900 Modismes Anglesos amb Significat, Àudio i Exemples
Domina els modismes que trobes a exàmens, negocis i converses diàries: definicions, frases de context, àudio nadiu i traduccions instantànies en més de 30 idiomes.
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by/in leaps and bounds
very quickly; at a rapid pace or rate, especially in terms of progress or improvement.
molt ràpidament; a un ritme accelerat, especialment pel que fa a progrés o millora.
Her English has improved by leaps and bounds since she moved to London.
El seu anglès ha millorat a passes de gegant des que es va traslladar a Londres.
get a move on
hurry (often used as an order)
dóna’t pressa (sovint com una ordre)
We need to get a move on if we want to catch the last train.
Hem de donar-nos pressa si volem agafar l’últim tren.
be on the run
try to avoid being caught (especially by the police)
intentar evitar ser capturat (especialment per la policia)
After escaping from prison, the fugitive was on the run for weeks before finally being captured.
Després de fugir de la presó, el fugitiu va estar a la fuga setmanes abans de ser capturat.
fast and furious
full of speed and excitement
ple de velocitat i emoció
The action in the movie was fast and furious from start to finish.
L'acció de la pel·lícula va ser trepidant de principi a fi.
step by step
slowly; gradually, progressing in small stages rather than all at once.
a poc a poc; gradualment, avançant en petits passos i no de cop.
We learned how to solve the math problem step by step until everyone understood.
Vam aprendre a resoldre el problema de matemàtiques pas a pas fins que tothom ho va entendre.
drag your feet/heels
To deal with something slowly or delay taking action because you don’t really want to do it.
fer alguna cosa a poc a poc o retardar l'acció perquè no es vol fer
Whenever it's time to clean his room, he always drags his feet and takes forever to get started.
Sempre que toca netejar l’habitació, ell es fa el ronsa i tarda molt a començar.
the word spread
the news went from one person to the next
la notícia va passar d'una persona a una altra
After the announcement, the word spread quickly throughout the office.
Després de l'anunci, la notícia es va escampar ràpidament per l'oficina.
keep track
continue to know what is happening to someone or something
seguir el que passa amb algú o alguna cosa
It's hard to keep track of all my appointments without a calendar.
És difícil fer un seguiment de totes les meves cites sense un calendari.
get off to a flying start
To begin an activity, project, or event very successfully or with a lot of momentum.
Començar una activitat, projecte o esdeveniment amb molt d'èxit o impuls.
The new restaurant got off to a flying start, with every table booked for weeks.
El nou restaurant va començar amb bon peu, amb totes les taules reservades durant setmanes.
on the spot
immediately or in the place where something is happening or has just happened
immediatament o al lloc on passa alguna cosa
The manager made the decision on the spot without consulting anyone else.
El gerent va prendre la decisió al moment sense consultar ningú més.
all over the place
in or to many places; scattered or disorganized
arreu; escampat o desordenat
After the party, there were empty cups and plates all over the place.
Després de la festa, hi havia gots i plats buits arreu.
left, right and centre
happening in a lot of places or to a lot of people
passant a molts llocs o a molta gent
Complaints have been coming in left, right and centre since the new policy was introduced.
Les queixes arriben de tot arreu des que s’ha introduït la nova política.
reach / be at fever pitch
(used of emotions) to get so strong that people can’t control them
les emocions esdevenen tan intenses que no es poden controlar
The excitement in the stadium reached fever pitch just before the final whistle.
L'emoció a l'estadi va arribar al màxim just abans del xiulet final.
be in full swing
to be at the most lively or active stage; when an event or activity is happening with maximum energy and participation.
estar en el moment més animat o actiu; quan un esdeveniment o activitat passa amb màxima energia i participació.
By the time we arrived, the party was in full swing and everyone was dancing.
Quan vam arribar, la festa estava en plena ebullició i tothom ballava.
get/go beyond a joke
To become so serious or problematic that it is no longer funny or acceptable.
Arribar a ser tan seriós o problemàtic que ja no fa gràcia ni és acceptable.
The constant delays have gone beyond a joke; we need to find a solution now.
Els constants retards ja han deixat de ser una broma; cal trobar una solució ara.
roll up your sleeves
to get ready to work hard, usually by preparing to tackle a difficult task or situation.
preparar-se per treballar dur, habitualment davant una tasca o situació difícil.
It's time to roll up your sleeves and start cleaning the garage.
És hora de arremangar-se i començar a netejar el garatge.
come at the drop of a hat
To do something immediately, without any hesitation or delay.
Fer alguna cosa immediatament, sense dubtar ni retardar-se.
If you ever need help moving, just call me—I’ll come at the drop of a hat.
