The Big Red Book of Spanish Idioms

by Peter Weibel

  el candil oil lamp

  pescar al candil (fig.) to fish in troubled waters (fig.)

  arder en un candil (fig., fam.) (a) (wine): to be very strong (b) to be pretty strong stuff (fig., fam.) Este vino arde en un candil. This wine is very strong. Lo que dijo ardió en un candil. What he said was pretty strong stuff.

  buscar con un candil (fam.) to search high and low

  Ni buscando con [un] candil. (fam.) There aren’t many of that sort around. You won’t see the likes of that again in a hurry. (fam.)

  la canela cinnamon

  ser canela fina (fig.) to be wonderful, to be splendid, to be exquisite, to be fantastic (fam.), to be heavenly (fam.), to be divine (fig., fam.), to be pure nectar (fig.), to be very special, to be exceptional Esa mujer es canela fina. That woman is wonderful. She is an exceptional woman. Este jarrón de porcelana es canela fina. This is a very exquisite porcelain vase. Este vino es canela fina. This wine is divine or is pure nectar.

  ser la flor de la canela (fig.) to be the very best, to be the crème de la crème (fig.), to be the best that money can buy (pop.)

  el canelo cinnamon tree

  hacer el canelo (pop., Esp.) to be exploited (fig.), to be taken for a ride (fam.), to be taken in (fam.)

  el cangrejo crab

  ponerse rojo como un cangrejo, ponerse como un cangrejo asado to blush like a lobster (fig.), to blush like a or go as red as a beetroot (fam., Br.E.), to turn as red as a beet (fam., Am.E.), to go bright red

  el canguro kangaroo

  el/la canguro/cangura (fig., Esp.) baby-sitter Hace de cangura dos veces por semana. She baby-sits twice a week.

  la canica marble (little ball)

  las canicas (pop., Esp.) (testicles): balls (pop., vulg.), nuts (vulg., Am.E.), marbles (vulg., Br.E.), bollocks (vulg. Br.E.), goolies (sl.)

  el canónigo canon

  vivir como un canónigo (fig., fam.) to live an easy life

  cansado ( nacer: nació alg. ~)

  cansado (estar ~ del plantón)

  cansancio (caerse de ~)

  cansancio (estar muerto [de ~])

  el/la cantamañanas (fam., pej.) unreliable person, person who is all talk and no action (fam.) Es un cantamañanas. He’s all talk and no action. He’s an unreliable bloke. You can’t believe a word he says.

  cantar to sing

  cantar (fam.) to sing (sl.), to squeal (sl.), to talk (fam.), to blab (fam.), to spill the beans (sl.)

  cantar de plano (fam.) to make a full confession, to tell all one knows, to come clean (fam.)

  cantar algo a alg. (fam.) to rave to s.o. about s.th. Siempre me cantan ese restaurante. They’re always raving to me about that restaurant.

  cantar las cuarenta a alg. (fam.) to give s.o. a piece of one’s mind, to tell s.o. a few home truths

  cantarlas claras [a alg.] (fam.) not to mince one’s words (fig.), to speak frankly/out, to talk turkey [with s.o.] (sl., Am.E.), to tell s.o. straight, to give it to s.o. straight Las canté claras. I didn’t mince my words. Se las canté claras a ellos. I told them straight. I gave it to them straight. I talked turkey with them.

  cantar victoria (fig.) Gracias a Dios se han ido. No cantes victoria. Thank God they’re gone. Don’t speak too soon. No cantes victoria antes de tiempo. Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched. (fig.) Es pronto para cantar victoria. I’m/we’re not out of the wood (Br.E.) or woods (Am.E.) yet. (fam.)

  cantar (canta la chicharra)

  cantar (carta[s] canta[n])

  cantar (otro gallo cantaría si …)

  cantar (quien nace chicharra muere cantando)

  cantar (ser coser y ~)

  cantar el kirie

  cantar la cartilla a alg.

