IdiomDaily Life
Polish
Polishna kolanie
Meaning: Done quickly, crudely, or without proper care; improvised and shoddy.
Literally: On the knee
Example: “Prezentację przygotowaliśmy na kolanie w pociągu.” — We put the presentation together on the back of an envelope on the train.
English equivalent: On the back of an envelope
Equivalents in other languages
Russian: на коленке (na kolenke) Literally: On the knee
English: on the back of an envelope
Origin: Done "on the knee": without a table or proper tools, the thigh of a seated person serves as the workbench. Polish uses it of anything improvised and rushed, from a hastily drafted law to a makeshift repair. Russian has the same phrase, на коленке. No first use is documented.
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