Si mai necessites ajuda per mudar-te, només cal que em truquis—vindré de seguida.
have big shoes to fill
to try to do your job as well as the person who did it before you; especially when that person was very successful
intentar fer la feina tan bé com algú molt exitós abans teu
After the retirement of our legendary coach, the new manager has big shoes to fill.
Després de la jubilació del nostre entrenador llegendari, el nou mànager té un repte molt gran per davant.
wear lots of different hats
to do many different roles or tasks
assumir molts rols o tasques diferents
At our small startup, I wear lots of different hats—I'm the accountant, marketer, and sometimes even the janitor.
A la nostra petita startup, porto molts barrets—sóc el comptable, el de màrqueting i, de vegades, fins i tot el conserge.
have it in the bag
to be in a situation where you are certain to succeed
estar segur que tindràs èxit
After seeing the test questions, I knew I had it in the bag.
Després de veure les preguntes de l'examen, vaig saber que ho tenia al sac.
bored the pants off
was extremely boring
era extremadament avorrit
That lecture on tax law bored the pants off everyone in the room.
Aquella xerrada sobre dret fiscal va avorrir a tothom fins a la mort a la sala.
wears the trousers
is the person who makes decisions or is in control in a relationship, especially in a family or couple.
és la persona que pren les decisions o té el control en una relació, especialment en una família o parella.
Everyone knows that in their household, it's Sarah who wears the trousers.
Tothom sap que a casa seva, és la Sarah qui porta els pantalons.
keep your shirt on
Don’t get angry or upset; stay calm and patient.
No t’enfadis ni et posis nerviós; mantingues calmat i pacient.
I know the traffic is bad, but keep your shirt on—we’ll get there eventually.
Sé que hi ha molt trànsit, però no perdis els nervis—hi arribarem eventualment.
take my hat off to her
To express admiration or respect for her achievements or actions.
Expressar admiració o respecte pels seus èxits o accions.
I really take my hat off to her for managing a full-time job and raising three kids on her own.
Realment em trec el barret per ella per portar una feina a temps complet i criar tres fills sola.
give you the shirt off his back
is willing to do anything to help another person, even at their own expense
està disposat a fer qualsevol cosa per ajudar una altra persona, fins i tot a costa seva
If you ever needed help, John would give you the shirt off his back without a second thought.
Si mai necessitessis ajuda, en Joan et donaria la camisa que porta posada sense dubtar-ho.
in pocket
having more money than when you started
tenir més diners que quan vas començar
After selling my old bike, I found myself in pocket by an extra $100.
Després de vendre la meva bicicleta vella, em vaig trobar amb guanys de 100 dòlars.
out of pocket
having less money than when you started
tenir menys diners que quan vas començar
After paying for the repairs myself, I was out of pocket by nearly $500.
Després de pagar les reparacions de la meva butxaca, vaig acabar perdent diners gairebé 500 dòlars.
pocketed
to take money from someone in a dishonest way
prendre diners d'algú de manera deshonesta
The cashier pocketed some of the change instead of putting it in the register.
El caixer es va quedar part del canvi en comptes de posar-lo a la caixa.
dig deep into his pockets
to spend a lot of money, or give a lot of money away
gastar molts diners o ser molt generós
When the charity needed more funds, John had to dig deep into his pockets to help them out.
Quan l'organització benèfica va necessitar més fons, en John va haver de rascar-se la butxaca per ajudar-los.
the salt of the earth
a very good and honest person
una persona molt bona i honesta
My grandmother is truly the salt of the earth; she always helps her neighbors and never expects anything in return.
La meva àvia és realment una persona de bon cor; sempre ajuda els veïns i mai espera res a canvi.
go to the ends of the earth
To do anything possible or make any effort necessary, no matter how difficult, to achieve something or help someone.
Fer tot el possible, per difícil que sigui, per aconseguir alguna cosa o ajudar algú.
She said she would go to the ends of the earth to find her lost dog.
Va dir que faria qualsevol cosa per trobar el seu gos perdut.
run to ground
discovered after a lot of searching
descobert després de molta recerca
After weeks of investigation, the detective finally ran the suspect to ground in a remote village.
Després de setmanes d'investigació, el detectiu finalment va localitzar el sospitós en un poble remot.
fall on stony ground
To be ignored, disregarded, or have no effect, especially when referring to advice, requests, or ideas.
Ser ignorat o no tenir cap efecte, especialment quan es tracta de consells, peticions o idees.
Her suggestions for improving the workflow fell on stony ground during the meeting.
Les seves propostes per millorar el flux de treball van caure en sac trencat durant la reunió.
pluck a number out of the air
To choose or give a number or figure without any real basis, often just guessing or inventing it.
Donar o escollir una xifra sense cap base real, normalment fent una suposició o inventant-se-la.
When asked how many people would attend, he just plucked a number out of the air and said fifty.
