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  3. Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

zwischen die Mühlen kommen

English translation: to get caught between two stools

09:28 Jan 14, 2008
German to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / minutes of meeting
German term or phrase: zwischen die Mühlen kommen
Der Markt ist unorganisiert, es liegt an uns, dass wir nicht "zwischen die Muehlen" kommen.
stephkg (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:52
English translation:to get caught between two stools
Explanation:
This is another option, I think, certainly less graphic than the others, but none the less quite common.

And its definition:

Re: Between two stools
Proverb, to fall, come to the ground, sit between two stools: to incur failure through vacillation between two different courses of action. ...
www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/41/messages/167.html
Selected response from:

David Moore (X)
Local time: 03:52
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +4don`t get crushed between the millstones
Frosty
4get sent through (caught in) the meat-grinder
Beth Jones
4to get caught between two stools
David Moore (X)
3get caught in the machinery
GWM123
3to get caught behind the eight ball
Giovanni Rengifo


  

Answers


25 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
don`t get crushed between the millstones


Explanation:
Translated both literary and in the sense.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 27 mins (2008-01-14 09:55:42 GMT)
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"crushed between the millstones" gets around 250 Google hits!

Frosty
Local time: 03:52
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Aniello Scognamiglio (X)
1 hr
agree  mary austria
2 hrs
agree  Nicole Schnell
3 hrs
agree  uli1
4 hrs
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
get sent through (caught in) the meat-grinder


Explanation:
Here's another one, if you think the first suggestion is too literal (tho' mine is more drastic/graphic than the 1st suggestion) - depends on your context.
Cheers,

BJ

Beth Jones
Austria
Local time: 03:52
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
to get caught between two stools


Explanation:
This is another option, I think, certainly less graphic than the others, but none the less quite common.

And its definition:

Re: Between two stools
Proverb, to fall, come to the ground, sit between two stools: to incur failure through vacillation between two different courses of action. ...
www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/41/messages/167.html

David Moore (X)
Local time: 03:52
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 40
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
get caught in the machinery


Explanation:
Yet another possibility.

GWM123
Local time: 03:52
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
to get caught behind the eight ball


Explanation:
Here's my full suggested version.

...it's up to us not to let ourselves get caught behind the eight ball.

It's not literal and I believe it conveys the same idea as the original. Hope you and our colleagues will like it.

Giovanni Rengifo
Colombia
Local time: 20:52
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 4
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