The Big Red Book of Spanish Idioms

by Peter Weibel

  lucirse to distinguish o.s., to excel

  lucirse (iron.) to show o.s. up, to make a fool of o.s. ¡Te has lucido! A fine thing you’ve done! (iron.) You’ve really excelled yourself! (iron.) What a mess you’ve made of it! (fig.) You’ve made a real fool of yourself!

  lugar (hacer[se] su/una composición de ~)

  lumbre (estar al amor de la ~)

  la luna moon

  la luna de miel (fig.) honeymoon

  estar en la luna (fig., fam.) to have one’s head in the clouds, to be away with the fairies (fam.), to be remote from it all (fig.), to be miles away (fig.), to have one’s mind on other things, to be out to lunch (fam., Am.E.), to be daydreaming, to be woolgathering (fam.)

  vivir en la luna (fig., fam.) to have one’s head in the clouds, to be living in cloud-cuckoo-land, to be living in never-never land, to be living in a dream/fantasy world

  pedir la luna (fig.) to ask the impossible

  mirar la luna (fig.) to gawp (fam., Br.E.), to gawk (fam.)

  ladrar a la luna (fig.) to talk to a brick wall (fig., fam.), to waste one’s breath No está escuchando. Es como ladrarle a la luna. He isn’t listening. It is like talking to a brick wall [with him].

  quedarse a la luna de Valencia (fig.) to be left empty-handed, to come away empty-handed, to be disappointed, to be left in the lurch (fig.), to be left high and dry (fig.)

  dejar a alg. a la luna de Valencia (fig.) to leave s.o. empty-handed, to disappoint s.o., to leave s.o. in the lurch (fig.), to leave s.o. high and dry (fig.) Me dejaron a la luna de Valencia y tuve que hacerlo todo yo. They left me in the lurch and I had to do it all myself.

  estar de buena/mala luna (fig.) to be in a good/bad mood

  tener sus lunas (fig.) to have strange/peculiar ideas

  luna (poner a alg. en/por o levantar a alg. a/hasta los cuernos de la ~)

  la luz light

  dar luz verde a algo (fig.) to give s.th. the green light (fig.) or the go-ahead Dieron luz verde al proyecto. They gave the plan the green light or the go-ahead.

  ser de pocas luces o ser corto de luces o tener pocas luces (fig., fam.) to be pretty dim (fam., Br.E.), to be dim-witted (fam.), not to be very bright (fig.), not to be the brightest bulb in the chandelier (fig.), to be one sandwich short of a picnic (hum.), to be a few cards shy of a full deck (hum.), to be two bricks shy of a load (hum.)

  sacar algo a luz (fig.) (a) (book/etc.): to bring out, to publish (b) (secret or scandal/etc.): to bring to light (fig.)

  salir a luz (fig.) (a) (book/etc.): to come out, to be published (b) (secret or scandal/etc.): to become known, to come to light (fig.) El lío acaba de salir a luz. The affair has just come to light.

  Hay luz al final del túnel. (fig.) There is light at the end of the tunnel. (fig.) There is a bright spot on the horizon. (fig.) There is a glimmer of hope. (fig.)

  meter/poner la luz bajo el celemín (fig.) to hide one’s light under a bushel (fig.) No la subestimes. Tiene muchos talentos, pero pone la luz bajo el celemín. Don’t underestimate her. She has many talents, but she hides her light under a bushel.

  LL

  Las palabras que empiezan por “ll” aparecen bajo la letra L en su correspondiente orden alfabético.

  Words beginning with “ll” are listed at the appropriate alphabetical position under letter L.

