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Sentence #4130215

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Comments

 patgfisher patgfisher April 30, 2015 April 30, 2015 at 12:17:43 PM UTC flag Report link Permalink

Annotation:

"at the stroke of a pen" (idiom) means that someone in authority can make something (which often has very serious ramifications for a number of people) happen quickly simply by signing an order or a document.

Pfirsichbaeumchen Pfirsichbaeumchen April 30, 2015 April 30, 2015 at 12:21:27 PM UTC flag Report link Permalink

Does this sentence have the connotation: “He had the power, but he did not use it”?

Pfirsichbaeumchen Pfirsichbaeumchen April 30, 2015 April 30, 2015 at 12:30:38 PM UTC flag Report link Permalink

Thanks, CK. In German, we use the subjunctive in that case.

patgfisher patgfisher April 30, 2015 April 30, 2015 at 12:33:34 PM UTC flag Report link Permalink

Yes, it means he didn't use it.

(It refers to the execution of two Australians yesterday in Indonesia. The Australian government - which is strongly opposed to the death penalty - pleaded with President Widodo not to carry out the executions, to no avail.)

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License: CC BY 2.0 FR

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This sentence is original and was not derived from translation.

The President had the power to save the men from execution at the stroke of a pen.

added by patgfisher, April 30, 2015
➜ #4130225Es hätte in der Macht des Präsidenten gestanden, die Männer mit einer einfachen Unterschrift vor der Hinrichtung zu bewahren.

linked by Pfirsichbaeumchen, April 30, 2015
➜ #4130228У президента была возможность спасти мужчин от казни одним росчерком пера.

linked by odexed, April 30, 2015
➜ #4130253Президент мог спасти мужчин от казни одним росчерком пера.

linked by odexed, April 30, 2015
➜ #4132076Başkanın adamları ipten alacak gücü vardı, bir kalem oynatmaya bakardı iş.

linked by tornado, April 30, 2015
➜ #4167488Presidentillä oli valta säästää miehet teloitukselta yhdellä kynän piirrolla.

linked by Silja, May 9, 2015
➜ #8026981O presidente tinha o poder de salvar os homens da execução com uma canetada.

linked by lucasmg123, July 6, 2019
➜ #10869313Shugaban yana da ikon ya ceci mutanen daga hukuncin kisa.

linked by TWB, May 29, 2022