Mettre de l'eau dans son vin
Example: Il a dû mettre de l'eau dans son vin pour éviter le conflit.
Definition
"Mettre de l'eau dans son vin" means to moderate one's demands or behavior in order to avoid conflict or reach a compromise, often by making concessions or softening one's stance. For example, someone might 'mettre de l'eau dans son vin' to maintain peace in a disagreement.
Etymology
The phrase "mettre de l'eau dans son vin" literally means 'to put water in one's wine.' It originates from the practice of diluting wine with water to make it less strong or harsh. Over time, it became a metaphor for softening one's attitude or temper, implying a need for moderation and compromise.
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"Mettre de l'eau dans son vin" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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To compromise