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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TODAY'S IDIOM: DARK HORSE

"DARK HORSE"

 

 

One who was previously unknown and is now prominent.

Example: We need to prove that we're more than just a dark horse.

Caballo negro

Example sentences:

• Our team is considered the dark horse of the comeptition / Nuestro equipo es considerado el caballo negro de la competencia.

• Luis is the dark horse in this election / Luis es el caballo negro en esta elección.

Additional examples:

• We stopped being just a dark horse to become an established name in  the market.

• So, what team do you think will be the dark horse in the next world cup?

 

 

 

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: SCAPEGOAT

"SCAPEGOAT"

 

 

Someone who takes the blame.

Example: Luis just got fired, I guess he agreed to be the scapegoat.

Chivo expiatorio.

Example sentences:

• They simply wanted to find a scapegoat to blame for the product's failure / Ellos simplemente querían encontrar un chivo expiatorio a quien culpar por el fracaso del producto.

• Our boss didn't deserve to become a scapegoat after all he's done for the company / Nuestro jefe no merecía convertirse en un chivo expiatorio después de todo lo que ha hecho por la compañía.

Additional examples:

• When life becomes harder, some people start looking for scapegoats.

• He was simply the best option for a scapegoat for everything that had been going wrong lately.

 

 

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: CAUGHT RED-HANDED

"CAUGHT RED-HANDED"

 

 

To catch a person in the act of doing something wrong.

Example: Tom was stealing the car when the police drove by and caught him red-handed.

Cachar in fraganti.

Example sentences:

• Mary tried to cash a forged check at the bank, and the teller caught her red-handed / María trató de cobrar un cheque falsificado en el banco y el cajero la cachó in fraganti.

• The father was furious when he caught his son red-handed, smoking a cigarette / El padre se puso furioso cuando cachó in fraganti a su hijo fumando un cigarro.

Additional examples:

• I think my girlfriend is cheating on me, so I plan to follow her and catch her red-handed with another man.

• I caught Jack red-handed as he was trying to take some cash out of the register.

 

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: JACK OF ALL TRADES

"JACK OF ALL TRADES"

 

 

Who can do several different jobs instead of specializing in one.

Example: John can do plumbing, carpentry, and roofing. A real jack of all trades. He isn't very good at any of them. Take your car to a certified engine mechanic, not a jack of all trades.

Aprendiz de todo, maestro de nada.

Example sentences:

• Martha visited her friend Paul, yesterday. While Martha was visiting Paul, she repaired a leaky faucet in the kitchen, put up some shelves in the kitchen and repaired Paul's computer. Martha is a Jack of all trades / Martha visitó a su amigo Paul ayer. Mientras Martha estaa visitando a Paul, ella reparó un grifo que gotea en la cocina, puso algunos estantes en la cocina y reparó la computadora de Paul. Martha es aprendiz de todo, maestra de nada.

• Jivad's a real Jack of all trades. He knows all about computers, can do graphic design and write advertising copy, and knows a lot of other stuff too / Jivad es un verdadero aprendiz de todo, maestro de nadir. Él sabe todo acerca de computadoras, puede hacer diseño gráfico y escribir textos publicitarios y sabe un montón de otras cosas más también.

Additional examples:

• Fred works as a nurse. In his spare time, he likes to paint pictures. He also likes to repair everything in his house. Fred also fixes computer, sews and plays many sports. Fred is truly a Jack of all trades.

• She became a Jack of all trades because she was interested in learning about so many different things.

 

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: AT TOP SPEED

"AT TOP SPEED"

 

 

 
At the greatest speed posible.
 
Example: John finished his running at top speed.
 
A toda velocidad.
 
Example sentences:
 

• We drove down the highway at top speed / Nos dirigimos por la carretera a toda velocidad.

 

• William worked at top speed / William trabajó a toda velocidad.

 
Additional examples:
 

• The motor was running at top speed.

 

• For that reason, I would like to urge the Commission to do what is necessary and go top speed ahead with the study into external costs.

 

 

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: AT FIRST SIGHT

"AT FIRST SIGHT"

 

 

When someone or something is seen for the first time.

Example: With Peter and Constance, it was a case of love at first sight.

A primera vista.

Example sentences:

• At first sight I thought the test was easy, but there were some tricky questions / A primera vista pensé que el exámen estaba fácil, pero había algunas preguntas difíciles.

• When Dave saw that car, it was love at first sight / Cuando Dave vió el coche, fue amor a primera vista.

Additional examples:

• For my brother and sister-in-law, it was love at first sight.

