meter os pés pelas mãos
Meaning: Make a clumsy mistake or bungle something badly through carelessness.
Language: Portuguese
Literally: to put the feet through the hands
Category: The Absurd
Origin: Portuguese absurdist imagery suggesting physical incoordination and confused action.
More idioms — The Absurd
- 杞憂 — Unnecessary worry about things that won't happen; baseless anxiety.
- 臥虎藏龍 — Hidden talented individuals waiting quietly for their moment to shine.
- 四面楚歌 — Being surrounded by enemies with no hope of escape or support.
- mad as a box of frogs — completely crazy; chaotic and unpredictable.
- paint the town red — to celebrate wildly; to party extensively.
- Quand les poules auront des dents — Never — it describes something that will simply never happen.
More Portuguese idioms
- estar com água na boca — Feel eager anticipation or desire, especially for food or something pleasant.
- Viajar na maionese — To talk nonsense or drift off into your own dream world.
- Chutar o balde — To stop caring and let everything go — unlike the English, nobody dies.
- Enfiar o pé na jaca — To overdo it wildly, especially with food or drink.
- Pisar na bola — To mess up or let someone down.
- Encher linguiça — To pad something out with filler to take up space or time.
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