in zijn hemd staan
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Dutch
[edit]Alternative forms
[edit]- in zijn hempie staan (Hollandic, colloquial)
Etymology
[edit]Literally, “to stand in one's shirt”.
Pronunciation
[edit]Verb
[edit]- (intransitive) to make an embarrassing or ridiculous impression, to cut a sorry figure, to be caught with one's pants down
- 1888, Frederik van Eeden, “Over Schilderijen-zien”, in De Nieuwe Gids, volume 3, page 286:
- Neen! neen! — onze oude schilderkunst staat niet in haar hemd.
- (please add an English translation of this quotation)
Usage notes
[edit]Zijn agrees with the subject.
Conjugation
[edit]Conjugation of in zijn hemd staan: see staan.