• Bill was standing at the door when Ann opened it. It was love at first sight.

 

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: PUT A GOOD FACE ON IT.

"PUT A GOOD FACE ON IT"

 

 

Pretend to be happy when this is not the case.

Example: The engineers have put a good face, saying the telescope can easily be repaired.

Al mal tiempo, buena cara.

Example sentences:

• She failed, but put a good face on her defeat / Ella falló, pero al mal tiempo buena cara a su derrota.

• He was sad when his girlfriend moved away, but he put on a good face for his friends / Él estaba triste cuando su novia se alejó, pero al mal tiempo buena cara con sus amigos.

Additional examples:

• She was disappointed about her test scores, but she put on a good face for her classmates.

• He looks calm, but I suspect he's just putting on a good face.

 

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: HEADS OR TAILS?

"HEADS OR TAILS?"

 

 

The face of a coin or the opposite side.

Example: To see who would go first the boy threw a coin in the air and asked, "Heads or Tails?."

¿Cara o cruz?

Example sentences:

• The referee threw the coin to see if it would be heads or tails / El árbitro tiró la moneda al aire para ver si sería cara o cruz.

• We decided who would go first in the game by throwing heads or tails with a coin / Decidimos quien irá primero en el juego lanzando cara o cruz con una moneda.

Additional examples:

• Jim looked at Jane as he flipped the coin into the air. "Heads or tails?" he asked.

• It doesn't matter whether the result of the toss is heads or tails. I won't like the outcome in any case.

 

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: MORE HASTE, LESS SPEED

"MORE HASTE, LESS SPEED"

 

 

Act quickly, but not so quickly that you make careless mistakes.

Examples: More haste, less speed. I suggest you go back.

Vísteme despacio que tengo prisa.

Example sentences:

• Why are you throwing your clothes around the room? You told me to get my things packed in a hurry. Yes, but more haste, less speed / ¿Porqué tiras tu ropa en la habitación? Tú me dijiste que empacara mis cosas rápido. Si, pero vísteme despacio que tengo prisa.

• My mum always says "More haste, less speed". She is my pedant in chief so I take this version to be the one / Mi madre siempre dice "Vísteme despacio que tengo prisa". Ella es mi pedante en jefe así que tomo esta versión para ser la número uno.

Additional examples:

• We'll have to spend an hour cleaning up the mess you make. I know you want to finish that sweater by Joe's birthday, but you're knitting so fast that you make mistakes. More haste, less speed.

• There are limits to the number of problems that can be solved by legislation alone, and I think that the first package is evidence of more haste, less speed.

 

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: IN FOR A PENNY, IN FOR A POUND

"IN FOR A PENNY, IN FOR A POUND"

 

 

After spending some money or time for something you should spend more time or money to finish the job completely.

Example: All right, I'll drive you all the way therein for a penny, in for a pound.

De perdidos, al río.

Example sentences:

• I could get fired just for talking to you. Well... in for a penny, in for a pound! Come on in / Podría ser despedido solo por hablar contigo. Bueno... ¡De perdidos, al río! Entra.

• In for a penny, in for a pound and because we had already spent so much money repairing the car we decided to continue to pay more money until it was completely finished / De perdidos, al río y porque ya habíamos gastado mucho dinero para reparar el carro, decidimos seguir pagando más hasta que finalmente lo completamos.

Additional examples:

• Charlie got 5 years for that liquor store hold-up, and he was just the look-out! Well, you know what they say, in for a penny, in for a pound!

• I've put all my savings into this new venture. In for a penny, in for a pound.

 

 

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: CRYING WOLF

"CRYING WOLF"

 

To cry or complain about something when nothing is really wrong.

Example: I'll be in the other room, so call me if you need me. But no crying wolf.

Bromear.

Example sentences:

• Mom, Dad! Can you come to my room? I think there is something under my bed! Son, you just go back to bed, and stop crying wolf / Mamá, papá! ¿Pueden venir a mi habitación? ¡Creo que hay algo debajo de mi cama! Hijo, te vas a la cama y deja de hacer bromas.

• Hey that kid on the other team fell down. He looks hurt. Oh, not that kid. He's always crying wolf / Hey ese chico en el otro equipo se cayó. Se ve herido. Oh, no ese chico. Él siempre bromea.

Additional examples:

• Pay no attention. She's just crying wolf again. Don't cry wolf too often. No one will come.

• She had repeatedly rung the police for trivial reasons and perhaps she had cried wolf too often.

 

 

 

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