brass

French translation: les grosses légumes, les grosses huiles, les gros bonnets

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

English term or phrase:	brass
French translation:	les grosses légumes, les grosses huiles, les gros bonnets
Entered by:	Louise Atfield

04:48 Jan 2, 2001

English to French translations [Non-PRO]

English term or phrase: brass

Scene is in a cafe. Two cops talking.

-Put something in your mouth.

-the brass, they get nervous

Money would be wrong, and the only other meaning I can think of is people in authority.

Does it ever mean something like the underworld, or that sort of thing?

Thanks

Ana.uk KudoZ activity Questions: 27 (1 open) (1 without valid answers) Answers: 33
Local time: 13:02

les "(grosses) huiles" ou les "grosses légumes"

Explanation:
You are right, the word refers indeed persons in authority. It can be translated either way.

Here is what my Petit Robert dictionary says:

légume loc. fam. GROSSES LEGUMES: personnage important, influent.

huile: fam. LES HUILES: personnages importants, authorité

And here are some examples of their uses:

"Le 2 mai 1996, un journal a publié une longue liste de noms de ceux auxquels le gouvernement avait, illégalement, accordé
des terres. La liste comprenait des ministres, des secrétaires permanents, des parlementaires et autres "grosses légumes""
http://www.peacelink.it/anb-bia/nr321/f03.html

"Les grosses huiles ont
droit à tous les égards, mais si vous êtes un simple membre de l'équipage, alors là, c'est au plus fort la poche."
http://www.jacquesnoel.qc.ca/npr/jpd.html

"Tous comme eux, ils étaient là pour présenter leurs travaux aux grosses huiles du Ministère."
http://perso.club-internet.fr/vinsan87/html/pommes_3.html

"Cependant, je pense que si ce comité
avait été composé de chefs de petites entreprises et moins de grosses huiles, il se serait plus fermement prononcé quant à savoir
s'il convient ou non de fissionner l'atome. "
http://www.parl.gc.ca/english/senate/com-f/corp-f/05eva-f.ht...

Selected response from:

Louise Atfield

Grading comment

Thanks for all your research and help! I ended up using "pachas" in the end, it seemed quite fitting. But I didn't know about "huiles" or "legumes"...so thanks.
2 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

les gros bonnets

Kika

les "(grosses) huiles" ou les "grosses légumes"

Louise Atfield

Answers

1 hr

les gros bonnets

Explanation:
Or

"les grosses legumes"

"les huiles"

"les gros caïds"

Kika

Kika
Local time: 14:02
PRO pts in pair: 44

1 hr

les "(grosses) huiles" ou les "grosses légumes"

Louise Atfield
PRO pts in pair: 577

Grading comment

Thanks for all your research and help! I ended up using "pachas" in the end, it seemed quite fitting. But I didn't know about "huiles" or "legumes"...so thanks.

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