toujours perdrix
AmericanEtymology
Origin of toujours perdrix
First recorded in 1810–20; literally, “always partridge” (the meaning “too much of a good thing” refers to how a person might tire of eating something they love if that is all they eat)
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Change of flavour is absolutely necessary, not merely as a matter of pleasure and comfort, but of health; toujours perdrix is a true proverb.
From The Cook's Oracle; and Housekeeper's Manual by Kitchiner, William
They have been too used to hanging in Ireland to make it piquant: "toujours perdrix" is a saying which applies in this as in many other cases.
From Handy Andy, Volume One A Tale of Irish Life, in Two Volumes by Lover, Samuel
Truly, toujours perdrix is endurable by comparison with Always Home Rule.
From Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 105, August 19th 1893 by Various
Toujours perdrix is bad providing all the world over; but a continual weak imitation of toujours perdrix is worse.
From Modern Women and What is Said of Them A Reprint of A Series of Articles in the Saturday Review (1868) by Calhoun, Lucia Gilbert
Shooting is all very well, of course, for those who like it; and so is tennis; and so are early hours; but toujours perdrix.
From Molly Bawn by Hamilton, Margaret Wolfe
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
