Faire du lard

Expression: Faire du lard

Pronunciation: [fehr du lar]

Meaning: to sit around doing nothing, twiddle one's thumbs

Literal translation: to make bacon

Register: familiar

Notes: Lard can refer to either bacon or pig fat, so another way to translate the French expression faire du lard literally is "to make fat" - as you sit around doing nothing, you're getting fat. Ick!

I just learned faire du lard the other day. A friend called and asked what I was doing, I said on fait de l'art (we're making art), and she laughed. When I asked what was so funny she said she'd thought I said on fait du lard (we're sitting around twiddling our thumbs).

Note that it can also be pronominal: se faire du lard.

Example:
   Je ne dois pas travailler aujourd'hui, donc je vais faire du lard.
   I don't have to work today, so I'm going to sit around and do nothing.

Synonymous expression and gesture: se tourner les pouces

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