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Informal French Expression
Meaning | in double time, very quickly | |
Literally | in two beats, three movements | |
Register | informal | |
Pronunciation | ![]() |
[a(n) deu ta(n) trwah moov(eu) ma(n)] |
IPA | [ɑ̃ dø tɑ̃ tʀwa muv mɑ̃] |
Usage notes: The French expression en deux temps, trois mouvements comes from music: temps refers to "beats" and mouvements indicates "motions" (though there’s an additional musical meaning of "tempo"). So a person creating three motions in just two beats would obviously be moving very quickly.
There are many ways to express this in English:
- before you know it
- in a jiffy
- in double time
- in no time
- in the blink of an eye
- like lightning
- quick as a wink
(old-fashioned) - before you can say "Jack Robinson"
- in two shakes of a lamb’s tail
Par exemple…
Rédiger un rapport peut prendre des heures, mais aujourd’hui, en deux temps, trois mouvements, je l’ai fini. | Writing a report can take hours, but today I fnished it in no time. |
En deux temps, trois mouvements il a désarmé le voleur. | He disarmed the thief in the blink of an eye. |
Synonymous expressions
- en moins de temps qu’il ne faut pour le dire / l’écrire
- (faire quelque chose) plus vite que son ombre
- très rapidement
- très vite
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