Example: Ik houd een slag om de arm voordat ik een beslissing neem.
Definition
"Een slag om de arm houden" is a Dutch expression meaning to reserve judgment or keep an option open before making a decision, often by being cautious or not committing fully until more information is available.
The phrase "een slag om de arm houden" literally means 'to keep a blow around the arm' and originates from fencing or combat, where guarding the arm meant protecting oneself from harm. Over time, it evolved to figuratively mean being cautious or reserved in making decisions.
Learn to use this expression actively
"Een slag om de arm houden" appears in the Vocaplus list "Dutch - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (C1) - set 1", containing 100 commonly used expressions.
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to keep one's options open