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 Read & Listen German Idioms No. 551 - 600    

Idioms No. 551 - 600
     
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No. Listen German Idiom   English Translation  
       
551.   jemanden (←accusative) beim Wort nehmen to take somebody at his/her word
    ['je:mandən baim vɔrt 'ne:mən]  
    Literally: to take somebody at the word  
       
552.   auf dem Teppich bleiben to keep one's feet on the ground
    [auf de:m 'tɛpɪç 'blaibən]  
    Literally: to stay on the carpet  
       
553.   jemanden (←accusative) ausnehmen wie eine Weihnachtsgans to take somebody to the cleaners
    ['je:mandən 'ausne:mən vi: 'ainə 'vainaxtsgans]  
    Literally: to take somebody out like a Christmas goose  
       
554.   sich etwas vormachen to fool oneself
    [zɪç 'ɛtvas 'fɔɐmaxən]  
    Literally: to show something to oneself  
       
555.   die Hände in den Schoß legen to sit back and do nothing
    [di: 'hɛndə ɪn de:n ʃo:s 'le:gən]  
    Literally: to lay the hands in the lap  
       
556.   sauer sein to be cross
    ['zauɐ zain]  
    Literally: to be sour  
       
557.   Was glaubst du eigentlich, wer du bist? Who do you think you are?
    [vas glaupst du: 'aigəntlɪç ve:ɐ du: bɪst]  
    Literally: What do you actually believe you are?  
       
558.   auf eigenen Füßen stehen to stand on one's own feet
    [auf 'aigənən 'fy:sən 'ʃte:ən]  
    Literally: to stand on own feet  
       
559.   Jetzt ist aber Feierabend! That's enough now!
    [jɛtst ɪst 'a:bɐ 'faiɐʔa:bənt]  
    Literally: Now it is really closing time (celebratory evening)!  
       
560.   Das reicht gerade für den hohlen Zahn. That wouldn't keep a sparrow alive.
    [das raiçt gəˈra:də fy:ə de:n 'ho:lən tsa:n]  
    Literally: That is just sufficient for the hollow tooth.  
       
561.   ein Ass im Ärmel haben to have an ace up one's sleeve
    [ain as ɪm 'ɛrməl 'ha:bən]  
    Literally: to have an ace in the sleeve  
       
562.   Was geht hier vor? What's going on here?
    [vas ge:t hi:ə fɔɐ]  
    Literally: What goes here ahead?  
       
563.   Ich glaub', mich tritt ein Pferd! Well, I'll be blowed!
    [ɪç glaup mɪç trɪt ain pfe:ɐt]  
    Literally: I believe a horse kicks me!  
       
564.   bis zum Anschlag as far as it will go
    [bɪs tsʊm 'anʃla:k]  
    Literally: up to the stop  
       
565.   in höheren Regionen schweben to have one's head in the clouds
    [ɪn 'hø:ərən re'gio:nən 'ʃve:bən]  
    Literally: to hover in higher regions  
       
566.   die oberen Zehntausend high society
    [di: 'o:bərən tse:n'tauzənt]  
    Literally: the upper ten thousand  
       
567.   Wie man in den Wald hineinruft, so schallt es heraus. You are treated as you treat others.
    [vi: man ɪn de:n valt hɪ'nainru:ft zo: ʃalt ɛs hɛ'raus]  
    Literally: How you shout into the forest, so it echoes out.  
       
568.   am Ball bleiben to stay on the ball
    [am bal 'blaibən]  
    Literally: to stay at the ball  
       
569.   blaumachen to chuck a sickie
    ['blaumaxən]  
    Literally: to make blue  
       
570.   Du hast gut reden. It's all very well for you to talk.
    [du: hast gu:t 're:dən]  
    Literally: You have good talking.  
       
571.   Jedem Tierchen sein Pläsierchen. Each to his/their own.
    ['je:dəm 'ti:əçən zain plɛ:'zi:əçən]  
    Literally: To each little animal its own little pleasure.  
       
572.   Es liegt mir auf der Zunge. It's on the tip of my tongue.
    ['ɛs li:kt mi:ə auf de:ɐ 'tsʊŋə]  
    Literally: It lies me on the tongue.  
       
