dehnen

English translation: to stretch / to bend (the rules)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

German term or phrase:	dehnen
English translation:	to stretch / to bend (the rules)
Entered by:	Woodstock (X)

16:42 Mar 8, 2007

German to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Accounting / Quarterly earnings

German term or phrase: dehnen

The general context is an article against the current practice of issuing quarterly earnings forecasts because of possible negative consequences. This particular passage is part of an explanation of what corporations do to live up to the expectations of the earnings forecasts (i.e. a negative consequence).
"Um dies zu vermeiden, ist es üblich, Stabilität zu suggerieren und das Rechnungswesen für das gewünschte Ergebnis centgenau *zu dehnen*."
I'm looking for a good English equivalent for ...das Rechnungswesen... zu dehnen. I'm pretty sure I understand what it means, but the only really pithy English expression I can come up with is too strong, I think (cooking the books). Does anyone have a viable alternative? Thanks very much for your help.

Woodstock (X) KudoZ activity Questions: 52 (none open) (3 closed without grading) Answers: 168 Germany
Local time: 09:27

to stretch / to tune

Explanation:
or to make fit / suit(able to).

Selected response from:

Gert Sass (M.A.)
Germany
Local time: 09:27

Grading comment

Thanks for the input, all were valid to a certain degree, but I ended up going with "stretch" the accounting rules/guidelines, as opposed to "bend", which I also came up with.
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

to use all tricks of the trade

BrigitteHilgner

well now...

David Moore (X)

to stretch / to tune

Gert Sass (M.A.)

expand

Bernhard Sulzer

Vorschlag

David Seycek

Answers

15 mins confidence:

to use all tricks of the trade

Explanation:
Might work

BrigitteHilgner
Austria
Local time: 09:27
Native speaker of:

German
PRO pts in category: 26

26 mins confidence:

Vorschlag

Explanation:
... to suggest stability by making use of all the accounting leeway and come up with the right result, down to the last cent.

David Seycek
Austria
Local time: 09:27
Native speaker of:

German,

Czech
PRO pts in category: 4

31 mins confidence:

well now...

Explanation:
As you say, your own idea might be a little strong; how about "massage (or manipulate) the figures to suit", or perhaps "to us imaginative accountancy"?

David Moore (X)
Local time: 09:27
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 77

4 hrs confidence:

to stretch / to tune

Explanation:
or to make fit / suit(able to).

Gert Sass (M.A.)
Germany
Local time: 09:27
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 7

Grading comment

Thanks for the input, all were valid to a certain degree, but I ended up going with "stretch" the accounting rules/guidelines, as opposed to "bend", which I also came up with.

8 hrs confidence:

expand

Explanation:
maybe a less dangerously sounding option:

to expand (the) accounting (system) to include all numbers, down to the last cent, in order to reach the projected results.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 hrs (2007-03-09 02:25:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or:

expand its results to include all applicable figures, down to the last cent, to show the desired results

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20051014/news_1b14go...
expand its quarterly financial results to include an earnings figure that differs from mandated accounting practices.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 hrs (2007-03-09 02:28:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or:

expand its results with all figures of the accounting system, down to the last cent, in order to show the desired results

expand the accounting figures, down to the last cent, to reflect reaching projected results

Bernhard Sulzer
United States
Local time: 03:27
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 24

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dehnen

English translation: to stretch / to bend (the rules)

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English translation: to stretch / to bend (the rules)

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