IdiomDaily Life
Hungarian
HungarianNem enged a negyvennyolcból
Meaning: To stubbornly refuse to compromise.
Literally: He won't budge from the forty-eight
Example: “A nagypapa nem enged a negyvennyolcból, ha a kertről van szó.” — Grandpa digs his heels in when it comes to the garden.
English equivalent: To dig one's heels in
Origin: "Won't give up anything of forty-eight": from the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 and its demands for independence from Austria. After the Compromise of 1867, the negyvennyolcasok (forty-eighters) refused any deal that fell short of 1848. Not yielding from forty-eight is refusing to compromise at all.
Equivalents in other languages
Swedish: Att sätta sig på tvären Literally: To sit down crosswise
English: dig one's heels in
More Hungarian idioms
- 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.
- Kibújik a szög a zsákból The hidden truth comes out.
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