Quan li van preguntar quanta gent vindria, simplement va dir una xifra a l'atzar i va dir cinquanta.
blow hot and cold
Sometimes seem to like someone or something and sometimes don’t, so that others are confused about how they really feel.
De vegades sembla que li agrada algú o alguna cosa i altres vegades no, deixant als altres confosos sobre el que sent realment.
He blows hot and cold about moving abroad—one day he's excited, the next he doesn't want to go.
Ell es mostra indecís amb això de marxar a l’estranger: un dia està entusiasmat, l’endemà no vol anar-hi.
get wind of something
hear information that others hoped to keep secret
assabentar-se d'una informació que altres volien mantenir en secret
If the press gets wind of the scandal, it could ruin his career.
Si la premsa s'assabenta de l'escàndol, podria arruïnar la seva carrera.
see how / which way the wind is blowing
To observe how a situation is developing before making a decision or taking action.
Observar com evoluciona una situació abans de prendre una decisió o acció.
Before announcing his opinion at the meeting, he decided to see which way the wind was blowing.
Abans de donar la seva opinió a la reunió, va decidir veure per on bufa el vent.
playing with fire
doing something that could be dangerous
fer alguna cosa que pot ser perillosa
You're playing with fire if you keep lying to your boss about your work hours.
Estàs jugant amb foc si continues mentint al teu cap sobre les hores de feina.
spreading like wildfire
Going around or becoming known very quickly and widely, often uncontrollably.
Expandir-se molt ràpidament i àmpliament, sovint de manera incontrolable.
Rumors about the celebrity breakup are spreading like wildfire on social media.
Els rumors sobre la ruptura dels famosos es van escampar com la pólvora a les xarxes socials.
in the heat of the moment
To do or say something impulsively, without thinking, because you are overwhelmed by strong emotions such as anger or excitement.
Fer o dir alguna cosa impulsivament, empès per emocions intenses com la ràbia o l'excitació.
He said some things he didn't mean in the heat of the moment during their argument.
Va dir coses que no sentia realment en un rampell durant la discussió.
there’s no smoke without fire
If people are saying something is true and you don’t know whether it is true or not, it probably is true.
Si tothom en parla, probablement alguna cosa hi ha.
Everyone is talking about the manager leaving, and you know what they say: there’s no smoke without fire.
Tothom parla de la marxa del gerent, i ja se sap: quan el riu sona, aigua porta.
add fuel to the flames/fire
do something to make a bad situation worse
empitjorar la situació, posar més llenya al foc
When they started arguing, his sarcastic comment only added fuel to the fire.
Quan van començar a discutir, el seu comentari sarcàstic només va posar més llenya al foc.
in deep water
in a difficult situation which is hard to deal with
en una situació difícil de gestionar
After missing the deadline, the whole team was in deep water with the manager.
Després d’haver perdut el termini, tot l’equip estava en un bon embolic amb el cap.
out of your depth
in a situation that you do not have the knowledge or skills to deal with
estar en una situació que supera els teus coneixements o habilitats
When I started my new job, I felt completely out of my depth during the first meeting.
Quan vaig començar la nova feina, em vaig sentir completament desbordat a la primera reunió.
jump / throw someone in at the deep end
To do something or make someone do something difficult without being given or giving them any help or preparation.
Fer quelcom difícil sense ajuda ni preparació.
On my first day at the new job, they threw me in at the deep end by asking me to lead a big meeting.
El meu primer dia a la nova feina em van llençar a la piscina demanant-me que liderés una gran reunió.
in hot water
in a situation where people are angry with you or you are in trouble, especially because of something you have done.
estar en problemes o en una situació difícil per haver fet alguna cosa.
After forgetting my boss's birthday, I found myself in hot water at work.
Després d'oblidar l'aniversari del meu cap, em vaig trobar en un bon embolic a la feina.
be between the devil and the deep blue sea
To be in a situation where you have to choose between two equally difficult or unpleasant options.
Estar en una situació en què s’ha de triar entre dues opcions igual de difícils o desagradables.
She was between the devil and the deep blue sea when she had to choose between losing her job or moving to another city.
Ella es trobava entre l'espasa i la paret quan havia de triar entre perdre la feina o mudar-se a una altra ciutat.
be a drop in the ocean
be a very small amount in comparison to what is needed
una quantitat molt petita en comparació amb el que es necessita
Donating one dollar to the charity might be a drop in the ocean, but every bit helps.
Donar un dòlar a la caritat pot ser una gota a l’oceà, però tot ajuda.
kill two birds with one stone
to achieve two things with a single action
matar dos ocells d’un tret
By picking up groceries on my way home from work, I killed two birds with one stone.
Recollint la compra de camí a casa de la feina, vaig matar dos ocells d’un tret.
let the cat out of the bag
to reveal a secret, often by accident
revelar un secret, sovint per accident
I accidentally let the cat out of the bag about Sarah's surprise party.
