die Suppe versalzen
Meaning: To ruin a plan or situation through careless excess.
Language: German
Literally: to oversalt the soup
Category: Food & Drink
Origin: A ruined soup—oversalted and inedible—pictures irreversible damage to something that was meant to nourish or succeed.
More idioms — Food & Drink
- mela marcia — A person who is corrupt or morally bad and whose influence damages those around them.
- cavare le castagne dal fuoco — To help someone out of a dangerous or difficult situation, often at one's own risk or eff…
- a cereja do bolo — the crowning touch; something wonderful that completes something already good.
- nem carne nem peixe — Something or someone that does not fit into any clear category and remains ambiguous or u…
- water bij de wijn doen — to compromise or make a concession in a dispute or negotiation.
- alleen de rozijnen uitpikken — to select only the best or most desirable items while ignoring the rest.
More German idioms
- vor den Kopf stoßen — To offend or affront someone.
- sich die Hörner abstoßen — To shed youthful recklessness and settle into maturity.
- auf dem Damm — In good health and spirits, recovered from illness or hardship.
- aus dem Off — to speak or act without drawing attention to oneself, anonymously or from the background.
- den Geist aufgeben — to die, or to cease functioning.
- um ein Haar — by the narrowest possible margin; almost not.
From our tongue twisters
- Zehn zahme Ziegen ziehen zehn Zentner Zucker zum Zoo. — A sustained 'z' / 'ts' drill — every word starts with the same affricate.
- Wenn Fliegen hinter Fliegen fliegen, fliegen Fliegen Fliegen nach. — Fliegen means 'flies' (insects), 'to fly', and 'flying' — all at once, relentlessly.
- Der Cottbuser Postkutscher putzt den Cottbuser Postkutschkasten. — A jaw-breaking compound-noun 'ts/tsch/sch' marathon — the German love of compound words w…