bend over backwards

Meaning: To make a great effort to help or please someone.

Language: English

Literally: (Already vivid in English)

Example: “The hotel staff bent over backwards to find us a room.”

Category: Body & Senses

Origin: Bending backwards is hard and uncomfortable, like the effort made. The phrase is common from the early 20th century.

Equivalents in other languages

Korean: 발 벗고 나서다 (bal beotgo naseoda) — literally: To step forward with bare feet
Romanian: A se face luntre și punte — literally: To make oneself boat and bridge

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play into someone's hands — To act in a way that unintentionally helps an opponent.
Tomber dans les pommes — Suddenly losing consciousness — possibly derived from the older expression 'être dans les…
Avoir la moutarde qui monte au nez — To be getting angry.
Couper les cheveux en quatre — To over-analyze or split hairs.
Se regarder le nombril — To be self-centered or narcissistic.

better late than never — It is better to do something late than not at all.
be afraid of one's own shadow — To be very timid and easily frightened.
lightning never strikes twice — An unusual event, lucky or unlucky, is unlikely to happen again in the same way.
a blessing in disguise — Something that seems bad at first but turns out well.
when in Rome, do as the Romans do — Follow local customs when visiting a place.
teach your grandmother to suck eggs — To give advice to someone who knows far more than you.

Short reckonings are soon cleared. — Quick settlements of debts prevent disputes and preserve relationships before resentment…
Never sigh but send. — Regret without action wastes energy; channel dissatisfaction into purposeful effort inste…
White silver draws black lines. — Silver's brilliance requires contrast; purity and darkness define each other's value.