noun, feminine/vaʃ mɛɡʁ/
scarcity
“temps de vaches maigres, période de vaches maigres, années de vaches maigres” — lean times, lean period, lean years
Synonyms: disette, pénurie
Antonyms: vaches grasses, abondance, opulence
Literally, “lean cows”; an allusion to the story in Genesis, chapter 41, in which Pharaoh has a dream in which seven lean cows devour seven fat cows. The dream is interpreted by Joseph to mean that seven years of plenty will be followed by seven years of famine (see Joseph (Genesis) § Joseph in prison). Compare Spanish vacas flacas.