# tulla mitta täyteen



## 盲人瞎馬

What does tulla mitta täyteen mean?



> He haluavat lisää äänestäjiä kun meillä alkaa tulla mitta täyteen.



Thanks.


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## Mordong

It's the same saying as _be fed up to the back teeth _or _we have had it_, even though I think this one is more suitable in a literary text than the other variant _olla kurkkuaan myöten täynnä.
_The image in the expression is a measure (mitta) which overflows after it's full, though in this one the measure is first reaching its limit so it means there's still some but very little patience left. One variant more which would express some of the patience left would be _alkaa saada tarpeekseen _(olemme alkaneet saada tarpeeksemme) but it has nothing of image in it.


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## StellaPolaris

Then of course there's the classic  _cup runneth over. _Would that work?​


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## Mordong

StellaPolaris said:


> Then of course there's the classic  _cup runneth over. _Would that work?​



At least my understanding says that it's actually even more equivalent to the Finnish one, that one just didn't come into mind.


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## Maabdreo

StellaPolaris said:


> Then of course there's the classic  _cup runneth over. _Would that work?​



I have only heard "my cup runneth over" used to mean "with happiness," whereas it sounds like the Finnish expression refers to running out of patience?


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## fennofiili

Maabdreo said:


> I have only heard "my cup runneth over" used to mean "with happiness," whereas it sounds like the Finnish expression refers to running out of patience?



I think you are right. “My cup runneth over” is from the Bible (Psalm 23:5, King James version). In Finnish translations at least from year 1776, this has been “minun maljani on ylitsevuotavainen”. It indeed expresses well-being, being favored by God. In contrast, “alkaa tulla mitta täyteen” is negative in tone: a “measure” (a vessel used for measuring) is getting full, and this refers to a “measure” of tolerance.


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