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adverb

tambour battant

/tɑ̃.buʁ ba.tɑ̃/

adverb/tɑ̃.buʁ ba.tɑ̃/

eagerly; promptly, briskly, energetically

mener une affaire tambour battant, mener une affaire rondement

Synonyms: rondement

Literally, “beating [the] drum”, with the positioning of the present participle after its complement which was frequent in Old French (the modern French equivalent would be battant tambour). Compare chemin faisant, Belle au bois dormant.

tambour battant — French Dictionary | Passage