Street Spanish: Idioms Ch03

Front 1

a puerta cerrada

Back 1

behind closed doors

Front 2

en clausura

Back 2

in confinement

Front 3

en privado

Back 3

in private

Front 4

cerrar todas las puertas

Back 4

to close all avenues to someone

Front 5

dar con la puerta en las narices

Back 5

to slam the door in someone´s face

Front 6

consultarlo con la almohada

Back 6

to sleep on it

Front 7

cortar por lo sano

Back 7

to take drastic measures

Front 8

sano y salvo

Back 8

safe and sound

Front 9

del dicho al hecho hay mucho trecho

Back 9

easier said than done

Front 10

trecho masculino

Back 10

A 1 (tramo) stretch; su carrera política ha tenido trechos difíciles her political career has been through difficult periods o (inglés británico) patches; 2 (distancia): aún nos queda un buen trecho we still have a good distance o a fair way to go; todavía hay un trecho hasta su casa it's still a fair o good way to her house; eres joven y aún te queda un trecho por recorrer you're still young and you have a lot of years ahead of you B (México) (sendero) path

Front 11

a trechos

Back 11

here and there;

Front 12

de trecho en trecho

Back 12

every so often, at intervals

Front 13

echar a alguien a la calle

Back 13

to fire someone

Front 14

arrojar a la calle

Back 14

to someon/something out to the street

Front 15

echar chispas

Back 15

to be furious

Front 16

echar fuego por las orejas

Back 16

to give fire from the ears

Front 17

echarse un trago

Back 17

to have a drink

Front 18

empinar el cacho

Back 18

(Chile) to raise the piece; to have a drink

Front 19

ser un cacho de pan

Back 19

(España familiar) to be a big softie (familiar)

Front 20

empinarse

Back 20

(de puntillas) to stand on tiptoe

Front 21

empinar el codo

Back 21

to raise the elbow; to have a drink

Front 22

pegarse un palo

Back 22

to have a drink

Front 23

duro de tragar

Back 23

hard to believe

Front 24

el brazo derecho

Back 24

right-hand man

Front 25

con los brazos abiertos

Back 25

with open arms

Front 26

no dar el brazo a torcer

Back 26

to not give in

Front 27

en el pellejo/la piel de alguien (estar)

Back 27

to be in someone´s skin

Front 28

arriesgarse el pellejo

Back 28

to risk one´s neck

Front 29

salvarse el pellejo

Back 29

to save one´s skin

Front 30

entrar por un oído y salir por el otro

Back 30

to go in one ear and out the other

Front 31

hacer caso omiso de

Back 31

to take no notice of, to ignore something; haces caso omiso de todo lo que te digo you ignore everything o take no notice of anything I tell you; hizo caso omiso de mis consejos he disregarded o ignored o didn't heed my advice, he took no notice of my advice

Front 32

aguzar el oído

Back 32

to sharpen one´s ear

Front 33

decir (algo) al oído

Back 33

to whisper something

Front 34

ser todo oídos

Back 34

to be all ears

Front 35

gastar saliva en balde

Back 35

to waste onés breath

Front 36

caer como un balde de agua fría

Back 36

to come as a complete shock;

Front 37

de balde

Back 37

exp: free of charge, lit: in vain; no pretenderás que trabaje de balde I hope you're not expecting me to work for nothing; viajábamos de balde we used to ride (for) free; estoy aquí de balde there's no point in me being here o I'm not needed here; tus excusas están de balde it's no good o it's no use making excuses;

Front 38

no en balde

Back 38

no wonder

Front 39

hasta la coronilla de (estar)

Back 39

to be fed up with, sick of (something/somone)

Front 40

estar hasta las cejas de

Back 40

to be up to the eyebrowns with, sick of something

Front 41

tener entre cejas

Back 41

to take a dislike to; to take someon between eyebrows

Front 42

dejarse las cejas en algo

Back 42

to put a lot of effort into something;

Front 43

hoy por hoy

Back 43

as of right now

Front 44

de hoy en adelante

Back 44

from now on

Front 45

hoy en día

Back 45

nowadays

Front 46

hoy mismo

Back 46

today, this very day

Front 47

dar el brazo a torcer

Back 47

to give in

Front 48

perder el habla

Back 48

to be speechless

Front 49

a/por las buenas o a/por las malas

Back 49

whether one likes it or not, one way or another

Front 50

de una maner u otra

Back 50

one way or another

Front 51

sin falta

Back 51

without fail

Front 52

a falta de

Back 52

for lack of

Front 53

sudar la gota gorda

Back 53

to sweat blood, to make a grand effort

Front 54

tan claro como el agua (estar)

Back 54

it is as clear as day

Front 55

agua pasado no mueve molino

Back 55

it is water under the bridge

Front 56

nadar entre dos aguas

Back 56

to be on the fence

Front 57

uña y carne (ser como)

Back 57

to be really close

Front 58

uña y mugre (ser como)

Back 58

to be really close (Mexico)

Front 59

llevarse como perro y gato

Back 59

to fight like cats and dogs

Front 60

esconder las uñas

Back 60

to hide one´s true intentions

Front 61

sacar las uñas

Back 61

to show onés true colors