Game - guess Polish idioms/sayings in direct English translation - part 2

Yes, communism is important to understand the meaning behind it.
The riddle continues: Why this specific word kombinować developed such a meaning? You can arrive at an answer using the English meaning or even its old Latin one but relate it to Polish contexts.

Before I forget:
to be raking it for oneself. What does it mean?

Acquiring a lot of money?

nagrabić sobie - to **** people off (through one's behavior) to grate on people

I really don't know where you're going with this. In the PRL Poles had to figure out solutions to problems or they would have had nothing. A sort of survival mechanism if you like. Although I also think it's a way of life and part of Polish culture. What I've said doesn't really cover why though.

This has various definitions so no matter what someone says you will say no and use one of the many other definitions like you always do. Hahahahaha !

I say no when sb is wrong. However, I immediately offer hints, which eventually contribute to success. Without hints, you wouldn`t be able to guess half of my riddles or more.


Sorry, no.


Yes, you almost got it but didn`t explain to the end. The problem communism created for people was how to combine two things which seemed completely inconnectible, e.g, go on vacation to the seaside but still stick to the scanty monthly ration of fuel which you were allowed. Combining meant uniting fire and water.

Of course not. Business as usual. Show more optimism.

break loose from a Christmas tree -what does it mean?

To be born yesterday.

What about a reverse one:

Nie licz swoich kurczaków

Before I provide the solution, here is another one before I forget:

.... oops, I forgot. Sorry, but my sinuses are harassing me too much..

Don't count your chickens.

You shouldn't rely on the outcome of something until it's actually happened. The full idiom is " Don't count your chickens before they hatch".

Wow, good idea, Fen, let`s provide the solutions, indeed:

break loose from a Christmas tree means to go bananas.

Another one based on Christmas motif - I mentioned it a few years ago but everybody forgot already:
The dick struck the baubles, Christmas (tree) will be not.


Like I said. :):):)

Hey, I recalled that one:
to dust sb out. This dust is a bit misleading cos the activity uses another technique than dust.

I've read this definition and also to be living in cloud cuckoo land/under a rock/on a different planet. That's if I have the correct idiom, Urwać się z choinki?

Yes, exactly.

Amasing, cos at a uni I learnt before they are hatched.

Yeah, but lots of people abbreviate it and it's slightly harder to use the abbreviated version, like garnek, czajnik or more recently, głowa, biurko (or głowa, ławka )

I always abbreviate it too. I only gave the full version for anyone that might be unaware of it.

Simply amasing!!!
But so British.

The best things are

No, your football fans are a noble exception. :):):)

Before I forget: catch Mrs Goddess by the legs

It means a sudden setback whose effect is that you failed to do sth important.

Iron inspired me to offer this one:

to climb up sb` else`s head.

Before I forget:

to put a cross on sb/sth.


It means to use fire and smoke to remove sth/sb from the area. E,g, bees or hornets

Reverse riddle: For non-Americans only....

Jestem z Missouri

I have discovered that Missouri is the 'show me ' state so I would require proof of what you are saying.

Dokładnie!

Now for non-Brits only....

Wysłać kogoś do Coventry

To be ignored by people.

Well more 'to ignore someone in a pointed manner'

wysłany/a do Coventry would be 'be ignored'.

You are right, I'm new to this game. So, I only conveyed a general meaning of that expression without paying attention to the structure of the sentence.