French Expressions With Un Tour

The French word tour has different meanings depending on whether it's masculine or feminine, and both words are found in idiomatic expressions. Learn how to say "acrobatics," to "play a trick on someone," "Bob's your uncle" and more with this list of expressions using un tour. Using une tour, which is the feminine form of the word, you can learn how to say "drilling rig," "ivory tower," "as big as a house" and other idiomatic French expressions.

Possible Meanings of Un Tour

• tour
• trip
• outing
• contour, outline
• feat, stunt, trick
• hatch
• lathe
• measurement, girth
• (game) turn
• (situation or conversation) turn, twist
• (wheel) rotation, revolution, turn

Possible Meanings of Une Tour

• tower
• siege tower
• high-rise building
• (chess) castle, rook

Expressions With Un Tour

un tour d'adresse = skillful feat/trick
les tours d'agilité = acrobatics
un tour de cartes = card trick
un tour de chauffe = warm-up lap, practice run
un tour pendable = a dirty trick
un tour de chant = song recital
un tour de cochon (informal) = dirty/mean trick
un tour de cou = choker, collar neck measurement
un tour de force = feat of strength amazing feat
le Tour de France = tour de France (cycling competition)
le tour de garde = tour of duty
le tour d'honneur (sports) = lap of honor
le tour d'horizon = review, survey (of a situation)
un tour de lit = valance
le tour de main = dexterity
un tour de passe-passe = conjouring trick
un tour de passe-passe financier = financial sleight-of-hand
un tour de phrase = turn of phrase
un tour de piste = lap
un tour de reins = strained back
un tour de salaud (familiar) = nasty trick
un tour de scrutin = ballot
un tour de table = group discussion (finance) capital structure
le tour de ville = city tour
un tour de vis = turn of a screw
un tour de vis fiscal = tax squeeze
un tour de vis militaire/politique = military/political crackdown
le premier/second tour (politics, sports) = the first/second round
un quart de tour = quarter turn
un régime de ___ tours (minute) = (motor, engine) ___ RPM (revolutions per minute)
un sale tour = a dirty/mean trick
tour à tour = in turn, by turns, alternately
un 33 tours = (record, album) LP
un 45 tours = (record, album) single
un 78 tours = (record, album) 78
acquérir un tour de main = to pick up a knack
attendre son tour = to wait one's turn
avoir plus d'un tour dans son sac = to have more than one trick up one's sleeve
avoir un tour de main = to have a knack
faire demi-tour (figurative) = to make a U-turn, do an about-face
faire le tour de = (place) to go around, look around, explore / (idea, possibility) to explore / (problem) to consider all angles
faire le tour du cadran = to go around the clock
faire un demi-tour = to do a U-turn, an about-turn
faire un tour de chevaux de bois = to ride a merry-go-round
faire chacun à son tour = to each do (something) in turn, to take turns
faire un tour d'Europe, de France = to tour Europe, France
faire le tour des invités = to do the rounds of the guests
faire un tour de manège = to ride a merry-go-round
faire le tour du monde = to go around the world
faire un tour à pied = to go for a walk
faire un tour à quelqu'un = to play a trick on someone
faire des tours et des détours = to meander, wind in and out, twist and turn
fermer une porte à double tour = to double-lock a door
jouer un tour à quelqu'un = to play a trick on someone
parler à son tour = to speak in turn
parler chacun à son tour = to each speak in turn
passer son tour = to miss one's turn
perdre son tour = to lose one's turn
prendre son tour = to take one's turn
À qui le tour ? = Whose turn is it?
à tour de bras = with all one's strength/might
à tour de rôle = in turn, alternately
À ton / votre tour (de jouer) = It's your turn
C'est reparti pour un tour ! (informal) = Here we go again!
C'est un tour à prendre. = It's just a knack you pick up.
C'est ton / votre tour = It's your turn
Chacun son tour ! = Wait your turn!
en un tour de main = in no time at all / prolifically / with a vengeance
Et le tour est joué ! = And there you have it! And Bob's your uncle!
Je lui réserve un tour à ma façon ! = I'll get him back in my own way!
On en a vite fait le tour = (place) There's not much to see / (book, idea) There's not much to it / (person) There's not much to him/her
Si on faisait le tour ? = Shall we walk around it?
Votre tour viendra = Your turn will come

Expressions With  Une Tour

la tour de Babel = tower of Babel
la tour de contrôle (aviation) = control tower
la tour Eiffel = Eiffel Tower
la tour de forage = drilling rig
la tour de guet = watch tower, look-out tower
la tour hertzienne = radio mast
la tour de l'horloge = clock tower
la tour d'ivoire = ivory tower
la tour de Londres = tower of London
la tour d'une mosquée = minaret
la tour de Pise = Leaning Tower of Pisa
C'est une vraie tour = S/he's as big as a house
être gros comme une tour, être massif comme une tour = to be as big as a house, to be very fat