TODAY'S IDIOM: LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED

"LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED"

If you leave no stone unturned, you look everywhere in order to find something, or try everything in order to achieve something.

Example: Ari has left no stone unturned in her search for a job in television, but so far she hasn't had any luck.

Mover cielo, mar y tierra.

Example sentences:

• Henry said he'd leave no stone unturned in his search for a woman to marry. He will try everything to find a wife / Henry dijo que movería cielo, mar y tierra en su búsqueda de una mujer para casarse. Intentará todo para encontrar una esposa.

• In the investigation to find the missing child, the police have left no stone unturned / En la búsqueda para encontrar al chico perdido, la policía movió cielo, mar y tierra.

Additional examples:

• The leaders of the countries involved in the dispute claim they've left no stone unturned in their quest for a peaceful solution. 

• Don't worry. We'll find your stolen car. We'll leave no stone unturned.

• In searching for a nice place to live, we left no stone unturned.

El blog "La cultura del Inglés" es patrocinado por:

www.laculturadelingles.com 

www.pebtest.com 

 

TODAY'S IDIOM: (HAVE) EGG ON YOUR FACE

"(HAVE) EGG ON YOUR FACE"

You have egg on your face if you've said or done something wrong, and it's made you feel embarrassed or stupid.

Example: Stan had egg on his face after saying he could easily do fifty push-ups, and then giving up after doing just twenty.

Quedar en ridículo.

Example sentences:

• The police force had egg on its face because they arrested and beat up an innocent guy who had the same name as a suspect they were looking for / La policía quedo totalmente en ridículo porque arrestaron y golpearon a un tipo inocente quien tenía el mismo nombre que el sospechoso que ellos estaban buscando.

• Silvio had egg on his face after saying he was much better than all the other drivers, and then coming last in the race / Silvio quedó en ridículo después de decir que él era mejor que todos los demás conductores y después lo dejaron atrás en la carrera.

Additional examples:

• I was completely wrong, and now I have egg on my face.

• She's really got egg on her face!

El blog "La cultura del Inglés" es patrocinado por:

www.laculturadelingles.com 

www.pebtest.com 

 

TODAY'S IDIOM: A RAY OF SUNSHINE

"A RAY OF SUNSHINE"

Something is a ray of sunshine if it brings happiness to someone.

Example: The birth of Debra's first grandchild less than a year after her husband died came as a much-needed ray of sunshine in her life.

Un rayo de sol.

Example sentences:

• After years of struggling to get established as a writer, the publication of her first short story was a ray of sunshine for Ruth / Después de años de luchar para establecerse como escritor, la publicación de su primer cuento fue un rayo de sol para Ruth.

• The kids in the hospital had a ray of sunshine in their lives when some famous footballers visited them / Los niños en el hospital tuvieron un rayo de sol en sus vidas cuando algunos futbolistas famosos los visitaron.

Additional examples:

• Amid all the gloom, their grandchild has been a real ray of sunshine.

• The company's earnings provided a ray of sunshine for investors on Friday.  

• Sara's visit was a ray of sunshine in her grandmother's day.

El blog "La cultura del Inglés" es patrocinado por:

www.laculturadelingles.com 

www.pebtest.com 

 

TODAY'S IDIOM: RUN OF THE MILL

"RUN OF THE MILL"

Something is run of the mill if it is ordinary and nothing special.

Example: I don't know why he won the competition. He wasn't terrible, but he wasn't anything special either; just a run of the mill singer as far as I could see.

Común y corriente.

Example sentences:

• The restaurant we went to was nothing special, just run of the mill / El restaurante al que fuimos no era nada especial, era común y corriente.

• The service was good, but the food was run of the mill or worse / El servicio era bueno, pero la comida era común y corriente.

Additional examples:

• There wasn't much on TV so we just watched some run of the mill old cowboy movie.

• Natasha says she's tired of going to run of the mill restaurants every night. She wants to go somewhere special.

El blog "La cultura del Inglés" es patrocinado por:

www.laculturadelingles.com 

www.pebtest.com 

 

TODAY'S IDIOM: THE WRITING / HANDWRITING IS ON THE WALL

"THE WRITING / HANDWRITING IS ON THE WALL"

If the writing is on the wall, or the handwriting is on the wall, there are signs that a person or organization is in trouble and might soon fail.

Example: Their old quarterback was occasionally dropped from the team early in the season, so the handwriting was on the wall even then. 

Está escrito.

Example sentences:

• The writing has been on the wall for this government ever since the street protests and demonstrations against it first began / Estaba escrito para este gobierno desde las protestas y manifestaciones callejeras en contra de su inicio.

