15,000 words and phrases from more than 50 languages and their

161 il sent le fagot
il faut souffrir pour être belle [Fr], to be beautiful, it is necessary to
suffer.
il fuoco non s'estingue con fuoco [It], fire is not extinguished by fire.
Ίλιας κακών [Gr; Iliàs kakôn], an Iliad of woes.
Ilias malorum [L], an Iliad of woes; a series of calamities.
il jette feu et flamme [Fr], lit., he throws fire and flame; he frets and
fumes.
illaeso lumine solum [L], with undazzled eye to the sun.
illotis manibus [L], with unwashed hands; unprepared.
il m'aime — un peut — beaucoup — passionnément — pas de tout
[Fr], He loves me — a little — a lot — passionately — not at all.
Equivalent to "He loves me; he loves me not."
il m'a poussé à bout [Fr], he has provoked me beyond endurance.
il meglio è l'inimico del bene [It], better is the enemy of good; leave
well enough alone.
il mondo è di chi ha pazienza [It], the world is his who has patience.
il n'a pas inventé la poudre [Fr], lit., he has not invented powder; he
will never set the world on fire.
il n'appartient qu'aux grands hommes d'avoir de grands défauts [Fr],
it belongs only to great men to have great defects; only great men
have great defects: La Rochefoucauld.
il ne faut jamais défier un fou [Fr], one should never defy a madman.
il ne faut pas éveiller le chat qui dort [Fr], don't wake a sleeping cat;
let sleeping dogs lie.
il ne faut pas vendre la peau de l'ours avant de l'avoir tué [Fr], one
must not sell the bear's skin before one has killed him; don't count
your chickens before they're hatched.
il n'est chère que d'appétit [Fr], lit., it is dear only with appetite;
hunger is the best sauce.
il n'est sauce que d'appétit [Fr], there is no sauce like appetite.
il n'y a pas à dire [Fr], there is nothing to be said; the thing is settled.
il n'y a pas de héros pour son valet de chambre [Fr], no man is a
hero to his valet.
il n'y a pas de quoi [Fr], there is no occasion for it; don't mention it.
il n'y a plus de Pyrénées [Fr], there are no longer any Pyrenees:
attributed to Louis XIV.
il n'y a que le premier pas qui coûte [Fr], it is only the first step that
costs.
il n'y en a plus [Fr], there is no more.
il penseroso [Old It], the pensive (or melancholy) man.
il porte lanterne à midi [Fr], he carries a lantern at noon.
il rit bien qui rit le dernier [Fr], he laughs best who laughs last.
il s'en faut de beaucoup [Fr], it is very much lacking; it falls far short.
il sent le fagot [Fr], he smells of the fagot (burning at the stake); he
is suspected of heresy.