se reposer sur ses lauriers: meaning & examples

Meanings:

• 1.

  FranceneutralMachine
  • To become complacent by relying on past successes and therefore stop making efforts to improve or maintain performance.

• 2.

  FranceliteraryarchaicMachine
  • To rest literally on a wreath of laurels, a figurative image drawn from classical honorific traditions.

  Examples

  Beta

  • Au musée, la statue montre un héros se reposant sur ses lauriers après la victoire.

    At the museum, the statue shows a hero resting on his laurels after the victory.

  • Le poète s'est représenté lui-même se reposant sur ses lauriers, symbole de son succès passé.

    The poet depicted himself resting on his laurels, a symbol of his past success.

  • Dans cette fresque antique, les soldats se reposent sur leurs lauriers en signe d'honneur.

    In this ancient fresco, the soldiers rest on their laurels as a sign of honor.