  cantar la gallina/palinodia

  el cantar song

  Eso es otro cantar. (fig., fam.) That’s [quite] another story or matter or kettle of fish. That’s [quite] a different story or matter or kettle of fish. That’s a different ball game. (fig., fam.)

  el cántaro pitcher, jug

  los cántaros (fam.) (breasts): knockers (sl.), tits (fam.), boobs (fam.), hooters (sl., Am.E.)

  un alma de cántaro (fig., fam.) nincompoop (fam.), numskull (fam.) un [pedazo de] alcornoque

  Tanto va el cántaro a la fuente, que al fin se rompe. (prov.) There’s a limit to everything. You/etc. shouldn’t push your/etc. luck. (fam.) You/etc. won’t get away with it/that forever.

  a cántaros (fig.) in plenty, plenty of, pots/piles/heaps of (fam.) llover a cántaros to rain in torrents, to come down in buckets/sheets, to rain cats and dogs, to be pouring [down or with rain], to be bucketing down (Br.E.), the floodgates of heaven open (fig.) Gana dinero a cántaros. He makes pots of money. He’s raking it in.

  la cantilena chant, song, ballad

  ¡[Siempre] la misma cantilena! (fig., fam.) The same old story [every time]! Here he/etc. goes again! Can’t he/etc. change the record!? (fig., fam.)

  Ha vuelto a la misma cantilena. (fig., fam.) He’s/she’s riding his/her hobby-horse again. (fig.) He’s/she’s on his/her hobby-horse again. (fig.) He’s/she’s onto his/her favorite or pet subject/topic again.

  el canto song, singing

  al canto del gallo (literal/fig.) at daybreak, at the crack of dawn (fam.), at cockcrow (literal/fig.) Ayer nos levantamos al canto del gallo. We got up at the crack of dawn yesterday.

  el canto stone, pebble, edge, border

  darse con un canto en los dientes o en los pechos (fam.) to be well pleased, to count o.s. lucky Puedes darte con un canto en los dientes. You can count yourself lucky.

  [por] el canto de un duro (fig.) almost, [very] nearly, (to come) very close to, (to come) within a whisker of (fam.), (to be/come) within an ace of (fig.), by the skin of one’s teeth (fam.), (to be/have) a close/narrow shave (fig., fam.) or a close call (fam.) Me faltó el canto de un duro para ganar. I came within an ace of winning. I came within a whisker of winning. Le faltó el canto de un duro para perder el tren. He very nearly missed the train. Me salvé por el canto de un duro. I had a narrow shave/escape. It was a close shave/call. Por el canto de un duro nos atropellan. We just missed being run over by the skin of our teeth.

  canto (cerrar algo a cal y ~)

  canto (de cal y ~)

  la caña reed

  la caña (fig., fam.) (person): beanpole (fig., fam., hum.)

  dar caña a alg./algo (fam.) (a) to give s.o. a beating arrimar candela a alg. (b) to attack s.th. (fig.), to slam s.th. (fam.), to slag s.th. off (sl., Br.E.), to pan s.th. (fam.) Le dieron caña a la prensa. They [really] attacked the press. Los críticos le dieron caña a la novela. The critics panned the novel.

  dar/meter caña (fam.) to step on it (fam.), to step on the gas (fam.) ¡Dale caña! Step on it!

  Las cañas se vuelven lanzas. A joke can easily turn into s.th. unpleasant. A joke can easily turn serious.

  caña (hay toros y ~s)

  cañón (adj. inv., adv., fam., Esp.) fabulous[ly] (fig., fam.), marvellous[ly] (fam.), great (fam.), wonderful[ly], fantastic[ally] (fam.), gorgeous (fam.), stunning[ly], staggering[ly] (fig.), brillant[ly] (fam., Br.E.) Ella está cañón. She’s gorgeous. una idea cañón a fantastic idea Lo has hecho cañón. You’ve done it brillantly. You’ve done a great job. Me lo pasé cañón. I had a wonderful or a great time.

