under kniven
Meaning: Undergoing surgery, or under intense pressure to perform.
Language: Swedish
Literally: under the knife
Category: Body & Senses
Origin: The surgical sense is literal; the pressure sense extends metaphorically from the physical danger and exposure of being on an operating table.
More idioms — Body & Senses
- fjällen falla från någons ögon — To suddenly understand something that was previously hidden or obscured.
- med glimten i ögat — To say or do something in a joking or cheeky manner, with playful mischief rather than se…
- ha luktat krutrök — To be experienced in battle or conflict; to have been tested under fire.
- reta gallfeber på — To infuriate or enrage someone intensely.
- lägga vantarna på — To get hold of something; to seize or obtain.
- ha is i magen — To remain calm and composed under pressure, resisting the urge to act rashly.
More Swedish idioms
- en koloss på lerfötter — Something that appears powerful and impressive but rests on a fundamentally weak foundati…
- köra med — To tease, bully, or push someone around.
- sätta till alla klutar — To make a maximum effort or remove all restraints in pursuit of something.
- falla till föga — To surrender one's position or resistance; to give in.
- 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.
From our tongue twisters
- 네가 그린 기린 그림은 못 그린 기린 그림이고 내가 그린 기린 그림은 잘 그린 기린 그림이다. (Nega geurin girin geurimeun mot geurin girin geurimigo, naega geurin girin geurimeun jal geurin girin geurimida.) — geurin, girin and geurim rotate through nearly the same syllables with only the vowel mov…
- 앞 집 팥죽은 붉은 팥 풋팥죽이고, 뒷집 콩죽은 햇콩 단콩 콩죽이다. (Ap jip patjugeun bulgeun pat put-patjugigo, dwitjip kongjugeun haetkong dankong kongjugida.) — Stacks Korean's aspirated p and k against the final consonants, so every word ends where…
- 저 분은 백 법학박사이고 이 분은 박 법학박사이다. (Jeo buneun Baek beopakbaksa igo, i buneun Bak beopakbaksa ida.) — Baek and Bak are a single vowel apart, and 법학박사 piles four stop consonants into one title.