Den Spieß umdrehen
Example: Manchmal muss man den Spieß umdrehen, um Respekt zu gewinnen.
Definition
"Den Spieß umdrehen" is a German expression meaning to reverse a situation or turn the tables, often used when someone changes a disadvantage into an advantage, as in the phrase: Sometimes you have to "den Spieß umdrehen" to earn respect.
Etymology
The phrase "den Spieß umdrehen" literally means 'to turn the spit around.' Historically, a spit is a rod used for roasting meat over a fire, which could be turned to cook evenly. Figuratively, the phrase evolved to mean reversing roles or situations, much like turning the spit around to change the direction of cooking.
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"Den Spieß umdrehen" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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turn the tables