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The Plain English Meanings of Turkish Idioms 'T' Related Pages: The Turkish Idioms A-Z, Index Turkish Acronyms/Abbreviations The Idiomatic M-Doublets Idioms Origin Stories, Index Idioms Illustrated by Cartoons #1 We know you've seen reference books written for English speakers about English and American Idioms. And you may have seen books for Turkish speakers on the same subject. You may even have seen books for Turkish speakers about Turkish Idioms -- all in Turkish. But have you ever seen a reference for English speakers about Turkish Idioms? Well, when we couldn't find one after looking for seven years, we decided to do-it-ourselves. Observe our sampling just for Turkish idioms that begin with the letter T. Site visitors may navigate to other Turkish Idioms pages using the House-Favorite Idioms Page Index. Turkish Idioms beginning with the letter T The Turkish The Literal English Meaning The 'Plain' English Meaning Comments and Examples Ta taban tabana zıt after the book opposite to a sole [of a foot], sole [of a foot] (-a/-e) diametrically opposite (to), antipodal (to) completely dissimilar, totally unlike, very different, antipodal complete opposite Birbirine taban tabana zıt göruşlere sahip iki gazetecinin çekişmeleri işığında, kadın-erkek ilişkilerine yöneltiyor kamerasını bu eğlenceli romantik komedi. In this enjoyable romantic comedy, the film camera focuses on man-woman relationships, as seen in light of arguments between two newspaper reporters who have views [about life] that are diametrically opposed to each other. [The description of the film 'He Said, She Said' starring Kevin Bacon, Elizabeth Perkins, Nathan Lee, Anthony La Paglia, and Sharon Stone -- which appeared in DigiTurk Magazine, December 2005.] tabanları yağlamak to oil the sole to get ready to hoof it a long way to run fast, run like anything; to make tracks, beat it Tabanları yağlayalım, gideceğimiz yer uzak, zamanımız az.102 Let's make tracks! Our destination (the place that we'll go to) is far and we don't have much time (our time is little). /in/ın/ tadını çıkarmak to remove the flavor from to make the most of to get the utmost enjoyment out of (something) to luxuriate in (something) Yirmi yaşındaki Cem Adler, "Başınç yok, stres yok" diyerek, boşanmanın tadını çıkardığını söyledi. Saying, "I don't have any pressure or stress," twenty-year-old Cem Adler [Bulent Ersoy's former toy-boy 'husband'] explained that he's trying to make the most of his divorce. See another example sentence at gözden kaçmak. /in/ın/ tadını kaçırmak to let flavor escape to spoil [sth], cast a damper on [sth] Plakların birini kaldırıp birini koyuyordu, sesler beynimizde zonkluyordu; dayanamayıp, "Yeter!" dedim, tadını iyice kaçırdın! Someone was removing the records and someone else was putting them back on; the noise was making my brain throb with pain; I couldn't stand it anymore, so I said, "Enough, you're ruining everything." tahsil etmek to make/do education to be educated, to get and education, to study Meaning with a preceding -i/-ı suffix -- to study a subject Meaning with a preceding -i/-ı suffix -- to collect (money or taxes); to recover (money or taxes) Onbir milyar dolarlık hortumun sadece 235 milyon doları tahsil edilebildi... Of the eleven billion dollars-worth that was embezzled only 235 million dollars can be recovered...Gözcü Gazetesi Headline, 30 June 2003 talep etmek to make/do wanting to want, demand, require, request   tamtakır; tamtakır kuru bakır; tamtakır kırmızı bakır completely empty, a completely empty dry copper, completely empty red copper completely empty Sandığın içi tamtakır kuru bakırdı, belli ki açmış, içindekileri alıp götürmüşlerdi. The inside of the trunk was completely empty, it was obvious that it had been opened and the contents had been taken away/removed. Tamtakır kırmızı bakır bir yazlıkta tatil geçirmek insana zevk vermez. It's no fun to have a vacation in a completely empty summer cottage. tarihe mal olmak to be property to history; to cost to history [for sb/sth] to be historic An historic Guinness quaffer... Left click for enlarged photo article. Barın duvarında asılı, Atatürk'ün 1932 yılında Beyoğlu Turquaz Lokantası'nda İrlanda içkisi Guinness ile çekilmis fotoğrafını gören İrlanda Başbakanı Bertie Ahern, şaşkınlığını gizlemiyerek 'Tarihe mal olmuş çok önemli bir liderin içkimizle çekilmiş olan fotoğrafı bizi onure eder' dedi. The Irish Prrime Minister Bertie Ahern (who saw the photograph hanging on the wall [in The Dubliner Irish Bar