Example: Hij houdt altijd iemand de hand boven het hoofd bij problemen.
Definition
"Iemand de hand boven het hoofd houden" means to protect or shield someone from criticism or trouble, often by covering up their mistakes or faults. It implies supporting someone in difficult situations to prevent them from facing consequences.
Translations
to protect someone
proteger a alguien
protegir algú
couvrir quelqu'un
jemanden in Schutz nehmen
coprire qualcuno
proteger alguém
Etymology
The phrase "iemand de hand boven het hoofd houden" literally translates to 'holding someone's hand above their head.' It originates from the idea of shielding someone by physically placing a hand above their head, like a protective cover. This expression has been used in Dutch for centuries to describe acts of protection or favoritism.
Learn to use this expression actively
"Iemand de hand boven het hoofd houden" appears in the Vocaplus list "Dutch - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (C1) - set 1", containing 100 commonly used expressions.
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to protect someone