Sense voler vaig deixar escapar el secret de la festa sorpresa de la Sarah.
drive/send sb round the bend
to make someone very annoyed or frustrated
fer que algú s'enfadi o es posi molt nerviós
The constant noise from the construction site is starting to drive me round the bend.
El soroll constant de les obres comença a posar-me nerviós de debò.
feel it in my bones
to sense or feel something instinctively, without needing proof
sentir o intuir alguna cosa instintivament, sense necessitat de proves
I feel it in my bones that something good is about to happen.
Ho sento a dins meu que està a punt de passar alguna cosa bona.
loud and clear
clearly and very definitely; easy to understand without any ambiguity.
de manera clara i sense cap mena d'ambigüitat; fàcil d'entendre.
The instructions were given loud and clear, so there was no confusion about what to do.
Les instruccions es van donar clar i català, així que no hi va haver confusió.
speak your mind
state your opinion very clearly and openly
expressar la teva opinió clarament i obertament
Don't be afraid to speak your mind during the meeting if you disagree with the proposal.
No tinguis por de dir la teva durant la reunió si no estàs d'acord amb la proposta.
matter-of-fact
without any feeling or emotion; showing no emotion when describing something, especially something surprising or upsetting.
sense mostrar cap sentiment; explicar, fins i tot coses sorprenents o tristes, de manera freda o objectiva.
She described the accident in a very matter-of-fact way, not showing any emotion.
Va descriure l'accident de manera molt freda, sense cap emoció.
won’t take no for an answer
refuses to accept refusal
no accepta un no com a resposta
No matter how many times I tried to decline, she won’t take no for an answer and insisted I join the team.
Per moltes vegades que vaig intentar rebutjar-ho, ella no accepta un no com a resposta i va insistir que m'unís a l’equip.
get a word in edgeways
manage to say something in a conversation
aconseguir dir alguna cosa en una conversa
During the heated debate, I could barely get a word in edgeways because everyone was talking over each other.
Durant el debat calent, amb prou feines podia dir-hi la meva perquè tothom parlava alhora.
beside the point
not relevant to the subject you are talking about
no és rellevant per al tema del qual s’està parlant
Whether you like the color or not is beside the point; we need to decide if we can afford the car.
Que t’agradi el color o no és irrellevant; hem de decidir si ens podem permetre el cotxe.
missed the point
failed to understand the main thing
no ha entès el fons de la qüestió
I think you missed the point of my argument; I wasn't talking about money at all.
Crec que no has entès el punt del meu argument; no estava parlant de diners en absolut.
doesn’t know the meaning of the word
It is pointless to talk to someone about a certain quality or behavior because it is not in their character; they are completely unfamiliar with it.
És inútil parlar a algú sobre una qualitat o comportament que no té; li és totalment desconegut.
You can try telling Mark to take a break, but he doesn’t know the meaning of the word 'rest.'
Pots intentar dir-li al Mark que descansi, però ell no sap què vol dir 'descansar'.
word for word
using exactly the same words as were originally spoken or written; verbatim.
utilitzant exactament les mateixes paraules que es van dir o escriure originalment; literalment.
She repeated the instructions word for word so there would be no confusion.
Va repetir les instruccions paraula per paraula perquè no hi hagués confusió.
small/fine print
the rules, restrictions, and conditions, which are often written in very small letters, especially in contracts or agreements, and may contain important information that is easy to overlook.
les condicions i restriccions escrites en lletra petita, sovint en contractes, que poden contenir informació important.
Before signing the contract, make sure you read the fine print so you know exactly what you're agreeing to.
Abans de signar el contracte, assegura't de llegir la lletra petita per saber exactament amb què estàs d'acord.
a tall order
a task, request, or favor that is difficult to accomplish or is unreasonable to expect.
una tasca, petició o favor difícil d'aconseguir o poc raonable.
Finishing this project by tomorrow is a tall order, but I'll do my best.
Acabar aquest projecte per demà és una tasca complicada, però faré el possible.
a matter of opinion
Something that people can have different opinions about; it suggests that the answer or viewpoint is subjective and not universally agreed upon.
Un tema sobre el qual cadascú pot tenir la seva opinió; és subjectiu.
Whether pineapple belongs on pizza is a matter of opinion; some people love it, others hate it.
La pinya a la pizza és una qüestió de gustos; alguns l’adoren i altres la detesten.
a question mark (hanging) over
Nobody knows if it will continue to exist or not; there is uncertainty about the future or outcome of something.
Ningú sap si continuarà existint o no; hi ha incertesa sobre el futur o el resultat d'alguna cosa.
There is a question mark hanging over the future of the company after the recent financial losses.
