IdiomThe Absurd
Dutch
Dutchin de wind slaan
Meaning: To deliberately ignore or disregard something.
Literally: To strike in the wind
Example: “Hij sloeg het advies van zijn trainer in de wind.” — He turned a deaf ear to his coach's advice.
English equivalent: To turn a deaf ear
Equivalents in other languages
English: To turn a blind eye
Italian: Fare orecchie da mercante Literally: To make merchant's ears- English: turn a deaf ear
Origin: In de wind slaan is throwing something to the wind and letting it blow away, as Stoett explains: not caring about it at all. The phrase goes back to Middle Dutch, and in the 17th century it was very common, used by Vondel, Hooft and Bredero for ignoring advice or a warning. Latin said ventis tradere (to hand to the winds), and English "to throw to the winds."
More Dutch idioms
- niet veel soeps Unimpressive or mediocre; not worth much.
- in de kiem smoren To nip something in the bud; to stop a problem before it grows.
- veel noten op zijn zang hebben To be demanding or to offer many critical comments.
- voet bij stuk houden To stand firm and refuse to give in to pressure or threats.
- stoom afblazen To release pent-up anger, stress or energy.
- het heft in eigen handen nemen To take control of a situation or seize the initiative.
Explore another collection: Untranslatable Words
Words that capture a feeling or idea English needs a whole sentence for.
- Sobremesa The unhurried conversation that lingers long after a meal, when no one wants to leave the…
- Gigil The overwhelming urge to squeeze or pinch something unbearably cute.
- Iktsuarpok The restless anticipation that makes you keep stepping outside to see if someone is final…
Keep exploring