kalla ekki allt ömmu sína
Icelandic
Etymology
From the latter half of the 19th century; origins unclear but assumed to have originated as a joke making fun on someone who bragged about his family tree.Literally “doesn't refer to everything as his grandmother”.
Phrase
kalla ekki allt ömmu sína
- (idiomatic) to be unafraid of tackling a difficult task
- Hann kallar ekki allt ömmu sína en hann ætlar að hlaupa maraþon í sumar. ― He certainly doesn't flinch away from daunting tasks; he is planning on running a marathon this summer.
- (idiomatic) not easily shocked; tough and resilient
Synonyms
- ráðast ekki á garðinn þar sem hann er lægstur
- láta ekkert á sig fá, karl í krapinu, óhræddur, ófeiminn, hörkutól, harðjaxl, enginn veifiskati, láta sér fátt fyrir brjósti brenna
Related terms
- þar hitti skrattinn ömmu sína (“to meet someone equally or more stubborn than oneself”)