einen Vogel zeigen
Meaning: To gesture dismissively or insultingly, usually by mimicking a cuckoo or making a mocking sign.
Language: German
Literally: to show a bird
Category: Animals
Origin: A gesture linked to the cuckoo bird, whose call is associated with mockery or the suggestion of foolishness in folk tradition.
More idioms — Animals
- jemanden zur Schnecke machen — To scold or rebuke someone harshly; to give someone a severe dressing-down.
- auf den Leim gehen — To be deceived or tricked; to fall for a trap or deception.
- menare il can per l'aia — To avoid the main point by talking around the subject indirectly.
- calcio dell'asino — A cowardly or treacherous attack from an unexpected quarter.
- qui casca l'asino — That is the crux of the matter; that is where the real difficulty lies.
- questione di lana caprina — A trivial or pointless debate that wastes time and produces no useful result.
More German idioms
- die Hände in den Schoß legen — To be idle or inactive; to do nothing while waiting or while problems accumulate.
- etwas auf seine Kappe nehmen — To accept blame or responsibility for something.
- vom Hundertsten ins Tausendste kommen — To jump chaotically from one topic or thought to another without finishing any of them.
- Eine Nadel im Heuhaufen suchen — To search for something you have almost no chance of finding, because the thing is tiny a…
- Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof — I don't understand anything at all.
- Da steppt der Bär — It's going to be a great party.