tjerati vodu na mlin

English translation: to give ammunition to

19:02 Sep 6, 2012
Croatian to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / Contract
Croatian term or phrase: tjerati vodu na mlin
zbog toga ne bismo željeli tjerati vodu na mlin njezinih protivnika
bjuric2
Local time: 00:45
English translation:to give ammunition to
Explanation:
"zbog toga ne bismo željeli tjerati vodu na mlin njezinih protivnika."

"... we wouldn't want to give ammunition to her opponents"

In this case it seems to be a good option - as "tjerati vodu na mlin protivnika" is used to mean "do not give to the opposition arguments to be used against us". Althought it's not a "one fits all" translation.

example:
"... It seems to me that every time we have a president or majority of congress elected who might be in favor of gun control, a number of nut jobs go out and blast people, then themselves (conveniently) to give ammuntion to the gun control idiots ..."
[http://www.woodlandsurvival.com/blog/index.blog?topic_id=110...]
Selected response from:

Daryo
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:45
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1to draw water to one's (own) mill
Mira Stepanovic
3 +1to bring grist to somebody’s mill
Grzegorz Mizera
3to act on behalf of
Ivan Dimoski
3to give ammunition to
Daryo


  

Answers


47 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
to act on behalf of


Explanation:
mislim da ovo moze pomoci...

Ivan Dimoski
North Macedonia
Local time: 00:45
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in MacedonianMacedonian, Native in SerbianSerbian
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
to bring grist to somebody’s mill


Explanation:
We have the same saying in Polish.

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Note added at 1 hr (2012-09-06 20:18:38 GMT)
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One more reference: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/polish_to_english/art_literary/604...


    Reference: http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/grist
Grzegorz Mizera
Estonia
Local time: 01:45
Native speaker of: Native in PolishPolish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kolumbina Benčević Tomljanović: but it usually appears as a nominal construction only so might be better used as 'we would not want it to be/serve as grist to the mill of her opponents/rivals'
9 hrs
  -> Hvala.
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18 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
to give ammunition to


Explanation:
"zbog toga ne bismo željeli tjerati vodu na mlin njezinih protivnika."

"... we wouldn't want to give ammunition to her opponents"

In this case it seems to be a good option - as "tjerati vodu na mlin protivnika" is used to mean "do not give to the opposition arguments to be used against us". Althought it's not a "one fits all" translation.

example:
"... It seems to me that every time we have a president or majority of congress elected who might be in favor of gun control, a number of nut jobs go out and blast people, then themselves (conveniently) to give ammuntion to the gun control idiots ..."
[http://www.woodlandsurvival.com/blog/index.blog?topic_id=110...]

Daryo
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:45
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SerbianSerbian, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Marija Horvat
65 days
  -> Hvala!

disagree  Sasa Kalcik: never
512 days
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18 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
to draw water to one's (own) mill


Explanation:
mislim da bi u datom kontekstu "to draw water to their opponent's mill" bilo odgovarajuće

Terati vodu na svoj mlin - podešavati tokove u svoju korist -> to turn things to one own's advantage - to draw water to one's own mill - to have an eye for the main chance
Ako svako tera vodu na svoj mlin, šta je sa društvenim interesom? If everyone draws water to his own mill, what happens to the public interest?
ref. Srpsko-engleski rečnik idioma, Boško Milosavljević, Margot Vilijams Milosavljević

http://www.angelfire.com/journal/millrestoration/sayings.htm...
Mill-Speak: "Sayings" from the Mill
Collected by Theodore R. Hazen
To draw water to one's mill

http://www.lenntech.com/water-proverbs.htm
You draw water to your own mill
You only act in your own advantage.

Varijacija:
http://www.special-dictionary.com/proverbs/source/i/italian_...
Every miller draws the water to his own mill.


Mira Stepanovic
Serbia
Local time: 00:45
Native speaker of: Native in SerbianSerbian, Native in Serbo-CroatSerbo-Croat

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sasa Kalcik
512 days
  -> Hvala!
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