  M

  machacar to beat (meat/etc.), to pound, to crush

  machacar (fig., fam.) to cram (fam.), to swot (fam., Br.E.), to bone up (fam.)

  machacar algo (fig., fam.) to cram s.th. (fam.), to swot up [on] s.th. (fam., Br.E.), to mug up [on] s.th. (fam., Br.E.), to bone up on s.th. (fam.)

  machacar [en/sobre] algo (fig., fam.) to harp on [about] s.th. (fig., fam.), to go/keep on about s.th. Sigue machacando en ese asunto. He’s still harping on about that matter.

  machacar en hierro frío (fig., fam.) to labor in vain, to waste one’s time, to be a waste of time, to be a wasted effort, to flog a dead horse (fig., fam.) Hablarle de aumentar los sueldos es como machacar en hierro frío. Talking to him about increasing the salaries is like flogging a dead horse or is a complete waste of time.

  machacar a alg. (fig., fam.) (in debate; opponent): to crush s.o. (fig.), to flatten s.o. (fam.), to tear s.o. to bits/pieces/shreds (fig., fam.) Uno de los candidatos a la presidencia machacó a los otros. One of the presidential candidates flattened the others.

  machacar algo a alg. (fig., fam.) to drum s.th. into s.o. or into s.o.’s head (fig.) Machácales lo que tienen que hacer. Drum into them or into their heads what they have to do.

  machacársela (vulg., Esp.) (to masturbate) tocar la campana

  la madera wood

  la madera (pop., Esp.) cops (fam.), fuzz (sl.), pigs (sl.), filth (sl., Br.E.), heat (sl., Am.E.)

  tener madera de … (fig.) to have the makings of … Tiene madera de actriz. She has the makings of an actress.

  ser de la misma madera (fig.) to be made of the same stuff (fig.), to be two of a kind

  la madre mother, riverbed

  como su madre le/lo/la echó al mundo (fig., fam.) in his/her birthday suit (hum.), stark naked (fam.) Cuando era joven iba a nadar como mi madre me echó al mundo. When I was young, I [often] went swimming in my birthday suit.

  ciento y la madre (fig.) whole crowd of people Hubo allí ciento y la madre. A whole crowd of people was there. The world and his wife were there. (fam., Br.E.)

  salirse de madre (fig.) to kick over the traces (fig.), to lose all self-control

  madre (ahí está la ~ del cordero)

  madre (Cristo y la ~)

  madre (desde el vientre de su/etc. ~)

  madre (el ocio/la ociosidad es la ~ de todos los vicios)

  madre (ser más feo que pegar a la ~)

  madre (tal ~ tal hija)

  madrugar to get up early

  madrugar [a alg.] (fig., fam.) (a) to jump the gun (fig.) (b) to beat s.o. to it, to get in first (fam.), to steal a march on s.o.

  A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda. (prov.) The early bird catches the worm. (prov.) God helps those who help themselves.

  maduro (está madura la breva)

  maestro (la baza maestra)

  maestro (la necesidad hace ~s)

  Magdalena Magdalen, Madeleine

  llorar como una Magdalena (fig.) to weep bitterly, to cry one’s eyes out, to sob one’s heart out

  mal; el mal bad[ly], evil, harm

  poner mal a alg. to run s.o. down (fam.)

  no estar nada mal (fam.) Ganar mucho dinero no estaría nada mal. I wouldn’t mind making a lot of money.

  menos mal thank goodness, it’s a good thing … ¡Menos mal! Thank goodness! ¡Menos mal que no fuimos! Thank goodness we didn’t go! It’s a good thing [that] we didn’t go!

  estar/andar mal de algo to be short of s.th., to be low on s.th., to be almost out of s.th. Estamos mal de dinero. We’re short of money/cash. We’re hard up. (fam.)

  Si haces mal, espera otro tal. (prov.) An eye for an eye [and a tooth for a tooth]. (prov.)

  No hay mal que por bien no venga. (prov.) Every cloud has a silver lining. (prov.) It may be a blessing in disguise. It’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good.

  Bien vengas mal, si vienes solo. (prov.) It never rains but it pours. (prov.)