• The writing had been on the wall for a few months, so no-one was surprised when the restaurant finally closed down / Y aestaba escrito desde hace algunos meses, así que nadie se sorprendió cuando el restaurante finalmente cerró.

Additional examples:

• Area residents can see the writing on the wall and realize that if they don't cooperate with the police, these crimes will continue.

• As leaders, they should have seen the handwriting on the wall and come up with an alternative course of action.

El blog "La cultura del Inglés" es patrocinado por:

www.laculturadelingles.com 

ww.pebtest.com 

 

TODAY'S IDIOM: FEATHER YOUR OWN NEST

"FEATHER YOUR OWN NEST"

If you feather your own nest, you use your position or your job illegally for personal gain.

Example: Kelly says it's accepted in many developing countries that a government official will use their position to feather their own nest, and this is why government salaries are kept so low.

Llenarse los bolsillos.

Example sentences:

• In some countries a person who feathers their own nest isn't seen as being dishonest or corrupt; they're seen as being clever / En algunos países la persona quien se llena los bolsillos no es visto como deshonesto o corrupto; son vistos como personas inteligentes.

• Government officials in the Republic of Amoralia feather their own nests by taking bribes / Los funcionarios de gobierno de la República de Amoralia se llenan los bolsillos aceptando sobornos.

Additional examples:

• The mayor seemed to be helping people, but she was really feathering her own nest.

• The building contractor used a lot of public money to feather his nest.

 El blog "La cultura del Inglés" es patrocinado por:

www.laculturadelingles.com 

www.pebtest.com 

 

TODAY'S IDIOM: A ZEBRA CROSSING

"A ZEBRA CROSSING"

 

A zebra crossing is a pedestrian crossing that is marked on the road with painted black and white stripes.

Example: Visitors to Britain are sometimes confused when they're told there's a zebra crossing up ahead. Some even expect to see a zebra walking across the road.

Paso de zebra.

Example sentences:

• If someone steps onto a zebra crossing, all cars must stop and wait for them to cross the road / Si alguien camina en el paso de zebra, todos los carros tienen que parar y esperar a que cruzen la carretera.

• A zebra crossing is a place for people to cross the road / Un paso de zebra es un lugar para la gente al cruzar la carretera.

Additional examples:

• Zebra crossing, remember look right and look left.

• Children can also take part by practicing crossing these pretend roads on foot, using zebra crossings that you mark on.

• Labor councilors have called on the Royal Parks Agency to provide new zebra crossings on the ring road around the park. 

El blog "La cultura del Inglés" es patrocinado por:

www.laculturadelingles.com 

www.pebtest.com 

 

TODAY'S IDIOM: (YOUR) BREAD AND BUTTER

"(YOUR) BREAD AND BUTTER"

Your bread and butter is your livelihood or the source of your income. 

Example: Bartending is my bread and butter at the moment, but I'm trying to get into acting.

Pan de cada día.

Example sentences:

• The conditions are bad, but this work is their bread and butter so make sure the workers have other jobs before you close down the factory / Las condiciones son malas, pero éste trabajo es su pan de cada día entonces asegúrese de que los trabajadores tienen otros trabajos antes de cerrar la fábrica.

• This job is my bread and butter, so I can't afford to lose it / Éste trabajo es mi pan de cada día, así que no puedo darme el lujo de perderlo.

Additional examples:

• I can't miss another day of work. That's my bread and butter.

• I worked as a bartender for a year, and it was the tips that were my bread and butter.

El blog "La cultura del Inglés" es patrocinado por:

www.laculturadelingles.com 

www.pebtest.com 

 

TODAY'S IDIOM:HIT THE HAY

"HIT THE HAY"

Go to bed or go to sleep

Example: It's after midnight so it's time I hit the hay.

Dormir / Ir a la cama

Example sentences:

• After having dinner, we were ready to hit the hay / Después de cenar, estábamos listos para ir a dormir.

• Make sure to hit the hay early / Asegúrate de ir a la cama temprano.

Additional examples:

• I have to go home and hit the hay pretty soon

• It is time to hit the hay. You are falling asleep at the kitchen table.   

El blog "La cultura del Inglés" es patrocinado por:

www.laculturadelingles.com 

www.pebtest.com 

 

TODAY'S IDIOM: COME FORWARD (WITH SOMETHING)

"COME FORWARD (WITH SOMETHING)"

To bring something, such as information, to someone's attention.

Example: Colleen came forward with a new idea.

Presentar idea, concepto, propuesta etc.

