at the stroke of a pen
Meaning: By one quick official decision.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “At the stroke of a pen, the tax was abolished.”
Category: Daily Life
Origin: A single signature can create or cancel a law. The phrase is recorded from the 19th century.
Equivalents in other languages
- Spanish: de un plumazo — literally: with a single feather stroke
More idioms — Daily Life
- not on your life — Absolutely not.
- make a clean break — To end something completely rather than gradually.
- a bit on the side — A secret lover; an affair.
- look out for number one — To put one's own interests first.
- with only the clothes on one's back — With no possessions at all.
- well, I never! — An exclamation of surprise or disbelief.
More English idioms
- tread carefully — To act with great caution in a delicate situation.
- pull the other one — Said to someone telling an obvious lie.
- use someone as a cat's paw — To get someone else to do one's dirty work.
- lose one's marbles — To go crazy.
- luck out — To have unexpected good luck.
- the heart of the matter — The most important part of an issue.
From our compliments & insults
- Pantoffelheld — A man who is only bold and brave at home — a henpecked pushover who bluster turns into a…
- Schlauberger — A know-it-all smartass who never misses a chance to show off their cleverness.
- Dickkopf — A pig-headed, unyielding person — their skull is so thick no new idea can penetrate it.