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The Turkish |
The Literal English Meaning | The 'Plain' English Meaning | Comments and Examples |
| Şa | |||
| şafak atmak | to throw dawn | for the truth to suddenly dawn on (sb) | Ödevi yarına kadar bitirmem gerektiğini hatırlayınca bende şafak attı. It finally dawned on me when I remembered that I had to finish my homework by tomorrow. |
| (iş) şaka götürmemek | (for work) to not bring joke | (for something) to be 'no joking matter' | Tabanca şaka götürmez. En küçük bir dikkatsizlik ölümle sonuçlanabilir. A gun is no joking matter. With the smallest carelessness it can result in death. |
| şart... | condition/situation... | This one-word idiom conveys the meaning that something | Seninle konuşmamız şart. Gitmen şart mı? We must [have a] talk. Must you [really] go? |
| şaşı, çakır demektense kör de kurtul | to escape (saying) cross-eyed and/or blind, to prefer (saying) grayish-blue (eyes) | to avoid speaking the truth openly, to 'beat around the bush', to speak 'indirectly' instead of truthfully | Anladım, bu adamı begenmiyorsun. Şaşı, çakır demektense kör de kurtul. I understand, you don't like this man. You are speaking indirectly to avoid the truth. |
| Şe | |||
| Şerrine lanet! | Damn to his wickedness! | I want nothing to do with that devil! [Said to someone you wish to avoid like the plague!] | May be used as shown... |
| şeytana külahı (papucu/pabucu) ters giydirmek | to dress Satan opposite in a conical hat (pair of shoes) | to be very cunning, to make someone 'fall for' or believe something (that's not true); to be clever enough to outwit the devil himself | Öyle kurnaz, öyle beceriklidir ki şeytana pabucu ters giydirir. He's that cunning, he's that clever that he could outwit the devil himself. |
| şeytana uymak | to suit the devil | to stray from the correct path, to let the devil get the better of you, to yield to temptation | Şeytana uyup bir hata yaptım, lütfen affedin. Bir daha yapmayacağım. I let the devil tempt me and I made a mistake, please forgive (me). I won't do it again. |
| şeytanın art ayağı (kıç/bacağı) | Satan's back foot (buttocks/leg) | a mischief maker who, at the same time, is very clever | Bu çocuk şeytanın art ayağı, her türlü kurnazlıkları biliyor. This child is mischievous and clever, he knows all kinds of cunning trickery. |
| şeytan tüyü (bulunmak) | (to have) a Satan feather | (to have) a 'certain something' that makes one irresistibly attractive to others | "Sensiz yapamıyorum. Sen yanımda olmadıkça kendimi yapayalnız hissediyorum. Şeytan tüyü var sanki sende." [Aslıhan via Gözler] I can't do (this) without you. Each time you are not by my side, I feel completely alone. It's as if you were irresistibly attractive (to me). |
| Şı | |||
| şıp diye Note: şıp has no meaning except in this idiom. | saying şıp | instantly; in an instant | Ne zaman güzel bir kadınla iki çift laf etmeye kalkışsam karım şıp diye damlar da... Whenever I try to have a word or two with a pretty woman, my wife instantly appears out of nowhere. Gözcü Gazetesi, (See illustrative cartoon below.) |
| Şi | |||
| şimşekleri (yıldırımları) üstüne/üzerine çekmek | to pull on a lightening flash (thunderbolt) | to attract strong criticism | Böyle yaparsan, üyeleri kızdırır, şimşekleri üstüne çekersin. Başka bir yol tut, en sonra sen konuş toplantıda. If you do (it) like that, it will anger the members and you'll attract a lot of criticism. Choose a different tack [for now], and then you (can) bring it up at the meeting. |
| Şü | |||
| şüphe kurdu | he/she/it set up doubt | the sting of suspicion, (a) gnawing doubt | İmtihan pek de kötü geçmemişti ama, yine de kemiren bir şüphe kurdu vardı. The exam wasn't really that bad, but there was still a gnawing doubt that nibbled [at me]. |


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