Francophonie· easy· informal
clouer le bec
“to nail the beak”
Meaning
to silence someone completely
Explanation
Used when a sharp comeback or hard evidence leaves someone with nothing left to say.
Example
Sa réponse cinglante lui a cloué le bec.
Her cutting reply left him speechless.
Origin
Clouer here is an old alteration of clore (to close), not the modern clou (nail) it resembles. The image of literally nailing someone's beak shut just made the expression stick.
Source
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