  Mal de muchos, consuelo de todos. (prov.) (a) What’s bad for s.o. may be a consolation for s.o. else. (b) We’re all in the same boat. (fig.)

  mal ( pensar: piensa ~ y acertarás)

  mal (atajar el ~ de raíz)

  mal (estar ~ de la cabeza/chaveta)

  mal (llevarse ~ con alg.)

  mal (no hay bien ni ~ que cien años dure)

  Málaga Malaga

  salir de Málaga y entrar en Malagón (fig., fam.) to jump out of the frying pan into the fire Atracó un banco para pagar sus deudas. Salió de Málaga y entró en Malagón. He held up a bank to pay [off] his debts. He jumped out of the frying pan into the fire.

  Malagón (salir de Málaga y entrar en ~)

  el malaleche (fam., Es
p.) nasty piece of work (fig., fam.)

  el/la malapata (fam.) unlucky person

  el/la malaúva (fam.) nasty piece of work (fig., fam.)

  la maleta suitcase

  el maleta (fig., fam.) (a) bungler (b) (sports): poor player, rabbit (fam., Br.E.) (c) clumsy/poor bullfighter (d) ham [actor] (fam.)

  hacer la maleta (fig., fam.) to pack one’s bags/things [and go] (fam.), to pack up [and go] (fam.), to [pull] up sticks (Br.E.) or stakes (Am.E.) (fig., fam.)

  echarse la maleta al hombro (fig.) to emigrate (from one’s home country)

  malla (deslizarse por [entre] las ~s)

  malo bad

  Más vale malo conocido que bueno por conocer. (prov.) Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t [know]. (prov.)

  En las malas se conoce a los amigos. (prov.) A friend in need is a friend indeed. (prov.)

  malo ( bueno: por las buenas o por las malas)

  la malva mauve

  estar criando malvas (fig., fam.) to be pushing up daisies (fam., hum.), to be dead

  la mamada suck (at breast)

  hacerle una mamada a alg. (vulg.) to do a blow job on s.o. (vulg.), to suck s.o. off (vulg.), to give s.o. head (vulg., Am.E.)

  mamar ( nacer: nació alg. mamando el oficio)

  la manaza great big hand

  ser un manazas (fam.) to have two left hands (fig.), to be all thumbs, to be a clumsy oaf/sort (fam.), to be clumsy

  la mancha spot, stain

  extenderse o propagarse o difundirse como una mancha de aceite (fig.) to spread like wildfire (fig.) El rumor se extendió como una mancha de aceite. The rumor spread like wildfire.

  el mandamás (fam.) big boss, big noise (sl.), top dog (fam.), big shot (fam.), bigwig (fam.)

  el mandamiento order, command

  los cinco mandamientos (fig., fam.) fingers

  la mandanga (pop.) (marijuana): hash/pot (fam.), grass/shit/weed (sl.), tea (sl., Am.E.)

  la mandíbula jaw

  reír[se] a mandíbula batiente (fig., fam.) to laugh one’s head off (fam.)

  el mandil apron

  pegarle algo a alg. como un mandil a una vaca (hum.) s.th. doesn’t suit s.o. at all, s.th. looks awful on s.o. Esta camisa te pega como un mandil a una vaca. This shirt doesn’t suit you at all. This shirt looks awful on you.

  manera (hay muchas ~s de matar pulgas)

  la manga sleeve

  tener manga ancha (fig.), ser de manga ancha (fig.) to be too lenient, to be overindulgent

  guardarse un as en la manga (fig.) to keep an ace up one’s sleeve (fig.), to have an ace in the hole (fam., Am.E.) Hasta ahora no ha conseguido encontrar una solución a este problema. No te preocupes. Siempre se guarda un as en la manga. So far, she hasn’t had any success in finding a solution to this problem. Don’t worry. She always keeps an ace up her sleeve.

  traer algo en/por la manga (fig.) (a) to have s.th. up one’s sleeve (fig.), to have a shot in the/one’s locker (fam., Br.E.) (b) to pull s.th. out of a/the hat/bag (fig.), to come up with s.th. just like that, to give an off-the-cuff answer/speech/etc. Ha traído el discurso en la manga. He’s given an off-the-cuff speech. Trajo una respuesta genial en la manga. He came up with a brilliant answer just like that.