in Istanbul] of Ataturk with an Irish Guinness, taken at the Beyoğlu Turquaz Restaurant in 1932) was unable to hide his astonishment, and said, "The photograph (that was taken of such an important and historic leader [together] with our [national] drink) does us honor." Hürriyet Gazetesi, 30 June 2004 (See photo-article at left.) /e/a/ taş çıkarmak, /e/a/ taş çıkartmak to cause to remove stone to be able to run rings around (sb), to be far superior than (sb) Pretty Woman Left click for image enlargement. Bodrum'da Mumcular Fuat Ertem İlköğretim Okulu'nda İngilizce öğretmenliği yapan 25 yaşındaki Eylem Özbey, Samara Otel'de düzenlenen defilede profesyonellere taş çıkarttı. Twenty-five year-old Eylem Özbey (who teaches English at the 'Mumcular Fuat Ertem Elementary School' in Bodrum) ran rings around the professional-models at the fashion show arranged at the Samara Hotel. Gözcü Gazetesi. 20 May 2002 Mankenlere taş çıkarttı! Törene hayli çekici bir elbiseyle gelen Serena, sporcudan çok bir mankene benziyordu. She's better than the fashion models! (Pro Tennis star) Serena (Williams) who came to the ceremony wearing a very attractive dress, looked very much the fashion model compared with the other players. Gözcü Gazetesi, 29 May 2003 (See photo-article at left.) taş kesilmek to cut stone to be dumbfounded Salonun içinde kimse kımıldayamadı. Hepsi olduğu yerde taş kesildi. No one in the salon could make a move. Everyone in the place was dumfounded. [Note: When the subject of a sentence is obviously plural, native speakers don't bother to 'pluralize' the verb tense -- because they consider such 'pluralization' to be redundant.] Te tek başına to a single head on one's/its own, by one's self alone apart, at a distance from other people/things Sezer tek başına ana muhalefet partisi gibi! Cumhurbaşkanı'nın Orman Yasası'nı ikinci defa veto etmesi siyasi havayı iyice gerdi. (Turkish President) Sezer is like a main opposition party all by himself! The President's vetoing of the Forest Bill for the second time has caused the political air to be rather tense. Gözcü Gazetesi, 20 August 2003 teke tek dövüşmek to fight single to single (for two people) to fight each other -- man to man/one to one The name of Fatih Altaylı's newspaper column is derived from this idiom. tekeden süt çıkarmak to remove milk from a billy goat to do the [seemingly] impossible, to be very skillful in getting what one wants Ustam, tekeden bile süt çıkarır. My master-craftsman can do the impossible. (...even get milk from a billy goat.) temenni etmek to make/do a heartfelt wish to wish (sth nice for sb) Bu sıkıntılı zamanda mutlu ve güvenli bayram temenni ederiz. We wish you a happy and safe holiday during these troubled times (trying times). tepeden inme don't send from a hill or sending from a hill an order that comes from a high official -- one of the 'big guns' very sudden and unexpected Tepeden inme bir emirle müdürün tayini durduruldu.103 His appointment to manager was stopped by an order from on high. tercih etmek to make/do preference [-ı/-i] to prefer [-ı/-i] [-a/-e] to prefer (one person/thing) to (another) Bean Babe Left click for photo-article enlargement. Otel ve tatil köyü yöneticileri 'Türklerin çoğu Türk yemeklerini tercih ediyor. Hatta tatile geldiklerinde açık büfede kuru fasulye görmeyince bizimle tartışanlar oldu' diyor. Hotel and vacation-village managers say, 'The majority of Turks prefer Turkish food. Furthermore, when they are on vacation and when they don't see [stewed] dried beans in the open buffet, they give us a hard time (...they become disputers with us). Gözcü Gazetesi, 20 August 2003 (See photo-article at left.) tereciye tere satmak to sell cress to a seller of cress to try to educate someone who is more educated than oneself to try "to teach one's grandmother to suck eggs" Tereciye tere satma! Ben bu teknik bilgileri senden daha iyi biliyorum.102 Don't try to tell me! I have more technical knowledge than you do (on this subject). tespit etmek/yapmak to do/make a fixing to fix/make (sth) fast to fix/set (prices) to set (a bone) to establish/determine to determine the nature (of a crime, a situation) Böbrek hastası farelere içirilen az miktarda alkolün böbreklere ne yararı ne de zararı olduğu tespit edildi. It has been determined that consumption of a small amount of alcohol is neither beneficial nor harmful to the kidneys of (already) kidney-diseased mice. Gözcü Gazetesi, 9 August 2003 See another example sentence at: üslup (yönünden). teşekkür ederim Also see bir şey değil. I give thanks. This