éminence grise
Related to éminence grise: gray eminence
éminence grise
Someone who is powerful in a particular area without having an official title. The phrase, French for "grey eminence," originally applied to one of Cardinal Richelieu's advisors, a monk who wore a grey robe. A: "Why should I worry about what Bob thinks? He doesn't even have a title!" B: "Yes, but he's the éminence grise of the firm, and the partners really value his opinion."
See also: eminence
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
- eminence
- great minds
- great minds think alike
- a penny for them
- be twiddling (one's) thumbs
- be twiddling your thumbs
- (as) sure as eggs (is eggs)
- no cigar
- not tonight, Josephine
- but for the grace of God