jemanden zur Schnecke machen
Meaning: To scold or rebuke someone harshly; to give someone a severe dressing-down.
Language: German
Literally: to make someone into a snail
Category: Animals
Origin: Origin uncertain; the image may evoke a snail withdrawing into its shell in fear or shame, or may reference the slow, cautious movement of a rebuked person.
More idioms — Animals
- 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.
- virar bicho — To become extremely angry or enraged.
More German idioms
- 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.
- Tomaten auf den Augen haben — To be oblivious to what's right in front of you.
- Ich glaub mein Schwein pfeift — I can't believe it! That's outrageous!
- Um den heißen Brei herumreden — To beat around the bush.
From our compliments & insults
- Faulpelz — A lazybones — someone who lounges around and avoids any effort, as warm and inert as a fu…
- Griesgram — A perpetual grump who radiates dissatisfaction and sucks the joy out of every room.
- Pantoffelheld — A man who is only bold and brave at home — a henpecked pushover who bluster turns into a…