English Translation
We can’t call their bluff.
Is this an idiom? We can’t put them at the foot of the wall?
Hi James,
Yes it is, but I don’ think it’s a very good translation of the English sentence here.
I think that “to be up against the wall” would be better.
Apparently this expression dates back to the 16th century, back when fencing matches were quite a thing… One of the fencers would back off to protect themselves, until eventually they would find themselves up against the wall / “au pied du mur” or “have their back to the wall” / “être dos au mur”.