Држати свећу (Držati sveću)

Meaning: To be the awkward third wheel to a couple.

Language: Serbian

Literally: To hold the candle

Category: Daily Life

Origin: From the old image of a servant lighting a couple's private tryst, now the unwanted chaperone.

More idioms — Daily Life

• Трла баба лан (Trla baba lan) — Pointless busywork done just to pass the time.
• Бели кахъри (Beli kahŭri) — Trivial, almost pleasant things to fret over.
• Обръщам дебелия край (Obrashhtam debeliya kray) — To start treating someone harshly.
• Byť v koncoch — To be at your wits' end.
• Metati polena pod noge — To deliberately obstruct or sabotage someone.
• Nei į tvorą, nei į mietą — Neither here nor there; completely irrelevant.

More Serbian idioms

• Пасти с Марса (Pasti s Marsa) — To be totally out of touch with what's going on.
• Мува без главе (Muva bez glave) — To rush about chaotically and without direction.

← Back to Idioms

Loading the full interactive collection…