Algeria· hard· informal
à la baballah
“at God's door (from Arabic, via Catalan)”
Meaning
In a haphazard, thrown-together way
Explanation
Describes anything done any old way, slapdash and without much of a plan.
Example
Il a rangé l'appartement à la baballah avant l'arrivée des invités.
He tidied the flat any old way before the guests arrived.
Origin
Comes from the Catalan 'a la babalà', which traces back further to the Arabic 'ala bab Allah', literally 'at the door of God'. The phrase drifted from a sense of leaving things to God's will into just meaning doing something carelessly, however it turns out.
Source
More like this
- manger avec le loup et pleurer avec le bergerTo pretend loyalty to whichever side suits you
- monter l'aubergineTo give someone a black eye
- rester axeTo be utterly stunned into silence
- avoir la barakato be consistently lucky
- avoir le seumto feel bitter and resentful
- faire casse-ficelleTo end a romantic relationship