top cx logo
cx logo
Explorearrow down
search icon

Être aux abois: A French expression to describe facing difficulties

The term was recently used by a French presidential candidate to accuse President Emmanuel Macron of being ‘desperate’

Être aux abois is a phrase with many connotations Pic: YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV / Shutterstock

Should you ever need to express to someone that you are in dire straits – which, of course, we hope is never the case – or you wish to describe someone who is really up against it, in a whole heap of bother from which there seems little hope of escape, there is a very useful French expression to employ: être aux abois.

It was used by French presidential candidate Valérie Pécresse this week (March 16) to accuse President Emmanuel Macron of being “desperate” by considering autonomy for Corsica after violent protests there. 

She said, “En Corse, on a un président aux abois qui cède face à la violence”. 

Read more: Why are there angry protests against the French state in Corsica?

The origin of the phrase, like so many in the French language, lies in the vocabulary of rural affairs – in this case, hunting. 

Prior to the 15th century, être aux abois referred to the last-ditch, desperate situation of a beast such as a stag or wild boar, encircled by the baying pack of hounds after a hunt. The animal was deemed to be facing les abois – the barks of the hounds.

However, by the end of that century, the phrase être aux abois had gone beyond the hunting world to signify anybody who found themselves “being reduced to the last extremity”. 

According to Trésor de la langue française – the whopping 16-volume dictionary of 19th- and 20th-century French, published by the Centre de Recherche pour un Trésor de la Langue Française from 1971 to 1994, and now available online the phrase assumed a certain literary cachet. It “took on a literary value that stems from the noble character of the language of hunting”.

One specific usage of être aux abois is when describing someone who finds themselves in severe financial difficulties, a state for which the French language has other bespoke phrases. 

Être dans la dèche is a good one, whose origins lie in gambling argot – la dèche meant monetary losses (possibly from the verb déchoir, meaning to fall from grandeur). Later it became a slang phrase used by materially deprived prisoners.

Related articles

Ça me gonfle!: How to express your irritation (or love) in French

Seven ways to say ‘I’m tired’ in French and their unusual origins

Hyphens, no hyphens: what is correct spelling of French commune names?

Resident or second-home owner in France?
Benefit from our daily digest of headlines and how-to's to help you make the most of life in France
By joining the newsletter, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy
See more popular articles
The Connexion Help Guides
featured helpguide
Healthcare in France*
Featured Help Guide
- Understand the French healthcare system, how you access it and how you are reimbursed - Useful if you are new to the French healthcare system or want a more in-depth understanding - Reader question and answer section Aimed at non-French nationals living here, the guide gives an overview of what you are (and are not) covered for. There is also information for second-home owners and regular visitors.
Get news, views and information from France