Example: Er wollte das Treffen organisieren, aber jemand machte ihm einen Strich durch die Rechnung.
Definition
"Jemandem einen Strich durch die Rechnung machen" means to deliberately prevent someone from achieving their plan or goal, often by causing unexpected problems or obstacles. It is used when someone’s efforts or arrangements are intentionally disrupted, as in the example where a meeting was prevented from happening.
Translations
spoil someone's plans
aguar los planes
roet in het eten gooien
esguerrar els plans
contrarier les projets de quelqu'un
Etymology
The phrase "jemandem einen Strich durch die Rechnung machen" literally translates to 'make a line through someone's calculation.' It originates from the idea of striking through numbers or calculations on paper to cancel them out, symbolizing the act of ruining someone's plans. Did you know this expression vividly illustrates how a simple line can invalidate an entire plan?
Learn to use this expression actively
"Jemandem einen Strich durch die Rechnung machen" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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spoil someone's plans