vaches grasses
French
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Literally, “fat cows”; an allusion to the story in Genesis, chapter 41, in which Pharaoh has a dream in which seven lean cows devour seven fat cows. The dream is interpreted by Joseph to mean that seven years of plenty will be followed by seven years of famine (see Joseph (Genesis) § Joseph in prison).
Pronunciation
[edit]Noun
[edit]vaches grasses f pl (plural only)
- (figuratively) abundance, prosperity
- Synonyms: abondance, opulence
- Antonyms: vaches maigres, disette, pénurie
- temps de vaches grasses ― time(s) of prosperity
- période de vaches grasses ― period of prosperity
- années de vaches grasses ― years of prosperity, boom years