Att ha tummen mitt i handen
Meaning: To be hopelessly clumsy; all thumbs.
Language: Swedish
Literally: To have the thumb in the middle of the hand
Category: Body & Senses
Origin: A thumb stuck in the center of the palm would make the hand useless, picturing total clumsiness.
More idioms — Body & Senses
- Wiercić komuś dziurę w brzuchu — To nag someone relentlessly.
- Vetää lonkalta — To improvise; to wing it.
- Mít všech pět pohromadě — To be of sound mind.
- يد واحدة لا تصفق (yad wāḥida lā tuṣaffiqu) — Nothing is achieved without cooperation.
- नाक में दम करना (naak mein dam karna) — To harass or pester relentlessly.
- מצא חן בעיניי (matsa chen be'einai) — It pleased me; I liked it.
More Swedish idioms
- Nu är det kokta fläsket stekt — Now we're really in trouble.
- Att kasta yxan i sjön — To give up completely.
- Att ha en räv bakom örat — To be cunning and sly.
- Att smita från notan — To dodge paying or shirk responsibility.
- Att sätta sig på tvären — To be obstinate and refuse to cooperate.
- ge järnet — Exert maximum effort; give one's all.
From our compliments & insults
- Tu as une cervelle de moineau — You're scatterbrained and forgetful.
- Без царя в голове (Bez tsarya v golove) — Foolish and reckless — with no one in charge upstairs.
- Cabeça de alho chocho — A forgetful scatterbrain whose thoughts won't stay put.