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

A new one:

To fall like a plum into a compote

The idiom is a literal translation of a Polish idiom.
"Wpasc jak silwka w kompot'
It means to be in a pickle or be in a difficult situation. 😉

Yes! The whole idea of the thread!

Here's a new one

as if X swallowed a stick

There seem to be two (related) meanings.....

Standoffish appearance? Bolt upright stance?

One meaning.

A broader meaning can be found here: wsjp.pl/haslo/podglad/18023/jakby-kij-polknal

"w sposób sztywny, pozbawiony spontaniczności, nienaturalny" (in a stiff, unspontaneous manner, unnaturally) which is closer to the context I first came across it in a detective novel (complaining about a colleague's over-bureaucratic manner of speaking).

Thanks for the link.


That figures.

A new one:

If it's not a charm, it's diarrhoea

Charm doesn't really fit here, but spell does.

"Charm" wouldn't work but "a charm" works (widely understood as a tool of magic).

In English nouns often change meaning depending on whether they're used as count nouns or non-count nouns, like paper (papier) a paper (gazeta)

Yes, this definition of charm is what it means. I guess you both know the meaning then.

If it's not good luck, it's bad luck. If it's not one thing, it's another.

A lamp post up your arse

This is quite a good one. Applies to some here.

Said when mocking someone's stupidity or uselessness?

Sort of. In a very specific way, more about the wisdom of someone's comments or perspective on an issue.

What about this one?

It's darkest under the lamp post.

A variant of the same!

Not really....

Ok, thanks.


Hiding in plain sight? The obvious is the hardest to see?

You're on the right track....

I agree here with Feniks!

@Ironside, have you a better one?

I entered "have you a better one?" and Google instantly came back with "Do you have a better one?"

Time to learn English, Lyzko...It's lonely and cold at the bottom...and all that verbal garbage...

"It's not rocket science" (sometimes "It's not brain surgery")

What about a reverse one...

Konie, nie zebry.

To not overthink things

Is this anything to do with safety? One would think the safest place to be would be in the light directly under the lamp post but maybe the greatest threat is in a place that appears to be safe and has hidden dangers.

Or maybe can't see the wood for the trees...


I can only think of the old hoofbeats thing. Hearing hoofbeats, you're more likely to have a horse than a zebra behind you. I think it was originally based in medicine, as in think of the most likely common illness rather than rare/exotic diseases.

Getting closer...


Yes.

I don't feel I am!

Not noticing what's under your nose because of looking elsewhere/far away?

Are you currently working on "Ni koń, ni zebra"?

No, I'm still working on 'It's darkest under the lamp post'.