This is Wikipedia text about the Norwegian writer Knut Hamsun:
"Hamsun was eventually invited to meet with Hitler; during the meeting, he complained about the German civilian administrator in Norway, Josef Terboven, and asked that imprisoned Norwegian citizens be released, enraging Hitler.[31] Otto Dietrich describes the meeting in his memoirs as the only time that another person was able to get a word in edgeways with Hitler. He attributes the cause to Hamsun's deafness."
Since I'm not a native English speaker, I got somewhat confused by the expression "to get a word in edgeways". I did some search online, but nowadays the searches of that kind result in inconclusive add-based/click-bait/SEO-optimized results.
My understanding was that Hamsun (who, besides being almost deaf, were a 80+ elder at the time of the meeting) spoke all the time, barely listening to anything that Hitler said; but I'm afraid that I could be mistaken and what happened was just the contrary (Hitler was the one who talked to much).
Of course my question is only about the "idiomatic expression"; does
"Hamsun got a word in edgeways with Adolf"
really means
"Adolf could not speak to Hamsun"?
Best Answer
The Cambridge Dictionary gives a clear definition for the phrase:
An example:
Adam and John are talking. John is talking all the time without a pause, not letting Adam speak. Adam can't get a word in edgeways. Nobody ever can.
Along comes Bob and joins the conversation. Bob speaks without a problem (because he can't hear John or doesn't care about interrupting people). It's the only time that another person can get a word in edgeways wih John.