Example sentences:

• I hope you each can come forward with something useful / Espero que cada uno pueda presentar la idea con algo útil.

• The new employee has come forward with an innovative proposal / El nuevo empleado ha presentado una propuesta innovadora.

Example sentences:

• The government has come forward with a National Action Plan on Climate Change.

• The European Council invites the Commission to come forward with relevant proposals.

El blog "La cultura del Inglés" es patrocinado por:

www.laculturadelingles.com 

www.pebtest.com 

 

TODAY'S IDIOM: WEAR YOUR HEART ON YOUR SLEEVE

"WEAR YOUR HEART ON YOUR SLEEVE"

If you wear your heart on your sleeve, you show your emotions openly and you don't try to hide your feelings.

Example: You'll never be a good card player if you wear your heart on your sleeve. Other players can tell if your cards are good or not by watching your reactions when you get them.

Con el corazón en la mano.

Example sentences:

• Ivan is one of those tennis players that spectators love to watch because they always wear their heart on their sleeve / Ivan es uno de esos jugadores de tenis que a los espectadores les encanta ver porque siempre lleva el corazón en la mano.

• Benny always wears his heart on his sleeve, so it'll be easy to know what he's feeling / Benny siempre lleva el corazón en la mano, así que es fácil saber lo que siente.

Additional examples:

• John always has his heart on his sleeve so that everyone knows how he feels.

• Because she wears her heart on her sleeve, it's easy to hurt her feelings.

El blog "La cultura del Inglés" es patrocinado por:

www.laculturadelingles.com 

www.pebtest.com 

 

TODA'S IDIOM: (YOUR) HEART ISN'T IN IT

"(YOUR) HEART ISN'T IN IT"

 

If your heart isn't in something you're doing, you don't really want to do it.

Example: Ali was studying to be a doctor, but his heart wasn't in it so he decided to follow his real dream and study film-making instead. 

Su corazón no estaba ahí.

Example sentences:

• We could tell that Sally's heart wasn't in it when she tried singing jazz, so we said she should stick to pop songs / Podríamos decir que el corazón de Sally no estaba ahí cuando intentó cantar jazz, así que digamos que debería atenerse a las canciones de pop.

• She's doing the photo shoot to promote her book, but her heart isn't in it. She looks really bored / Ella está haciendo la sesión de fotos para promocionar su libro, pero su corazón no está ahí. Se ve realmente aburrida.

Additional examples:

• I tried to do some writing, but my heart wasn't in it.

• I tried to look interested, but my heart wasn't in it.

El blog "La cultura del Inglés" es patrocinado por:

www.laculturadelingles.com 

www.pebtest.com 

 

TODAY'S IDIOM: WASH YOUR HANDS OF SOMETHING

"WASH YOUR HANDS OF SOMETHING"

If you wash your hands of something that you were involved in, you decide to stop being involved in it after losing your interest or belief in it.

Example: She washed her hands of the whole project after she found out that people had been stealing donated money.

Lavarse las manos.

Example sentences:

• Jim washed his hands of politics long ago after realising how corrupt most politicians were / Jim se lavó las manos hace mucho después de darse cuenta de lo corruptos que eran la mayoría de los políticos.

 

• Many sponsors washed their hands of the sport of cycling because of drug use among the cyclists / Muchos patrocinadores se lavaron las manos del deporte de ciclistas debido al uso de drogas entre los ciclistas.

Additional examples:

• I washed my hands of Tom. I wanted no more to do with him.

• He washed his hands of the matter.

El blog "La cultura del Inglés" es patrocinado por

www.laculturadelingles.com 

www.pebtest.com 

 

TODAY'S IDIOM: FOR THE TIME BEING

"FOR THE TIME BEING"

 

 

If something will be the way it is "for the time being", it will be that way for a limited period of time only.

Example: My car is being repaired, so for the time being I'll have to use the bus.

Por el momento.

Example sentences:

• You can stay here for the time being, but you'll have to move out when you find your own place / Puedes quedarte aquí por el momento, pero tendrás que mudarte cuando encuentres tu propio lugar. 

• Fatima wants to lose weight, so she's decided to stop eating cakes for the time being. She'll try not to eat them until she thinks she's lost enough weight / Fátima quiere bajar de peso, por lo que ha decidido dejar de comer pasteles por el momento. Va a tratar de no comerlos hasta piense que ha perdido bastante peso.

Additional examples:

• You can stay with us for the time being.

• We've decided to do without a car for the time being.

El blog "La cultura del Inglés" es patrocinado por:

www.laculturadelingles.com 

www.pebtest.com