få ut fingeren

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

Literally få (“get”) ut (“out”) fingeren (“the finger”); "get the finger out (from wherever it is stuck/lodged)". The term implies that the individual refrains from action because his or her finger is lodged in the anus; thus, sometimes the expanded form is applied, få ut fingeren av ræva (“get the finger out of the ass”).

Verb

få ut fingeren (present får ut fingeren, past fikk ut fingeren)

1. (idiomatic, figuratively) get unstuck, stop idling, similar to pull one's finger out

Usage notes

Although the phrase (especially when expanded) can be perceived as quite vulgar, it is a very commonly used phrase. The use of the full (expanded version) is relatively rarer and also more aggressive.

Synonyms

• få ut fingeren av ræva

References

• “få ut fingeren” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
• “finger” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).

Norwegian Nynorsk

Alternative forms

• få ut fingærn (dialectal spelling)

Etymology

Calque from English.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /foː.ʉːt.fɪŋeɳ/ (most Eastern and Northern dialects, including Trøndelag)

Verb

få ut fingeren (present får ut fingeren, past fekk ut fingeren)

1. (idiomatic, figuratively) get unstuck, stop idling, similar to pull one's finger out