Tirer le diable par la queue

This expression literally means pulling the devil by the tail.  Contrary to what it might suggest, this phrase isn't about wrestling with demons or embarking on a peculiar hobby involving Satan. Instead, it refers to someone struggling to make ends meet, barely scraping by with limited financial resources.

Imagine a cartoonish scene: you're broke, and your only solution is to chase down the devil, grab his tail, and pull, hoping that some spare change will fall out like coins from a piñata. This imagery captures the essence of grappling with difficult circumstances while continually trying to cope with financial hardship. It's akin to the phrase avoir du mal à joindre les 2 bouts, which means struggling to make ends meet - why are there "2" ends in French?  This is the subject of another post...

Back to today's expression: what's with the devil?  And what about the devil's tail, might you ask?

Origin

The expression has roots in French folklore and literature, where the devil often symbolizes misfortune. In earlier times, when religious and moral symbolism was more prevalent, invoking the devil was a vivid way to articulate struggles. Many tales exist of individuals calling upon the devil for help in dire situations, only to find their pleas ignored.

As for the tail, lexicographers suggest it represents a man in desperate need who calls the devil for assistance. When the devil arrives and hears the man's plight, he chooses to leave without offering help. In a last-ditch effort to keep him from going, the desperate man grabs onto the devil’s tail. Here, the devil embodies adversity, and pulling his tail symbolizes the futile struggle against misfortune - much like trying to squeeze the last drops from a dry well.

Whether you buy into these interpretations or not, tirer le diable par la queue is a colorful way of saying you’re in a jam and doing your best to navigate life’s chaotic carnival.

Examples

Après avoir perdu son emploi, il a dû tirer le diable par la queue pendant plusieurs mois.
After losing his job, he had to struggle to make ends meet for several months.

Ils ont dû tirer le diable par la queue jusqu'à ce que leur entreprise décolle.
They had to make ends meet until their business took off.