Idioms No. 801 - 850

     
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No. Listen German Idiom   English Translation  
       
801.   jemandem (←dative) steht das Wasser bis zum Hals somebody is up to his/her neck in it
    ['je:mandəm ʃte:t das 'vasɐ bɪs tsʊm hals]  
    Literally: to somebody the water stands up to his/her neck  
       
802.   Reden ist Silber, Schweigen ist Gold Talk is silver, silence is golden.
    ['re:dən ɪst 'zɪlbɐ 'ʃvaigən ɪst gɔlt]  
       
803.   den Anstandswauwau spielen to play gooseberry
    [de:n 'anʃtantsvauvau 'ʃpi:lən]  
    Literally: to play the decency bow-wow  
       
804.   Hier lässt es sich aushalten. It's not a bad place.
    [hi:ə lɛst ɛs zɪç 'aushaltən]  
    Literally: Here you can endure it well.  
       
805.   jemandem (←dative) einen Bären aufbinden to feed somebody a line
    ['je:mandəm 'ainən 'bɛ:rən 'aufbɪndən]  
    Literally: to bind a bear up on somebody  
       
806.   jemandem (←dative) was vom Pferd erzählen to tell somebody a cock-and-bull story
    ['je:mandəm vas fɔm pfe:ɐt ɛɐ'tsɛ:lən]  
    Literally: to tell somebody something about the horse  
       
807.   Wird schon schiefgehen! It'll turn out OK!
    [vɪrt ʃo:n 'ʃi:fge:ən]  
    Literally: Will really go crooked!  
       
808.   vom Hölzchen aufs Stöckchen kommen to wander from topic to topic
    [fɔm 'hœltsçən aufs 'ʃtœkçən 'kɔmən]  
    Literally: to come from the small piece of wood on the little stick  
       
809.   viel reden, wenn der Tag lang ist to tell somebody anything
    [fi:l 're:dən vɛn de:ɐ ta:k laŋ ɪst]  
    Literally: to talk much if the day is long  
       
810.   zu Kreuze kriechen to eat humble pie
    [tsu: 'krɔytsə 'kri:çən]  
    Literally: to crawl to cross  
       
811.   in festen Händen sein to have a steady boyfriend/girlfriend
    [ɪn 'fɛstən 'hɛndən zain]  
    Literally: to be in firm hands  
       
812.   Und wenn du dich auf den Kopf stellst! You can talk until you're blue in the face!
    [ʊnt vɛn du: dɪç auf de:n kɔpf ʃtɛlst]  
    Literally: And even if you stand yourself on the head!  
       
813.   schwer auf Draht sein to be on one's toes
    [ʃve:ɐ auf dra:t zain]  
    Literally: to be heavily on wire  
       
814.   sich am Riemen reißen to get a grip on oneself
    [zɪç am 'ri:mən 'raisən]  
    Literally: to rip oneself at the strap  
       
815.   Bleibe im Land und nähre dich redlich. Dwell in the land and you shall be fed.
    ['blaibə ɪm lant ʊnt 'nɛ:rə dɪç 're:tlɪç]  
    Literally: Stay in the country and nourish yourself honestly.  
       
816.   Du hast wohl einen Sonnenstich! The sun must have addled your brain!
    [du: hast vo:l 'ainən 'zɔnənʃtɪç]  
    Literally: You probably have a sunstroke!  
       
817.   mit jemandem (←dative) Tacheles* reden to do some straight talking to somebody
    [mɪt 'je:mandəm 'taxələs 're:dən]  
    Literally: to talk straight to somebody  
    *Yiddish: tachles = aim, purpose  
       
818.   in die Jahre kommen to be getting on in years
    [ɪn di: 'ja:rə 'kɔmən]  
    Literally: to come in the years  
       
819.   sein wahres Gesicht zeigen to show one's true face
    [zain 'va:rəs gə'zɪçt 'tsaigən]  
       
820.   Nabelschau betreiben to contemplate one's own navel
    ['na:bəlʃau bə'traibən]  
    Literally: to run navel show  
       
821.   mucksmäuschenstill sein to be as quiet as a mouse
    [mʊksmɔysçən'ʃtɪl zain]  
    Literally: to be murmur mousie still  
       
822.   Das glaube ich gern. I quite believe it.
    [das 'glaubə ɪç gɛrn]  
    Literally: I believe that with pleasure.  
       
823.   es sich nicht aus den Rippen schneiden können to not be able to produce it out of thin air
    [ɛs zɪç nɪçt aus de:n 'rɪpən 'ʃnaidən 'kœnən]  
    Literally: to not be able to cut it out of the ribs  
       
824.   Ich dachte, mich trifft der Schlag! I was as if struck by a lightning!
    [ɪç 'daxtə mɪç trɪft de:ɐ ʃla:k]  
    Literally: I thought the stroke hits me!  
       
