IdiomNature
English
Englishprotect one's turf
Meaning: To defend one's area of control or responsibility against others.
Example: “Each department is busy protecting its turf instead of cooperating.”
Origin: "Turf" meant a gang's territory in American slang from the mid-20th century; the image of guarding one's patch of ground spread to offices and politics.
Equivalents in other languages
French: Défendre son pré carré Literally: To defend one's square field
More English idioms
- a Pyrrhic victory A win that costs so much it is almost a defeat.
- go to rack and ruin To fall into a state of decay through neglect.
- on one's toes Alert and ready to react.
- an old wives' tale A traditional belief, especially about health, that is not true.
- a pen-pusher A clerk or bureaucrat doing dull paperwork.
- a word to the wise A hint or warning that a sensible person will heed.
Explore another collection: False Friends
Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.
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