uderz w stół, a nożyce się odezwą

Polish

Etymology

Literally, “hit [the] table and [the] scissors will speak up”. Originates from tables with drawers used by tailors. Hitting the table would cause the scissors to make a sound even if they were put away in the drawers, thereby making it easy to locate them.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (normal speech, standard) /ˈu.dɛʂ f ˈstuw | a nɔˈʐɘ.t͡sɛ ɕɛ ɔˈdɛ.zvɔw̃/, (normal speech, regional or dialectal, proscribed) /ˈu.dɛʂ f ˈstuw | a nɔˈʐɘ.t͡sɛ ɕɛ ɔˈdɛ.zvɔm/, (careful speech, standard) /ˈu.dɛʂ f ˈstuw | a nɔˈʐɘ.t͡sɛ ɕɛw̃ ɔˈdɛ.zvɔw̃/, (careful speech, regional or dialectal, proscribed) /ˈu.dɛʂ f ˈstuw | a nɔˈʐɘ.t͡sɛ ɕɛw̃ ɔˈdɛ.zvɔm/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Syllabification: u‧derz w stół, a no‧ży‧ce się o‧de‧zwą

Proverb

uderz w stół, a nożyce się odezwą

1. (idiomatic) a hit dog will holler (if someone loudly complains about a statement, it is because the statement applies to them)

Further reading

• uderz w stół, a nożyce się odezwą in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• uderz w stół, a nożyce się odezwą in Polish dictionaries at PWN