is the standard way to say, "Thank you." May be used as shown. Tı tıka basa doldurmak (57k bytes) to fill up as full as possible to fill [sth] to absolute capacity to fill up [sth] thoroughly by pressing and squeezing -- in such a way as not to leave any empty space at all Chockablock! Left click for enlarged photo article. Garibanın Akmerkez'i. Parası olanlar Akmerkez'deki lüks mağazalardan alış-veriş yaparken, dar gelirli vatandaşlar yazlık kıyafet alabilmek için Mahmutpaşa'yı tıka basa dolduruyor. Hafta sonu iğne atsan yere düşmüyor. (295k bytes) The Poor People's Akmerkez. While the rich (...those that have the money...) do their shopping at the luxurious stores in the Akmerkez shopping complex [in Istanbul], less affluent (...low-income...) citizens are filling the [more affordable] Mahmutpaşa bazaar to absolute capacity -- in order to be able to buy summer clothing. The place is bursting at the seams on weekends. Headline and captions from Gözcü Gazetesi, 29 May 2004 (See photo-article at left.) tıkırı yerinde olmak Note: tıkırı only has meaning in idioms like this one. for ... to be in place to be in a good position financially; to be earning good money   tıkırı yolunda/yerinde Note: tıkırı only has meaning in idioms like this one. ... is in road being at ease, without worries; doing well, prospering; financially secure Ali Babacan'ın "Erkenden evime gidip bol bol yemek yiyorum" dediğini duyan vatandaşlar, "Onun tıkırı yerinde, bir de bizi görsün, açlıktan nefesimiz kokuyor" diye konuştular. The [poverty-stricken] citizens who heard that [Minister of State] Ali Babacan said, "I'm coming home early and eating a large meal," commented that, "He's doing very well, but let him come meet and talk with us once, and smell the hunger on our breath." Gözcü Gazetesi, 4 July 2003 tıkırı yolunda gitmek Note: tıkırı only has meaning in idioms like this one. for ... to go (be) on road for sb to be set at ease, for sb's worries to vanish; for sb to do well, prosper; for sb to be financially secure   tıklım tıklım (dolu) Note: tıklım has no meaning except in this idiom. ... ... See Turkish Doublets, Category 3. extremely crowded Left click for image enlargement. Kuşadası'nın plajları tıklım tıklım. Kuşadası's beaches are extremely crowded. Gözcü Gazetesi, 4 July 2003 (See mini photo-article at left.) tıpış tıpış gitmek Note: tıpış tıpış only has meaning when used in this idiom. See Turkish Doublets, category 3. to go ... ... to patter, move with pattering footsteps to go whether one wants to or not to do something whether one likes it or not Şimdi tıpış tıpış birliğine gidecek ve çakı gibi asker olacak. Now he'll do his Turkish military service whether he likes it or not and become a dutiful and obedient soldier. [...go to his military-unit whether he likes it or not and become a very active and alert soldier.] Gözcü Gazetesi, 28 May 2003 tırıl tırıl gauzy, filmy     Ti tiridi çıkmak [from tirit/terit] Note: This is a less well-known idiom. to emerge from toast soaked in gravy or sugary syrup for someone to get so old and feeble that he/she can no longer get about unaided Bu tiridi çıkmış iki kişiyle iş yapmayı deneyeceğiz. We'll try working with these two old, enfeebled people. tirit gibi like toast soaked in unthickened meat gravy or sugary syrup someone so old and enfeebled that he/she can no longer move about unaided; 'as old as the hills'   To tok sözlu full worded who does not mince his/her words; outspoken Mehmet amca gerçeği söyler, tok sözlüdür.103 Uncle Mehmet speaks the truth; he's one who doesn't mince his words. Compare with selamün aleyküm kor kadı and hatıra gönüle bilmemek. topa tutmak to hold to a ball to bombard (someplace) with cannon/artillery fire to blast, berate, denounce, strongly and angrily criticize, light into sb/sth DYP lideri Mehmet Ağar, Çukurova'da AKP'yi topa tuttu. In (the city of) Çukurova, the DYP (political) leader Mehmet Ağar angrily denounced the AKP (political party). Gözcü Gazetesi, 11 June 2003 toprağı bol olsun Let the earth be plentiful. May he/she rest in peace (said of a non-Muslim). Yine de acılarını paylaşıyorun. Toprağı bol olsun. Once again I'm sharing their [i.e. Sweden's] pain. May she rest in peace. Written of assassinated Swedish Foreign Minister Lindh by columnist Emin Çölaşan -- in Hürriyet Gazetesi, 12 September 2003 toprak doyursun gözünü See gözünü toprak doyursun.     