TODAY'S IDIOM: VIRGIN TERRITORY

"VIRGIN TERRITORY"

You can say something is virgin territory if it's never been explored before or never been done before.

Example: Our company has designed many products for other companies, but producing them and marketing them ourselves is virgin territory for us.

Territorio desconocido.

Example sentences:

• The internet was still virgin territory when we made our first websites / Internet todavía era un territorio desconocido cuando hicimos nuestros primeros sitios web.

• We've only ever advertised on television and in the print media, so anything else is virgin territory for us, including advertising on the internet /  Solo hemos hecho publicidad en televisión y en los medios impresos, por lo que cualquier cosa es un territorio desconocido para nosotros, incluyendo la publicidad en internet.

Additional examples:

• The company is moving into markets that until now have been virgin territory.

• The entrepreneur made his millions when he set up one of the world's most popular search engines back when the internet was still considered virgin territory.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: HEADS WILL ROLL

"HEADS WILL ROLL"

You can say "heads will roll" if people are going to lose their jobs after making a mistake.

Example: Have you any idea how much money this mistake will cost the company? You can be sure that heads will roll. 

Rodarán cabezas.

Example sentences:

• How could the air force have bombed a school by mistake? Heads will roll, believe me! / ¿Cómo pudo la fuerza aérea bombardear a una escuela por error? Rodarán cabezas, créanme!

• Our boss said that heads will roll, so I'm worried about my job / Nuestro jefe dijo que rodarán cabezas, por lo que estoy preocupado por mi trabajo.

Additional examples:

• When the company's year-end results are known, heads will roll.

• Heads will roll when the principal sees the damaged classroom.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: PUT THE BRAKES ON

"PUT THE BRAKES ON"

If you put the brakes on something, you stop it or slow it down.

Example: The government has to put the brakes on the water treatment project until the corruption enquiry is over.


Poner freno / alto.


Example sentences:

• Many companies are putting the brakes on new investment until the economy improves / Muchas compañías están poniendo freno a nuevas inversiones hasta que la economía mejore.

• We are going to have to put the brakes on you if you make any more difficulties / Vamos a tener que ponerte un alto si presentas más dificultades.

Additional examples:

• The city has put the brakes on further spending.  

• The boss put the brakes on Gerald, who was trying too aggressively to get promoted.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: FORTY WINKS

"FORTY WINKS"

If you have forty winks, you have a short sleep, or a nap.

Example: If you're driving on a long trip and you feel yourself getting sleepy, stop and have forty winks. It might save your life, and the lives of other people too.

Siesta.

Example sentences:

• I'll sometimes have forty winks if I feel a bit sleepy / A veces tomaré una siesta si siento un poco de sueño.

• I could use forty winks before I have to get to work / Podría tomar una siesta antes de tener que ir a trabajar.

Additional examples:

• If I have a late night I sometimes catch forty winks on the train on the way to work.

• I need forty winks before I get started again.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: A QUICK STUDY

"A QUICK STUDY"

If you're a quick study, you can learn new things quickly.

Example: Albert was always a quick study, except when it came to learning languages.

Aprende rápido.

Example sentences:

• I only need to show Sue how to do something once, and she gets it. She's a quick study, that girl / Solo necesito mostrarle a Sue una vez cómo se hace y ella lo entenderá. Ella aprende rápido, esa chica.

• My teachers thought I would be a quick study like my brother and understand things quickly / Mis maestros piensan que aprenderé rápido como mi hermano y entenderé rápido las cosas.

Additional examples:

• He's a quick study and easily grasps all the details of a discussion.

• Jane, who is a quick study, caught the joke immediately and laughed before everyone else.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: HOLD YOUR HEAD HIGH / HOLD YOUR HEAD UP HIGH

"HOLD YOUR HEAD HIGH / HOLD YOUR HEAD UP HIGH"

You can hold your head high, or hold your head up high, if you feel proud of something.

Example: Al said, "Will our generation be able to hold our heads high if we've created serious environmental problems for our grandchildren to deal with? I don't think so!"

Con la cabeza en alto.

Example sentences:

• The team didn't win, but they can hold their heads up high because they put up a great fight / El equipo no ganó, pero se van con la cabeza en alto porque dieron todo en la pelea.

• After failing his driving test three times, Shane can hold his head up high now because he has passed it / Después de haber fallado el examen de manejo tres veces, Shane puede irse con la cabeza en alto ahora porque lo ha pasado.

Additional examples:

• As long you play the best tennis you're capable of, you can hold your head high.

• When this country has full employment and an education system for all, then we can hold our head up high.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: UNDER LOCK AND KEY

"UNDER LOCK AND KEY"

If something is under lock and key, it is kept in a very secure place.

Example: Make sure these documents are under lock and key until we need them. 

