# dig one's heels in, dig in one's heels



## le-coyote

Bonjour, 

je suis tombé sur cette expression, qui, traduite littérallement, ne veut rien dire :

_*he'll dig his heels in deeper*_

("il enfoncera ses chaussures plus profondément encore")

est ce que cette expression signifie en français : "enfoncer encore le clou un peu plus" ?

merci pour vos réponses 


*Note des modérateurs : *nous avons fusionné plusieurs discussions pour créer ce fil.


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## Nicomon

Bonjour le-coyote,

Selon mon petit dictionnaire bilingue des idiotismes,  l'expression 

"to dig in one's heels" veut dire  "*s'accrocher à ses positions*". 
Exemple:
Under the pressure of their demands, he dug in his heels.
Sous la pression de leurs exigences, il s'accrochait à ses positions.

Donc peut-être... 
"Il s'accrochera encore plus à ses positions."


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## le-coyote

merci, sauf que cette expression n'existe pas en français... mais je vois ce que tu veux dire... me reste plus qu'à trouver un équivalent en français 

edit : finalement, je traduis ça comme ça :

il campera encore plus sur ses positions.

merci encore


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## Nicomon

Camper sur ses positions    J'aime!  À mon tour de te remercier.
Je devrais peut-être foutre ce dico à la poubelle, alors?


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## Cath.S.

[...]
_Camper sur ses positions_ lui est infiniment supérieur, mais _s'accrocher à ses positions_ est compréhensible par tout un chacun.


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## Rubiscube

"Macedonia digs heels in on name dispute "

What is this headline supposed to mean ?


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## bloomiegirl

This link has a good explanation of "dig one's heels in."





> An expression describing an instance of being stubborn.  The image is that someone is trying to pull you in a direction you don't want to go, so you dig your heels into the ground, making it more difficult to drag you anywhere.


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## Rubiscube

Thanks a lot
Could be translated with "Freiner des quatre fers" ...?


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## Micia93

plutôt "ils se referment comme des huitres" non ?


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## bloomiegirl

People who dig their heels in are often very vocal.


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## wildan1

C'est l'image d'un animal en laisse qui ne veut pas suivre son maître et tire dans l'autre sens :

_s'obstiner, refuser toute discussion sur un point_

_La Macédoine refuse toute discussion dans la dispute sur sa dénomination _


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## the-quality-man-4

_*dig your heels in* to refuse to do what other people are trying to persuade you to do, especially to refuse to change your opinions or plans. We suggested it would be quicker to fly, but she dug her heels in and insisted on taking the train. _
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/heels


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## Micia93

in which case one would translate it by : "... mais elle s'est obstinée et a insisté pour que nous prenions le train"
I understand what Bloomiegirl meant then : it does not mean "se renfermer", but "refuser de toutes ses forces"
am I right ?


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## the-quality-man-4

Nous avons suggéré de prendre l'avion mais elle a insisté pour prendre le train.....
_but she dug her heels in =fait ce qu'elle voulais faire/faire ce qu'elle avais dans la tete._


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## wildan1

_Elle n'en a fait qu'à sa tête_


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## pieanne

Refuser obstinément?


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## mgarizona

Could one just say, _Nous avons suggéré de prendre l'avion mais*, obstinée,* elle a insisté pour prendre le train_ ???

And am I the only one who finds "dig one's heels in" strange-sounding? I know I've always used/heard "dig in one's heels" myself. Not a big difference of course, but enough to sound odd.


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## Sbonke

Autres suggestions/variations :
Se buter
Se braquer
Taper du poing/des deux poings (sur la table)


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## Teafrog

bloomiegirl said:


> This link has a good explanation of "dig one's heels in."


Brilliant link. See also here


> to refuse to change your plans or ideas, especially when someone is trying to persuade you to do so





Sbonke said:


> Autres suggestions/variations :
> Se buter
> Se braquer…


 
Il y a aussi: opiniâtre, de façon têtue (entêté?), tenace,…


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## bloomiegirl

mgarizona said:


> [...] And am I the only one who finds "dig one's heels in" strange-sounding? I know I've always used/heard "dig in one's heels" myself. Not a big difference of course, but enough to sound odd.


"Dig in one's heels" sounds to me like excavating your own feet! For me, the image is one of _digging one's heels into the ground_, so that one cannot even be dragged away from one's position... I would never transform that into _digging into the ground one's heels,_


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## mgarizona

bloomiegirl said:


> "Dig in one's heels" sounds to me like excavating your own feet! For me, the image is one of _digging one's heels into the ground_, so that one cannot even be dragged away from one's position... I would never transform that into _digging into the ground one's heels,_


 
Interesting take. I'll just note that both the OED and the American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms list the phrase as "dig in one's heels" and not "dig one's heels in."

I agree with your take on the logic behind the idiom, and even subscribe to wildan's association of it with an obstinant dog. (Likely because my own dog digs in his heels on me daily.) Compare with the word "headstrong" which I've heard originally referred to a horse that resists being turned no matter how hard one tugs the reins.


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## ljosalfar

_dig one's heels in_ sounds much more colloquial in southern GB English, at least, than _dig in one's heels_ - maybe it's a regional difference. People dig their heels in when either they're being pulled/pushed from their preferred position, or when they just _think_ they are  - oh, and '_digging one's heels in_ might sound like composting them, but to me, _digging in one's heels_ sounds like gardening in stilettos


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## valouX

hi everyone,

Does someone know the meaning in French of "to dig their heels"?
Is it the same idea of "to stick to their guns"?

the sentence is "the company dug their heels in until the others gave in."

Thanks a lot


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## Chris' Spokesperson

The visual image this is taken from is that of pulling a donkey against it's will.  It's not quite the same as 'sticking to your guns' though.

It's usually expressed as 'dragging your heels' though.


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## frenchspanish

To dig in your heels is to refuse to give in, to be difficult, stubborn if you will.
To refuse to budge.


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## innosand

It is something like "camper sur ses positions".


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## Mezian10

un premier ministre français aurait dit "rester droit dans ses bottes"


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## edwingill

to dig in  one's heels. I propose the French verb se buter in the sense of s'obstiner.


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## Chris' Spokesperson

innosand said:


> It is something like "camper sur ses positions".


 
Oui, ça marche bien je pense.


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## bobepine

To me, _dragging your heels_ is not the same as _digging in your heels._

The first is about procrastinating, not doing what you should be doing or being slow about it. It implies some motion, even if it's slow as molasses. 

The second is about taking a stand against something. There is no motion at all. _Camper sur ses positions _is a good equivalent.


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## frenchspanish

I agree, _dragging your heels _is not the same as _digging in your heels_!


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## valouX

Thanks everybody for your answer


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