Toz ol! [From toz olmak...] Be dust! Beat it! Get lost! Get outta here! Take off! Take a hike! Disappear! Piss off! May be used as shown... or as follows: Bahçe kapısının önünden üçü de toz olmuştu. The were three [of them] at the garden gate, and they just disappeared. [Note: When the subject of a sentence is obviously plural, native speakers don't bother to 'pluralize' the verb tense -- because they consider such 'pluralization' to be redundant.] tozu dumana katmak [sometimes shortened to tozu dumana or just tozduman] to remain in dust [and smoke], clouded by dust [and smoke] to be covered in a think cloud of dust to raise a cloud of dust to cause a commotion to make or be in an uproar to raise a ruckus Ecevit, hükümetin kaderini ikinci turun sonucuna bağladı. Ankara'yı tozu dumana kattı. Prime Minister Ecevit's government's future is tied to the second voting cycle. Ankara is in an uproar. Headline of an artcle in Hurriyet Gazetesi, (April 2000) Tu turnayı gözünden vurmak to hit the crane from the eye to manage to acquire sth very valuable to have a business success to be lucky Also see meanings at: durdu durdu (da). En iyisini elde ettik; turnayı gözünden vurduk. We got the best one, we were lucky. Also see example sentence at: durdu durdu (da). tutunacak dalı (olmamak) (yok) (not to have) a branch to hold onto not to have sth or sb you can rely on Zavallı kadıncağız ne yapsın? Tutunacak dalı yok. What may be done for the poor dear woman? She hasn't anyone she can rely on. tuz biber ekmek See...üstüne (üzerine) tuz biber ekmek.     tuzla buz olmak to be ice with salt to be smashed to smithereens; smashed to bits to be utterly routed Cezaevlerindeki kadın nüfusu patladı. Geçen yılki tahminlerimiz tuzla buz oldu. The female population in prisons (specifically) has exploded. Last year (specifically), our estimates were smashed to bits. Gözcü Gazetesi, 28 November 2002 tuzu kuru the salt [is] dry well off, in easy circumstances without worries (sb) who has nothing to worry about financially (sb) who has nothing to worry about Onlar terörün vahşetini bilmiyordu. Tuzları kuruydu. They were not aware of the brutality of terror. They had nothing to worry about. Hürriyet Gazetesi, 12 September 2003 Tü Türkün aklı sonradan gelir(miş) the thought of a Turkish person comes later A Turkish person acts first, thinks of the consequences later. A Turk doesn't think about the consequences of an action until it's too late. A Turk doesn't plan ahead, doesn't plan for contingencies. A self-deprecating Turkish witticism... tüyleri diken diken olmak tüyleri ürpermek (for) feather to be straight up (for) feather to shudder for one's hair to stand on end to get goose pimples to shudder Depremin olduğu günü düşündükçe tüylerim diken diken oluyor. Every time I think of the day we had the earthquake, I get goose pimples. Related Pages: The Turkish Idioms A-Z, Index Turkish Acronyms/Abbreviations The Idiomatic M-Doublets Idioms Origin Stories, Index Idioms Illustrated by Cartoons #1 Unrelated fun: Turkish Recipe, Kadınbudu Köfte (Kadinbudu Kofte) - 'a womans thigh' Cheese -- Best Turkish Cheeses, Gourmet Top 10 Wine -- Best Turkish Wines, Gourmet Top 10 Turkish Movies - Best-Looking Bad Girl of the 1970s, Sevda Ferdağ Bad Girls of the 1970s Turkish Cinema, Aliye Rona Frequently asked questions about Turkey and the Turkish language llustrated Nargile Users Guide -- and Encyclopedia Our Honda Generator -- A Member of the Family 'Erotik' Movies -- The Short Unhappy Life of Mine Mutlu Erotik Angel? -- Melek Görgün Sizzling transsexual -- Emel Aydan Erotik 'Second Banana' -- Gülden Gül Deep-inside Dilber Ay White-Hot Real Blonde... the Ceyda Karahan Center Figen Han -- Fire down below... Arzu Okay -- brainy 'erotik' bombshell The Feri Cansel Story -- an erotik 'Beauty and the Beast' Zerrin Egeliler - (most of) everything you always wanted to know The Seyyal Taner Center The Seher Şeniz Center Tarkan's Metamorphosis Album -- Christmas Day Release Turkish Music -- Tarkan Real-Life Weight Loss a la turc - with alcohol! Habibullah and the Great Cannon Caper A simple Turkish 'thing'... Turkish Music -- Kayahan Turkish Belly Dancers Turkish Food and Turkish Drink Turkish Terms Of Endearment Turkish Personal Names Politically Incorrect Turkish Humor Why Off-Color Turkish is important too Gossipy Turkish Who's Who Turkish Movies -- Conventional and 'Erotik', Index We wish to extend thanks to Emin Özdemir, Osman Çizmeciler, Ömer Asım Aksoy, H. Fethi Gözler, Ferit Devellioğlu, Nermin and Muammer Yüzbaşıoğlu, Halil Uysal, Ali Püsküllüoğlu, and Ali Uslu for their Turkish Idioms source material -- on which some of this page is based.

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