avoir une tête et des jambes

French

Etymology

Literally, “to have a head and some legs”.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.vwa.ʁ‿yn tɛ.t‿e de ʒɑ̃b/, /a.vwa.ʁ‿yn te.t‿e de ʒɑ̃b/

• Audio

  (file)

Verb

avoir une tête et des jambes

1. (idiomatic) to have a combination of intelligence and athleticism

Usage notes

This expression may be used in the negative in either of two ways:

• avoir une tête mais pas de jambes

  Literally, to have a head but no legs; colloquially, to be intelligent, but unathletic.

• ne pas avoir de tête mais avoir des jambes, or
• avoir des jambes mais pas de tête

  Literally, to have legs but no head; colloquially, to be athletic but unintelligent