Example: Après son erreur, il s'est retrouvé dans de beaux draps.
Definition
"Être dans de beaux draps" is a French expression meaning to be in a difficult or troublesome situation, often due to one's own mistakes or misfortunes. For example, after making an error, someone might say they are 'in a fine mess.'
Translations
To be in trouble
Estar en un buen lío
Goed in de problemen zitten
Estar ben embolicat
Schön in der Klemme sitzen
Etymology
The expression "Être dans de beaux draps" literally translates to 'to be in beautiful sheets.' Historically, 'draps' referred to cloth or sheets, and the phrase ironically points to being tangled or caught up in complicated circumstances. Over time, it came to symbolize being in trouble rather than anything positive.
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"Être dans de beaux draps" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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To be in trouble