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  What it means

  Literally “to know from the lining,” this idiom means to know something inside out, thoroughly, or in great detail. The metaphor comes from tailoring, where the lining is the innermost part of a garment—if you know the lining, you know how the whole thing was constructed. You might use this to describe your hometown or a subject you’ve studied for years.

  Vocabulary

  • poznać — to get to know / meet
  • podszewka — lining
  • dokładnie — exactly / thoroughly

  Grammar note

  The preposition 'od' triggers the genitive case, turning 'podszewka' into 'podszewki.' 'Poznać' is perfective, suggesting a state of having already mastered the knowledge.

  Cultural context

  This is a very elegant and common idiom. It’s more colorful than simply saying "to know well" and implies a deep, "behind-the-scenes" level of expertise.

  Intermediate

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