The Big Red Book of Spanish Idioms

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The Big Red Book of Spanish Idioms Page 30

by Peter Weibel

peso (caerse de/por su propio ~)

  el pesquis (fam.) common sense, horse sense (fam.), know-how, nous (fam.) Tiene mucho pesquis. He has a lot of nous. No tiene pesquis. He’s dumb. (fam., Am.E.) Si tuvieran un poco más pesquis … If they had a bit more common/horse sense …

  la pestaña eyelash

  quemarse las pestañas (fig., fam.) to study/work far into the night, to burn the midnight oil, to cram (fam.), to swot (fam., Br.E.), to bone up (fam.)

  el pestazo (fam.) [horrible] stink/pong (fam., Br.E.)/stench

  peste ( cebar: se ceba la ~)

  la petaca (pop.) (a) hip flask (b) bed, sack (sl.), kip (sl.)

  irse a la o echarse en la petaca to hit the sack, to hit the hay (sl., Am.E.)

  hacerle la petaca a alg. to make s.o. an apple-pie bed (fam., Br.E.)

  petar (fam.)

  No me peta ir al cine. I don’t [really] feel like going to the cinema.

  Si te peta. If you feel like it.

  el petardo firecracker

  el petardo (fig., argot, Esp.) joint (sl.), spliff (sl., Br.E.), marijuana cigarette

  el petardo (fig., fam.) swindle, fraud

  pegar un petardo a alg. (fig., fam.) to cheat s.o., to con s.o. (fam.), to pull a fast one on s.o. (sl.), to tap s.o. for money (with the intention of not paying it back)

  el petate (fam.) baggage

  liar el petate (fig., fam.) (a) 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.) (b) to kick the bucket (fam.) cascar[la]

  el pez fish

  un pez gordo (fig., fam.) big fish (fig.), bigwig (fam.), big shot (fam.), big cheese (fam.), big noise (sl.), fat cat (fig., fam. Am.E.), top nob (sl., Br.E.), big wheel (fam.)

  estar/sentirse como el pez en el agua (fig.) to be in one’s element, to feel completely at home (fam.), to feel really great, to feel on top of the world (fam.)

  estar pez en algo (fam.) to know nothing at all about s.th., not to know the first thing about s.th., not to know beans about s.th. (sl., Am.E.), not to have a clue about s.th. (fam.) Está pez en matemáticas. He doesn’t have a clue when it comes to mathematics.

  salga pez o salga rana (fig., fam.) as luck will have it, on the off-chance

  pez (por la boca muere el ~)

  pez (reírse de los peces de colores)

  la pezuña hoof

  la pezuña (fig., pop.) hand, paw (fam.)

  meter la pezuña (fig., pop.) to put one’s foot in it meter la pata

  la pica pike

  poner una pica en Flandes (fig.) to bring off s.th. very difficult, to bring off a coup, to achieve a signal success

  poder pasar por las picas de Flandes (fig.) to be [absolutely] perfect, to be beyond all criticism, to stand up to the severest criticism

  el picadero riding-school

  el picadero (fig., fam.) bachelor pad (fam.), trouble-free digs (fam., Br.E.), apartment used for sexual encounters, love nest

  el picadillo minced meat

  hacer picadillo a alg. (fig., fam.) (a) to make mincemeat of s.o. (fig.), to beat s.o. to a pulp (fig.) (b) to give s.o. a severe dressing-down (fam.)

  el picador horse-breaker

  tener la cabeza más dura que un picador (fig., fam.) to be pigheaded, to be stubborn

  picar to prick, to sting

  picar [más] alto (fig., fam.) to aim high[er] (fig.)

  picar (quien se pica, ajos come)

  picar que rabia ( rabiar)

  la picha (vulg.) (penis) el calvo

  pichi (adj., pop.) elegant, smart, posh (fam.)

  el pichón young pigeon

  el pichón (fig., fam.) darling, honey/hon (fam., Am.E.)

  la pichona (fam.) darling, honey/hon (fam., Am.E.), sweetie (fam.) Sí, pichona. Yes, darling. Yes, sweetie.

