Mit einem eisernen Schwert dazwischen gehen.
English translation: read the riot act
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| 15:56 Jul 24, 2013 |
| German to English translations [PRO] Medical - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings | |||||||
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|  Selected response from: Jonathan MacKerron | ||||||
Grading comment
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| Summary of answers provided | ||||
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| 4 +6 | put my foot down |
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| 3 +1 | I really made my point/ I insisted on changing the system/I radically intervened |
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| 3 +1 | come down with an iron fist |
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| 3 | I laid down the law/rules |
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| 2 +1 | read the riot act |
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| 3 | wielded my Damocles sword |
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| Discussion entries: 4 | |
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Answers
4 mins confidence: 
peer agreement (net): +1
peer agreement (net): +1I really made my point/ I insisted on changing the system/I radically intervened Explanation: might be appropriate the English idiom "to rule with an iron fist" is normally usedin the context of a potentate/ a head of state etc. imho |
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1 hr confidence:
I laid down the law/rules Explanation: - |
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1 hr confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
peer agreement (net): +1read the riot act Explanation: yet another |
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Grading comment
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2 hrs confidence:
wielded my Damocles sword Explanation: remember this guy? |
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8 hrs confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
peer agreement (net): +1come down with an iron fist Explanation: Put your foot down goes in the right direction but is a bit tame compared with the martial language of the original. Ideally, the translation should reflect a similar imagery, if possible. This one gets 587,000 hits. "Not that this happens very often, but it does happen every now and then. It's been less frequent, though, since I came down on them with an iron fist." |
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24 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +6
peer agreement (net): +6put my foot down Explanation: http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/put foot down put your foot down 1. to tell someone in a strong way that they must do something or that they must stop doing something (Asker: "Is there a comparable English term available for this?") -------------------------------------------------- Note added at 9 hrs (2013-07-25 01:53:12 GMT) -------------------------------------------------- 'Iron fist'? Has a distinctly retro sound to it - say late 1930s early 1940s. In an attempt to beef up my previous offering, here are two further possibilities: "rapped a few knuckles" http://tinyurl.com/kfcp54v "wielded a big stick" (homage to Ramey) http://tinyurl.com/k9pay4b -------------------------------------------------- Note added at 18 hrs (2013-07-25 10:33:03 GMT) -------------------------------------------------- In light of comment by Usch Pilz: made some sweeping changes http://tinyurl.com/lsk9ts9 |
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