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De hond in de pot vinden

Meaning: To arrive too late — the food, or the opportunity, is gone.

Language: Dutch

Literally: To find the dog in the pot

Category: Animals

Origin: Come home after dinner in an old Dutch household and only the dog remains, licking the cooking pot clean.

More idioms — Animals

  • Ana ugglor i mossen — To sense that something fishy is going on.
  • 马马虎虎 — So-so; careless and only just passable.
  • 拍马屁 — To flatter or suck up to someone.
  • At have rotter på loftet — To be a little crazy.
  • Päästä kuin koira veräjästä — To escape consequences entirely; to get off scot-free.
  • Dělat z komára velblouda — To blow something tiny wildly out of proportion.

More Dutch idioms

  • Een appeltje met iemand te schillen hebben — To have a bone to pick with someone.
  • Iets onder de knie hebben — To have mastered a skill.
  • Met de neus in de boter vallen — To arrive at exactly the right, lucky moment.
  • Het regent pijpenstelen — It is raining very heavily.
  • Iets met de Franse slag doen — To do it carelessly and half-heartedly.
  • De kat uit de boom kijken — To wait cautiously before committing.

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