Literal translation
to remove oneself from in front
Meaning
to clear off, disappear
Explanation
This expression means to clear off, disappear, often carrying the underlying idea of a departure wished for by others or a deliberate withdrawal from an awkward scene. The verb leva carries many derived senses around the idea of removing, taking away, subtracting, withdrawing, and davans means in front, before. To remove oneself from in front thus literally means withdrawing from the place where one stood visible or present, as one would remove an obstructive object from someone's field of view. The expression can be used almost as an order, close to a rebuff, when someone is told to clear the place, or in a more neutral way simply to describe vanishing from somewhere, slipping away without a trace. The register is familiar, sometimes curt or sharp depending on context and tone, especially when addressed directly to someone one wishes to see leave. It belongs to a series of Provençal character expressions using a concrete spatial image, removing oneself from sight, to express social or physical distancing, without resorting to abstract vocabulary of departure or flight.