  sacarse algo de la manga (fig.) (a) to make s.th. up [off the top of one’s head] (b) to pull s.th. out of a/the hat/bag (fig.), to come up with s.th. just like that Acaba de sacárselo de la manga. He’s just made it up [off the top of his head]. Se sacó la solución del problema de la manga. He pulled the solution to the problem out of a hat.

  estar/andar manga por hombro (fig.) to be in a state of chaos, to be chaotic, to be [all] at sixes and sevens (fam.), to be topsy-turvy (fam.), to be in a [complete] mess (fig.) En esta casa todo está manga por hombro. Everything is topsy-turvy in this house. This house is in a mess. En aquel país todo anda manga por hombro. Everything is in a state of chaos in that country.

  hacer mangas y capirotes de algo (fig.) to rush s.th./things

  hacer mangas y capirotes de alg. (fig.) to ignore s.o. completely, to cut s.o. dead (fam.)

  manga (a buenas horas, ~s verdes)

  manga (ser más corto que las ~s de un chaleco)

  la manita little hand

  tener manitas de plata/oro (fig.) to have very talented/artistic/skillful hands

  la mano hand

  estar en la mano (fig.) to be obvious

  bajar la mano (fig.) to drop the price

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

  robar algo a alg. a mano airada (fam.) to rob s.o. of s.th. with violence

  caerse de las manos (libro/etc.) (fig.) (book/etc.): to be impossible (fig.), to be boring

  darse las manos (fig.) to make [it] up (with s.o.), to reconcile (with s.o.) Finalmente se dieron las manos. They were finally reconciled.

  lavarse las manos [en inocencia] (fig.) to wash one’s hands of it (fig.)

  irsele a alg. la mano (fig.) to strike Se le fue la mano. He/she struck.

  mudar de manos (fig.) to change hands (fam.)

  estar con una mano atrás y otra [a]delante (fig.) to be stone-broke (fam., Am.E.), not to have a penny to one’s name (fam.)

  salir con una mano atrás y otra [a]delante (fig.) not to get anywhere, to get nowhere

  tener las manos largas (fig.) (a) to be light-fingered (b) to be free with one’s hands, to be quick to lash out

  tener [mucha] mano izquierda [con alg.] (fig., fam.) to have [got] a way with s.o., to know [very well] how to handle s.o. or how to manage, to know what’s what [where s.o. is concerned] (fam.), to be [very] sly/crafty Tiene mano izquierda con las mujeres. He’s got a way with women. He knows what’s what where women are concerned. Ella tiene mucha mano izquierda. She knows very well how to manage. She’s very crafty.

  venir a alg. a la[s] mano[s] (fig.) to [just] fall/drop into s.o.’s lap (fig.) No le va a venir a las manos. It won’t fall into his lap.

  darle a alg. la/una mano y se toma el brazo (fig.) give s.o. an inch and he’ll take a yard/mile (fig.) Le das la mano y se toma el brazo. Give him an inch and he’ll take a mile.

  Una mano lava la otra. (prov.) You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours. (prov.)

  Muchas manos en un plato hacen mucho garabato. (prov.) Muchas manos en la olla echan el guiso a perder. (prov.) Too many cooks spoil the broth. (prov.)

  mano (coger a alg. con las ~s en la masa)

  mano (darle a alg. el pie y se toma la ~)

  mano (en buenas ~s está el pandero)

  mano (llegar a las ~s)

  mano (llevarse las ~s a la cabeza)

  mano (morir a ~ airada)

  mano (ser un juguete en ~s de alg.)

  manojo (ser un ~ de nervios)

  la manta blanket

  la manta (fig., fam.) good hiding (fam.)

