TODAY'S IDIOM: JUMP THE GUN

"JUMP THE GUN"

If you jump the gun, you start doing something too soon. 

Example: If you're in a debate, wait until you're invited to speak and don't jump the gun by speaking before you should.

Precipitarse.

Example sentences:

• The company jumped the gun and released the product before the public was ready for it / La compañía se precipitó y lanzó el producto antes de que el público estuviera preparado para ello.

 

• Donny was playing the part of a detective in the play, but he jumped the gun on the first night. He started saying his lines too soon / Donny estaba haciendo el papel de un detective en la obra, pero se precipitó en la primera noche. Empezó a decir sus líneas demasiado pronto.

 

• He shouted at me before I had time to explain, but later he apologised for jumping the gun / Me gritó antes de que tuviera tiempo de explicarle, pero más tarde se disculpó por haberse precipitado.

Additional examples:

 

• We all had to start the race again because Jane jumped the gun.

• When we took the test, Tom jumped the gun and started early.

 

• We do not want to jump the gun by making a statement about what caused the explosion before the investigation is completed.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: PLAYING WITH FIRE

"PLAYING WITH FIRE"

You're playing with fire if you're involved in an activity that could be dangerous, or could lead to problems in the future.

Example: You're really playing with fire if you have loaded guns in the house, especially if there are kids around. 

Jugando con fuego.

Example sentences:

• Suzie says that if someone with mental or emotional problems smokes marijuana, they're playing with fire. She says it can make these problems much worse / Suzie dice que si alguien con problemas mentales o emocionales fuma marihuana, están jugando con fuego. Dice que puede traer problemas peores.

• People who have sex with many partners without using condoms are playing with fire because they could get a disease such as AIDS / Las personas que tienen sexo con muchas parejas sin usar condones están jugando con fuego ya que podrían tener una enfermedad como el SIDA.

Additional examples:

• Jimmy! I've told you never to play with fire!

• Be careful with that knife! You are playing with fire!

• If you mess with Max, you are playing with fire.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: NECK OF THE WOODS

"NECK OF THE WOODS"

A neck of the woods is a neighbourhood or a district, usually rural.

Example: Have land prices gone up in your neck of the woods too?

Por estos lares.

Examples sentences:

• What brings you to our neck of the woods? / ¿Qué te trae por estos lares?

• Wendy called and said she was in our neck of the woods so I told her to drop by and say hello / Wendy llamó y dijo que andaba por estos lares, así que le dije que pasara y saludara.

Additional examples:

• Stop by and see me the next time you're in my neck of the woods.

• I'm surprised to see you in this neck of the woods.

• What brings you here? There's no scenery like this in your neck of the woods, is there?

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TODAY'S IDIOM: KEEP AN EYE ON

"KEEP AN EYE ON"

 

 

If you keep an eye on someone, you make sure you know what they're doing.

Example: The media has promised to keep an eye on the new government and report anything that seems suspicious.

Echar el ojo.

Example sentences:

• I'm a bit worried about Hannah's health so could you keep an eye on her while I'm away / Estoy un poco preocupado por la salud de Hanna, ¿le podrías echar un ojo mientras estoy fuera?

• I'm going to the shop so could you keep an eye on the baby? / Voy a la tienda, ¿le puedes echar un ojo al bebé?

Additional examples:

• I have my eye on the apple tree. When the apples ripen, I'll harvest them.

• Will you please keep your eye on my house while I'm on vacation?

 

 

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: A WAR OF WORDS

"A WAR OF WORDS"

If you're in a war of words with someone, you're having a long argument or dispute with them. 

Example: The leaders of the two main political parties are in a war of words over the issue of gun ownership. They debate the topic whenever they see each other.

Intercambio de palabras.

Example sentences:

• The war of words between community leaders and church leaders has been dominating the newspaper headlines lately / El intercambio de palabras entre los líderes de la comunidad y líderes de la iglesia ha estado dominando los titulares de los periódicos últimamente.

• During their war of words, Jenny and Ben got angry with each other / Durante el intercambio de palabras, Jenny y Ben se enojaron con los demás.

Additional examples:

• The war of words between the two rivals for the presidency continues to dominate the news bulletins.

• When the student refused to be quiet, a war of words ensued between the teacher and him. 

• A debate on the causes of global warming has turned into a bitter war of words.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: A BALLPARK FIGURE

"A BALLPARK FIGURE"

If you give a ballpark figure or a ballpark estimate, you give a number which you think is fairly close to the actual one.

Example: I know you can't tell me exactly when it'll be finished, but can you give me a ballpark estimate?

Una cifra aproximada

Example sentences:

• We don't know the exact cost, but a ballpark figure would be around six million dollars / No sabemos cuanto es el costo exacto, pero una cifra aproximada sería alrededor de seis millones de dólares.

• She gave us a ballpark figure for the cost because she didn't know the exact amount / Ella nos dió una cifra aproximada de los costos porque no sabía la cantidad exacta.

Additional examples:

• I don't need an exact number. A ballpark figure will do.

• We're expecting sales of the book to generate around $10,000 dollars, although obviously that's just a ballpark figure.

• I'd say two hundred dollars, but that's a ballpark figure. 

• I’m not sure how much a flight to Bali would cost, but the website should give you a ball park figure.   

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TODAY'S IDIOM: TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS

"TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS"

If you take the bull by the horns, you deal with a problem or a challenge in a direct and fearless way.

Example: The magazine's sales were falling, so the owner took the bull by the horns and replaced the editor, had the layout redesigned, and brought in new writers.

Tomar el toro por los cuernos.

