sour grapes

English

Etymology

From the Aesop's fable The Fox and the Grapes, in which a fox, unable to reach grapes he is seeking, decides that they must have been sour.

Noun

sour grapes ((plural only; not used in singular form))

1. (idiomatic) A putting down or expression of disdain about something that one desires but cannot have.

   I think his comments about that new car are just sour grapes because he can't afford it.

Translations

expressing disdain

Finnish: happamia kuin pihlajanmarjat (fi) Georgian: მკვახე ყურძენი (ka) (mkvaxe qurjeni) Hebrew: ענבים חמוצים (he) (anavím khamutzím) m. pl. Japanese: 負け惜しみ (ja) (makeoshimi)

Portuguese: uvas verdes (pt) f. pl. Russian: зелен виноград (ru) (zélen vinográd) Spanish: uvas verdes (es) f. pl.