Bajo llave / Encerrado (a)
 
Example sentences:

• Poor Josie. Her parents were very strict and they kept her under lock and key throughout her childhood, so she never learned about life's dangers / Pobre Josie. Sus papás fueron muy estrictos y la tuvieron encerrada durante su infancia, así que ella nunca aprendió acerca de los peligros de la vida. 

• The medicines are kept under lock and key so that the children can't get them / Las medicinas se mantienen bajo llave para que los niños no puedan tomarlas.

Additional examples:

• This type of deviant behaviour will get you put under lock and key.

• He's under lock and key after he committed that robbery last year.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: CARTE BLANCHE

"CARTE BLANCHE"

If you give someone carte blanche, you give them freedom to do whatever they want in a situation.

Example: The president gave his generals carte blanche to fight the war however they wished.

Carta blanca.

• The president gave us carte blanche to say what we liked during the negotiations / El gobierno le dio carta blanca al ejército para que interviniera.

• The boss has given us carte blanche to redecorate the offices / El jefe nos ha dado carta blanca para redecorar las oficinas.

Additional examples:

• He was given carte blanche to teach the new staff using whatever methods he liked.

• The manager has been given no instructions about how to train the staff. He has carte blanche from the owner.

 

 

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: ILL AT EASE

"ILL AT EASE"

If you're ill at ease, you feel tense or you can't relax in a situation.

Example: I don't mean to make people feel ill at ease, but I seem to have that effect on some people.

Nervioso / a.

Example sentences:

• Liam always looks ill at ease when he's being interviewed on T.V. / Liam siempre parece estar nervioso cuando es entrevistado en televisión.

• Marcus says that he always feels ill at ease when he's on a first date with a girl / Marcus dice que siempre se siente nervioso cuando está en una primera cita con una chica.

Additional examples:

• I feel ill at ease about the interview.

• You look ill at ease. Please relax.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD

"BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD"

 

 

You can say "back to the drawing board" when a plan or a design has failed, and you decide to begin all over again.

Example: Our new drug worked on rats, but when it was tried on people it failed, so we had to go back to the drawing board and start again.

Empezar de cero.

Example sentences:

• Well, my boss vetoed my proposal, I guess it's back to the drawing board / Bueno, mi jefe vetó mi propuesta, así que que supongo que habrá que empezar de cero.

• Their plans to open a hotel in Fiji fell through, so it was back to the drawing board / Sus planes para abrir un hotel en Fiji fracasaron, así que tuvieron que empezar de cero.

Additional examples:

• We started an online business, but after a while it was back to the drawing board because we couldn't make a profit.

• It didn't work. Back to the drawing board.  

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TODAY'S IDIOM: ON THE FENCE

"ON THE FENCE"

Undecided

Example: Ann is on the fence about going to Mexico.

Indeciso.

Example sentences:

• I don't know where I'll move,I'm still on the fence / No se a donde me mudaré, aun no lo decido

• Have you decided if you'll take the job? ...No. I'm still on the fence / ¿Ya decidiste si tomarás el empleo? ...No, aun no lo decido.

Additional examples:

• I don't know if I'll go to the movies. I'm on the fence.

• Well, about supporting a  specific candidate.We're on the fence right now.

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TODAY´S IDIOM: PAY OFF A DEBT/LOAN

"PAY OFF A DEBT/LOAN"

To finish paying back the money that one has borrowed from a bank/store, etc

Example: The furniture manufacturer was unable to pay off their loan so they went out of business.

Pagar deudas.

Example sentences:

• It was a miracle that we could pay off the mortgage / Fue un milagro que pudiéramos pagar la hipoteca.

• Next week I'll finish paying off my debts and I´ll be free again / La próxima semana terminaré de pagar mis deudas y seré libre de nuevo.

Additional examples:

• Last year I ended up paying off a high credit card debt

• Your debts are mounting up and there's simply no way you can afford to keep paying them off 

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: WORK YOUR SOCKS OFF / WORK YOUR TAIL OFF

"WORK YOUR SOCKS OFF / WORK YOUR TAIL OFF"

 

 

If you work your socks off, or work your tail off, you work very hard.

Example: The lawyers that I know earn a lot of money but they work their socks off.

Trabajar muy duro.

Example sentences:

• We had to get the job finished by Friday, so we worked our socks off to get it done on time / Tuvimos que terminar el trabajo para el Viernes, así que trabjamos muy duro para hacerlo a tiempo.

• The sales team worked their tails off this quarter, and they've managed to beat the record for first-quarter sales figures / El equipo de ventas trabajó muy duro este trimestre y han conseguido batir el récord de las cifras de ventas del primer trimestre.

Additional examples:

• His exam's on Monday, so Paul will have to work his socks off if he wants to pass.

• I worked my socks off to get this position.

• If you are willing to work your socks off you can climb the corporate ladder.

 

 

 

 

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