Example: Man sollte nicht den Bock zum Gärtner machen und Verantwortung falsch delegieren.
Definition
"Den Bock zum Gärtner machen" is a German idiom meaning to assign a task or responsibility to someone who is completely unsuitable or likely to cause problems, essentially putting the wrong person in charge and risking poor outcomes.
The phrase "den Bock zum Gärtner machen" literally translates to 'make the goat the gardener.' Historically, goats are known for eating plants indiscriminately, so appointing a goat as a gardener humorously illustrates the folly of placing someone unfit in a responsible role. Did you know this idiom humorously warns against poor delegation by presenting an absurd image?
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"Den Bock zum Gärtner machen" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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set the fox to guard the henhouse