IdiomFood & Drink
Icelandic
IcelandicRúsínan í pylsuendanum
Meaning: A pleasant, unexpected bonus at the very end.
Literally: The raisin at the end of the sausage
Example: “Ferðin var frábær og rúsínan í pylsuendanum voru norðurljósin.” — The trip was great, and the northern lights were the icing on the cake.
English equivalent: The icing on the cake
Origin: "The raisin at the end of the sausage": a pleasant surprise saved for last. Raisins were added to some traditional Icelandic sausages and puddings, so finding one at the end was a small treat. The phrase is common, though no source documents its first use.
Equivalents in other languages
Spanish: poner el broche de oro Literally: To put the golden clasp
Portuguese: a cereja do bolo Literally: The cherry of the cake
French: La cerise sur le gâteau Literally: The cherry on the cake
English: the icing on the cake
More Icelandic idioms
- Að taka einhvern á beinið To give someone a stern talking-to.
- Að fara í geitarhús að leita ullar To seek something where it can't possibly be found.
- Að leggja árar í bát To give up and stop trying.
- Að leggja höfuðið í bleyti To sleep on a problem and think hard about it.
- Þetta reddast Things will work out fine in the end.
- Að ganga með grasið í skónum To pursue someone persistently, especially to court them.
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