Algeria· hard· informal
monter l'aubergine
“to raise the aubergine”
Meaning
To give someone a black eye
Explanation
In Algerian French, this means to punch someone hard enough to leave a dark, swollen bruise around the eye, the same purple as the vegetable.
Example
Fais gaffe, il va te monter l'aubergine si tu continues à le chercher.
Watch out, he'll give you a black eye if you keep provoking him.
Origin
Origin uncertain.
More like this
- avoir la falle basseTo be in low spirits
- avoir les deux yeux dans le même trouTo be too worn out to concentrate
- avoir les jambes en cannelleTo have shaky legs from exhaustion
- avoir les yeux dans la graisse de binesTo be half asleep
- battre la chamadeTo beat wildly (said of the heart)
- des yeux de merlan fritTo look lovesick