1. Bakkerbaard

    Bakkerbaard Contributor Contributor

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    Tie the cat to the bacon

    Discussion in 'Word Mechanics' started by Bakkerbaard, Jan 19, 2021.

    I've been trying to get google to translate a Dutch colloquialism, but I'm sure you'll understand how that went.
    The expression is:
    De kat op het spek binden.

    The literal translation is in the thread title and it's supposed to mean that you're putting someone in so much temptation it's no surprise they did wrong.
    The only seemingly colloquial English version I can find is:
    Setting the fox to keep the geese.

    But that doesn't especially ring a bell with me, nor does it come across as commonly used. Could anyone provide an alternative, assuming there is one?
     
  2. SethLoki

    SethLoki Retired Autodidact Contributor

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    Put the cat among the pigeons, I think may be the English equal.
     
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  3. Xoic

    Xoic Prognosticator of Arcana Ridiculosum Contributor Blogerator

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    The fox in the hen house.
    A kid in a candy store.

    At first I thought this thread would be some variation of 7 degrees of Kevin Bacon. :p
     
  4. Naomasa298

    Naomasa298 HP: 10/190 Status: Confused Contributor

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    I don't think that's right - the cat amongst the pigeons means to cause a disturbance by introducing an unwanted factor, rather than a expression denoting temptation.
     
  5. Friedrich Kugelschreiber

    Friedrich Kugelschreiber marshmallow Contributor

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    "Setting a fox to guard the henhouse" sounds more familiar to me, but yours should work just fine.
     
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  6. SethLoki

    SethLoki Retired Autodidact Contributor

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    Hmmm, I was thinking temptation from perspective of the kitty cat. But yeah... pigeons going to be in a flap.

    What about...moth to the flame?
     
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  7. Naomasa298

    Naomasa298 HP: 10/190 Status: Confused Contributor

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    Like Prince Andrew round Epstein's place.

    Too soon?
     
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  8. Xoic

    Xoic Prognosticator of Arcana Ridiculosum Contributor Blogerator

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    This probably applies to the fox in the hen house as well.
     
  9. JLT

    JLT Contributor Contributor

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    I'd go with the kid in the candy store.
     
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  10. Friedrich Kugelschreiber

    Friedrich Kugelschreiber marshmallow Contributor

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    To me that denotes less of temptation and more of a wide-eyed glee.
     
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  11. Hammer

    Hammer Moderator Staff Supporter Contributor

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    Prince Charles is isolating at Balmoral with Covid – 19
    Prince Andrew is isolating at Windsor with Jennifer – 14


    ...and; back in the room! I like @SethLoki's moth to the flame I think. Irresistible temptation with fatal consequences.


    This is also good, but reminds me too much of my adaptation for nervousness or being too hot... sweating like a fat man in a pie shop (c:
     
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  12. Bakkerbaard

    Bakkerbaard Contributor Contributor

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    There. This is the one that eluded me.
    Of course, I used "fox to keep the geese" as a placeholder and then promptly proceeded to build off that, so changing it would probably ruin a bunch of good lines. It's a first draft, or whatever comes before that, really. Anyway, thanks.

    So? Go ahead.
    How many degrees is any given cat removed from Kevin Bacon?
     
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  13. dbesim

    dbesim Moderator Staff Supporter Contributor

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    What about it’s like “honey to the bee”?
     
  14. GraceLikePain

    GraceLikePain Senior Member

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    Isn't there something like, "letting the fox guard the henhouse"?
     
  15. Bakkerbaard

    Bakkerbaard Contributor Contributor

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    Yeah. The only one I could initially find was setting the fox to keep the geese, but that didn't sound familiar to me.
    Either way, it appears that foxes are getting the short end of the stick.

    Another charming saying, by the way, of which one of the assumed origins is the stick people used before the downright glorious invention of toilet paper.
     
  16. Thomas Larmore

    Thomas Larmore Senior Member

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    Deleted.
     
  17. KiraAnn

    KiraAnn Senior Member

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    I originally thought this was a snack question.
     
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  18. Cave Troll

    Cave Troll It's Coffee O'clock everywhere. Contributor

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    Happy as a cat at a fish market?
     
  19. KevinMcCormack

    KevinMcCormack Senior Member

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    At work we use the expression, "Set up to fail."
     

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