The Big Red Book of Spanish Idioms
Page 33
ni quisque not a living soul, not a sod (sl., Br.E.) No había ni quisque en la calle. There wasn’t a living soul in/on the street.
la quisquilla (fam.) little/minor thing, trifle, triviality
el quitamiedos (fam.) (safety appliance): handrail, safety rope, etc.
el/la quitamotas (fam.) toady, creep (fam.)
el quitapenas (fam.) problem solver, gun, pistol, rod (sl., Am.E.), knife, chiv (sl.), alcohol
quitar to take away, to remove
ni quitar ni poner (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 ni quita ni pone. She doesn’t have any say [in what goes on] here. She or her opinion doesn’t count around here.
quitar algo de en medio to get s.th. out of the way (fig.), to get rid of s.th.
quitar a alg. de en medio (fig.) to get rid of s.o. (euph.), to kill s.o. cargarse a alg.(a)
quitarse algo/a alg. de encima to shake s.th./s.o. off (fig.), to get rid of s.th./s.o., to steer clear of s.th./s.o. (fig.)
¡Quítate de ahí o de en medio! (fam.) Get out of here! Off with you! Beat it! (sl.) Get lost! (fam.) Push off! (fam.)
quitarse del alcohol to give up drinking, to go on the [water] wag[g]on (fam.)
quitarse del tabaco to give up smoking
esto/eso no quita que … this/that doesn’t mean that … Esto no quita que él tenía la culpa. This doesn’t mean it wasn’t his fault. Yo ataco el problema así, eso no quita que se pueda atacarlo de otra manera. I tackle the problem like this but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t other ways of tackling it.
quitando … (fam.) except [for] …, apart/aside from … Quitando a los más jóvenes todos pueden venir. They can all come except for the very youngest ones. Quitando la sopa cené bien. Apart from the soup I had a good dinner.
quitar (por un quítame allá esas pajas)
el quite parry (fencing)
estar al quite (fig.) to be on hand [to help s.o.], to be ready [to go to s.o.’s aid]
R
el rábano radish
[no] importar a alg. un rábano (fig., fam.) not to give/care two hoots no importar a alg. un ardite
tomar el rábano por las hojas (fig.) to put the cart before the horse (fig.), to get hold of the wrong end of the stick (fig., fam.), to bark up the wrong tree (fig.)
el rabel (fam.) behind (fam., euph.), backside (fam.), bottom (fam.), posterior (euph.), butt (fam., Am.E.), bum (fam., Br.E.)
rabia (muerto el perro, se acabó la ~)
rabiar to rage, to rave
a rabiar (fig., fam.) incredibly (fig.), terribly (fam.), like mad (fam.), like crazy (fam.) Aplaudieron a rabiar. They applauded like mad. Me gusta a rabiar. I’m terribly fond of it.
rabiar de impaciencia (fig., fam.) to be burning with impatience (fig.)
rabiar por algo (fig.) to be very keen on s.th., to long for s.th., to be dying for s.th. (fam.)
rabiar por + infinitivo (fig.) to be itching/dying to + infinitive (fam.), to be champing at the bit to + infinitive (fig.) Rabiaba por conocerte. He was itching to meet you.
picar que rabia (fig., fam.) to be terribly hot (fam.) La salsa pica que rabia. The sauce is terribly hot.
el rabo tail
el rabo (vulg.) (penis) el calvo
Aún falta/queda el rabo por desollar. (fig.) The main difficulty or the most difficult part is yet/still to come. The worst is yet/still to come.
irse con el rabo entre las piernas/patas (fig.) to slink off or go away with one’s tail between one’s legs (fig.)
asir algo por el rabo (fig., fam.) to go about s.th. the wrong way
rabos de gallo (fig.) cirrus [cloud]
rabo (de cabo a ~)
la rabona
hacer rabona (fig., fam.) to play truant (Br.E.) or hooky (fam., Am.E.)
hacer rabona a alg. (fam.) to stand s.o. up (fam.)
la raíz root
atajar el mal o el problema de raíz (fig.) to strike at the root of the evil/problem (fig.)
arrancar algo de raíz (fig.) to eradicate s.th. root and branch (fig.), to root s.th. out completely (fig.) Arrancaron la peste de raíz. They eradicated the plague root and branch.
cortar algo de raíz (fig.) to nip s.th. in the bud (fig.), to scotch a rumor (fig.) Había problemas en el vestuario, pero el entrenador los cortó de raíz. There was trouble in the locker room, but the coach nipped it in the bud. Cortaron el rumor de raíz. They scotched the rumor.
