TODAY'S IDIOM: BED DOWN

"BED DOWN"

 

Lie down and sleep, find a place to sleep.

Example:  After grazing in the valley, the deer will bed down on the hill.

Acostarse.

• It was time to bed down for the night / Ya era hora de acostarse por la noche.

• John and Steve can bed down in the living room / Jhon y Steve pueden acostarse en la sala.

Additional examples:

• We bedded down at midnight.

• We had to bed down on the floor for the night.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: RUN OUT OF STEAM

"RUN OUT OF STEAM"

If someone runs out of steam, they run out of energy or enthusiasm. If something runs out of steam, it loses momentum and slows down.

Example: Hillary's campaign ran out of steam when it became clear there was no way she could win the nomination.

Perder fuerza.

Example sentences:

• Steve started the game well, but he ran out of steam towards the end. He needs to work on his fitness / Steve empezó bien el partido, pero perdió fuerza ya al final. Tiene que trabajar en su gimnasio.

• Grandma was having a great time at the party, but I could see she was running out of steam by about ten o'clock, so I offered to take her home / La abuela la estaba pasando muy bien en la fiesta, pero me di cuenta de que perdió fuerza como a las 10 asi que me ofrecí llevarla a su casa.

Additional examples:

• Toward the end of the lecture, he seemed to run out of steam, leaving us with no summary or conclusion.

• She'd been talking for two hours and was just starting to run out of steam. 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: QUICK OFF THE MARK

"QUICK OFF THE MARK"

If you are quick off the mark, you are quick to react to an event or an opportunity.

Example: Steven was quick off the mark when the internet started. He had his first website up and running before most people had even tried email.

Eficiente.

Example sentences: 

• Bobby is always quick off the mark when a girl comes into the bar. He's offering her a drink before most of us have even noticed her / Bobby siempre es muy eficiente cuando una chica entra al bar. Él le ofrece una copa antes de que nosotros nos demos cuenta.

• If someone is quick off the mark, they do something before most other people / Si alguien es eficiente, ellos hacen algo mucho antes que los demás.

Additional examples:

• The police were quick off the mark reaching the scene of the accident.

• There wasn't much time to waste and in order to secure a place, you had to be quick off the mark.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: AN EVEN BREAK

"AN EVEN BREAK"

If you get an even break, you get a fair opportunity to succeed in your ambition or to achieve your goals.

Example: All Monica needs is an even break and she could be one of the country's top models.

Punto de equilibrio.

Example sentences:

• He says he's never had an even break in life and that's why he's never achieved much / Él dice que nunca ha tenido un punto de equilibro en la vida y es por eso que nunca logró mucho.

• Rob says all he needs is an even break and he could be a success / Rob dice que todo lo que necesita es un punto de equilibrio y podría ser un éxito.

Additional examples:

• Please give me an even break! I need some help here!.

• You miss out in a bull market and you basically break-even in a bear market.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: BE UP AND RUNNING

"BE UP AND RUNNING"

If a system, an organization, or a machine is up and running, it is established and working.

Example: Until the new computer system is up and running we will have to work on paper. 

En funcionamiento / en marcha / listo.

Example sentences:

• Just insert the wireless data card and you're up and running / Solamente inserto la tarjeta de datos inalámbrica y ya estará listo.

• We have tools and equipment up and running 24-hours a day / Disponemos de herramientas y equipos que funcionan 24 horas al día.

Additional examples:

• Getting a new PC up and running can be a frustrating experience.

• We need to get this regulation up and running in order to achieve our objectives. 

 

 

 

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: HAVE SECOND THOUGHTS

"HAVE SECOND THOUGHTS"

If you're having second thoughts about something, you're having doubts about a decision you've made.  

Example: You're not having second thoughts about moving to Australia to live, are you?

Tener dudas.

Example sentences:

• I've been having second thoughts about quitting my job. Maybe I should keep it for a while longer / He estado teniendo dudas acerca de dejar mi trabajo. Tal vez debería mantenerlo por más tiempo.

• Sid and Nancy were going to get married, and then Nancy had second thoughts so they decided to wait / Sid y Nancy se iban a casar, después Nancy tuvo dudas por lo que decidieron esperar.

