Idioms

ca

Also found in: Dictionary, Medical, Legal, Financial, Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

ca'canny

Of workers, to intentionally work slowly and produce less. Primarily heard in Scotland. Can we force management's hand in the contract negotiations by collectively ca'cannying? I know that lot ca'cannies in the office, so why would I give any of them a raise? I bet your staff's ca'cannying if their productivity has fallen that much.

comme ci, comme ça

So-so; average or fair. From French, literally "like this, like that." A: "How's the project going?" B: "Eh, comme ci, comme ça. It's progressing, but not as fast as we would like." The book had a very compelling setup, but the writing itself? Comme ci, comme ça. A: "How was the movie?" B: "Eh, comme ci, comme ça. The action was cool, but the story was lame."
See also: ca, comme

plus ça change (plus c'est la même chose)

From French, meaning "the more things change, the more they remain the same." In English, the phrase is used in reference to problems or bad situations that remain the same, even when people or things involved in them are different. We move into a fancy new office, and still the servers crash all the time. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose. Plus ça change, eh? Even with the so-called champion of the working man in office, it's still the wealthy elite getting all the tax breaks.
See also: ca, change, la, meme, plus
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

plus ça ˈchange (, plus c’est la même ˈchose)

/%plu: s& "SQ~nZ; American English "SO:~Z/ (from French, saying) some things never really change, even though details such as time and people involved may be different: Despite assurances that this year’s competition would welcome new talent and new ideas, none of the newcomers have reached the final round. Plus ça change...
The meaning of the full expression in French is ‘the more it changes, the more it stays the same’.
See also: ca, change, plus
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
See also:
Copyright © 2003-2025 Farlex, Inc Disclaimer
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.