echar raíces (fig.) to put down roots (fig.), to settle down No quiero echar raíces aquí. I don’t want to put down roots here. I don’t want to settle down here.
la raja crack, slit, splinter, slice (bread/etc.)
la raja (vulg.) (vagina) el conejo
hacerse rajas (fig., fam.) to nearly kill o.s. (with work/etc.) (fam.) Ayer estuve hecho cisco. Me hice rajas. I was completely shattered yesterday. I nearly killed myself.
sacar raja (fig., fam.) to get a rake-off (fam.), to make a haul/killing (fam.)
rajarse to crack, to split
rajarse de risa (fig., fam.) to split one’s sides laughing or with laughter (fig.), to crack up (fam., Am.E.), to crease up (fam., Br.E.), to kill o.s. laughing (fam.), to be in stitches (fam.)
rajarse por (fig., fam.) to nearly kill o.s. + gerund (fam.), to put everything one has into s.th. Me rajé por este ensayo. I nearly killed myself getting this essay done.
rajarse (fig., fam.) to climb down (fig.), to back out (fam.), to pull out (fig.), to chicken out (fam.) No podimos ir porque se rajaron. We couldn’t go because they chickened out.
el rallo grater
la cara de rallo (fig., fam.) pockmarked face
la rama branch
andarse por las ramas (fig.) (a) to beat about/around the bush (fig.) (b) to get bogged down in details (fig.) No se anduvo por las ramas. He didn’t beat about the bush. He laid it on the line. (fam.)
asirse a las ramas (fig.) to make lame (fig.) excuses
la rana frog
la rana (vulg.) (vagina) el conejo
la rana (pop.) (gay): queer/fairy/faggot (sl., pej.), pansy (fam., pej.), queen (sl.), poof[ter] (sl., pej., Br.E.), fag (sl., pej., Am.E.), arse bandit (vulg., Br.E.)
¡Hasta que/cuando las ranas críen pelo! (fig., fam.) Pigs might fly! (iron.) Till hell freezes over! (fam.) If I never see you again it will be too soon! (hum.)
cuando las ranas críen pelo (fig., fam.) when pigs learn to fly (iron.), in a month of Sundays (fam.), in a coon’s age (sl., Am.E.), never Pagarán cuando las ranas críen pelo. They’ll pay when pigs learn to fly. They’ll never pay. A este paso terminarán el trabajo cuando las ranas críen pelo. At this rate they’ll never finish the job or they won’t finish the job in a coon’s age.
no ser rana (fig.) to be no fool, to know one’s stuff (fam.)
salir/ser alg./algo rana (fam.) (a) person/s.th.: to turn out to be or be a washout (fam.) or a dead loss (fig., fam.) or a failure or a big disappointment (b) s.th.: to turn out to be or be a letdown (fam.)
rana (el unto de ~)
rana (salga pez o salga ~)
el rancho (military/prison/etc.): food, mess, communal meal
hacer rancho aparte (fig.) to isolate o.s., to keep to o.s., to go one’s own way, to form one’s own little clique (in life or at a party/etc.)
el rapapolvo squib (firework)
echar un rapapolvo a alg. (fam.) to rap s.o. over the knuckles (fig.), to give s.o. a [good] ticking-off or wigging (fam., Br.E.), to give s.o. a [good] dressing-down/telling-off/talking-to (fam.)
recibir un rapapolvo (fig.) to get a rap over the knuckles (fig.)
el rapaterrones (pop.) country yokel/bumpkin (pej.), hick (fam., pej., Am.E.), cornball (fam.)
raro (ser un pájaro ~)
rascar to scratch
llevar/tener qué rascar (fig., fam.) to chew on that (fig.), not to get over that/it easily (fig.) Llevará qué rascar durante mucho tiempo. He’ll/she’ll be chewing on that for a while to come.
rascar la guitarra (fig., fam.) to strum away at the guitar
rascarse para adentro (fam.) to line one’s [own] pockets, to look after Number One (fam.)
no tener tiempo ni para rascarse (fig., fam.) not to have [got] a minute
rascar (el comer es como el ~, todo es cuestión de empezar)
rascar[se] el bolsillo
el rasero strickle
medirlo todo o medirlos a todos por el mismo rasero (fig.) to lump everything together (fig.), to lump them all together (fig.)
