Provençal expression

Si gela leis amendoun

Nature

Literal translation

to freeze one's almonds

Meaning

to be freezing cold

Explanation

An expression used only by men, meaning "to be very cold". Amendoun are, as one might guess, a metaphor for the testicles, the local equivalent of se geler les couilles, though without the crudeness. The word specifically means fresh almonds still covered in their downy skin, which completes the image. A feminized variant, si gela l'amendoun, in the singular, has also been reported. Using fruit to evoke intimate body parts is common in Provence, as elsewhere.

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Other expressions on the same theme

Toumbo de pèiro de moulinit's raining extremely hard À-n-Aubagno, quand plòu, si bagnoa traditional jibe aimed at the people of Aubagne plòu e fai soulèu, lou diable bat sa fremosun and rain together: the devil is beating his wife la luno es fousco, deman o plòu o boufowhen the moon is hazy, tomorrow brings rain or wind fai lou tèms di damothe weather is mild and fickle fai soulèu à la Santo-Baumothe sun is shining over la Sainte-Baume