Hi ha un interrogant sobre el futur de l'empresa després de les pèrdues econòmiques recents.
lingua franca
a language used for day-to-day public communication, which is not the speakers’ own language
una llengua usada per a la comunicació diària entre persones que no comparteixen la mateixa llengua materna
In many international conferences, English serves as the lingua franca so that participants from different countries can communicate easily.
En moltes conferències internacionals, l’anglès fa de llengua comuna perquè participants de diferents països es puguin entendre fàcilment.
wouldn't go amiss
Would be very useful or welcome; something that is needed or would improve the situation.
Seria molt útil o benvingut; alguna cosa necessària o que milloraria la situació.
A cup of tea wouldn't go amiss after that long walk.
Una tassa de te no aniria gens malament després d'aquesta llarga caminada.
if push comes to shove
If the situation becomes very difficult or desperate, this is what I can do or what will happen.
Si la situació es torna molt difícil o desesperada, això és el que puc fer o el que passarà.
I don't want to borrow money, but if push comes to shove, I'll ask my parents for help.
No vull demanar diners, però si no hi ha més remei, demanaré ajuda als meus pares.
if need be
if it is really necessary; if there is no other option; if required.
si cal; si no hi ha cap altra opció.
We can stay late to finish the project if need be.
Podem quedar-nos fins tard per acabar el projecte si cal.
duty bound
Feeling morally or legally obligated to do something; believing that it is your responsibility to act.
Sentir-se moralment o legalment obligat a fer alguna cosa; creure que és la teva responsabilitat actuar.
As a doctor, I felt duty bound to help the injured man, even though I was off duty.
Com a metge, em vaig sentir obligat per deure a ajudar l'home ferit, tot i que estava fora de servei.
need like I need a hole in the head
I don’t need it at all, and don’t want it
No ho necessito gens i no ho vull
Another meeting on a Friday afternoon is something I need like I need a hole in the head.
Una altra reunió un divendres a la tarda és una cosa que necessito com un forat al cap.
dying to
really looking forward to or wanting something very much
tenir moltes ganes d'alguna cosa, esperar una cosa amb moltes ganes
I'm dying to see the new movie that just came out.
Tinc moltes ganes de veure la nova pel·lícula que acaben d'estrenar.
wouldn't be seen dead
would never do something (because you dislike it very much or think it is not appropriate)
mai faria alguna cosa perquè li desagrada molt o pensa que no és apropiat
She wouldn't be seen dead wearing those old-fashioned shoes.
Ella no es deixaria veure mai amb aquelles sabates antiquades.
do my own thing
do what I want without worrying about what others think
fer el que vull sense preocupar-me pel que pensen els altres
Even though everyone else wanted to go to the party, I decided to do my own thing and stayed home to read.
Tot i que tothom volia anar a la festa, vaig decidir fer la meva i vaig quedar-me a casa llegint.
give anything
Be willing to do anything or make any sacrifice to achieve or obtain something.
Estar disposat a fer qualsevol cosa o sacrifici per aconseguir alguna cosa.
I'd give anything to see my favorite band perform live.
Donaria el que fos per veure la meva banda preferida en directe.
in keeping with
appropriate or consistent with
d'acord amb, coherent amb
The decorations at the party were in keeping with the winter theme.
Les decoracions de la festa estaven d'acord amb la temàtica d'hivern.
wouldn't touch it with a barge pole
would never consider or get involved with something
mai consideraria o s'implicaria en alguna cosa
When I saw how messy that project was, I said I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.
Quan vaig veure com de caòtic era aquell projecte, vaig dir que ni de broma m'hi posava.
you're in luck
said when you get something good that you were not expecting
es diu quan reps alguna cosa bona que no esperaves
If you were hoping for tickets to the concert, you're in luck—I have an extra one right here.
Si volies entrades pel concert, tens sort—en tinc una de sobrant aquí.
not worth my while
Doing something is not beneficial or rewarding enough to justify the time or effort required.
Fer una cosa no compensa el temps o l'esforç que requereix.
Driving all the way across town for just a few dollars is not worth my while.
Creuar tota la ciutat per només uns pocs euros no em compensa.
take your pick
choose whichever you want
tria el que vulguis
There are so many desserts on the table, just take your pick and help yourself.
Hi ha molts postres a la taula, només tria el que més t’agradi i serveix-te.
has seen better days
is old and not working so well
és vell i ja no funciona tan bé
This old sofa has seen better days; the fabric is torn and the springs are sticking out.
Aquest sofà vell ha vist temps millors; la tela està trencada i els molls surten.
out of date
old and not useful or correct any more
antic i ja no útil o correcte
My phone is so out of date that it can't run the latest apps.
El meu telèfon està tan antic que no pot executar les últimes aplicacions.
making up for lost time
Doing now what you did not have the opportunity to do previously; trying to catch up on missed experiences or opportunities.