  cañón (estar/morir al pie del ~)

  cañonazo (matar moscas a ~s)

  la capa cape, cloak

  la capa [de ladrones] (fig.) receiver [of stolen goods], fence (fam.), uncle (sl.)

  dar la capa (fam.) to give the shirt off one’s back (fig.) Ella te daría la capa. She’d give you the shirt off her back.

  hacer de su capa un sayo (fig.) to do what one likes with one’s own things, to do as one pleases, to make one’s own decisions, to act freely

  tirar a alg. de la capa (fig.) to drop a hint to s.o.

  defender algo a capa y espada (fig.) to fight tooth and nail to defend s.th. (fig.), to put everything one has into the defense of s.th., to defend s.th. to the
last ditch (fig.), to take up the cudgels for s.th. (fig.)

  una película/etc. de capa y espada cloak-and-dagger film/etc.

  capa (si Dios de ésta me escapa, nunca me cubrirá de tal ~)

  capacho (mezclar berzas con ~s)

  capar moscas (mandar a alg. a ~)

  capirote (hacer mangas y ~s de algo/alg.)

  capirote (ser tonto de ~)

  capítulo (tener voz en ~)

  capricho (ser juguete de los ~s de alg.)

  el capuchón (clothing): big hood

  ponerse el capuchón (pop.) to be put behind bars (fig.), to be put in clink (sl.), to be put in the can (sl., Am.E.), to be put in the jug (sl.), to be put in the slammer (sl.), to be locked up

  la cara face

  tener cara de nalgas (fig., pop.) to have chubby cheeks, to be chubby-cheeked

  tener cara de pan (fam.) to have a round face, to be moon-faced

  tener cara de pocos amigos to look black (fig.), to look like or as black as thunder, to look grumpy, to look surly, to have a sour (fig.) or cross (fam.) look on one’s face

  tener más cara que espalda (pop.) to be very impertinent/impudent, to be a cheeky devil (fam., Br.E.), to be as bold as brass (fam.), to have such a nerve (fam.)

  dar/sacar la cara por alg. to stand up for s.o., to stick up for s.o.

  plantar cara a alg. to confront s.o., to defy s.o., to stand up to s.o.

  saltar a la cara a alg. (fig., fam.) to jump down s.o.’s throat (fam.), to snap at s.o.

  lavar la cara a alg. (fig.) to suck up to s.o. (fam.), to toady to s.o., to lick s.o.’s boots (fig.), to adulate s.o.

  se le ve/nota/conoce a alg. en la cara one can tell just by looking at s.o., one can tell just by the look on s.o.’s face Se te ve en la cara que no dices la verdad. One can tell just by looking at you or just by the look on your face that you don’t tell the truth.

  cara ( escribir: tener algo escrito en la ~)

  cara ( nuevo: ponerle a alg. la ~ nueva)

  cara (caérsele a alg. la ~ de vergüenza)

  cara (dar a alg. con la puerta en la ~)

  cara (tener la ~ como el cemento)

  cara (tener monos en la ~)

  cara de pascuas (tener ~)

  cara de rallo

  cara de vinagre (poner ~)

  la carabina carbine

  ser [como o lo mismo que] la carabina de Ambrosio (fam.) to be utterly useless, to be a dead loss (fig., fam.)

  la carabina (fam.) chaperon[e] hacer/ir de carabina to go [along] as or play chaperon, to play gooseberry (fam., Br.E.) sentirse de carabina to feel like a fifth wheel (fig., fam.)

  el caracol snail, spiral (form)

  ¡Caracoles! (fam., euph.). (amazement/surprise): Good heavens! (fam.) Blow me! (fam., Br.E.) (anger): Damn it! (fam.)

  hacer caracoles (fig., fam.) (drunk): to reel, to stagger, to weave about

  el carajillo (Esp.) black coffee with a dash of brandy

  la carantoña (fam.) (a) grotesque mask (b) grotesque or ugly face, ugly mug (sl.) (c) painted hag (pej.), mutton dressed up as lamb (fam., Br.E.)

