IdiomDaily LifeSwedish

sätta till alla klutar

Meaning: To make a maximum effort or remove all restraints in pursuit of something.

Literally: To set all the sails

Example: “Inför premiären satte teatern till alla klutar.” — Ahead of opening night, the theater pulled out all the stops.

English equivalent: To pull out all the stops

Equivalents in other languages

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Origin: From sailing. Klut is a cloth or rag, here sailcloth: setting every sail a ship has, down to the smallest, to catch all the wind. Figuratively it is going all out, using every means one has.

More idioms — Daily Life

  • falla till föga To surrender one's position or resistance; to give in.
  • kratta manegen To prepare the ground or circumstances to make it easier for someone to accomplish a task.
  • lämna någon åt sitt öde To abandon someone, leaving them to deal with consequences on their own.
  • få bukt med To overcome, resolve, or take control of a difficult problem or challenging situation.
  • spel för galleriet To do something misleading or false primarily to impress or deceive an audience or group…
  • sätta käppar i hjulet To create obstacles or hindrances for someone or something.

More Swedish idioms

  • inte spotta i glaset To willingly accept and consume alcohol when offered; to enjoy drinking.
  • het på gröten Overly eager or impatient, wanting something too urgently.
  • kasta pärlor för svin To offer something valuable to someone who cannot appreciate or will waste it.
  • med glimten i ögat To say or do something in a joking or cheeky manner, with playful mischief rather than se…
  • få betalt för gammal ost To be punished or retaliated against for a past wrong, to receive belated payback.
  • tidens tand The slow decay and wearing away of things through the passage of time, the gradual damage…

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