stick i stäv

Swedish

Etymology

stick (“straight (in this idiom)”) +‎ i (“in”) +‎ stäv (“stem (of a ship)”)

Adverb

stick i stäv (not comparable)

1. (of wind) straight against (the bow of a ship)
2. (idiomatic, figuratively) straight against, contrary

   Att avrätta krigsfångar går stick i stäv med våra principer

   To execute prisoners of war is contrary to our principles

   Hans idéer gick stick i stäv med dåtidens

   His ideas ran counter to those of the day

   • 2005, Stieg Larson, chapter 1, in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Stockholm: Norstedts, →ISBN, page 32:

     Mikael tvivlade inte ett ögonblick på att hans kamrat hade åsikter som gick stick i stäv med det mesta i hans egen världsbild.

     Mikael didn't doubt for a moment that his friend had views which went straight against most of his own worldview.

Usage notes

The origin of the figurative sense is likely to be unknown to most native speakers, so only strictly figurative.

References

• “stick”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)
• “stick”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)