Recuperar experiències o oportunitats que abans no vas tenir.
After recovering from her illness, she started traveling the world, making up for lost time.
Després de recuperar-se de la malaltia, va començar a viatjar pel món per recuperar el temps perdut.
since/from the year dot
from the very beginning; for as long as anyone can remember; since a very long time ago.
de tota la vida; des de fa molt de temps.
They've lived in that old house since the year dot, and it's full of family memories.
Han viscut en aquella casa vella de tota la vida, i està plena de records familiars.
be the shape of things to come
an indication of what is likely to become popular or standard in the future
un indici del que probablement serà popular o estàndard en el futur
Electric cars are predicted to be the shape of things to come in the automotive industry.
Es preveu que els cotxes elèctrics seran la tendència del futur en la indústria de l’automòbil.
for the time being
temporarily; for now; until something changes or a permanent solution is found
temporalment; per ara; fins que canviï alguna cosa o es trobi una solució definitiva
We don't have a permanent manager yet, so I'll be in charge for the time being.
Encara no tenim un gerent permanent, així que jo estaré al càrrec de moment.
on the threshold of
something is likely to happen very soon
alguna cosa està a punt de passar molt aviat
Scientists believe we are on the threshold of a major breakthrough in cancer research.
Els científics creuen que estem a les portes d’un gran avanç en la investigació del càncer.
in the short/medium/long term
for a short, medium, or long period of time in the future; considering the effects or results over a specified duration.
per un període curt, mitjà o llarg en el futur; considerant els efectes o resultats en una durada determinada.
Investing in renewable energy may be expensive now, but in the long term it will save money and help the environment.
Invertir en energies renovables pot ser car ara, però a llarg termini estalviarà diners i ajudarà el medi ambient.
only a matter of time
It will definitely happen, even though we cannot say exactly when.
Segur que passarà, tot i que no podem dir quan exactament.
With all the rain we've had lately, it's only a matter of time before the river floods.
Amb tota la pluja que hem tingut, és només qüestió de temps que el riu es desbordi.
early days yet
It’s too soon to say or decide; the outcome is not clear because not enough time has passed.
És massa aviat per dir o decidir; el resultat no és clar perquè encara no ha passat prou temps.
The new project just started last week, so it's early days yet to judge its success.
El nou projecte només ha començat la setmana passada, així que encara és massa aviat per jutjar l'èxit.
in the long run
a long time from now; eventually, after a long period has passed
a llarg termini; després de molt de temps
Eating healthy may seem hard now, but in the long run it will benefit your health.
Menjar saludable pot semblar difícil ara, però a llarg termini beneficiarà la teva salut.
like there’s no tomorrow
To do something eagerly, intensely, or very quickly, as if there is no future or no chance to do it again.
Fer alguna cosa amb molta intensitat, com si no hi hagués un demà.
She was eating like there’s no tomorrow after her long hike.
Menjava com si no hi hagués un demà després de la llarga excursió.
as if there was/were no tomorrow
To do something eagerly, quickly, or with great intensity, as though it is the last chance to do it.
Fer alguna cosa amb molta intensitat, com si fos la darrera oportunitat.
She danced as if there were no tomorrow, not caring who was watching.
Va ballar com si no hi hagués un demà, sense importar qui la mirava.
at the end of the day
something you say before stating a very important fact or idea
expressió que s'utilitza abans de dir un fet o idea molt important
At the end of the day, it's your decision to make.
Al cap i a la fi, la decisió és teva.
a sign of the times
something that shows that society now is worse than it was in the past
una cosa que demostra que la societat està pitjor que abans
The fact that so many bookstores are closing is a sign of the times.
El fet que tanquin tantes llibreries és un símbol dels temps.
drive someone round the bend
to make someone very annoyed, frustrated, or angry, often because of repeated or irritating behavior.
fer que algú s'enfadi o es frustri molt, sovint per comportaments reiterats o molestos.
The constant noise from the construction site is starting to drive me round the bend.
El soroll constant de les obres m'està fent tornar boig.
in the blink of an eye
in an extremely short time
en un tancar i obrir d'ulls
The car disappeared in the blink of an eye before I could even react.
El cotxe va desaparèixer en un tancar i obrir d'ulls abans que pogués reaccionar.
a bone of contention
something which people argue and disagree over
una cosa que genera discussió o desacord entre la gent
The division of household chores has always been a bone of contention between my parents.
El repartiment de les feines de la casa sempre ha estat motiu de discussió entre els meus pares.
as dry as a bone
very dry indeed
molt sec
After weeks without rain, the riverbed was as dry as a bone.
Després de setmanes sense pluja, el llit del riu estava sec com una estella.
rough and ready
crude and lacking sophistication
rudimentari i mancat de sofisticació
The shelter was rough and ready, but it kept us dry during the storm.
