Example: Dans l'ombre, il tirait les ficelles du pouvoir politique.
Definition
"Tirer les ficelles" means to secretly control or manipulate a situation or people from behind the scenes, often in a political or strategic context. It refers to the act of pulling the strings to influence outcomes without being openly visible.
Translations
To pull the strings
Mover los hilos
Aan de touwtjes trekken
Moure els fils
Die Fäden ziehen
Etymology
The phrase "tirer les ficelles" literally translates to "pull the strings." This expression comes from the idea of puppeteers controlling puppets by pulling strings, symbolizing hidden influence or control. It has been used figuratively in French to describe covert manipulation since at least the 19th century.
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"Tirer les ficelles" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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To pull the strings