kratta manegen

Swedish

Etymology

From kratta (“to rake”) + manegen (“the riding area; the circus ring”); in the sense of preparing an area for someone.

Verb

kratta manegen (present krattar managen, preterite krattade managen, supine krattat managen, imperative kratta managen)

1. (literally) To rake and prepare the ground of a performance area.
   • 1908 March 6, W. Heimburg, Huset Beetzen, quoted in Arbetet, page 4:

     Detta var i det närmaste överensstämmande med sanningen, endast med den skillnaden, att fästmannen helt enkelt var ridknekt vid cirkus Bandini och brukade kratta manegen emellan föreställningarna.

     This was almost in agreement with the truth, with the only difference that the fiancé was simply a groom at the Bandini circus and used to rake the ring between the performances.

2. (idiomatic) To set the stage, to pave the way; to make it easier for someone to fullfill their task.
   • 2022 June 3, Hamed Ubaidi-Karlsson, Sandra Carlsson, “Kronofogden passar på under jätteträffen – utmäter mc-förare vid Ölandsbron [The bailiff seize the moment during the giant meeting - forecloses motorcycle drivers at the Öland bridge]”, in SVT Nyheter:

     Vi har fått fantastiskt bra resultat. Polisen har ju krattat manegen åt oss så vi har utmätt jättemycket egendom.

     We have had fantastic results. The police have set the stage for us, so we have seized a lot of property.

     (literally, “We have had fantastic results. The police have raked the manege for us, so we have seized a lot of property.”)

See also

• bana väg (“pave the way”)

References

• manege in Svensk ordbok (SO)