Example: Als je iets in de week legt, wordt het zacht en buigzaam.
Definition
"Iets in de week leggen" means to cause something to become soft and flexible, often through exposure to moisture or pressure. This expression is used when an object, originally hard or rigid, becomes pliable and easy to bend or shape.
Translations
to soften someone up
ablandar a alguien
estovar algú
amadouer quelqu'un
jemanden weichkochen
ammorbidire
amolecer
Etymology
The phrase "iets in de week leggen" originates from Dutch, where "week" means soft or weak. The expression literally translates to 'to lay something in the soft,' referring to the process of making something hard become soft. Did you know that this phrase metaphorically captures the idea of softening objects by placing them in a moist or gentle environment?
Learn to use this expression actively
"Iets in de week leggen" appears in the Vocaplus list "Dutch - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (C2) - set 1", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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to soften someone up