Ins Fettnäpfchen treten
Example: Er trat bei der Diskussion mehrfach ins Fettnäpfchen und verlor Respekt.
Definition
"Ins Fettnäpfchen treten" is a German expression meaning to make an embarrassing or tactless mistake, often by saying or doing something inappropriate in a social situation. It refers to unintentionally offending others or causing awkwardness, as in the example where someone repeatedly made blunders during a discussion.
Etymology
The phrase "ins Fettnäpfchen treten" literally means 'to step into the little fat pot.' Historically, small pots of fat might have been placed on the floor, and stepping into them was messy and embarrassing. Over time, the phrase came to symbolize making social blunders or putting one's foot in one's mouth.
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"Ins Fettnäpfchen treten" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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put one's foot in it