Additional examples:

• You're not having second thoughts about coming to Brighton with me, are you?

• Sean Elliott appears to be having second thoughts about retirement.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: BEAT AROUND THE BUSH / BEAT ABOUT THE BUSH

"BEAT AROUND THE BUSH / BEAT ABOUT THE BUSH"

If you beat around the bush, or beat about the bush, you don't say something directly, usually because you don't want to upset the person you're talking to.

Example: I had trouble telling Pedro he'd lost his job. I started beating around the bush and talking about one door closing and another door opening. 

Andarse con rodeos.


Example sentences:

• Stop beating about the bush. Just tell me what's happened! / No andes con rodeos. Solo dime lo que pasa.

• It's hard not to beat around the bush when you have to tell someone some bad news / Es difícil no andarse con rodeos cuando tienes que decirle a alguien malas noticias.

Additional examples:

• Stop beating around the bush and answer my question.

• Let's stop beating about the bush and discuss this matter.

• Quit beating around the bush and tell me what you really think about my idea.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: TIGHTEN YOUR BELT

"TIGHTEN YOUR BELT"

If you tighten your belt, you try to spend less money.

Example: Pablo says his family have had to tighten their belts because everything costs much more now.

Apretar el cinturón.

Example sentences:

• I'll have to tighten my belt for a while so I can pay off my debts / Voy a tener que apretarme el cinturón por algún tiempo para poder pagar mis deudas.

• Carly will have to tighten her belt because she's lost her job / Carly tendrá que apretarse el cinturón porque ha perdido su puesto de trabajo.

Additional examples:

• Things are beginning to cost more and more. It looks like we'll all have to tighten our belts.

• Times are hard, and prices are high. I can tighten my belt for only so long

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TODAY'S IDIOM: NOT YOUR CUP OF TEA

"NOT YOUR CUP OF TEA"

If something is not your cup of tea, it's not what you like or what you're interested in.

Example: Karen knows all that new-age spiritual stuff isn't my cup of tea, so why would she give me a book on star signs and astrology for my birthday? 

No es lo que me guste.

Example sentences:

• Action movies aren't really my cup of tea. I prefer dramas and comedies, to be honest / Las películas de acción no son las que realmente me gustan. Para ser honesto prefiero los dramas y comedias.

• Classical music isn't really Mary's cup of tea, so when I offered to take her to a concert of chamber music, she wasn't all that excited / La música clásica no es realmente lo que le guste a Mary, por eso cuando le ofrecí llevarla a un concierto de música de cámara no estaba tan emocionada.

Additional examples:

• You three visit the museum without me. Looking at fussy old paintings is not my cup of tea.

• Going to church, Mary said, was not her cup of tea.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: PULLING YOUR LEG

"PULLING YOUR LEG"

Tricking someone as a joke / Kidding

Example: Don't believe him, he's just pulling your leg.

Tomando el pelo / Bromeando.

Example sentences:

• Is he really angry with me or do you think he's just pulling my leg? / Está realmente enojado conmigo o tu crees que solo está tomandome el pelo?

• In the middle of July the little boy ran to his mom and said that it was snowing. When his mom looked outside he told her that he was just pulling her leg / A mediados de Julio el pequeño niño corrió hacia su madre y le dijo que estaba nevando. Cuando su mamá vio hacia afuera él le dijo que solo estaba bromeando.

Additional examples:

• Really? That store is closed on Sunday? Are you sure? Don't listen to him; he is just pulling your leg.

• Look; your shoes are untied... Ha! Just pulling your leg.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: EASY AS PIE / EASY AS ABC

"EASY AS PIE / EASY AS ABC"

If something's as easy as pie, or easy as abc, it's very easy.

Example: You'll have no trouble finding your way around the website. It's easy as abc.

Pan comido.

Example sentences:

• Setting up the printer was as easy as pie / La configuración de la impresora era pan comido.
  

• They said configuring the software is easy as pie, but I don't think it is. I found it really difficult / Dijeron que la configuración del software era pan comido, pero no creo que lo sea. Me pareció muy difícil.

Additional examples:

• You won't have any problems assembling your new bed, it's as easy as abc.

• You make everything sound as easy as pie, George.

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