  Picio (ser más feo que ~)

  el pico peak, beak, bill

  costar un pico (fam.) to cost a tidy sum costar una burrada

  irse de/a picos pardos (fam.) (a) to go out on the town (fam.), to spend a night on the tiles (fam., Br.E.), to go out for a good time (b) to be unfaithful (to one’s husband/wife/etc.), to two-time (one’s husband/wife) (fam.)

  a las diez/etc. y pico (fam.) just after 10/etc.

  el pico (fig., fam.) trap (sl.), mouth abrir el pico to talk, to open one’s mouth cerrar el pico to shut one’s mouth/trap, to pipe down (fam.), to belt up (fam., Br.E.) ¡Cierra el pico! Shut your trap! Pipe down! Belt up! darle al pico to talk a lot darse el pico to kiss, to have a good old snog (fam., Br.E.) tener buen pico to have the gift of [the] gab tener un pico de oro to be silver-tongued, to be very eloquent perderse por el pico to harm o.s. by saying too much, to talk too much

  pico (hincar el ~)

  pico (jarabe de ~)

  la picota pillory

  poner a alg. en la picota (fig.) to pillory s.o. (fig.)

  la picotada peck

  la picotada (fam.) (drug injection): shot (sl.), fix (sl.)

  el picotazo peck

  el picotazo (fam.) (drug injection): shot (sl.), fix (sl.)

  el pie foot

  levantarse con el pie izquierdo o salir con mal pie (fig., fam.) to get up on the wrong side of the bed (fam., Am.E.), to get out of bed on the wrong side (fam., Br.E.)

  no estirar los pies más de lo que da la frazada (fam., Cono Sur) to cut one’s coat according to one’s cloth (Br.E.), to go easy on the sugar (fig.)

  buscar cinco/tres pies al gato (fig., fam.) (a) to ask/look for trouble (b) to split hairs, to quibble

  cojear del mismo pie (fig., fam.) to have the same faults, to be tarred with the same brush (fam., pej.), to be two of a kind

  saber de qué pie cojea alg. (fig., fam.) to know s.o.’s faults or weakness[es], to know s.o.’s weak point[s] or spot[s]

  tomar pie de algo (fig.) to use s.th. as an excuse or as a pretext

  dar pie para/a (fig.) to give rise to, to give cause for

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

  no dar pie con bola (fam.) to do everything wrong, s.o. can’t get a thing right, to be no good at anything

  caer de pies (fig.) to fall/land on one’s feet (fig.), to get out or emerge unscathed

  hacer algo con los pies (fig.) to bungle s.th., to botch s.th. [up] (fam.), to make a mess or a botch of s.th. (fig.) una carta escrita con los pies a very poorly written letter

  sacar los pies del plato o de las alforjas (fig., fam.) (a) to go one’s own way (fig.), to go off on a different tack (fig.) (b) to abandon all restraint, to kick over the traces (fig.)

  sacar a alg. con los pies adelante (fig., fam.) to bury s.o.

  sacar el pie del lodo a alg. (fig., fam.) to get s.o. out of a jam/fix (fam.), to get s.o. off the hook (fam.)

  estar al pie del cañón (fig., fam.) to be ready for battle (fig.), to be ready to act

  morir al pie del cañón (fig., fam.) to die in harness (fig.), to die with one’s boots on (fig.) Dice que prefiere morir al pie del cañón a morir en la cama. He says he prefers dying with his boots on to dying in bed.

  al pie de la letra (fig.) literally, word for word, to the letter, exactly Lo repitió todo al pie de la letra. He repeated it all word for word.

  a pie juntillo (fig.) (believe/etc.): firmly, absolutely Lo cree a pie juntillo. He firmly believes it.

