IdiomDaily Life
Dutch
Dutchstoom afblazen
Meaning: To release pent-up anger, stress or energy.
Literally: To blow off steam
Example: “Na het werk gaat hij hardlopen om stoom af te blazen.” — After work he goes running to blow off steam.
English equivalent: To blow off steam
Equivalents in other languages
English: blow off steam
German: Dampf ablassen Literally: To let steam off
Origin: Steam engines and boilers had valves to let off excess steam before the pressure could burst them, and letting off steam became the picture for releasing pent-up feelings. Dutch stoom afblazen matches English "let off steam" and German Dampf ablassen, and is probably a loan; no first Dutch use is documented.
More Dutch idioms
- een bittere pil something unpleasant or difficult that one must accept.
- op zijn bord krijgen to be assigned a task or burden.
- met de kippen op stok gaan to go to bed very early, at sunset.
- vuur met vuur bestrijden to counter a harmful action using the same method or intensity.
- uit de hand lopen to become uncontrolled or chaotic.
- het zit tussen de oren in one's mind or thoughts.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
- Liesje leerde Lotje lopen langs de lange Lindelaan. Eight consecutive l-words, with the vowel behind the l changing every time.
- De kat krabt de krullen van de trap. A 'kr' cluster drill — Dutch consonant pileups that beginners approach with dread.
- Als vliegen achter vliegen vliegen, vliegen vliegen vliegen achterna. The same noun/verb homograph trap as the German version — vliegen does triple duty.
Keep exploring