met zijn neus in de boter vallen

Dutch

Etymology

Literally, “to fall with one's nose into (the) butter”.

Earliest attested use in 1613, in Gerbrand Bredero's Klucht v.d. Molenaar, vs. 474, as "mit myn neus in 't vet raken" (to fall with my nose in the fat)

A couple of more vulgar variants such as "to fall with one's asshole into the butter" exist in Belgium (met zijn gat in de boter vallen) as well as in Friesland (mei 't gat yn 'e bûter (or bûterfet) falle), both typically used to denote someone who was born into wealth, or in Friesland also a woman who married her way into a rich family.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɛt zɛi̯n nøːs ɪn də ˈboːtər ˈvɑlə(n)/

Verb

met zijn neus in de boter vallen

1. (chiefly Netherlands, idiomatic, intransitive) to be lucky, to be in luck; particularly: to arrive at a lucky or opportune moment

   Synonym: met zijn gat in de boter vallen

Conjugation

Conjugation of met zijn neus in de boter vallen: see vallen.

Derived terms

• met zijn gat in de boter vallen