Example: Seine Argumente nahmen mir sofort den Wind aus den Segeln.
Definition
"Den Wind aus den Segeln nehmen" is a German idiomatic expression meaning to deflate someone's enthusiasm, weaken their argument, or diminish their momentum, often by countering or undermining their points effectively.
Translations
take the wind out of someone's sails
quitar argumentos
iemand de wind uit de zeilen nemen
treure el vent de les veles
couper l'herbe sous le pied
Etymology
The phrase "den Wind aus den Segeln nehmen" literally translates to 'take the wind out of the sails.' It originates from sailing, where removing the wind from a sail slows down or stops a ship. Figuratively, it describes reducing someone's force or energy, similar to how a ship loses speed without wind.
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"Den Wind aus den Segeln nehmen" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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take the wind out of someone's sails