Mettre le doigt

Expression: Mettre le doigt

Pronunciation: [meh tr(eu) leu dwa]

Mettre le doigt can be used literally to talk about putting a finger over the hole of a musical instrument, such as a flute or trumpet, but it's more commonly used in one of several idiomatic French expressions:

Mettre le doigt dans l'engrenage, literally "to put the finger in the gears," means to get involved.

Mettre le doigt sur la plaie, literally "to put the finger on the wound," figuratively means to touch/hit a (raw) nerve, to mention a sensitive subject.

Mettre le doigt sur le problème and mettre le doigt sur la difficulté mean to put one's finger on the problem/difficulty, to figure out a problem or difficulty.

Se mettre le doigt dans l'œil (jusqu'au coude), literally "to put one's finger in one's eye (up to the elbow)," is an informal French expression that means to be kidding oneself, to have another think coming. Variation: se fourrer le doigt dans l'œil.

The French proverb Entre l'arbre et l'écorce il ne faut pas mettre le doigt literally says "Between the tree and the bark you mustn't put your finger," but what it really means is that you shouldn't meddle in other people's business.

Post your comments about French expressions with mettre le doigt on my French blog - just hit "comments" at the bottom of the post.