El refugi era rudimentari però útil, però ens va mantenir secs durant la tempesta.
cool, calm and collected
relaxed, in control, not nervous
relaxat, en control, sense nervis
Even during the emergency, the nurse stayed cool, calm and collected and handled the situation perfectly.
Fins i tot durant l'emergència, la infermera va mantenir-se tranquil·la i serena i va gestionar perfectament la situació.
to cut a long story short
to tell the main points, but not all the fine details
explicar els punts principals sense entrar en detalls
We missed our flight, had to sleep at the airport, and, to cut a long story short, we arrived two days late.
Vam perdre el vol, vam haver de dormir a l'aeroport i, per fer-ho curt, vam arribar dos dies tard.
pass the buck
to shift responsibility or blame to someone else instead of accepting it oneself.
traslladar la responsabilitat o la culpa a una altra persona en comptes d’assumir-la un mateix.
Whenever there's a problem at work, he always tries to pass the buck to his coworkers.
Sempre que hi ha un problema a la feina, intenta passar la pilota als seus companys.
buck-passing
the act of blaming someone else or refusing to accept responsibility
culpar als altres o negar-se a acceptar responsabilitat
The manager was criticized for buck-passing when the project failed instead of admitting his own mistakes.
El gestor va ser criticat per fer passar la pilota quan el projecte va fracassar en comptes de reconèixer els seus errors.
give me a hard/rough/tough time
To make things difficult, unpleasant, or challenging for someone, often by criticizing, teasing, or causing trouble.
Fer la vida difícil o posar dificultats a algú, sovint criticant, burxant o creant problemes.
My boss always gives me a hard time when I make a small mistake at work.
El meu cap sempre em fa la guitza quan comet un petit error a la feina.
makes all the difference (to something)
has a very good effect on a situation or a thing
té un efecte molt positiu en una situació o cosa
Adding a little bit of lemon juice really makes all the difference to the flavor of this dish.
Afegir una mica de suc de llimona realment marca la diferència en el gust d’aquest plat.
works/goes/runs like a dream
To function, operate, or proceed extremely well, smoothly, or successfully.
Funcionar molt bé, sense problemes o amb molt d’èxit.
After the mechanic fixed my car, it runs like a dream now.
Després que el mecànic em va arreglar el cotxe, ara funciona com una seda.
works like magic
works immediately and very well indeed
funciona immediatament i molt bé
This stain remover works like magic; the spot disappeared in seconds.
Aquest llevataques fa miracles; la taca va desaparèixer en segons.
goes from strength to strength
gets better and better
millora contínua, cada cop va millor
Since launching their new product line, the company has gone from strength to strength, expanding into new markets every year.
Des que van llançar la nova línia de productes, l'empresa no para de créixer, expandint-se a nous mercats cada any.
does the trick
solves a problem very well
soluciona el problema molt bé
If you have a headache, taking some aspirin usually does the trick.
Si tens mal de cap, prendre una aspirina normalment fa el fet.
is the be-all-and-end-all (of something)
is the most important thing (often used in the negative: not the be-all-and-end-all)
és el més important (sovint es diu en negatiu: no ho és tot)
For some people, making money is the be-all-and-end-all of life, but I think there are more important things.
Per a algunes persones, guanyar diners ho és tot a la vida, però jo penso que hi ha coses més importants.
is / turns out to be a blessing in disguise
has a good effect even though at first it seemed it would be bad
té un bon efecte encara que al principi semblava dolent
Losing my job turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it pushed me to start my own business.
Perdre la feina va ser una benedicció disfressada perquè em va impulsar a muntar el meu propi negoci.
someone/something is a victim of their/its own success
Their or its success has negative effects as well as or instead of positive ones.
L'èxit té conseqüències negatives a més de les positives.
The small bakery became a victim of its own success when so many people wanted their pastries that they couldn't keep up with demand.
La petita fleca es va convertir en víctima del seu propi èxit quan tanta gent volia els seus pastissos que no podien abastir tota la demanda.
someone doesn’t have the ghost of a chance (of doing something)
They have no chance at all; it is extremely unlikely or impossible for them to succeed.
No tenen cap oportunitat; és extremadament improbable o impossible que tinguin èxit.
With no experience and no connections, he doesn't have the ghost of a chance of landing that job.
Sense experiència ni contactes, no té cap mena d’oportunitat d’aconseguir aquesta feina.
someone/something gives up the ghost
To stop working, functioning, or trying, often because of exhaustion, failure, or the realization that success is impossible.
Deixar de funcionar, treballar o intentar-ho, sovint per esgotament, fracàs o perquè és impossible tenir èxit.
After years of faithful service, my old laptop finally gave up the ghost and wouldn't turn on anymore.
