C'est la guerre

Literally: "It's the war!"

This French phrase of resignation gained widespread use during World War II. It provided the universal excuse for everything that was broken, no longer functioned, was unavailable or could not be accomplished. It also explained away all unusual behavior. That it is in the language of a nation whose life and joie de vivre was being crushed by an occupational army gives it an aroused sensibility.

The phrase lingered into European reconstruction and then into modern times in all nations. It is spoken with a wry acknowledgement of its former literal meaning even though it may currently describe any other interfering force preventing accomplishment of a task, even laziness.

Jacques: "Renee gave herself to some soldiers for a bar of chocolate and a pair of silk stockings. What a slut!"
Pierre: "No, no, she's a good girl. C'est la guerre!"

Howard: "Traffic has become so tied up every day that I have to allow an additional hour to get to the city."
Jimmy: "That's life in the big city, C'est la guerre."

C'est la guerre by Chris Zizzo November 5, 2006

C'est la guerre

Usually said with a shrug of the shoulders, upturned palms, and a slight shake of the head "C'est la guerre" is a nicely ironic phrase used as an excuse for anything which goes wrong, often due to incompetence (sometimes one's own) or cirmumstances beyond ones control. A less elegant phrase would be "Hey, what can you do?"

Q "Tsk. Why do these trains never run on time?"
A "C'est la guerre"

C'est la guerre by Mitche1 September 25, 2005

C'est la guerre

The antoym of C'est la vie, this implies that the chase will not be given up. Literally translated to "It's the war", although better translation provieds "This is war".

See my definition of C'est la vie

C'est la guerre by Kung-Fu Jesus May 9, 2004