Example: Ze probeerde altijd iemand naar de kroon te steken op school.
Definition
"Iemand naar de kroon steken" is a Dutch expression meaning to try to outdo or surpass someone in a particular skill or achievement. For example, it describes someone attempting to be better than another person in a competitive context, like school or work.
Translations
to challenge someone's position
disputar el puesto
disputar el lloc
rivaliser avec
jemandem Konkurrenz machen
superare qualcuno
superar alguém
Etymology
The phrase "iemand naar de kroon steken" literally translates as 'to stick someone to the crown,' referring to the act of trying to surpass another person. The expression originates from the idea of competing for a crown, symbolizing victory or superiority. It likely evolved from historical contests where winning a crown was the ultimate prize.
Learn to use this expression actively
"Iemand naar de kroon steken" appears in the Vocaplus list "Dutch - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (C2) - set 1", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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to challenge someone's position