de quel bois quelqu'un se chauffe

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /də kɛl bwa kɛl.k‿œ̃ s(ə) ʃof/

Phrase

de quel bois quelqu’un se chauffe

1. (informal) what someone is made of, what someone is capable of, someone's true mettle

   montrer de quel bois on se chauffe ― to show one's mettle

Usage notes

Chiefly used with the verbs montrer, voir and savoir.