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French Expression
| Meaning | to arrive at just the wrong time, to turn up when least wanted | |
| Literally | to arrive like a dog in a game of ninepin bowling | |
| Register | normal | |
| Pronunciation |  |
[ah ree vay kuh moo(n) shyeh(n) da(n) zoo(n) zheu deu keey] |
| IPA | [a ʁi ve kɔ mœ̃ ʃjɛ̃ dã zœ̃ ʒə də kij] | |
Usage notes: Ninepin bowling is all about knocking over delicately balanced pins with the help of a strategically thrown ball. So you can imagine how a dog arriving on the lane and being his normal playful self could really mess up the game. The French expression arriver comme un chien dans un jeu de quilles is a vivid way of describing something that arrives at the worst possible time.
Par exemple…
Je me relaxais après une longue journée quand ma belle-famille est arrivée comme un chien dans un jeu de quilles.
I was relaxing after a long day when my in-laws arrived (the moment I least wanted to see them).
Related expression: recevoir quelqu’un comme un chien dans un jeu de quilles – to give someone a cold reception, make someone feel unwelcome
More French expressions with chien
Verbs
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