No se puede medirlo todo o medirlos a todos por el mismo rasero. (fig.) You can’t just lump everything together. (fig.) You can’t just lump them all together.
rasgar to tear up
rasgarse las vestiduras (fig) to throw up one’s hands [in horror], to tear one’s hair [out] (fig.)
la raspa beard
tender la raspa (fig., pop.) to hit the sack (fam.), to hit the hay (fam., Am.E.)
la rata rat
la rata de biblioteca (fig., fam.) bookworm (fig.)
ser más pobre que una rata [de iglesia] (fig.) to be as poor as a church mouse (fig.)
el rato while
saber un rato [largo] de algo (fam.) to know a [hell/heck of a] lot about s.th. (fam.) Saben un rato largo de literatura. They know a heck of a lot about literature.
el ratón mouse
el ratón de biblioteca (fig., fam.) bookworm (fig.)
ratón (cuando el gato duerme, bailan los ratones)
ratón (cuando el gato va a sus devociones, bailan los ratones)
ratón (jugar al gato y al ~ con alg.)
ratón (más vale ser cabeza de ~ que cola de león)
la raya line, boundary
hacer raya (fig.) to have a profound impact, to be outstanding (fig.) Hizo raya en matemáticas. He was an outstanding mathematician.
echar raya a alg. (fig.) to take s.o. on No hay quien le eche raya a él. Nobody can take him on. Nobody can beat him.
pasar de la raya (fig.) to go too far (fig.), to overstep or overshoot the mark
tener/mantener a alg. a raya to keep/hold s.o. in check (fig.), to keep s.o. at bay, to keep s.o. under control
poner a alg. a raya to put s.o. in his place
raya (¡Cruz y ~!)
raya (dar quince y ~ a alg.)
rayado (record): scratched
sonar como un disco rayado (fig.) to be harping on the same old theme every time (fig.), to be the same old story every time (fig.)
el rayo lightning
el rayo de esperanza (fig.) glimmer of hope (fig.), bright spot on the horizon (fig.)
echar rayos y centellas (fig., fam.) to be fuming (fig., fam.), to be seething [with rage] (fig.), to be wild with rage (fam.)
saber a rayos (pop.) to taste awful/foul
oler a rayos (pop.) to smell awful/foul
¡Que mal rayo le/etc. parta! (fig., pop.) He/etc. can go to hell! (fam.) Damn him/etc.! (fam.)
rayo ( herir: como herido por el/un ~)
razón (huérfano de ~)
razón (obras son amores, que no buenas razones)
el real old Spanish coin (worth 25 céntimos)
un real sobre otro (fig.) down to the last penny or cent (Am.E.)
estar sin un real o no tener [ni] un real (fam.) to be stone-broke (fam., Am.E.) estar sin un cuarto o no tener [ni] un cuarto
el real army camp
[a]sentar el real o sus reales (fig., fam.) to settle down, to establish o.s.
rebaja (ya viene/vendrá el tío Paco con la ~)
la rebatiña scramble
andar a la rebatiña de algo (fam.) to argue/quarrel over s.th., to scramble for s.th. (fig.)
rebosar to overflow
rebosar de salud (fig.) to be brimming/bursting with health (fig.)
rebosar de alegría o de entusiasmo (fig.) to be bubbling over with joy or with enthusiasm (fig.)
rebosar de ternura (fig.) to be overflowing with tenderness or with affection (fig.)
rebosar en dinero (fig.) to have pots of money (fam.), to be loaded (sl.)
rebuznar (quien nace burro muere rebuznando)
recalar (port): to steer for, to head for
recalar en (fig., fam.) to land [up] at, to show up at, to turn up at (fig.), to end up at Recaló en casa de ella. He ended up at her house/place.
recetar to prescribe
recetar largo (fig., fam.) to have a long wish list, to come up with a lot of wishes
rechupete (fam.) una comida de rechupete delicious meal, yummy meal (fam.), scrumptious meal (fam.) una mujer de rechupete gorgeous woman, tasty (Br.E.) or yummy woman (fig., fam.), real smasher (fam.) pasarlo de rechupete to have a great/fine time (fam.) Aquí todo marcha de rechupete. Everything’s going wonderfully well here. Everything’s going marvelously or fantastically here. (fam.)
recibir to receive
tocarle a alg. recibir (fig., fam.) to be in for it Mañana te toca[rá] recibir. You’ll be in for it tomorrow.
el reclamo decoy, [mating/bird] call
acudir al reclamo (fig.) to take the bait (fig.), to walk into the trap (fig.)
el recorrido overhaul
dar un [buen] recorrido a alg. (fig., fam.) (a) to give s.o. a [good] going-over (fig.), to give s.o. a [sound] beating (b) to give s.o. a [good] going-over (fig.), to give s.o. a [good] wigging (fam., Br.E.)
la recua train (of pack animals)
con toda la recua (fig., fam.) with the whole family, with the whole clan (fig.), with the whole caboodle (sl.) Llegaron con toda la recua. They came with the whole clan in tow.
