avoir les dents qui rayent le parquet

French

Etymology

Literally, “to have teeth lining the parquet”, i.e. an elaboration on avoir les dents longues.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.vwaʁ le dɑ̃ ki ʁɛj lə paʁ.kɛ/

• Audio:

  (file)

Verb

avoir les dents qui rayent le parquet

1. (figuratively, derogatory) to be unscrupulously ambitious