pas devant

[ French pah duh-vahn ]

interjection

1. French. not in front (of): used to suggest or warn that discretion is needed in the presence of children or other people:

   There are so many jokes that could be told, but this is a family event, so pas devant!

Word History and Origins

Origin of pas devant¹

First recorded in 1950–1955; from French pas “not” (short for ne...pas, literally “not a step”; pace ¹( def ) ) + devant “in front (of),” compound of de de ( def ) and avant “before” ( avant-garde ( def ) )

Example Sentences

Pas devant les enfants, as my grandmother used to say.

From The Guardian

It’s almost not criticising the idea at all, rather just muttering that perhaps we shouldn’t say this outloud, along the lines of pas devant les enfants.

From Forbes

Cracked a foreign diplomat in expectant Washington: "Us ne passeront pas devant le maire* but there will be a common-law marriage."

From Time Magazine Archive

Je poussai mon cheval quelques pas devant le sien; j'etois eurieux de l'observer dans un pareil moment.

From Project Gutenberg

"Il m'est mout grant honneur en la paix que je foiz au Roy d'Angleterre pour ce qu'il est mon home, ce que n'estoit pas devant."

From Project Gutenberg