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As this suggests, it means to be prepared for all eventualities:
To get one's ducks in a row essentially means to ensure all of the small details or elements are accounted for and in their proper positions before embarking on a new project. A defense attorney, for example, may spend much of his or her time making sure all of the evidence and witnesses are presented in a precise, effective order. A salesman may get all of his or her "ducks in a row" by rehearsing his sales presentation beforehand. When a person is fully prepared for any eventuality and has every element in place, he or she can indeed be said to have his or her ducks in a row. http://www.wisegeek.com/where-did-the-term-get-your-ducks-in...
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 4 days (2011-07-16 13:15:38 GMT) Post-grading --------------------------------------------------
The meaning was to have enough money put aside not to have to worry at old age. Unfortunately the bank sold those old people toxic products. As I was looking for an equivalent proverb, your answer approaches what I was looking for. 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
The asker uses Kudoz mostly to ask for idioms which he hears when watching German, Spanish, French and English tv-chains, mostly news-channels. He writes those expressions/idioms down and posts them here. Here meaning was to be financially safe and sound. Perhaps this is the equivalent expression/idiom.
Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
@ Helen
16:45 Jul 12, 2011
After having read your links, I'm still a bit skeptical as to how widespread this expression is. It has never crossed my literary or spoken path. Still really like the image, it is clear regardless of which slant one takes on it. Thank-you for the "wiseGeek", I do believe I'll be having aromp there soon!
When I hear "ducks in row", I am immediately aiming to shoot them, an easy kill or catch - which why I think it could apply - "to have it made", or as I said before "sitting pretty". Perhaps there are slight nuances in the interpretation from BE to AE?
Thanks, Phil and Ramey. I had understood this to be an AE expression originally - see my links which corroborate this, although it is in use in BE and well understood across the board.
Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Helen
15:55 Jul 12, 2011
yes, that sounds good if that's the context AND it for a BE audience - "ducks in a row" wouldn't be directly understood in AE, something like "were sitting pretty" would be the AE equivalent.
Assuming this is about financial products (and I really don't think the asker has understood the need for context), your "ducks in a row" suggestion is excellent. You could insert "financial" before "ducks". Why don't you post it as an answer?
Yes, that's what it sounds like to me too. These are not toxic hair products, but presumably financial ones! I don't know whether 'having all your ducks in a row' might be an equivalent.
"Seine/ihre Schäfchen im Trockenen haben" often means that someone has their finances "home and dry", no more worries in that regard. Don't know whether that would fit here, though
Even with the extra bit of context, it is not really clear how this phrase is being used in your source text, but perhaps you are not able to quote it directly. It sounds as if it might mean the elderly people in question thought they were 'on the home straight' (i.e. safe and no longer to be exposed to whatever these toxic products were) but nonetheless they got stung.
Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Then
09:27 Jul 12, 2011
perhaps a gentler variation on Jeux de Mots' answer "taken care of themselves" or "had covered all that".
The source is the German television and the sale of "toxic products" to eldery people who thought that they had "ihre Schäfchen ins Trockene bekommen hätten". With thanks to Steffen Walter for the correction :).
Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Hello Williamson
07:37 Jul 12, 2011
This question has already been asked, BUT there are of course many styles of translation. Jeux de Mots' is quite correct. What would interest me, is in which context is this found and which tone it is written. The kudoz answer is "cover their own butts" which is rather (c)rude, but must have fit the context. Can you elaborate?
peer agreement (net): +4
