Torschlusspanik
Language: German · [ˈtoːɐ̯ʃlʊsˌpaːnɪk] · Pronunciation: TOR-shlooss-pah-nik
More German words · More about time
Pronunciation: Jberkel · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Meaning
the fear that time is running out to do what you meant to do
The story
Medieval towns shut their gates at nightfall, and whoever was still outside spent the night beyond the walls. German kept the rush to get in before the gate closed and moved it to marriage and children. English has the midlife crisis.
The four rounds
- Which language is it from?
- German
- When does it tend to strike?
- Around a fortieth birthday
- Where would you hear it?
- A friend's list of things to do by forty
- What does it mean?
- Fear that life's chances are closing
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