passer un sapin
French
editEtymology
editLiterally, “to pass down a fir”, from the perceived low quality of balsam fir wood for use in construction.
Pronunciation
edit(Quebec) IPA(key): [pɑ.se œ̃ sa.pɛ̃]
Verb
edit- (Quebec, informal) to swindle
- Dans les deux cas, on a eu l’impression de se faire passer un sapin : des artistes payés le gros prix s’amènent avec des shows sans âme, livrés sur le pilote automatique
- In both cases, it felt like you were getting swindled: artists paid the big bucks come forth with soulless shows delivered on autopilot.