825.   sich etwas durch den Kopf gehen lassen to mull over something
    [zɪç 'ɛtvas dʊrç de:n kɔpf 'ge:ən 'lasən]  
    Literally: to let something go through one's head  
       
826.   soviel Ahnung davon haben wie eine Kuh vom Sonntag to not have got the faintest idea of it
    [zo: fi:l 'a:nʊŋ da'fɔn ha:bən vi: 'ainə ku: fɔm 'zɔnta:k]  
    Literally: to have as much idea of it as a cow of the Sunday  
       
827.   Ich glaub', ich steh' im Wald! I think I got off at the wrong station!
    [ɪç glaup ɪç ʃte: ɪm valt]  
    Literally: I think I am standing in the forest!  
       
828.   Saure-Gurken-Zeit silly season/summer recess
    ['zaurə 'gʊrkən tsait]  
    Literally: sour cucumber time  
       
829.   sich den Arsch aufreißen to bust one's arse
    [zɪç de:n arʃ 'aufraisən]  
    Literally: to rip open oneself the arse  
       
830.   immer auf dem Sprung sein to be always on the go
    ['ɪmɐ auf de:m ʃprʊŋ zain]  
    Literally: to be always on the jump  
       
831.   Wem das Glück aufspielt, der hat gut tanzen. He dances well to whom fortune pipes.
    [ve:m das glʏk 'aufʃpi:lt de:ɐ hat gu:t 'tantsən]  
    Literally: Whom the fortune plays has good dancing.  
       
832.   vor Wut kochen to be foaming with rage
    [fɔɐ vu:t 'kɔxən]  
    Literally: to boil with rage  
       
833.   sich bei jemandem (←dative) einschleimen to kiss someone's ass
    [zɪç bai 'je:mandəm 'ainʃlaimən]  
    Literally: to slime in to somebody  
       
834.   auf jemandem (←dative) herumhacken to pick on somebody
    [auf 'je:mandəm hɛ'rʊmhakən]  
       
835.   Vergib ihnen, denn sie wissen nicht, was sie tun! Forgive them for they know not what they do!
    [fɛɐ'gi:p 'i:nən dɛn zi: 'vɪsən nɪçt vas zi: tu:n]  
       
836.   auf gut Deutsch in plain English
    [auf gu:t dɔytʃ]  
    Literally: on good German  
       
837.   sich etwas einfallen lassen to come up with an idea
    [zɪç 'ɛtvas 'ainfalən 'lasən]  
    Literally: to let oneself fall something in  
       
838.   die Gelegenheit beim Schopf packen to grasp at an opportunity
    [di: gə'le:gənhait baim ʃɔpf 'pakən]  
    Literally: to grasp the opportunity by the shock of hair  
       
839.   Das hat mir gerade noch gefehlt! (iron) That's all I needed! (iron)
    [das hat mi:ə gə'ra:də nɔx gə'fe:lt]  
    Literally: That I have just missed additionally!  
       
840.   Gut Ding will Weile haben. Slow and steady wins the race.
    [gu:t dɪŋ vɪl 'vailə 'ha:bən]  
    Literally: Good thing wants to have while.  
       
841.   Haste* was, biste* was. Wealth brings status.
    ['hastə vas 'bɪstə vas]  
    Literally: Have you got something, you are something.  
    haste = hast du, biste = bist du  
       
842.   jemanden (←accusative) an die Kandare nehmen to keep a tight rein on somebody
    ['je:mandən an di: kan'darə 'ne:mən]  
    Literally: to take somebody at the bit  
       
843.   jemandem (←dative) den Mund wässrig machen to make somebody's mouth water
    ['je:mandəm de:n mʊnt 'vɛsrɪç 'maxən]  
    Literally: to make somebody the mouth watery  
       
844.   Das ist nicht mein Fall. That's not my cup of tea.
    [das ɪst nɪçt main fal]  
    Literally: That is not my case.  
       
845.   so gern ich auch möchte much as I would like
    [zo: gɛrn ɪç aux 'mœçtə]  
    Literally: as with pleasure I would like  
       
846.   mit Sack und Pack with bag and baggage
    [mɪt zak ʊnt pak]  
    Literally: with sack and package  
       
847.   jemandem (←dative) etwas um die Ohren hauen to beat somebody round the head with something
    ['je:mandəm 'ɛtvas ʊm di: 'o:rən 'hauən]  
    Literally: to beat somebody something round the ears  
       
848.   Wurzeln schlagen to put down roots
    ['vʊrtsəln 'ʃlagən]  
    Literally: to hit roots  
       
849.   Hinten Lyzeum, vorne Museum. Young from behind, old from in front.
    ['hɪntən ly'tse:ʊm 'fɔrnə mu'ze:ʊm]  
    Literally: At the back secondary school for girls, at the front museum.  
       
850.   Außen fix, innen nix! All show and no substance!
    ['ausən fɪks 'ɪnən nɪks]  
    Literally: On the outside quick, on the inside nothing!  
 
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