Mettre la main à la pâte
Example: Pour réussir, il faut mettre la main à la pâte dès le début.
Definition
"Mettre la main à la pâte" means to actively participate or get involved in a task or project, especially by contributing effort or work. It emphasizes hands-on involvement rather than just planning or observing, as in the phrase: 'To succeed, one must put their hand to the dough from the start.'
Etymology
The phrase "Mettre la main à la pâte" literally means 'to put one's hand in the dough.' It comes from baking, where kneading dough requires direct manual effort. Over time, it evolved figuratively to indicate actively engaging in any work or task, not just baking. Did you know this expression encourages action rather than passivity?
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"Mettre la main à la pâte" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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To lend a hand