French

INFORMAL

People say pardon my French to apologize in a humorous way for using a rude word. What a bunch of a-holes, pardon my French.

See also: french, pardon

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

excuse (or pardon) my French

used to apologize for swearing. informal

French has been used since the late 19th century as a euphemism for bad language.

1992 Angela Lambert A Rather English Marriage A loony can change a bloody toilet-roll, pardon my French.

See also: excuse, french

take French leave

make an unannounced or unauthorized departure.

This expression stems from the custom prevalent in 18th-century France of leaving a reception or entertainment without saying goodbye to your host or hostess.

exˌcuse/ˌpardon my ˈFrench

(informal, humorous) used for saying you are sorry when you have used or are going to use rude or offensive language: Ouch, bloody hell! Oops, excuse my French! ♢ If you’ll pardon my French, he’s a bloody fool.

take French ˈleave

(British English, old-fashioned or humorous) leave your work, duty, etc. without permission; go away without telling anyone: I think I might take French leave this afternoon and go to the cinema.This idiom is said to refer to the eighteenth-century French custom of leaving a dinner or party without saying goodbye to the host or hostess.

French

1. n. an act of oral sex. (Usually objectionable.) How much is a French at a cathouse like that?

2. mod. referring to oral sex. (Usually objectionable.) He tried some French stuff on her, and she nearly killed him.

3. tv. to perform oral sex on someone. (Usually objectionable.) He wanted her to French him.

4. tv. & in. to kiss someone using the tongue; to French kiss. We were French kissing when the teacher came in.

French kiss

1. n. kissing using the tongue; open-mouth kissing. I didn’t know whether I was going to get a French kiss or a fish-kiss.

2. tv. to kiss someone using the tongue. He tried to French kiss me, but I stopped him.

Pardon my French

and Excuse my French

sent. Excuse my use of swear words or taboo words.; Excuse my choice of vocabulary. (Does not refer to real French.) What she needs is a kick in the butt, if you’ll excuse my French.

See also: french, pardon

Excuse my French

verb

See Pardon my French

See also: excuse, french

excuse my French

See pardon my French.

See also: excuse, french

pardon/excuse my French

Please excuse the strong language. Exactly why French should mean “bad language” is not known, but this usage dates from the late 1800s. Eric Partridge speculated that the phrase was picked up by British soldiers in France during World War I and was first recorded during this period. However, given that language such as the F-word has become commonplace in popular entertainment and public life, this cliché is probably obsolescent, if not obsolete. Also see swear like a trooper; you should excuse the expression.

French leave

To leave without saying good-bye. The British thought that sneaking away from a gathering without telling anyone you're going wasn't acceptable manners across the channel. Curiously, or perhaps typically, the French refer to the same practice as filer a` l'anglais (“take English leave”). Americans used to use the phrase without knowing its origin. It has been said that the French leave but never say good-bye, while Americans say good-bye but never leave. “French leave” is also military slang for deserting.

pardon my French

Please excuse my language. In the days when language propriety was more of an issue than it is now, using a word or phrase that was “unfit for mixed company” was likely to lead to embarrassment. Since French was considered a racy language, people excused themselves with “pardon my French.”

See also: french, pardon

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