Literal translation
to make the pinch
Meaning
to throw in a little extra for free
Explanation
Pessu means a little, a pinch, or a small amount caught between the fingers; faire lou pessu names the commercial gesture of adding a small extra quantity for free, after weighing goods and calculating their price, as a friendly favor to the customer. The typical scene is the olive seller, or any merchant selling goods by weight, slipping an extra pinch into the bag without charging for it, accompanied by a kind remark such as there you go, my dear, I'll throw in the pessu. The expression belongs to a commercial tradition of small generosity between shopkeeper and loyal customer, a gesture that builds goodwill at negligible cost. The word pessu, related to the verb to pinch, keeps a concrete sense of a tiny amount caught between thumb and finger. The register is familiar and warm, typical of market exchanges and the trust relationships kept alive in Provençal local trade.