Example: Hij dreef het gesprek soms op de spits voor de grap.
Definition
"Iets op de spits drijven" means to exaggerate or intensify something to an extreme degree, often for emphasis or effect. For example, in a conversation, it involves pushing arguments or statements beyond their usual limits, sometimes for humor or dramatic impact.
Translations
to push something to the extreme
llevar algo al extremo
portar alguna cosa a l'extrem
pousser à l'extrême
auf die Spitze treiben
esagerare
exagerar
Etymology
The phrase "iets op de spits drijven" originates from Dutch, where "spits" means 'point' or 'tip,' and "drijven" means 'to drive.' It literally translates to 'drive something to the tip,' implying pushing something to its extreme or sharpest point. Did you know this expression vividly conveys the idea of intensifying something until it reaches a peak?
Learn to use this expression actively
"Iets op de spits drijven" appears in the Vocaplus list "Dutch - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (C2) - set 1", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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to push something to the extreme