Welcome to Expressions bien de chez nous! Today you will learn the expression c’est tiré par les cheveux. It involves two key words: tirer, which means “to pull”, and cheveux, which means “hair”. Are you already getting a picture of what it might mean? Let’s find out if you guessed right.

Where does it come from?

This expression appeared in the 17th century with the meaning of forcing something, of making something happen against its natural logic. It comes from the very literal and physical image of pulling someone by the hair: a violent, unnatural act that drags a person somewhere they would not naturally go on their own.

Applied to language and reasoning, the image is just as vivid. A story or argument that is tiré par les cheveux has been dragged, by force, toward a conclusion it would never have reached on its own. Today, we use this expression when a piece of reasoning is complicated, implausible or simply too much of a stretch to be believable.

What does it mean?

C’est tiré par les cheveux describes a story, explanation or argument that is far-fetched, unconvincing or hard to believe. Tiré is the past participle of tirer, meaning “to pull”. And les cheveux refers specifically to the hair on your head, not body hair. Put it together: pulled by the hair, dragged somewhere it does not belong.

You use this expression when something does not add up, when an excuse is too convenient, when a reasoning requires too many logical leaps, or when a story simply does not ring true. It is the French equivalent of saying something is far-fetched, a stretch, or hard to swallow.

Some examples

A girl comes home from school and tells her parents she was punished, but it was not her fault. Her pencil fell off her desk, and when she reached to pick it up, Tommy grabbed it first. It was Tommy who was talking, not her. Her father listens patiently and then replies:

“Elle est un peu tirée par les cheveux, ton histoire.”
Your story is a bit far-fetched.

In a second example, your boss gives an inspiring speech: salaries will be raised as soon as sales break last year’s record. You have heard this kind of promise before. You know the company’s situation. You are fairly certain it will not happen. After the speech, you turn to your colleague and say:

“C’est un peu tiré par les cheveux, non?”
That’s a bit of a stretch, isn’t it?

Both examples show how flexible the expression is. You can use it to question a child’s excuse, a politician’s promise, a film plot that does not hold together, or a colleague’s justification that does not quite add up. Any time something seems to require too much goodwill to believe, c’est tiré par les cheveux is the phrase you need.

Keep exploring French expressions

C’est tiré par les cheveux is one of those expressions that, once you know it, you will find yourself using regularly. French conversation is full of moments where an explanation does not quite hold up, and now you have exactly the right phrase for it.

Do you remember a situation where you used a similar expression in your own language? Discover more vivid French expressions in our French expressions from Bordeaux series. And if you want to practise using them in real conversations, our French language courses in Bordeaux are the perfect setting. You can also test yourself with our online quizzes on French expressions.

Come and experience Bordeaux for yourself. We promise the city will not disappoint, and that is not tiré par les cheveux at all. Discover it through our cultural activities in Bordeaux.

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