Example: Le négociateur a réussi sans coup férir à conclure l'accord.
Definition
"Sans coup férir" is a French expression meaning to achieve something without any difficulty or resistance, often implying success without conflict or struggle. For example, a negotiator who manages to conclude an agreement smoothly does so "sans coup férir."
Translations
Without resistance
Sin resistencia
Zonder slag of stoot
Sense oposició
Ohne Gegenwehr
Etymology
The expression "sans coup férir" originates from Old French, where 'coup' means a blow or strike, and 'férir' is an archaic verb meaning to strike or hit. Literally, it means 'without striking a blow,' suggesting accomplishing something without any fight or obstacle. Did you know? The phrase reflects medieval combat imagery, where winning 'sans coup férir' was like defeating an opponent without a single hit.
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"Sans coup férir" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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Without resistance