Example: Après plusieurs essais, elle a donné sa langue au chat et abandonné.
Definition
"Donner sa langue au chat" is a French expression meaning to give up trying to find an answer or solution, often after several attempts. It implies surrendering to ignorance or admitting defeat in solving a problem or puzzle.
The expression "Donner sa langue au chat" literally translates to 'give one's tongue to the cat.' It likely originates from the idea that if you give your tongue to the cat, you can no longer speak, symbolizing giving up on speaking or guessing. Its exact origin is uncertain, but it has been used in French since at least the 19th century.
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"Donner sa langue au chat" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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To give up guessing