die Zelte abbrechen
Meaning: to move away or leave a place; to abandon one's position.
Language: German
Literally: to break apart the tents
Category: Daily Life
Origin: The phrase draws the image of a nomadic camp or military encampment being dismantled in preparation for departure.
More idioms — Daily Life
- erstunken und erlogen — entirely false or made up; a complete lie or fabrication.
- mit allem Drum und Dran — complete with all the accessories, extras, or associated details; entirely and comprehens…
- jemandem nicht das Wasser reichen können — To be vastly inferior to someone in ability or quality.
- auf dem Teppich bleiben — To stay grounded and realistic; to avoid getting swept up in fantasies or exaggeration.
- 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.
More German idioms
- bei der Stange halten — to keep someone obedient, loyal, or in line through discipline or pressure.
- keine zehn Pferde — nothing could force or move one; obstinate refusal or immovable determination.
- mundtot machen — to silence or suppress someone; to rob them of the ability or right to speak.
- wie ein Blinder von der Farbe reden — to discuss or explain something one has no direct experience or understanding of; to spea…
- an die Kandare nehmen — To restrain, control, or impose discipline on someone.
- die Faxen dicke haben — To be fed up; to have had enough of someone's nonsense or misbehavior.
From our untranslatable words
- Verschlimmbessern — To make something worse in a well-intentioned attempt to improve it.
- Sturmfrei — The liberating feeling of having the house entirely to yourself — when parents or a partn…
- Waldeinsamkeit — The serene, faintly mystical feeling of being alone in the woods, at peace with nature.