Common Icelandic idiomatic expressions with their literal and figurative meanings, one idiom per card. Front: the Icelandic word or phrase. Back: English meaning.
40 cards · basic cards · AI-written, checked twice. Edit anything.
- Að kasta hnútum
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Literally 'to throw knots'; means to hurl snide insults at someone- Að leggja árar í bát
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Literally 'to lay the oars in the boat'; means to give up- Að taka til hendinni
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Literally 'to grab with the hand'; means to get to work, to pitch in- Að vera með böggum hildar
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Literally 'to have Hildur's bundles'; means to be troubled or worried- Að láta ekki deigan síga
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Literally 'to not let the dough sink'; means to not lose heart, to keep going- Að fara á límingunum
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Literally 'to come apart at the glue'; means to lose one's temper- Að slá tvær flugur í einu höggi
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Literally 'to hit two flies in one blow'; means to kill two birds with one stone- Að hafa mörg járn í eldinum
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Literally 'to have many irons in the fire'; means to have several projects going at once- Að vera úti á þekju
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Literally 'to be out on the roof'; means to be clueless, out of touch- Að vaða í villu og svima
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Literally 'to wade in error and dizziness'; means to be greatly mistaken- Að leggja eitthvað á hilluna
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Literally 'to put something on the shelf'; means to shelve or postpone a plan- Að bera í bakkafullan lækinn
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Literally 'to carry to an already full stream'; means to do something pointless or redundant- Að vera með allt á hreinu
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Literally 'to have everything clean'; means to have everything figured out- Að gera úlfalda úr mýflugu
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Literally 'to make a camel out of a fly'; means to make a mountain out of a molehill- Að skjóta sig í fótinn
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Literally 'to shoot oneself in the foot'; means to sabotage one's own effort
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