Example: De grap zette iedereen op het verkeerde been tijdens het feest.
Definition
"Op het verkeerde been zetten" is a Dutch expression meaning to mislead or confuse someone intentionally, making them believe something incorrect or causing them to be mistaken about a situation, often leading to surprise or misunderstanding.
The phrase "op het verkeerde been zetten" literally translates to 'put on the wrong leg.' It originates from a metaphor comparing misleading someone to causing them to step wrong or lose balance. This vivid imagery has made the expression a popular way to describe causing confusion or deception.
Learn to use this expression actively
"Op het verkeerde been zetten" appears in the Vocaplus list "Dutch - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (C1) - set 1", containing 100 commonly used expressions.
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to mislead