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in den Wind sprechen

Meaning: To speak in vain or to an audience that will not listen or act on one's words.

Language: German

Literally: to speak into the wind

Category: Nature

Origin: The image is of words scattered and lost like seeds thrown into the wind, never reaching their intended target.

More idioms — Nature

  • auf keinen grünen Zweig kommen — To fail to achieve success or prosperity, to make no progress in life or a project.
  • über den Jordan gehen — To die.
  • mettere radici — to settle in a place permanently or commit to something long-term.
  • sulle spine — In a state of anxious suspense or nervous tension, unable to relax.
  • alla lontana — In an indirect or roundabout way; distantly or remotely connected.
  • toccare il fondo — To reach the lowest point of degradation or despair; to hit rock bottom.

More German idioms

  • auf den Schlips treten — To offend or insult someone, to hurt their feelings or pride.
  • um die Ecke denken — To think creatively or unconventionally, to solve problems by approaching them from unexp…
  • grün vor Neid — Consumed with jealousy or envious feeling.
  • Hinz und Kunz — Any ordinary person; everyone; the man in the street; used to refer to people indiscrimin…
  • keine halben Sachen machen — To commit fully to something; to be thorough and complete rather than halfhearted or comp…
  • was das Zeug hält — with maximum intensity or speed; to the absolute limit of one's capacity.

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