haengen im schacht
English translation: in dire straits
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| 06:42 Dec 18, 2012 |
| German to English translations [PRO] Medical - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings | |||||||
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|  Selected response from: Kurt Kruger Local time: 12:34 | ||||||
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| 4 +1 | in dire straits |
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| 3 +1 | stuck in limbo |
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| 4 | be in a dead end |
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| 3 +1 | to be up the creek (without a paddle) |
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| 3 | in a real fix |
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| 3 -1 | down the tubes |
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| 1 | who knows? |
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| Summary of reference entries provided | |||
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| This is the end! |
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| Kommt vom Bergbau |
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| Discussion entries: 5 | |
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Answers
1 hr confidence: 
peer agreement (net): -1
peer agreement (net): -1down the tubes Explanation: ... it's down the tubes for me Reference: http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/go+down+the+tubes Reference: http://thesaurus.com/browse/down+the+tubes |
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Notes to answerer
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2 hrs confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
peer agreement (net): +1in dire straits Explanation: Haengen im Schacht literally means to be stuck in a (mining) shaft. It's a situation that you can't get out of like being "in a hole" that you can't get out of. However, "in a hole" does not sound quite as serious ore dire as "dire straits", so there. Maybe I can find a better fitting idiom, however, this is the best I can come up with for the moment. Example sentence(s):
Reference: http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/in+dire+straits |
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Grading comment
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Notes to answerer
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5 hrs confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
peer agreement (net): +1stuck in limbo Explanation: or "left in the lurch" are the two English sayings that possibly reflect the meaning of the German expression best- those both are so commonly used, they might need to be made more forceful by the addition of the word "completely", i.e., "but if I stopped now, I'd be completely left in the lurch / completely stuck in limbo" |
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6 hrs confidence:
who knows? Explanation: might work -------------------------------------------------- Note added at 6 hrs (2012-12-18 13:04:03 GMT) -------------------------------------------------- If I just stop taking it, who knows what will happen? |
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6 hrs confidence:
be in a dead end Explanation: "Haengen im Schacht" is one way of saying "There's no more getting ahead". It doesn't have a lot to do with serious difficulties that one is facing. Therefore, neither "in dire straits", nor "down the tubes", nor "up against the wall" reflect the actual meaning of this idiom. You could possible use "the show won't go on". However, I'd recommend a construction with "dead end", since (IMHO) "to be in a dead end" comes closest to the meaning of "im Schacht haengen". Reference: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/dead+end |
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18 hrs confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
peer agreement (net): +1| haengen im Schacht to be up the creek (without a paddle) Explanation: How about using a different geological feature? I agree with phoeberuth that the intention here is to suggest no further possible progress. To be stuck or left dangling are alternatives, but slightly less idiomatic, whereas to be stuffed (or less euphemistic variants thereof!) is probably unsuitable for the context. |
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1 day 37 mins confidence:
in a real fix Explanation: "If I stopped now, I'd be in a right fix" Put "real" before "fix" and it sounds like an American idiom.. Use "right" and it sounds like a British idiom.. Reference: http://www.tmz.com/2009/11/21/dmx-lawsuit-boxing-contract-fi... Reference: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/local/clubs... |
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Reference comments
23 mins |
| Reference: This is the end! Reference information: I'm doomed Entspricht mMn "Matthai am Letzten" «Matthäi am Letzten» sagen die Menschen, wenn alles aus ist, wenn keine Hoffnung mehr besteht, wenn das Ende endgültig ist. http://www.lebensgeschichten.org/geschichten/kurzgeschichte/... |
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Note to reference poster
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47 mins peer agreement (net): +1 |
| Reference: Kommt vom Bergbau Reference information: The expression is used round here quite a lot This is - or rather, was - a mining area). It means you're completely stuck, and can't do anything more to help yourself. Reference: http://www.wer-weiss-was.de/theme197/article2036798.html |
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Note to reference poster
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