Scheef

1. crooked, not level, slanting/sloping Iconspeaker_3
[adjective/adverb]
[scheef]

Scheef "Scheef" is the opposite of "straight" and you can use it for anything crooked, slanting or not level. It is also used in the meaning of "wrong", see the second translation below.

Examples:
– "Pas op, je houdt je beker scheef!" 
("Watch out, you are not holding your mug straight!")

– "Je schilderij hangt scheef volgens mij."  - "Nou en, het gaat toch om het schilderij zelf!" 
("I think your painting is crooked." – "So what, it's about the painting itself, isn't it?!")

– "In Amsterdam zijn er veel oude huizen met scheve gevels. Een verklaring is dat goederen op die manier makkelijker naar boven getakeld konden worden."
("In Amsterdam there are many old houses with leaning façades. One explanation for this is that it was easier to pull up goods that way.")

– "De vloer loopt een beetje scheef, maar dat is geen probleem, dat kunnen we compenseren." 
("The floor is slanting a bit, but that's no problem, we can compensate for that.")

Expressions:
– "Schots en scheef": messy, unorganized, cluttered.

Example:
– "Ik werk alleen nog maar met computers; het resultaat daarvan is dat mijn handschrift schots en scheef geworden is!"
("I only work with computers nowadays; the result is that my handwriting has become all spidery!").

– "Iemand scheef aankijken": to look askance at someone.
– "(dat geeft) Scheve gezichten/ogen": lit. "(that causes) crooked/bent faces/eyes", you can say this when something will make other people jealous.

Related words:
– Scheve hoek: oblique angle [noun] [de hoek, de hoeken].
– Waterpas: level [adjective].

Example:
– "Mijn wasmachine hobbelt heel erg!" – "Staat hij wel waterpas?"
("My washing machine really bounces up and down!" – "Are you sure it is level?")

– Recht: straight [adjective].

2. wrong, distorted, false Iconspeaker_3
[adjective/adverb]
[scheef] 

"Scheef" is typically used in case of distorted relationships or when you feel something is not fair.

Examples:
– "De verhouding tussen geven en nemen is helemaal scheef in zijn relatie." 
("The ratio between giving and taking is completely off in his relationship.")

– "Deze ontwikkeling zorgt voor scheve verhoudingen in de maatschappij." 
("This development causes distorted relationships in our society.")

– "Volgens mij gaat het scheef lopen als we op deze manier doorgaan."
("I think that things will go wrong if we continue this way.")

Related words:
– Fout: wrong, incorrect [adjective/adverb].

Rechtbank

court of law/justice Iconspeaker_3
[noun]
[de recht-bank, de recht-ban-ken] Rechtbank

You'd better stay away from them – unless you're in the audience to see Wilders from up close ;-) A "rechtbank" is a court of law. "Recht" is Dutch for "law" or "justice" and you will see this word appear in all forms: the judge is a "rechter", to become a judge he studied law ("rechten" or "rechtsgeleerdheid"), and it's his duty to deliver judgement ("rechtspreken") for the sake of justice ("gerechtigheid"). Literally, "recht" is "straight". 

Examples:
– "De rechtszaak wordt morgen behandeld door de rechtbank." 
("The lawsuit will be addressed by the court tomorrow.")

– "Als een juridische zaak spoedeisend is, wordt een kort geding aangespannen bij de rechtbank." 
("If a legal matter is urgent, it is discussed in summary proceedings at the court.")

– "Ga je de zaak (in der minne) schikken of ga je hem voor de rechtbank brengen?" 
("Are you going to settle the matter (amicably) or will you take it to court?")

– "Omdat een van de getuigen onwel werd, werd de zitting verdaagd." 
("Because one of the witnesses became unwell, the court was adjourned.")

– "Het Internationaal Joegoslavië Tribunaal in Den Haag klaagde Milosevic in 1999 aan; in 2002 verscheen hij voor de rechtbank." 
("The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague charged Milosevic in 1999; he appeared before the court in 2002.")

– "<Plaatje:> Politicus Wilders werd verdedigd door een van de bekendste advocaten van Nederland, Moszkowicz, en vrijgesproken." 
("<Picture:> Politician Wilders was defended by one of Netherlands' best best-known lawyers, Moszkowicz, and was acquitted of all charges.")

Expressions:
– "Recht doen (aan iets)": to do justice (to something).
– "Voor het gerecht dagen": to summon.
– "Een zaak aanhangig maken": To bring a case before the court.

Related words:
– Recht: the justice, the law [noun] [het recht, <no plural>].
– Wet: the law [noun] [de wet, de wetten].
– Tribunaal: the tribunal [noun] [het tribunaal, de tribunalen].
– Rechter: the judge [noun] [de rechter, de rechters].
– Advocaat: the lawyer [noun] [de advocaat, de advocaten].
– Gedaagde: the defendant [noun] [de gedaagde, de gedaagden].
– Gerechtshof: the court of law/justice [noun] [het gerechtshof, de gerechtshoven].
– Wetboek van Strafrecht: the penal/criminal code [noun] [het Wetboek van Strafrecht, <no plural>].
– Openbaar Ministerie: the Public Prosecutor [noun] [het Openbaar Ministerie, <no plural>].

Extra:
The difference between "rechtbank" and "gerechtshof" is that the former is the District Court and the latter the Court of Appeal.