prendre son pied

French

Etymology

Literally, “take one's foot”. The word “foot” here comes from 19th-century slang; it referred to one's ration—a part of the haul that thieves set aside for their accomplices.

In 1878, “I've got my foot” meant “I've got my part.“ This meaning was later exaggerated, so that a woman might say that she “got hers,” essentially, after having made love. Indeed, the expression was reserved for the female sex until recently, and now can be used for men or women. (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pʁɑ̃.dʁə sɔ̃ pje/

• Audio

  (file)

Verb

prendre son pied

1. to have a blast, to have a great time, to have a ball
2. (slang, sexuality) to take pleasure from something, usually to cum or to get off (have an orgasm)
   • 1974, Bertrand Blier, Les Valseuses, spoken by Jean-Claude (Gérard Depardieu):

     Tu prends jamais ton pied?

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Usage notes

Not to be confused with prendre pied.

Conjugation

• see prendre

See also

• être le pied
• grimper au rideau
• grimper au plafond