  hacer carantoñas a alg. (a) to make sheep’s eyes at s.o. (b) to flatter s.o., to butter s.o. up (fam.), to soft-soap s.o. (fam.)

  la carcajada guffaw, peal of laughter

  soltar la carcajada to burst out laughing

  reír[se] a carcajadas to roar with laughter, to guffaw

  el carcamal (fam., pej.) (person): old crock (fam., Br.E.), [old] wreck (fig., pej.)

  cárcel (dar con los/sus huesos en la ~)

  cárcel (pudrirse en la ~)

  cárcel (zambullir a alg. en la ~)

  la careta mask

  quitarse la careta (fig.) to drop the mask (fig.), to show [o.s. in] one’s true colors Nunca se sabe qué piensa ese tío. No se quita la careta. You can never tell what that guy is thinking. He doesn’t show his true colors.

  quitarle la careta a alg. (fig.) to unmask s.o. (fig.), to expose s.o.

  la carga load, burden

  dar con la carga en tierra o en el suelo (fig.), echarse con la carga (fig.) to chuck it all in/up (fam., Br.E.), to chuck the whole thing (fam.), to throw in the sponge/towel (fig.), to give up Probemos al menos una vez más. Es demasiado prematuro echarse con la carga. Let’s try at least one more time. It’s too early/soon to throw in the towel.

  cargar to load

  cargarse a alg. (fam.) (a) to kill s.o., to bump s.o. off (sl.), to finish s.o. off (fam.), to do s.o. in (fam.), to croak s.o. (sl.), to deep-six s.o. (sl., Am.E.) (b) to have it off with s.o. (sl., Br.E.) calzar[se] a alg. ¡Me lo cargaré! I’ll bump him off!

  el cariz weather situation

  ir tomando algo mal cariz (fig.) s.th. (situation/etc.): to be beginning to look bad, to be getting serious, not to like the look of s.th. Esto o esta cosa va tomando mal cariz. I don’t like the look of this. This business is beginning to look bad. La situación política va tomando mal cariz. The political situation is beginning to look bad.

  la carlanca (fig., fam.) shrewdness, cunning

  tener muchas carlancas to be very shrewd/crafty, to be as sly as they come (fam.), to know every trick in the book (fam.)

  la carne flesh, meat

  herir a alg. en carne viva (fig.) to hurt/wound s.o. deeply (fig.), to cut s.o. to the quick (fig.)

  poner toda la carne en el asador (fig.) (a) to put all one’s eggs in one basket (fig., pop.), to go the whole hog (fam.), to stake one’s all (fig.), to shoot the works (fam.) (b) to do everything in one’s power, to move heaven and earth, to leave no stone unturned (fig.)

  ponerle o ponérsele a alg. [la] carne de gallina (fig.) to give s.o. or get gooseflesh/goose pimples/goose bumps (Am.E.) (fig.), to give s.o. or get the creeps (fam.), to give s.o. or get the heebie-jeebies (fam.), to send shivers down s.o.’s spine (fig.) Nos pone la carne de gallina. It gives us gooseflesh. Esa escena me puso la carne de gallina. That scene gave me goose pimples. That scene sent shivers down my spine. Se me puso carne de gallina. I got the creeps/heebie-jeebies.

  tener carne de perro (fig., fam.) to have an iron (fig.) constitution

  ser de carne y hueso to be only human, to have feelings too, to have the same feelings as other people ¿Él cree que no sufrimos? Nosotros también somos de carne y hueso. He thinks we don’t suffer? We’re only human. We have feelings too.

  no ser carne ni pescado (fig.) to be neither fish nor fowl (fig.), to be neither one thing nor the other.

  temblarle a alg. las carnes (fig.) to tremble from head to foot, to tremble all over

  perder carnes (fam.) to go thin, to lose weight

  en carnes [vivas] (fig.) naked, stark naked (fam.), starkers (fam., hum., Br.E.), in the buff (fam., hum., Br.E.) Fuimos a bañarnos en carnes. We went skinny-dipping. (fam.)