el recuelo second brew
el recuelo (fig., fam.) thin coffee, thin brew (pej.)
la red net
caer en la red (fig.) to fall/walk into the trap (fig.)
la redada catch, haul
coger una buena redada (fig., fam.) to make a big haul (fig.)
el redaño mesentery
tener redaños (fig., fam.) to have gumption (fam.), to have pluck (fig.), to have guts (fam.), to have balls (vulg.), to have bottle (sl., Br.E.)
el redil fold
volver al redil (fig.) to return to the fold (fig.)
redondear to round [off]
redondearse (fig., fam.) to get rich/wealthy, to line one’s pockets, to feather one’s nest (fig.)
redondo (caerse ~)
refregar to rub
refregar algo a alg. [por las narices] (fig., fam.) to rub s.o.’s nose in s.th. (fig., fam.), to rub s.th. in (fig., fam.) ¡Acaba ya de refregármelo! Now stop rubbing it in [all the time]! Yo sé que cometí un error. No me lo refriegues constantemente por las narices. I know that I made a mistake. Don’t constantly rub my nose in it.
la regadera sprinkler, watering can
estar como una regadera (fig., fam.) to be [completely] crazy, to be as mad as a hatter (Br.E.)
regalarle a alg. el oído
regalo (ser un ~ para los oídos)
regar to water, to irrigate
regar una comida con vino (fig., fam.) to have wine with a meal, to accompany a meal with wine, to wash down a meal with wine
regar a una mujer (fig., vulg.) to screw a woman (vulg.) calzar[se] a alg.
regentar (hotel/etc.): to run, to manage
regentar (fig., fam.) to boss about (fam., Br.E.), to boss around (fam.)
el registro register
tocar todos los registros (fig., fam.) to pull out all the stops (fig.), to leave no stone unturned (fig.)
salir por otro registro (fig., fam.) to take a tougher line
el reguero trickle
propagarse como un reguero de pólvora (fig.) to spread like wildfire (fig.) El rumor se propagó como un reguero de pólvora. The rumor spread like wildfire.
reír to laugh [at]
Quien o el que ríe último, ríe mejor. (prov.) He who laughs last laughs longest or loudest. (prov.)
reírse a solas o para sus adentros to laugh up one’s s
leeve
reírse de los peces de colores (fam.) not to give/care a damn (fam.), s.o. couldn’t care less (fam., Br.E.) Me río de los peces de colores. I don’t give a damn. I couldn’t care less.
reír (~le a alg. la[s] gracia[s])
reír (al freír será el ~)
reír (ande yo caliente y ríase la gente)
reír[se] a carcajadas/a mandíbula batiente/a más no poder
reír[se] como un descosido
reja (meter aguja para sacar ~)
relámpago (salir del trueno y dar con el ~)
el relance throwing back, relaunch
de relance (fig., pop.) [in] cash Pagamos de relance. We paid cash.
relegar to relegate
relegar algo al olvido (fig.) to banish (fig.) s.th. from one’s mind, to consign s.th. to oblivion
el reloj clock, watch
ir/marchar como un reloj (fig., fam.) to go like clockwork (fig.) Todo va como un reloj. Everything’s going like clockwork.
relucir to shine
sacar a relucir algo (fig., fam.) to come out with s.th. (fam.) ¡Sácalo a relucir! [Come on,] out with it!
remar to row
remar (fig., fam.) to toil [and moil], to struggle [hard] echar/sudar la hiel
rematado (fig., fam.) utter, absolute, complete, out-and-out, no end of (fam.), to the core (fig.) disparates rematados utter/absolute nonsense Es un tonto rematado. He’s no end of a fool. (fam.) He’s an utter fool. He’s an absolute or a complete idiot. Es un estafador rematado. He’s an out-and-out cheat. He’s a cheat to the core.
remate (estar/ser loco de ~)
el remediavagos (fam.) mnemonic aid
el remedio remedy
ser peor el remedio que la enfermedad (fig.) to be a case of the solution being worse than the problem
No hay [más] remedio. (fig., fam.) It can’t be helped. There’s no help for it. There’s no other way. (fig.) There’s no way around it. (fig.)
ni para un remedio not for love [n]or money No se podía encontrar ni para un remedio. It couldn’t be had for love or money. No encontramos una vivienda ni para un remedio. We couldn’t find a flat or an apartment (Am.E.) for love nor money.
el remo oar
el remo (fam.) (erect penis): hard-on (vulg.)
tomar el remo (fig.) to take charge, to take over
remojar to soak
remojar (fig., fam.) (success/etc.): to celebrate with a drink ¡Esto hay que remojarlo! This calls for a drink! This calls for a celebration!