Example sentences:

• Pauline wasn't happy with the manager's decision, so she took the bull by the horns and demanded to see him in order to discuss the matter / Pauline no estaba contenta con la decisión del gerente, asi que tomó el toro por los cuernos y exigió verlo con el fin de discutir el asunto.

• The team wasn't playing well, so the coach took the bull by the horns and sacked several senior players / El equipo no estaba jugando bien, así que le entrenador tomó el toro por los cuernos y sacó varios jugadores de alto nivel.

• I took the bull by the horns and finished the assignment a week early / Tomé el toro por los cuernos y terminé la tarea una semana antes.

• What did you do when you lost your job? I took the bull by the horns and opened my own business. Now I'm a multi-millionaire! / ¿Qué hiciste cuando perdiste tu trabajo? Tomé el toro por los cuernos y abrí mi propio negocio. Ahora soy multimillonario.

Additional examples:

• It's time to take the bull by the horns and get this job done.

• Why don't you take the bull by the horns and tell him to leave?

• If you don't take the bull by the horns and ask your boss for a raise, you'll never get one. 

• Now that her children are grown up, Maria is going to take the bull by the horns and go to University.

• I heard your boyfriend broke up with you. Yeah. What are you going to do? I'm taking the bull by the horns and going clubbing tonight.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: ONCE AND FOR ALL

"ONCE AND FOR ALL"

If you do something once and for all, you do it in a way that's final and it means you'll never have to do it again.

Example: I was tired of getting new glasses every few years so I decided to solve my eyesight problem once and for all and have laser surgery.

De una vez por todas.

Example sentences:

• Jim said he's decided once and for all that he's going to stay single and never get married again / Jim dijo que decidió de una vez por todas que se quedará soltero y nunca se casará de nuevo.

• I'm tired of having to get my teeth fixed all the time, so I've decided to solve the problem once and for all by getting false teeth / Estoy cansado de tener que arreglarme los dientes todo el tiempo, entonces he decidido que para resolver el problema de una vez por todas conseguiré una dentadura postiza.

Additional examples:

• I'm going to get this place organized once and for all! That'll be the day! "We need to get this straightened out once and for all," said Bob, for the fourth time today.

• I'm fed up with arguing about this. Let's just settle this argument once and for all.

• He claims his photographs prove once and for all that UFOs do exist.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: ALL IN YOUR HEAD

TODAY'S IDIOM: ALL IN YOUR HEAD

If something is all in your head, it is not real.  It is in your imagination.


Example: Don't be silly. Nobody is trying to harm you. It's all in your head!

Esta todo en tu mente / cabeza

Example sentences:

• There is nothing to be afraid of! Its all in your head / No hay nada que temer, todo está en tu mente

• Limits are an illusion. You think they are there, but it's all in your head / Los límites son una ilusión. Crees que estan ahí, pero todo está en tu cabeza.

Additional examples:

• I don't believe in stress, it's all in your head. Sleep on it. The next day it'll be forgotten

• He said it's all in your head and I said so's everything but he didn't get it.

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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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TODAYY'S IDIOM: THINK TWICE, ACT WISE

"THINK TWICE, ACT WISE"

To consider carefully whether one should do something; to be cautious about doing something.

Example: He said he is sorry and will think twice, act wise and before giving such advice again.

Piensa dos veces antes de actuar.

Example sentences:

• 4 things never come back: The spoken words, the wasted time, the past life, the neglected opportunity. So think twice and act wise / 4 cosas que nunca regresan: Las palabras habladas, la pérdida de tiempo, la vida pasada, la oportunidad descuidada. Así que piensa dos veces antes de actuar.

• "Don't make promise when you are in joy. Don't reply when you are sad. Don't take decisions when you are angry. Think twice, act wise" / "No hagas promesas cuando estas alegre. No respondas cuando estés triste. No tomes decisiones cuando estás enojado. Piensa dos veces, antes de actuar."

Additional examples:

• I'd think twice, act wise and before spending all that money on clothes

• Think twice, act wise and before you get married.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

"LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON"

Fathers and sons resemble each other, and sons tend to do what their fathers did before them.

Example: George's father smoked all the time, and now George is smoking excessively, too. Like father, like son, eh?

De tal palo, tal astilla.

Example sentences:

• Kevin decided to run for mayor. Like father, like son / Kevin decidió postularse para alcalde. De tal palo, tal astilla.

• I think my son will grow up tall, just like his father. Like father, like son / Creo que mi hijo crecerá alto igual que su padre. De tal palo, tal astilla.

Additional examples:

• I’m going to go fishing! Me too! I love fishing! Like father, like son.

• My father is a doctor, I am a doctor, and my son is in Medical school. Like father, like son.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY

"BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY"

You should be cautious, if you are not, you may regret it.

Example: Better safe than sorry so I always leave early when I go to the airport. 

Más vale prevenir que lamentar.

Example sentences:

• It is better to be safe than sorry and I always bring my umbrella to work when it is a cloudy day / Más vale prevenir que lamentar, siempre traigo mi paraguas al trabajo cuando es un día nublado.

• I don't need a tetanus shot just because I stepped on a nail. I still think you should get one. Better be safe than sorry / No necesito una vacuna contra el tétano solo porque pisé un clavo. Sigo pensando que debes de tenerla. Más vale prevenir que lamentar.

Additional examples:

• It may be time-consuming to check the oil in your car every time you buy gasoline, but better safe than sorry.

• I'll hold the ladder while you climb up. Better safe than sorry.

• Concerned about the attacks, he sent his son out of the village, figuring, better safe than sorry.

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