  no tener pies ni cabeza (fig., fam.) to make no sense whatsoever, there’s no rhyme or reason [to s.th.], s.o. can’t make head[s] or tail[s] of s.th. (fam.), to be absurd, to be ridiculous Para mi/nosotros esto no tiene pies ni cabeza. I/we can’t make head or tail of it. Esta decisión no tiene pies ni cabeza. There’s no rhyme or reason to this decision. Este argumento no tiene pies ni cabeza. This argument is pointless/absurd.

  tener los pies [bien puestos] en/sobre la tierra (fig.) to have both/one’s feet [firmly] on the ground
(fig.)

  tener un pie en dos zapatos (fig.) to have two/several irons in the fire or strings to one’s bow (fig.)

  ser pies y manos de alg. (fig.) to be s.o.’s right-hand man (fig.)

  vestirse por los pies (fam., hum.) to be a man ¿Quién es? Se viste por los pies. Who is it? It’s a man.

  andar con pies de plomo (fig.) to go about it very warily or carefully or cautiously, to tread (fig.) or proceed very warily or carefully or cautiously

  arrastrar los pies (fig., fam.) to be old and frail

  estar siempre con un pie en el aire (fam.) to be always on the go or on the jump (fam.)

  poner pies en polvorosa (fig.) to take to one’s heels, to turn tail (fig.), to beat it (sl.), to do a bunk (fam., Br.E.), to skedaddle (fam.)

  ¿Pies, para qué os quiero? (fig., fam.) Let’s get out of here! (fam.)

  pie ( nacer: nació alg. de ~[s])

  pie (caérsele a alg. el alma a los ~s)

  pie (estar con un ~ en el estribo/hoyo)

  pie (herir el suelo con el ~)

  pie (tener un ~ en la tumba)

  la piedra stone

  arrojar/tirar la primera piedra (fig.) to cast the first stone (fig.)

  no dejar piedra para mover (fig.) to leave no stone unturned (fig.), to do everything in one’s power

  cerrar algo a piedra y lodo (fig.) to firmly lock s.th., to shut s.th. all up

  tirar piedras a su o sobre el propio tejado (fig.) to foul one’s own nest (fig.), to cut off one’s nose to spite one’s face

  Eso sería tirar piedras a su o sobre el propio tejado. (fig.) People who live in glass houses should not throw stones. (fig.)

  Piedra movediza, el moho no la cobija. (prov.) Piedra movediza no coge musgo. (prov.) A rolling stone gathers no moss. (prov.)

  pasar a una mujer por la piedra (pop., vulg.) to screw a woman (vulg.) calzar[se] a alg.

  sacar la piedra (pop., vulg.) (to have an orgasm): to come (fam.); (man): to shoot off (vulg., Br.E.)

  piedra (callar[se] como una ~)

  piedra (estar a [un] tiro de ~)

  piedra (estar más muerto que una ~)

  piedra (sacar agua de las ~s)

  la piel skin

  dar la piel (fig., fam.) to die

  dejarse la piel (fig.) to give one’s all echar/sudar la hiel

  ser de la piel del diablo (fig., fam.) (child): to be very unruly, to be difficult to keep under control, to be a little monster/devil (fam.), to be a holy terror (fam.)

  vender la piel del oso antes de cazarlo (fig.) to count one’s chickens before they’re hatched (fig.) Aunque no está [absolutamente] seguro de que herede todo ese dinero, ya está haciendo grandes planes para el futuro. No vendas la piel del oso antes de cazarlo. Although he’s not [absolutely] sure whether he’ll inherit all that money, he’s already making big plans for the future. Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.

  piel (a flor de ~)

  piel (un lobo con ~ de cordero/oveja)

  la pierna leg

  estirar la pierna más larga que la sábana (fig.) not to cut one’s coat according to one’s cloth (Br.E.), not to go easy on the sugar (fig.)

  dormir a pierna suelta (fam.) to sleep the sleep of the just/dead, to sleep soundly

  salir por piernas (fam.) to take to one’s heels, to leg it (fam.)

