an den Haaren herbeigezogen
German
Etymology
Past participle of an den Haaren herbeiziehen (literally “to drag along by the hair”), in the sense of “to force” as in forced (“not natural, contrived”). Compare the same idiom in several European languages.
Pronunciation
Audio: (file)
Adjective
an den Haaren herbeigezogen (comparative an den Haaren herbeigezogener or mehr an den Haaren herbeigezogen, superlative am an den Haaren herbeigezogensten or am meisten an den Haaren herbeigezogen)
- far-fetched; absurd (highly unlikely)
Usage notes
- Compared forms are usually avoided, but not impossible.
Synonyms
- abwegig
- weit hergeholt (usually milder)