À poil

Expression: à poil

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What Does "Avoir Un Poil Dans La Main" Mean in French?

By ThoughtCo Team

Pronunciation: [a pwal]
Meaning: stark naked, in the buff
Literal translation: in hair
Register: familiar

Notes: The French expression à poil refers to body hair - when you are à poil, you're wearing nothing but your own hair. It's equivalent to the English expression "in one's birthday suit."

Example
N'ouvre pas la porte - je suis à poil !
Don't open the door - I'm completely naked!
À poil can be used as an adjective or as a command in numerous expressions:
être à poil - to be stark naked
se baigner à poil - to go skinny-dipping
se mettre à poil - to strip down to one's birthday suit
un mec / une fille à poil - a naked guy / girl
À poil ! - Take 'em off!
Synonyms:
nu - naked, nude
déshabillé - undressed
en costume d'Adam/d'Ève (old-fashioned) - in one's birthday suit
en tenue d'Adam/d'Ève - in one's birthday suit
Attention: the French expression au poil is an informal way to say "great!" or "perfect!"