Francophonie· easy
retourner sa veste
“to turn one's jacket around”
Meaning
to switch sides for personal gain
Explanation
Used for anyone who drops a cause, a party or an old friend the moment it stops being convenient, politicians especially.
Example
Le député a retourné sa veste dès que les sondages ont changé.
The MP switched sides the moment the polls changed.
Origin
Comes from the older 'tourner casaque', when soldiers turned their coats to hide the colours of their old side after a battle. Legend has it that Charles Emmanuel of Savoy owned a coat that was white on one side for France and red on the other for Spain, so he only had to flip it to switch allegiance. The jacket version had taken over by the late 19th century.
Source
More like this
- se serrer la ceintureTo cut back on spending and live frugally
- avoir de l’eau dans la caveTo be wearing trousers that are too short
- se mettre sur son trente et unTo dress in one's finest clothes
- parler à travers son chapeauTo speak confidently about something you don't understand
- à la mitaineDone by hand rather than with machines
- attacher sa tuqueTo brace yourself, something intense is about to happen