Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
garder ses cartes
English translation:
save her/his ammunition
Added to glossary by
Kelly Harrison
Nov 4, 2012 16:40
11 yrs ago
French term
garder ses cartes
Non-PRO
French to English
Other
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Le partenaire natif du signe chinois du Cochon peut se lasser et ne pas supporter les remontrances quotidiennes de son Buffle. Mais avec un peu d’intelligence, le Cochon peut amadouer le Buffle grognon, surtout si le Cochon est la femme dans le couple. Il suffira qu’elle lui donne raison pour des questions symboliques. Le Buffle insiste au supermarché pour acheter des bougies à la fraise et non à la vanille ? Le Cochon cède et ***garde ses cartes*** pour les sujets qui ont de l’importance.
I can't find the English equivalent in my brain... "biding one's time" springs to mind, but I don't think that would be quite right either.
I can't find the English equivalent in my brain... "biding one's time" springs to mind, but I don't think that would be quite right either.
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+7
11 mins
Philippa Smith
Native in English
Works in field
29 years turning out perfect English
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
49
Selected
save her/his ammunition
I'd normally think of "keeping your cards close to your chest" for this expression, but that's wrong for your context, so I suggest this rather warlike solution (in the same logic as "picking your battle" and "holding fire"): you may need to put the Pig into plural to avoid the unpretty "her/his": "Pigs tend to give way and save their ammunition....".
Hope this helps (especially on a late Sunday afternoon!).
Hope this helps (especially on a late Sunday afternoon!).
Note from asker:
| Thank you! Saves her ammunition, of course... |
| Yes, something about trumps cards... |
| *trump |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Pascale van Kempen-Herlant
: oui, dans ce sens (garder ses atouts, ses cartes maîtresses...)
7 mins
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Merci Pascale!
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| agree |
Letredenoblesse
10 mins
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Merci/thanks Agnes!
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| agree |
bcsantos
1 hr
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Thanks a lot!
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| agree |
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
2 hrs
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Thanks Nikki!
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| agree |
Evans (X)
: A briefer equivalent would be 'holds fire', as you mention
14 hrs
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True. Thanks Gilla!
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| agree |
Barbara Veness
16 hrs
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Thanks Barbara!
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| agree |
corina hancianu
1 day 7 mins
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Many thanks Corina!
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
+1
1 hr
stand one's ground
A less aggressive alternative ;-)
Example sentence:
...the Pig can give way here and stand its ground on more important issues.
...the Pig can give way here and stand his or her ground on more important issues.
Note from asker:
| Thank you, "like". |
+1
1 hr
and holds onto his cards until more important (spares the opportunity)
Hello,
We have the same expression in English. It's often used in gambling, but can be meant figuratively. You wait to play or "pack a punch" at the right time.
I hope this helps.
We have the same expression in English. It's often used in gambling, but can be meant figuratively. You wait to play or "pack a punch" at the right time.
I hope this helps.
23 hrs
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
Native in English
Psychologist, Court-certified legal
Native in: English
Works in: French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
119
keep/play one's cards close to one's chest
Another possibility for this one.
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Note added at 23 hrs (2012-11-05 16:30:53 GMT)
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http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/play cards close to ches...
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Note added at 23 hrs (2012-11-05 16:32:24 GMT)
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http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/american_english/ch...
"play (or keep) one's cards close to one's chest (or vest) :
informal be secretive and cautious about one’s intentions."
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Note added at 1 day4 hrs (2012-11-05 21:01:02 GMT)
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I see what you mean (although the Pig is making a choice here and most people would not lose a battle through choice). I agree that this is no doubt a departure from the meaning of the original, which is more about keeping an eye out for the right moment, not quite keeping a trick up one's sleeve, which is similar to my suggestion but still not quite right.
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Note added at 23 hrs (2012-11-05 16:30:53 GMT)
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http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/play cards close to ches...
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Note added at 23 hrs (2012-11-05 16:32:24 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/american_english/ch...
"play (or keep) one's cards close to one's chest (or vest) :
informal be secretive and cautious about one’s intentions."
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Note added at 1 day4 hrs (2012-11-05 21:01:02 GMT)
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I see what you mean (although the Pig is making a choice here and most people would not lose a battle through choice). I agree that this is no doubt a departure from the meaning of the original, which is more about keeping an eye out for the right moment, not quite keeping a trick up one's sleeve, which is similar to my suggestion but still not quite right.
Note from asker:
| Thanks but I think this deviates quite a bit from the original idea... which to me seems to be about "losing the battle but winning the war" - don't you think? |
+1
8 hrs
keeps his/her powder dry
Same meaning as "saving ammunition", but this is the expression I'd use.
I think the "trumps" expression you're thinking of is "keeping one's trump card up one's sleeve", but I think this suggests a specific advantage one decides to keep in reserve, rather than just generally choosing one's battles.
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Note added at 1 day6 hrs (2012-11-05 22:50:41 GMT)
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I'm native OZ, which is usually similar to native UK, but if the text is for a wide audience, it's probably best to go for transparency (saving ammunition) over colour!
I think the "trumps" expression you're thinking of is "keeping one's trump card up one's sleeve", but I think this suggests a specific advantage one decides to keep in reserve, rather than just generally choosing one's battles.
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Note added at 1 day6 hrs (2012-11-05 22:50:41 GMT)
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I'm native OZ, which is usually similar to native UK, but if the text is for a wide audience, it's probably best to go for transparency (saving ammunition) over colour!
Note from asker:
| I like this one but I'd never heard it before (as a native british) |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Angela Mott
: This is the phrase that sprang to my mind first (I am a native English speaker), and it seems to me the most logical fit with the text, as well as being a suitably colloquial expression.
9 hrs
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Discussion