  carne (ser uña y ~)

  el carnero wether, ram

  No hay tales carneros. (fig., fam.) There isn’t any such thing. There’s no such thing. It’s nothing of the sort. It’s enough to make a cat laugh. (fam.)

  caro (salirle algo a alg. ~)

  carpetazo (fam.)

  dar carpetazo a algo (plan/proyecto/etc.) s.th. (plan/project/etc.): to shelve (fig.), to leave on the shelf (fig.), to put on ice (fig.), to put on one side, to do nothing about

  Carracuca (fam.)

  estar más perdido que Carracuca to be really in the soup (fam.), to be in a fine/real mess (fig.), to be in a real jam/fix (fam.), to be in a very awkward or difficult situation

  ser más viejo que Carracuca to be as old as the hills (fig., fam.), to be as old as Methuselah (fig.)

  ser más feo que Carracuca to be as ugly as sin/hell (fam.), to be incredibly ugly

  ser más tonto que Carracuca to be as thick as they come (fam.), to be as thick as two short planks (fam.), to be as thick as a brick (fam.), to be a real thicko (sl., Br.E.), not to be exactly an Einstein (fam.), s.o. must have been at the back of the queue when they were handing brains out (fam., hum.)

  carrera (plantar la ~)

  carreta (agu
antar carros y ~s)

  el carretero cart driver

  blasfemar/jurar como un carretero (fam.) to swear like a trooper (fam.), to swear horribly

  fumar como un carretero (fam.) to smoke like a chimney (fig.)

  el carrillo cheek

  comer o mascar a dos carrillos (fam.) to gobble (fam.), to scoff (fam., Br.E.) (fam.), to tuck in (fam.), to tuck it away (fam.), to eat greedily, to stuff o.s. (fam.), to feed/stuff one’s face (fam.), to make a [real] pig of o.s. (fam.), to eat like a horse (fig.)

  comer a dos carrillos (fig.) (a) to have more than one iron in the fire or string to one’s bow (fig., fam.), to have more than one [well-paid] job, to moonlight (sl.), to have the best of both worlds (b) to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds (fig., Br.E.) Ten cuidado al negociar con él. Come a dos carrillos. Be careful negotiating with him. He runs with the hare and hunts with the hounds.

  el carro cart, wagon

  untar el carro a alg. (fig., fam.) to grease s.o.’s palm (fig., fam.), to bribe s.o.

  aguantar carros y carretas (fig.) to put up with anything

  ¡Para el carro! (fig., fam.) Hold your horses! (fam.) Cool it! (fam.) Keep your shirt on! (fam.) Keep your hair on! (fam., Br.E.)

  el carroza (fam., Esp.) (a) old fogey (fam., pej.), old geezer (fam.), a man who has antiquated ideas, square (sl.) (b) old gay lecher, old queen (sl.)

  la carta card, playing card

  jugar la última carta (fig.) to play one’s last [trump] card (fig.)

  jugárselo todo a una [sola] carta (fig.) to put all one’s eggs in one basket (fig.), to risk everything on one throw

  jugar a cartas vistas (fig.) to put one’s cards on the table (fig.)

  poner las cartas boca arriba (fig.) to put/lay one’s cards on the table (fig.) Pon las cartas boca arriba y dime qué verdaderamente piensas. Put your cards on the table and tell me what you really think.

  no saber a qué carta quedarse (fig.) not to know what to think/believe, to be in a dilemma, to be undecided

  tomar cartas en un asunto (fig.) to take a hand in a matter, to come in on an affair, to intervene in a matter, to step in (fig.) Tenemos que tomar cartas en el asunto. We have to intervene [in the matter]. We have to step in.

  Carta[s] canta[n]. (prov.) To have it in black and white. To have it in cold print. (fig.) ¿Y no hay la menor duda? Cartas cantan. And there’s no doubt whatsoever? I/we have it in black and white. Here it is in cold print.