in de wind slaan

Meaning: To deliberately ignore or disregard something.

Language: Dutch

Literally: to strike in the wind

Category: The Absurd

Origin: The phrase pictures a blow delivered uselessly into empty air, having no effect or purchase.

More idioms — The Absurd

  • uit zijn plaat gaan — To lose control of oneself or go crazy.
  • en koloss på lerfötter — Something that appears powerful and impressive but rests on a fundamentally weak foundati…
  • så till den milda grad — To such an extent; to a remarkable or extreme degree, often used ironically.
  • lägga sig i — To insert oneself into a situation uninvited; to meddle or interfere.
  • slåss mot väderkvarnar — To engage in a futile struggle against imaginary or trivial enemies.
  • błędne koło — A logical fallacy or impossible situation in which the solution requires solving the prob…

More Dutch idioms

From our untranslatable words

  • 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…

Browse all untranslatable words →

← Back to Idioms