Rester les bras croisés
Example: On ne peut pas rester les bras croisés face à cette injustice.
Definition
"Rester les bras croisés" means to remain inactive or passive in a situation where action is expected or needed. It describes a state of doing nothing, often implying a failure to intervene or respond to a problem or challenge.
Etymology
The phrase "Rester les bras croisés" literally translates to "to stay with arms crossed" in French. Crossing one's arms is a common body language sign of inactivity or defensiveness, which symbolically evolved to mean doing nothing in the face of a situation. Did you know that this physical posture has been associated with passivity for centuries?
Learn to use this expression actively
"Rester les bras croisés" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
Would you like to not only understand these expressions, but also remember them and use them actively? Create a free account and select French as the language you want to learn.
Create a free account
To stand by and do nothing