Að taka einhvern á beinið

Meaning: To give someone a stern talking-to.

Literally: To take someone onto the bone

Example: “Kennarinn tók hann á beinið fyrir að svindla.” — The teacher read him the riot act for cheating.

English equivalent: To read the riot act

Equivalents in other languages

English: To read the riot act
French: Passer un savon Literally: To pass a soap
German: jemanden zur Schnecke machen Literally: To make someone into a snail

Origin: "To take someone onto the bone": to give them a stern telling-off. The phrase is everyday Icelandic, and why the bone is not documented.

Að fara í geitarhús að leita ullar To seek something where it can't possibly be found.
Að leggja árar í bát To give up and stop trying.
Að leggja höfuðið í bleyti To sleep on a problem and think hard about it.
Þetta reddast Things will work out fine in the end.
Að ganga með grasið í skónum To pursue someone persistently, especially to court them.
Að kasta til höndunum To do a job carelessly and in haste.

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