IdiomDaily Life
Polish
Polishbez owijania w bawełnę
Meaning: Bluntly and directly, without softening or sugarcoating one's words.
Literally: Without wrapping in cotton
Example: “Powiem bez owijania w bawełnę: ten projekt jest za drogi.” — I won't mince my words: this project is too expensive.
English equivalent: Not to mince one's words
Equivalents in other languages
Spanish: No tener pelos en la lengua Literally: To have no hairs on the tongue
French: Appeler un chat un chat Literally: To call a cat a cat
Norwegian: Å snakke rett fra leveren Literally: To speak straight from the liver
Italian: Non avere peli sulla lingua Literally: To have no hairs on your tongue
Portuguese: nu e cru Literally: Naked and raw
English: call a spade a spade- French: Ne pas y aller par quatre chemins Literally: Not to go by four roads
- French: Ne pas mâcher ses mots Literally: Not to chew one's words
- English: not mince one's words
Origin: Wrapping something in cotton wool hides its shape and softens it. Owijać w bawełnę is talking in hints and avoiding the point, as Polish Wiktionary defines it, so speaking bez owijania w bawełnę (without wrapping in cotton) is speaking bluntly. No first use is documented.
More Polish idioms
- strzyc uszami To prick up one's ears; to listen intently.
- cud miód Something delicious, wonderful, or excellent.
- wąchać kwiatki od spodu To be dead; to push up daisies.
- rany koguta A mild exclamation expressing surprise, frustration, or emphasis.
- stracić głowę To act without rational thought; to abandon self-control and sound judgment.
- wziąć z sufitu To invent something without basis; to make something up or fabricate it.
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