Brewer's: Bete

Morte la bête, mort le venin. Dead men tell no tales; dead dogs don't bite. When one is dead his power of mischief is over. Literally, if the beast is dead, its poison is dead also.

Quand Jean-Bête est mort, il à laissè bien des héritiers.
Casimir Delavigne says to the same effect, Les sots depuis Adam sont en majorité. Jean-Bête means a fool or dolt.
Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Related Content