  ser un piernas (fam., pej.) to be a nobody (fig.), to be a dead loss (fig., fam.), to be a washout (fam.)

  la pieza piece

  una buena pieza (fig., fam., iron.) nasty customer (fig., fam.), troublemaker, villain, rogue

  jugar una pieza a alg. (fig., fam.) to play a dirty/nasty trick on s.o. (fig., fam.)

  quedarse de una pieza (fig., fam.) to be [left] speechless, to be struck dumb, to be struck all of a heap (fam.), to be knocked sideways or for a loop (Am.E.) or for six (Br.E.) (fam.), to be dumbfounded, to be flabbergasted (fam.), to be like a dying duck [in a thunderstorm] (fam.), to be completely taken aback (fig.) Al oírlo nos quedamos de una pieza. We were struck all of a heap or knocked sideways or completely taken aback when we heard it.

  dejar a alg. de una pieza (fig., fam.) to strike s.o. dumb, to strike s.o. all of a heap (fam.), to knock s.o. sideways or for a loop (Am.E.) or for six (Br.E.) (fam.), to floor s.o. (fam.)

  la pifia miscue

  la pifia (fig., fam.) blunder, bloomer (fam., Br.E.), goof (fam., Am.E.), boob (fam.), boo-boo (fam.), clinker (sl., Am.E.)

  dar una pifia to blunder, to goof, to make a bloomer/boob

  pifiar (fig., fam.) to blunder, to goof, to make a bloomer/boob

  la pija (pop.) (penis) el calvo

  el pijo (pop.) (penis) el calvo

  la pila drinking trough

  ser más bruto que la pila de un pozo (fig., pop.) to be as thick as two short planks (fam.) ser más tonto que Carracuca

  Pilatos (ir de Herodes a ~)

  la píldora pill

  píldoras (fam.) bullets Frieron al traidor a píldoras. They riddled the traitor with bullets.

  tragar la píldora (fig., fam.) to fall for it (fam.), to be taken in (fam.)

  dorar la píldora (fig.) to sweeten or sugar or sugar-coat the pill (fig.) No dores la píldora. Dímelo con toda franqueza. Don’t sweeten the pill. Give it to me straight or tell me straight out.

  pillar a alg. en bolas/bragas

  pillar una mona/zorra

  pillarse los dedos

  la piltra (pop.) bed, kip (sl.), sack (sl.)

  irse a la o echarse en la piltra to hit the sack (fam.), to hit the hay (fam., Am.E.)

  el pimiento pepper

  [no] importar a alg. un pimiento (fig., fam.) not to give/care two hoots (fam.) no importar a alg. un ardite

  el pimpampúm (fam.) shooting gallery

  el pimpollo shoot, bud

  el pimpollo [de oro] (fig., fam.) bonny child

  pinchar to prick

  ni pinchar ni cortar (fig.) (a) to be neither fish nor fowl (fig.), to be neither one thing nor the other (b) not to have any say, not to have any clout (fig.), to cut no ice (fam.) Ella aquí ni pincha ni corta. She doesn’t have any say [in what goes on] here. She cuts no ice here.

  pincharse (fam.) (drug): to shoot up (sl.), to jack up (sl.), to give o.s. a fix/shot (sl.), to give o.s. a jab (sl., Br.E.)

  la pinga (pop.) (penis): el calvo

  el pingajo shred

  estar hecho un pingajo (fig., fam.) to be completely shattered (fam., Br.E.) estar hecho cisco

  pinganitos (fam.)

  estar en pinganitos to be well up, to be well-placed socially

  el pino pine [tree]

  hacer el pino to do a handstand or head-stand, to stand on one’s head

  plantar un pino (fig., pop.) (to relieve o.s.): to do one’s business (fig., fam.), to take a dump (vulg.)