  liarse la manta a la cabeza (fig.) to throw/cast caution to the wind[s] (fig.), to press on regardless

  tirar de la manta (fig.) to let the cat out of the bag, to give the game/show away (fam.); (s.th. embarrassing): to reveal (fig.), to bring to light (fig.), to take the lid off (fig., fam.) Tiró de la manta para revelar el escándalo. He took the lid off the scandal. No creo que tiren de la manta. I don’t think they’ll reveal it.

  a manta (fig.) in abundance, plenty of, galore Hay frutas a manta. There are fruits galore.

  la manteca fat

  la manteca (fam.) (money): dough (sl., Am.E.), bread (sl.), sugar (sl.), brass/dosh/lolly (sl., Br.E.), wampum (sl., Am.E.)

  la manzana apple

  la manzana de la discordia (fig.) apple of discord, bone of contention

  Una manzana podrida echa un ciento a perder. (prov.) One bad apple can spoil the whole barrel. (prov.) The rotten apple spoils the barrel. (prov.)

  A diario una manzana es cosa sana. (prov.) An apple a day keeps the doctor away. (prov.)

  manzana (estar más sano que una ~)

  maña (donde hay gana, hay ~)

  mañana tomorro
w

  No dejes para mañana lo que puedes hacer hoy. (prov.) Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today. (prov.)

  mañana (de la noche a la ~)

  mañana (hoy por mí, ~ por tí)

  el mapamundi world map

  el mapamundi (fig., fam.) bottom (fam.), backside (fam.), behind (fam., euph.), posterior (euph.), butt (fam., Am.E.), bum (fam., Br.E.)

  el mar ocean, sea

  Quien no se arriesga no pasa la mar. (prov.) Nothing ventured, nothing gained. (prov.)

  arar en el mar (fig.) to labor in vain, to waste one’s time, to be a waste of time, to be a wasted effort, to flog a dead horse (fig., fam.) Hablarle de aumentar los sueldos es como arar en el mar. Talking to him about increasing the salaries is like flogging a dead horse or is a complete waste of time.

  hacer un mar con un vaso de agua (fig.) to make a mountain out of a molehill (fig.)

  la mar de (fig., fam.) la mar de cosas loads of things (fam.) tener la mar de dinero to have heaps/piles of money (fam.) ser la mar de guapo to be awfully pretty (fam.) ser la mar de tonto to be no end of a fool (fam.) tener la mar de prisa to be in a great hurry/rush, to be in a mortal hurry (fam.) creerse la mar de listo to think one is the cat’s pajamas (Am.E.) or pyjamas (Br.E.) or whiskers (fam.), to think one is the bee’s knees (fam.), to think to be very smart/clever estar la mar de contento to be terribly pleased/glad/happy llevarse la mar de bien to get on like a house on fire (fam.), to be great pals/buddies (fam.)

  divertirse la mar to enjoy o.s. tremendously, to have a grand/great time (fam.), to have a whale of a time (fam.)

  sudar a mares (fig.) to sweat buckets/streams (fam.), to be dripping with sweat

  llover a mares (fig.) 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.) Ayer llovió a mares. The floodgates of heaven opened yesterday. It rained in torrents or cats and dogs yesterday.

  mar ( cagar: ¡Me cago en la ~!)

  mar (echar agua en el ~)

  mar (estar hecho un brazo de ~)

  mar (ser una gota de agua en el ~)

  la maravilla marvel, wonder

  a las mil maravillas (to go/run/etc.): marvelously, beautifully, extremely well, wonderfully [well], swimmingly (fig.), like clock-work (fig.), like a bomb (fam., Br.E.), like a dream (fam.), (to go) great guns (fam.), (to work) a treat (fig.) Todo marcha a las mil maravillas. Everything in the garden is lovely. Everything’s hunky-dory. (fam.) Todo fue a las mil maravillas. It all went swimmingly or like clockwork or like a dream. Todo ha salido a las mil maravillas. Everything has turned out wonderfully. Everything worked a treat. Manitas de Plata toca a las mil maravillas. Manitas de Plata plays marvelously.