Å gjøre kål på noe

Meaning: To finish something off completely.

Literally: To make cabbage of something

Example: “Barna gjorde kål på hele kaken på ti minutter.” — The kids made short work of the whole cake in ten minutes.

English equivalent: To make short work of something

Equivalents in other languages

English: make short work of something

Origin: "To make cabbage of something": to finish it off completely, destroy it or eat it all up. The phrase is colloquial Norwegian and Danish, and why cabbage is not documented.

More Norwegian idioms

Å være på pinebenken To be in anxious suspense.
Å være ute og sykle To be completely mistaken or to have no idea what you're talking about.
Å ha bein i nesa To be assertive and able to stand your ground.
Å snakke rett fra leveren To speak frankly, without softening anything.
Helt texas Utterly wild, chaotic or out of control.
Å koke bort i kålen To come to nothing; to fizzle out unresolved.

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Equivalents in other languages

More idioms — Food & Drink

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