IdiomAnimals
Hungarian
HungarianLóvá tesz valakit
Meaning: To dupe or make a fool of someone.
Literally: To make a horse of someone
Example: “A kereskedő lóvá tett minket a hamis garanciával.” — The dealer led us up the garden path with a fake warranty.
English equivalent: To lead someone up the garden path
Origin: Making a horse of someone is fooling them, as if one had saddled them up and ridden off on them. The phrase is colloquial Hungarian, and Polish has a similar one (zrobić kogoś w konia). Its origin is not documented.
Equivalents in other languages
Russian: Водить за нос (Vodit' za nos) Literally: To lead by the nose
Polish: Robić kogoś w konia Literally: To make someone into a horse
English: lead someone up the garden path
More Hungarian idioms
- Nem enged a negyvennyolcból To stubbornly refuse to compromise.
- Felkopik az álla To go hungry and be left with nothing.
- Lóg az eső lába It looks like it's about to rain.
- Nem fenékig tejföl It's not all rosy; things aren't as good as they seem.
- Egyik kutya, másik eb Two things are exactly the same; six of one, half a dozen of the other.
- Bagoly mondja verébnek, hogy nagyfejű The pot calling the kettle black.
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