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 Read & Listen German Idioms No. 301 - 350    

Idioms No. 301 - 350
     
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No. Listen German Idiom   English Translation  
       
301.   Es gießt in Strömen. It's pouring with rain.
    [ɛs gi:st ɪn 'ʃtrø:mən]  
    Literally: It pours in streams.  
       
302.   sich auf seinen Lorbeeren ausruhen to rest on one's laurels
    [zɪç auf 'zainən 'lɔrbe:rən 'ausru:ən]  
       
303.   eine Leiche im Keller haben to have a skeleton in the closet
    ['ainə 'laiçə ɪm 'kɛlɐ 'ha:bən]  
    Literally: to have a corpse in the cellar  
       
304.   Daran gibt's nichts zu rütteln. There is no doubt about it.
    [da'ran gi:pts nɪçts tsu: 'rʏtəln]  
    Literally: There is nothing to jolt about it.  
       
305.   gegen das Urheberrecht verstoßen to infringe copyright laws
    ['ge:gən das 'u:əhe:bɐrɛçt fɛɐ'ʃto:sən]  
    Literally: to violate against the originator's right  
       
306.   Ein schöner Rücken kann auch entzücken. A beautiful rear can also endear.
    [ain 'ʃønɐ 'rʏkən kan aux ɛnt'tsʏkən]  
    Literally: A beautiful back can also enchant.  
       
307.   alle Brücken hinter sich abbrechen to burn one's boats
    ['alə 'brʏkən 'hɪntɐ zɪç 'apbrɛçən]  
    Literally: to break off all bridges behind one  
       
308.   jemandem (←dative) auf den Wecker gehen to get up somebody's nose
    ['je:mandəm auf de:n 'vɛkɐ 'ge:ən]  
    Literally: to go on somebody's alarm clock  
       
309.   etwas auf die lange Bank schieben to put something on the shelf
    ['ɛtvas auf di: 'laŋə baŋk 'ʃi:bən]  
    Literally: to push something on the long bench  
       
310.   bei jemandem (←dative) ins Fettnäpfchen treten to put one's foot in it with somebody
    [bai 'je:mandəm ɪns 'fɛtnɛpfçən 'tre:tən]  
    Literally: to step into the little fat bowl with somebody  
       
311.   Nägel mit Köpfen machen to do the job properly
    ['nɛ:gəl mɪt 'kœpfən 'maxən]  
    Literally: to make nails with heads  
       
312.   Not macht erfinderisch. Necessity is the mother of invention.
    [no:t maxt ɛɐ'fɪndərɪʃ]  
    Literally: Necessity makes inventive.  
       
313.   Eine Krähe hackt der anderen kein Auge aus. Hawks will not pick out hawks' eyes.
    ['ainə 'krɛ:ə hakt de:ɐ 'andərən kain 'augə aus]  
    Literally: A crow picks out no eye of the other.  
       
314.   Das juckt mich überhaupt nicht. I couldn't care less.
    [das jʊkt mɪç y:bɐ'haupt nɪçt]  
    Literally: That does not itch me at all.  
       
315.   wie ein begossener Pudel aussehen to look like a drowned rat
    [vi: ain bə'gɔsənɐ 'pu:dəl 'ausze:ən]  
    Literally: to look like a poured poodle  
       
316.   Öl ins Feuer gießen to add fuel to the fire
    [ø:l ɪns 'fɔyɐ 'gi:sən]  
    Literally: to pour oil in the fire  
       
317.   eine Nadel im Heuhaufen suchen to look for a needle in a haystack
    ['ainə 'na:dəl ɪm 'hɔyhaufən 'zu:xən]  
    Literally: to look for a needle in the haystack  
       
318.   Müßiggang ist aller Laster Anfang. The devil finds work for idle hands.
    ['my:sɪçgaŋ ɪst 'alɐ 'lastɐ 'anfaŋ]  
    Literally: Idleness is the beginning of all vice.  
       
319.   Alles Gute! All the best!
    ['aləs 'gu:tə]  
    Literally: All good!  
       
320.   Hand aufs Herz! Be honest!
    [hant aufs hɛrts]  
    Literally: Hand on the heart!  
       
321.   mit Zuckerbrot und Peitsche with a carrot and a stick
    [mɪt 'tsʊkɐbro:t ʊnt 'paitʃə]  
    Literally: with sugar bread and whip  
       
322.   einen im Tee haben to be tipsy
    ['ainən ɪm te: 'ha:bən]  
    Literally: to have one in the tea  
       
323.   auf Nummer sicher gehen to play it safe
    [auf 'nʊmɐ 'zɪçɐ 'ge:ən]  
    Literally: to go on number safe  
       
324.   Na endlich! At long last!
    [na 'ɛntlɪç]  
    Literally: Well, finally!  
       
325.   Das ist ja ein dicker Hund! That's a bit much!
    [das ɪst ja: ain 'dɪkɐ hʊnt]  
    Literally: That really is a big dog!  
       
