Idioms C-D

Question 1

cada hijo de vecino

Answer 1

every Tom, Dick, and Harry; everyone

Question 2

cada muerte de obispo

Answer 2

once in a blue moon; very rarely (lit.: each time a bishop dies)

Question 3

caer en la cuenta

Answer 3

realize

Question 4

caer mal

Answer 4

dislike; not like. 1. Me cae mal este tipo.

Question 5

caerle bien a alguien

Answer 5

look good; feel good; seem pleasant (lit.: to fall well to someone)

Question 6

caérsele a alg la baba con/por algo

Answer 6

drool over someone or something; dote on someone; be crazy about someone or something (lit.: to left fall slobber over someone or something)

Question 7

caérsele los anillos a algn

Answer 7

be beneath one; be beneath one’s dignity (lit.: to have one’s rings fall off)

Question 8

cambiar de idea

Answer 8

change one’s mind (lit.: to change idea)

Question 9

cambiar de tema

Answer 9

change a/the subject

Question 10

camino de

Answer 10

along the way, on the way (lit.: road/path of)

Question 11

canta a pelo


Answer 11

sing unaccompanied

Question 12

carne de gallina

Answer 12

gooseflesh

Question 13

cerrar algo a cal y canto

Answer 13

shut something tight, firmly, securely

Question 14

chiflar el moño a algn

Answer 14

be nuts; be crazy

Question 15

cielos

Answer 15

heavens; oh my gosh (lit.: heavens; n.b.: used when surprised, often in place of something vulgar)

Question 16

cien por cien

Answer 16

100%; with certainty; precisely (lit.: one-hundred by one-hundred)

Question 17

claro que sí


Answer 17

of course; yes; indeed

Question 18

cocerse en un propia salsa

Answer 18

stew in one’s (own) juice

Question 19

coger el toro por los cuernos

Answer 19

grab the bull by the horns (n.b.: coger is used only in Spain)

Question 20

comer a deshora

Answer 20

eat at odd times

Question 21

como agua para chocolate

Answer 21

furious; enraged (lit.: like water for chocolate)

Question 22

como de costumbre

Answer 22


as usual (lit.: as of custom)

Question 23

como Dios manda

Answer 23

the way it’s supposed to be

Question 24

como perro en barrio ajeno

Answer 24

out of place; in the wrong neighborhood (lit.: like a dog in a distant neighborhood; i.e.: people who try to enter other parts of society may be attacked or ostracized)

Question 25

como quitarle un pelo al gato

Answer 25

a victimless crime (lit.: like removing a hair from a cat; i.e.: the quantity in question is so small that it has no significant effect and goes unnoticed)

Question 26

como si no fuera poco

Answer 26

as if it were not enough

Question 27

como siempre

Answer 27

as usual; as always

Question 28

como un oro

Answer 28

like new (lit.: like a gold [coin])

Question 29

como un perro

Answer 29


like a dog; like scum; in the gutter (lit.: like a dog)

Question 30

como una balsa de aceite

Answer 30

smoothly; swimmingly; peacefully (lit.: like a pool of oil)

Question 31

como una rosa

Answer 31

fresh as a daisy; soft as silk (lit.: like a rose)

Question 32

con anticipación

Answer 32

in advance; ahead of time

Question 33

con apuros

Answer 33

with difficulty

Question 34

con pelos y señales

Answer 34

in minute detail; precisely

Question 35

con permiso

Answer 35

with (your) permission

Question 36

con seguridad

Answer 36

surely; certainly; absolutely

Question 37

con toda la barba

Answer 37

real; the real deal; honest to goodness; true (lit.: with all the beard)

Question 38

con todo respeto

Answer 38

with all due respect. 1. Con todo respeto, no me parece tan importante.

Question 39

consultarlo con la almohada

Answer 39

sleep on it (lit.: consult about something with the pillow)

Question 40

contar con

Answer 40

count on

Question 41

correr la bola

Answer 41

spread the word; put out the word

Question 42

cortar el bacalao

Answer 42

call the shots (lit.: to cut the codfish; n.b.: Spain usage)

Question 43

cortar las alas a alg

Answer 43

clip someone’s wings; nip something in the bud (lit.: cut the wings of someone or something)

Question 44

cortar un pelo en el aire

Answer 44

be smart

Question 45

corto de luces

Answer 45

dim; dull; stupid

Question 46

cuando pueda

Answer 46

when you can; when you have a moment

Question 47

cuanto antes

Answer 47

as soon as possible (lit.: as much before)

Question 48

cuatro gatos

Answer 48

a handful of people; half a dozen people; a small group of people (lit.: four cats)

Question 49

dar a algn para el pelo

Answer 49

be the living daylights out of someone; wipe the floor with someone

Question 50

dar a entender

Answer 50

let someone know

Question 51

dar a la luz

Answer 51

give birth (lit.: to give to the light)

Question 52

dar la bienvenida

Answer 52

welcome (lit.: to give the welcome)

Question 53

dar la lata

Answer 53

be a nuisance; annoy (lit.: to give the tin)

Question 54

dar lástima

Answer 54

make someone sad (to) (lit.: to give pain/sadness)

Question 55

dar luz verde

Answer 55

give a green light to; permit; allow; clear

Question 56

dar muerte a

Answer 56

kill someone

Question 57

dar nacimiento a

Answer 57

give rise to

Question 58

dar palo

Answer 58

hate; dislike; be unfortunate

Question 59

dar permiso

Answer 59

permit; allow; give permission

Question 60

dar risa

Answer 60

make one laugh; make one smile

Question 61

dar un paseo a caballo

Answer 61

go horseback riding; ride a horse

Question 62

dar un patatús a alguien

Answer 62

make someone have a fit (lit.: to give someone a fit)

