avoir les dents longues
/a.vwaʁ le dɑ̃ lɔ̃g/
le (masc.) la (fem.)
Underline = a spelling pattern that usually signals that gender.
Forms
- present
- a les dents longues
- past
- a eu les dents longues
- perfect
- eu les dents longues
Meaning
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to be very ambitious (informal)
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Le nouveau stagiaire a les dents longues.
The new intern is very ambitious.
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Le jeune cadre avait les dents longues dès son arrivée dans l'entreprise. Il a été promu directeur en moins de trois ans.
The young executive was very ambitious from the moment he joined the company. He was promoted to director in under three years.
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Similar words
"avoir de l'ambition" and "avoir les dents longues" are close synonyms for "to be ambitious"; "avoir les dents longues" is a more informal, vivid idiom.
Practice
1 What does avoir les dents longues mean?
to be very ambitious (informal)
2 Fill the gap: Le nouveau stagiaire a les dents ___.
Full sentence: Le nouveau stagiaire a les dents longues. (The new intern is very ambitious.)
3 Which fingerprint chart matches avoir les dents longues?
avoir les dents longues: neutral register, common frequency, general domain, neutral connotation.
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