573.   auf Gegenseitigkeit beruhen to be mutual
    [auf 'ge:gənzaitɪçkait bə'ru:ən]  
    Literally: to be based on mutuality  
       
574.   sich in den Haaren liegen to be at each other's throats
    [zɪç ɪn de:n 'ha:rən 'li:gən]  
    Literally: to lie each other in the hairs  
       
575.   mit jemandem (←dative) auf Kriegsfuß stehen to be at loggerheads with somebody
    [mɪt 'je:mandəm auf 'kri:ksfu:s 'ʃte:ən]  
    Literally: to be on war foot with somebody  
       
576.   Immer mit der Ruhe! Take it easy!
    ['ɪmɐ mɪt de:ɐ 'ru:ə]  
    Literally: Always with the peace!  
       
577.   Der Schein trügt. Appearances are deceptive.
    [de:ɐ ʃain try:kt]  
    Literally: The appearance deceives.  
       
578.   jemanden (←accusative) fertigmachen to wipe the floor with somebody
    ['je:mandən ˈfɛrtɪçmaxən]  
    Literally: to make somebody finished  
       
579.   Bei Geld hört die Freundschaft auf. Don't mix money and friendship.
    [bai gɛlt hørt di: 'frɔyntʃaft auf]  
    Literally: With money the friendship stops.  
       
580.   jemanden (←accusative) an der Nase herumführen to draw a red herring across the track
    ['je:mandən an de:ɐ 'na:zə hɛ'rʊmfy:rən]  
    Literally: to lead somebody around by the nose  
       
581.   den Löffel abgeben to kick the bucket
    [de:n 'lœfəl 'apge:bən]  
    Literally: to give away the spoon  
       
582.   jemanden (←accusative) auf dem Kieker* haben to have a down on somebody
    ['je:mandən auf de:m 'ki:kɐ 'ha:bən]  
    Literally: to have somebody on the looker  
    *kieken (North German) = gucken = to look  
       
583.   jemandem (←dative) das Leben zur Hölle machen to make life miserable for somebody
    ['je:mandəm das 'le:bən tsʊə 'hœlə 'maxən]  
    Literally: to make somebody the life to the hell  
       
584.   Ich werd' nicht mehr! Well, blow me!
    [ɪç ve:ɐt nɪçt me:ɐ]  
    Literally: I don't become anymore!  
       
585.   für die Katz sein to be for the birds
    [fy:ə di: kats zain]  
    Literally: to be for the cat  
       
586.   jemanden (←accusative) hinters Licht führen to pull the wool over somebody's eyes
    ['je:mandən 'hɪntɐs lɪçt 'fy:rən]  
    Literally: to lead somebody behind the light  
       
587.   eine Pechsträhne haben to have a streak of bad luck
    ['ainə 'pɛçʃtrɛ:nə 'ha:bən]  
    Literally: to have a pitch streak  
       
588.   mit Kanonen auf Spatzen schießen to take a sledgehammer to crack a nut
    [mɪt ka'no:nən auf 'ʃpatsən 'ʃi:sən]  
    Literally: to shoot on sparrows with canons  
       
589.   sich an etwas die Zähne ausbeißen to have a tough time of it with something
    [zɪç an 'ɛtvas di: 'tsɛ:nə 'ausbaisən]  
    Literally: to bite out one's teeth at something  
       
590.   Fisimatenten machen to make a fuss
    [fizima'tɛntən 'maxən]  
    Literally: to make silly things  
       
591.   Stille Wasser gründen tief. Still waters run deep.
    ['ʃtɪlə 'vasɐ ˈgrʏndən ti:f]  
    Literally: Still waters ground deep.  
       
592.   Ach du lieber Gott! Oh Lord!
    [ax du: 'li:bɐ gɔt]  
    Literally: Oh you dear God!  
       
593.   etwas durch die rosarote Brille sehen to see something through rose-coloured glasses
    ['ɛtvas dʊrç di: 'ro:zaro:tə 'brɪlə 'ze:ən]  
    Literally: to see something through the rose pink glasses  
       
594.   das Ei unterm Huhn verkaufen to sell one's goods as soon as they are produced
    [das ai 'ʊntɐm hu:n fɛɐ'kaufən]  
    Literally: to sell the egg under the chicken  
       
595.   eine große Klappe haben to have a big mouth
    ['ainə 'gro:sə 'klapə 'habən]  
    Literally: to have a big flap  
       
596.   nah am Wasser gebaut haben to be prone to tears
    [na: am 'vasɐ gə'baut 'habən]  
    Literally: to have built close to the water  
       
597.   ein dummes Gesicht machen to make a silly face
    [ain 'dʊməs gə'zɪçt 'maxən]  
    Literally: to make a stupid face  
       
598.   einen Sprung in der Schüssel haben to be crackers
    ['ainən ʃprʊŋ ɪn de:ɐ 'ʃʏsel 'ha:bən]  
    Literally: to have a crack in the bowl  
       
599.   sich einen Klops leisten to make a real howler
    [zɪç 'ainən klɔps 'laistən]  
    Literally: to afford oneself a meatball  
       
600.   So weit, so gut. So far, so good.
    [zo: vait zo: gu:t]  
 
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