Question 63

dar un salto

Answer 63

jump; give a start; start (lit.: to give a jump)

Question 64

dar un vergajo

Answer 64

screw; fuck; have sex with; shag

Question 65

dar una de cal y otra de arena

Answer 65

use a carrot-and-stick policy

Question 66

dar una fiesta

Answer 66

give a party

Question 67

dar una vuelta

Answer 67

go for a ride

Question 68

dar vida a

Answer 68

portray; play (i.e.: an actor playing a role)

Question 69

darle a alguien mala espina

Answer 69

make someone feel uneasy (lit.: to give bad thorns to someone)

Question 70

darse cuenta de

Answer 70

be aware; realize (lit.: to give oneself account of). 1. ¿Te has dado cuenta de que en el supermercado tenemos hasta nueve tipos diferentes de papel higiénico para elegir?

Question 71

darse por vencido

Answer 71

give up; give in (lit.: to give oneself as defeated)

Question 72

darse prisa


Answer 72

hurry; rush; do (something) fast (lit.: to give one urgency)

Question 73

de abrigo

Answer 73

a handful; someone to watch out for (lit.: coat, overcoat)

Question 74

de ahí en adelante


Answer 74

from now on; from here onward (lit.: from here in forward)

Question 75

de ahora en adelante

Answer 75

from now on; henceforth; from this moment forward (lit.: from now in advance)

Question 76

de armas tomar

Answer 76

formidable; tough; redoubtable (lit.: for taking up arms)

Question 77

de buena gana


Answer 77

willingly; with ease; with pleasure (lit.: of good desire)

Question 78

de buenas a primeras

Answer 78

suddenly; without warning

Question 79

de cal y canto

Answer 79

strong; firm

Question 80

de costumbre

Answer 80

as usual; normally

Question 81

de cuando en cuando

Answer 81

from time to time; sometimes; once in a while (lit.: of when in when)

Question 82

de diario

Answer 82

everyday

Question 83

de golpe

Answer 83

suddenly; abruptly; at once; all at once (lit.: of a blow or strike)

Question 84

de hecho

Answer 84

in fact, in reality (lit.: of fact). 1. De hecho, qiuero ir contigo.

Question 85

de inmediato

Answer 85

right now, immediately (lit.: from immediately)

Question 86

de medio pelo

Answer 86

second-rate

Question 87

de miedo

Answer 87

fantastic(ally); wonderful(ly); brilliant(ly) (used in Spain)

Question 88

de moda

Answer 88

in fashion; in style

Question 89

de modo que

Answer 89

so; so that

Question 90

de mucho cuidado

Answer 90

big; terrible; real (used adverbially)

Question 91

de nada

Answer 91

not at all; you’re welcome; don’t mention it (n.b.: often said in response to “gracías”)

Question 92

de nuevo

Answer 92

again; once again; anew (lit.: of new)

Question 93

de oro


Answer 93

great; good; very good; wonderful. 1. Ella tiene una voz de oro.

Question 94

de par en par

Answer 94

wide open (lit.: from rafter to rafter)

Question 95

de pelo en pecho

Answer 95

manly; masculine

Question 96

de perlas

Answer 96

just what someone needs; just right; go/fit perfectly (lit.: of pearls)

Question 97

de perros

Answer 97

foul; horrible; dirty

Question 98

de pocas luces

Answer 98

dim; dull; stupid

Question 99

de pronto

Answer 99

suddenly; at once; all at once (lit.: of soon)

Question 100

de repente

Answer 100

abruptly, suddenly (lit.: of soon)

Question 101

de tal palo, tal astilla

Answer 101

like father, like son (lit.: of such a broom, such a splinter)

Question 102

de todas maneras

Answer 102

in any case; anyway

Question 103

de todos modos

Answer 103

anyway; at any rate (lit.: to the monkfish)

Question 104

de un modo u otro

Answer 104

one way or another

Question 105

de un momento a otro

Answer 105

at any moment

Question 106

de una vez

Answer 106

now

Question 107

de veras

Answer 107

really, truly (lit.: of fact, truth)

Question 108

de vez en cuando

Answer 108

sometimes; now and then (lit.: from once in when)

Question 109

decir amén a todo

Answer 109

say yes to everything; agree to everything (lit.: to say amen to everything)

Question 110

decir en broma

Answer 110

kid; joke; tease (lit.: to say (as a) joke)

Question 111

dejar a alg en las astas del toro


Answer 111

leave someone high and dry; leave someone in the lurch (lit.: to leave someone on the horns of the bull)

Question 112

dejar de lado

Answer 112

set aside; put aside (lit.: to leave from (the) side)

Question 113

dejar en paz

Answer 113

leave alone; leave be; let it be (lit.: to leave in peace)

Question 114

desde hacía rato

Answer 114

for some time

Question 115

desde luego

Answer 115

of course; certainly (lit.: after then/later)

Question 116

día a día

Answer 116

day after day. 1. La economía real, la que cada uno de nosotros maneja día a día es otra cosa.

Question 117

di que sí


Answer 117

go for it (lit.: say yes)

Question 118

dormir el vino

Answer 118

sleep off a hangover

Question 119

dormir juntos

Answer 119

sleep together (n.b.: in the sexual sense)