an die Kandare nehmen

Meaning: To restrain, control, or impose discipline on someone.

Literally: To take someone to the curb-chain

Example: “Der neue Chef hat die Abteilung an die Kandare genommen.” — The new boss has reined the department in.

English equivalent: To rein someone in

Equivalents in other languages

Origin: A Kandare is a severe type of horse bit; the phrase pictures reining in a person as one would control a headstrong horse.

auf dem Teppich bleiben To stay grounded and realistic; to avoid getting swept up in fantasies or exaggeration.
seinen Hut nehmen To resign or quit from a position.
die Faxen dicke haben To be fed up; to have had enough of someone's nonsense or misbehavior.
aus der Portokasse zahlen To pay a large sum without difficulty because one has abundant resources.
jemandem in Fleisch und Blut übergehen To become second nature or instinctive; to be absorbed so deeply that it feels like part…
eine Schraube locker haben To be slightly eccentric or mentally unbalanced.

Compliments and insults from around the world, from the sweet to the savage.

Du bist klasse You're brilliant — excellent, impressive, top-notch.
Faulpelz A lazybones — someone who lounges around and avoids any effort, as warm and inert as a fu…
Griesgram A perpetual grump who radiates dissatisfaction and sucks the joy out of every room.

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