Learning French: the origins and meaning of être au taquet
This handy phrase is often used in relation to a hard worker but it has other uses too
Do you know about the link between sailing and the French phrase, être au taquet?
Yasemin Yurtman Candemir / Shutterstock
Etre au taquet is a casual French expression that has several slightly different meanings - but they all link to the idea of doing something with intense effort.
You could say we have worked au taquet to find the origins of this handy phrase - although various theories remain, from wobbly furniture to rock climbing.
What does être au taquet mean?
The expression has more than one literal translation: to be a door wedge, a stake, or a ship’s cleat (a T-shaped piece of metal or wood to which ropes are tied).
It is typically used to refer to someone who is motivated and works hard and with enthusiasm to achieve a goal.
There are several English synonyms:
It can also describe an intense person or situation: to be full on.
What are the origins of être au taquet?
The origins are unclear but its use grew significantly during the 2000s. Some French speakers argue it stems from the south of France, although there is no firm evidence to support this.
The word taquet is thought to come from the Norman estaque, or the old French estache which means stake or post. It could also be from the Latin tangere which means, to touch.
Another theory is that this word is an onomatopoeic reflection of the sound produced when tapping a post into the ground.
In the 15th Century, the word referred to a piece of wood used to hold a door closed. In the 19th Century, it was a wedge used to stabilise wobbly furniture.
Un taquet (a cleat) is also a device used to secure a rope on a ship. When a ship is au taquet this means that the sails are fully stretched, sending the boat through the water at top speed.
In the climbing world, être au taquet, means you are on the verge of falling due to exhaustion or because you have run out of equipment.
Either way, these examples provide a metaphor to illustrate the idea of working flat out.
When do you say être au taquet?
You can use this expression when someone is giving their all to meet a deadline or complete a goal.
Nous avons un gros projet au travail et il faut se mettre au taquet pour finir dans les délais. - We have a big project at work and we need to work flat out to finish before the deadline.
Il va falloir être au taquet si on veut décrocher la première place. - We will have to perform at our best if we want to win first place.
You might also hear this phrase to describe someone who is too much to handle:
Finally, it can be used when you have several things to do or have reached your limit:
To whom do you say être au taquet?
It is informal language to be used in casual conversation with family and friends.
It should not be confused with the slang meaning of taquet which refers to a punch or a kick.
It is also worth mentioning that être au taquet has no link to the phrase, nourrir un oiseau au taquet, which refers to the way in which birds are fed or raised in the wild.
