IdiomNature
Danish
DanishAt gå over åen efter vand
Meaning: To do something in a needlessly roundabout way.
Literally: To cross the stream to fetch water
Example: “Hvorfor køre til byen efter æg, når naboen har høns? Det er at gå over åen efter vand.” — Why drive to town for eggs when the neighbor keeps hens? That's going around the houses.
English equivalent: To go around the houses
Origin: Crossing the stream to fetch water, when there is water on one's own side, is going a long way round for something close at hand. The saying is old and shared with Swedish (gå över ån efter vatten) and Norwegian; no first use is documented.
Equivalents in other languages
Japanese: 二階から目薬 (Nikai kara megusuri) Literally: Eye drops from the second floor
English: go around the houses
More Danish idioms
- At trække det store læs To do the heavy lifting and carry the work.
- At træde i spinaten To put your foot in it; to blunder.
- At score kassen To make a big, easy profit.
- At slå koldt vand i blodet To calm down and keep a cool head.
- At gå agurk To go crazy or berserk.
- At have rotter på loftet To be a little crazy.
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