coup de pied de l'âne

French

Etymology

From the fable Le Lion devenu vieux by Jean de La Fontaine.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ku də pje d(ə) l‿an/, /ku də pje d(ə) l‿ɑn/

Noun

coup de pied de l’âne m (plural coups de pied de l’âne)

1. cheap shot (cowardly shot directed at someone who was once stronger than oneself but is now too weak to defend themselves, and whose weakness one takes advantage of to exact some sort of revenge)

See also

• frapper un ennemi à terre