  vivir/estar en el quinto pino (fig.) to live/be at the back of beyond vivir/estar donde Cristo dio las tres voces

  pintado painted, colorful

  el más pintado (fig., fam.) cleverest, craftiest, best Eso podría pasarle al más pintado. That could happen to the cleverest [of us] or to anybody. Lo hizo como el más pintado. He did it with the or as well as the best.

  no poder ver a alg. ni pintado (fig., fam.) s.o. can’t stand s.th. tener a alg. atravesado

  venir/sentar [a alg.] que ni pintado o como pintado (fig., fam.) to come at just the right time, to fit/suit [s.o.] to a T venir/sentar [a alg.] como anillo al dedo (a), (b)

  pintar to paint

  no pintar nada (fig., fam.) to have no say, not to have any say, not to have any clout (fig.), not to count, to cut no ice (fam.) Ella aquí no pinta nada. She doesn’t have any say [in what goes on] here. She doesn’t count here.

  pintarse uno solo o pintárselas solo para algo (fig., fam.) to be a dab hand at s.th. (fam., Br.E.), to be an expert at/in s.th., to be red hot on s.th. (fam.), to be an ace …, to be very well suited for s.th. Se pinta él solo para los deportes. He’s an ace athlete. Él se las pinta solo para las matemáticas. He’s an ace mathematicia
n. He’s an outstanding mathematician.

  ¿Qué diablo te pintas tú/etc. por aquí? (fam.) What the devil/hell are you/etc. up to here? (fam.) ¿Qué diablo se pinta él por aquí? What the devil is he up to here?

  No es tan feo el diablo como le pintan. (prov.) It’s not as bad as all that. It’s nothing to get upset about.

  pintiparado (fam.)

  venir [que ni] pintiparado (fig.) to come just right, to be just what s.o. needs/needed, to be just what the doctor ordered (fig., fam.)

  Pinto y Valdemoro (Esp.)

  estar entre Pinto y Valdemoro (fam., Esp.) (a) s.o. can’t make up his mind, to be in two minds (b) to be tipsy, to be tiddly (fam., Br.E.), to be sozzled (sl., Br.E.)

  la pintura painting

  ser una pintura (fig.) to be lovely[-looking]

  no poder ver algo o a alg. ni en pintura (fig., fam.) s.o. can’t stand the sight of s.o. (fam.), to hate s.o.’s guts (fam.) tener algo o a alg. atravesado No puedo ver el queso de cabra ni en pintura. I can’t stand goat cheese.

  pinza (sacar algo a alg. con ~s)

  el piñón pine seed, pine nut

  una boquita de piñón (fig., fam.) pretty girl, sweet girl (fam.)

  estar a partir un piñón [con alg.] (fig., fam.) to be very thick with s.o. (fam.), to be bosom pals or buddies [with s.o.] (fam.), to be as thick as thieves Ella está a partir un piñón con él. She’s very thick with him. She’s bosom pals with him. Juan y Pepe están a partir un piñón. Juan and Pepe are the best of buddies or are bosom buddies or are as thick as thieves.

  el pío cheep, chirp

  no decir ni pío (fig., fam.) not to hear a peep out of or from s.o. (fam.), not to say/breathe a word, not to open one’s mouth, to keep one’s mouth shut, to keep mum (fam.), to button [up] one’s lip/mouth (fig., fam.) ¡De eso no digas ni pío! You keep your mouth shut about that! Se fueron sin decir ni pío. They went off without a word. No dijeron ni pío en toda la tarde. I/we didn’t hear a peep from them all afternoon.

  la pipa pipe

  la pipa (pop.) pistol, rod (sl., Am.E.)

  tener mala pipa (euph.) to have bad intentions tener mala leche

  pasarlo pipa (fam.) to have a great/fantastic time (fam.), to have a whale of a time (fam.), to have high jinks (fam.)

  pirarse, pirárselas (fam.) to beat it (sl.), to clear out/off (fam.), to make o.s. scarce (fam.), to cut class (fam.)

  piripi (fam.)

  estar piripi to be merry (fam.), to be tipsy (fam.)

 

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