auf dem Teppich bleiben
Meaning: To stay grounded and realistic; to avoid getting swept up in fantasies or exaggeration.
Language: German
Literally: to remain on the carpet
Category: Daily Life
Origin: Origin uncertain; the image contrasts staying on solid ground (the carpet) with flying away into abstraction or delusion.
More idioms — Daily Life
- seinen Hut nehmen — To resign or quit from a position.
- aus der Portokasse zahlen — To pay a large sum without difficulty because one has abundant resources.
- im Sturm nehmen — To achieve sudden and overwhelming success or popularity.
- kein unbeschriebenes Blatt sein — To be a person whose background, reputation, or history is already known.
- per amore o per forza — by any means necessary; whether one wishes it or not.
- tirare l'acqua al proprio mulino — to act in self-interest, redirecting resources or advantage to oneself.
More German idioms
- die Faxen dicke haben — To be fed up; to have had enough of someone's nonsense or misbehavior.
- 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.
- gehüpft wie gesprungen — It makes no difference; the distinction between two things is negligible.
- über den Jordan gehen — To die.
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