326.   Helau! form of greeting during the carnival period
    [he'lau] derived from: Hölle auf!
    Literally: Hell open! Hel was the germanic goddess of the underworld
      and carnival is celebrated to drive away the
      winter and the evil spirits which came to earth
      when the gates of hell were opened.
       
327.   der Konkurrenz hinterherhinken to lag one step behind the competition
    [de:ɐ kɔŋkʊ'rɛnts hɪntɐ'he:ɐhɪŋkən]  
    Literally: to limp after the competitor  
       
328.   das Handtuch werfen to throw in the towel
    [das 'hantu:x 'vɛrfən]  
    Literally: to throw the towel  
       
329.   Die Luft ist rein. The coast is clear.
    [di: lʊft ɪst rain]  
    Literally: The air is clean.  
       
330.   Friss, Vogel, oder stirb! Sink or swim!
    [frɪs 'fo:gəl 'o:dɐ ʃtɪrp]  
    Literally: Eat, bird, or die!  
       
331.   im Schneckentempo at a snail's pace
    [ɪm 'ʃnɛkəntɛmpo]  
    Literally: in the snails' tempo  
       
332.   Blut ist dicker als Wasser. Blood is thicker than water.
    [blu:t ɪst 'dɪkɐ als 'vasɐ]  
       
333.   Rutsch mir (←dative) doch den Buckel runter! Get off my back!
    [rʊtʃ mi:ə dɔx de:n 'bʊkəl 'rʊntɐ]  
    Literally: Slide down my hunchback!  
       
334.   vor die Hunde gehen to go to the dogs
    [fɔɐ di: 'hʊndə 'ge:ən]  
    Literally: to go in front of the dogs  
       
335.   Ich bin mit meinem Latein am Ende! I'm at my wits' end!
    [ɪç bɪn mɪt 'mainəm la'tain am 'ɛndə]  
    Literally: I'm at the end with my latin!  
       
336.   Lange Rede, kurzer Sinn,... To cut a long story short,...
    ['laŋə 're:də 'kʊrtsɐ zɪn]  
    Literally: Long speech, short sense,...  
       
337.   vor Freude völlig aus dem Häuschen sein to be tickled pink
    [fɔɐ 'frɔydə 'fœlɪç aus de:m 'hɔysçən zain]  
    Literally: to be entirely outside the little house with joy  
       
338.   jemanden (←accusative) auf die Folter spannen to put someone on the rack
    ['je:mandən auf di: 'fɔltɐ 'ʃpanən]  
    Literally: to stretch someone on the rack  
       
339.   sich zu Tode langweilen to be bored out of one's mind
    [zɪç tsu: 'to:də 'laŋvailən]  
    Literally: to bore oneself to death  
       
340.   etwas aus dem Ärmel schütteln to pull something out of a hat
    ['ɛtvas aus de:m 'ɛrməl 'ʃʏtəln]  
    Literally: to shake something out of the sleeve  
       
341.   Pass auf, was du sagst! Watch your mouth!
    [pas auf vas du: zakst]  
    Literally: Watch out what you say!  
       
342.   Raus da! Get out of there!
    [raus da:]  
    Literally: Out there!  
       
343.   jemanden (←accusative) Huckepack nehmen to give someone a piggyback ride
    ['je:mandən 'hʊkəpak 'ne:mən]  
    Literally: to take someone backpack  
       
344.   Ich habe es satt. I'm fed up with it.
    [ɪç 'ha:bə ɛs zat]  
    Literally: I have it sated.  
       
345.   den kleinsten gemeinamen Nenner finden to find the least common denominator
    [de:n 'klainstən gə'mainza:mən 'nɛnɐ 'fɪndən]  
    Literally: to find the smallest common denominator  
       
346.   wissen, was gespielt wird to know the score
    ['vɪsən vas gə'ʃpi:lt vɪrt]  
    Literally: to know what is played  
       
347.   Liebe deinen Nächsten wie dich selbst! Love thy neighbour as thyself!
    ['li:bə 'dainən 'nɛ:çstən vi: dɪç zɛlpst]  
    Literally: Love your next as yourself!  
       
348.   Die Geschichte hat einen langen Bart. The story is as old as the hills.
    [di: gə'ʃɪçtə hat 'ainən 'laŋən ba:ɐt]  
    Literally: The story has a long beard.  
       
349.   sich etwas in den Kopf setzen to take something into one's head
    [zɪç 'ɛtvas ɪn de:n kɔpf 'zɛtsən]  
    Literally: to put something into the head  
       
350.   Der Arme fängt den Fuchs, der Reiche trägt den Pelz. Beggars breed and rich men feed.
    [de:ɐ 'armə fɛŋt de:n fʊks de:ɐ 'raiçə trɛ:kt de:n pɛlts]  
    Literally: The poor catches the fox, the rich wears the fur.  
 
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