Example: Hij sloeg de plank mis met zijn antwoord op de vraag.
Definition
"De plank misslaan" is a Dutch expression meaning to make a mistake or to be completely wrong about something. For example, it is used when someone gives an incorrect answer or misjudges a situation, as in 'Hij sloeg de plank mis met zijn antwoord op de vraag.'
Translations
to get it completely wrong
equivocarse por completo
anar errat
faire fausse route
danebenliegen
sbagliare
errar
Etymology
The phrase "de plank misslaan" literally means 'to miss the plank,' which originally comes from carpentry. Missing the plank implied missing the target or making an error. Over time, it evolved into a figurative expression for making a wrong decision or mistake.
Learn to use this expression actively
"De plank misslaan" appears in the Vocaplus list "Dutch - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (C1) - set 1", containing 100 commonly used expressions.
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to get it completely wrong