Coup de pied de Tane
Preserved but no longer current.
Literally, a kick from the ass's hoof; figuratively, a blow given to a vanquished or fallen man; a cowardly blow; an insult offered to one who has not the power of returning or avenging it. The allusion is to the fable of the sick lion kicked by the ass.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Coup de pied de Tane” mean?
Literally, a kick from the ass's hoof; figuratively, a blow given to a vanquished or fallen man; a cowardly blow; an insult offered to one who has not the power of returning or avenging it. The allusion is to the fable of the sick lion kicked by the ass.
Is “Coup de pied de Tane” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.