
IdiomNature
Portuguese
arrastar pela lama
Meaning: to publicly humiliate or damage someone's reputation.
Literally: To drag through the mud
Example: “Os jornais arrastaram o treinador pela lama depois da derrota.” — The papers dragged the coach's name through the mud after the defeat.
English equivalent: To drag someone's name through the mud
Equivalents in other languages
Polish: zmieszać z błotem Literally: To mix with mud
French: Vouer aux gémonies Literally: To consign to the Gemoniae
French: Dire pis que pendre de quelqu'un Literally: To say worse than hanging about someoneEnglish: drag someone's name through the mud
Origin: Dragging someone through the mud soils them in front of everyone, and mud has long stood for disgrace. The phrase means ruining someone's reputation publicly, like English "drag someone's name through the mud." No particular story lies behind it.
More Portuguese idioms
- comprar briga to intentionally provoke a quarrel or confrontation with someone.
- há algo de podre no reino da Dinamarca something is deeply wrong or suspicious, though the truth may be hidden.
- nascer em berço de ouro to be born into wealth and privilege; to come from a rich family.
- colocar o carro à frente dos bois To have the wrong priorities or do things in the wrong order.
- vaca sagrada Something so valued or protected that it cannot be criticized, changed, or harmed.
- morrer de rir To laugh very hard or uproariously.
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