Després d'anys de servei, el meu vell portàtil finalment va donar l'ànima i ja no es va encendre.
someone/something leaves their/its mark (on someone/something)
They have or it has an effect (usually negative) that changes someone or something forever.
Té o ha tingut un efecte (normalment negatiu) que canvia algú o alguna cosa per sempre.
The war left its mark on the city, with many buildings still in ruins.
La guerra va deixar empremta a la ciutat, amb molts edificis encara en ruïnes.
would go places
would be successful; is likely to achieve great things or advance in life or career
tindrà èxit; és probable que aconsegueixi grans coses a la vida o la carrera
Everyone knew that Sarah would go places because of her determination and talent.
Tothom sabia que la Sarah arribaria lluny per la seva determinació i talent.
hit the big time
To become very successful, especially on a national or international scale, often resulting in fame and wealth.
Arribar a tenir molt d'èxit, sobretot a escala nacional o internacional, sovint convertint-se en famós i ric.
After years of playing in small clubs, the band finally hit the big time when their single topped the charts.
Després d'anys actuant en petits locals, el grup finalment va triomfar quan el seu single va encapçalar les llistes.
made a go of
been very successful with
tenir èxit amb
After several failed attempts, they finally made a go of their small bakery business.
Després de diversos intents fallits, finalment van aconseguir tirar endavant la seva petita fleca.
work against the clock
To work very quickly because there is a limited amount of time to complete something.
Treballar molt ràpid perquè hi ha poc temps per acabar una cosa.
The team had to work against the clock to finish the project before the deadline.
L'equip va haver de córrer contra rellotge per acabar el projecte abans de la data límit.
in no time at all
To do something very quickly; almost instantly.
Fer alguna cosa molt de pressa; gairebé instantàniament.
She finished her homework in no time at all and went out to play.
Va acabar els deures en un tres i no res i va sortir a jugar.
call it a day
To decide to stop working on something, usually because enough has been done or it's time to finish.
Decidir acabar de treballar en alguna cosa, normalment perquè ja n'hi ha prou o és l'hora de plegar.
We've been painting the house for hours; let's call it a day and finish the rest tomorrow.
Fa hores que pintem la casa; millor ho deixem aquí per avui i acabem la resta demà.
haven't had a minute to call my own
To be extremely busy, with no free time for oneself.
Estar tant ocupat que no es té temps per a un mateix.
Ever since the new project started, I haven't had a minute to call my own.
Des que va començar el nou projecte, no he tingut ni un minut per mi mateix.
there and then (or then and there)
To do something immediately, without any delay, at that exact moment.
Fer alguna cosa immediatament, sense cap endarreriment.
When she offered me the job, I accepted there and then without hesitation.
Quan em va oferir la feina, la vaig acceptar a l’instant sense dubtar-ho.
at the crack of dawn
start very early in the morning
començar molt d’hora al matí
We had to leave at the crack of dawn to catch our flight.
Vam haver de marxar a trenc d’alba per agafar l’avió.
once in a lifetime
never likely to happen again
que probablement no tornarà a passar
Traveling to Antarctica was a once in a lifetime experience for me.
Viatjar a l’Antàrtida va ser una experiència única a la vida per a mi.
once in a blue moon
very rarely
molt rarament
We only go out to eat once in a blue moon because we prefer to cook at home.
Només sortim a menjar fora de tant en tant, perquè preferim cuinar a casa.
once and for all
finally and definitely; to do something completely and decisively so that it does not have to be dealt with again
d'una vegada per totes; fer una cosa completament i de manera decisiva perquè no calgui tornar-hi
Let's solve this problem once and for all so we don't have to discuss it again.
Solucionem aquest problema d'una vegada per totes perquè no l'hàgim de discutir més.
off and on / on and off
sometimes, but not regularly or continuously
a vegades, però no de manera regular o contínua
I've been studying French off and on for years, but I'm still not fluent.
He estudiat francès de tant en tant durant anys, però encara no sóc fluid.
from time to time
sometimes, but not regularly
de tant en tant, però no regularment
I like to visit my grandparents from time to time, especially during the holidays.
M'agrada visitar els meus avis de tant en tant, especialment durant les festes.
nine times out of ten
almost always; in nearly every case or situation
gairebé sempre; en gairebé tots els casos
Nine times out of ten, if you water your plants regularly, they will thrive.
Nou de cada deu vegades, si regues les plantes regularment, prosperaran.
goes/works/runs like clockwork
happens exactly as planned and without problems
passa exactament com estava previst i sense problemes
The wedding ceremony went like clockwork, with every detail perfectly timed.
La cerimònia de casament va anar com un rellotge, amb cada detall perfectament organitzat.
from scratch
to start from the very beginning, without using anything that already exists or any previous preparation.
començar des de zero, sense utilitzar res existent.
She decided to bake the cake from scratch instead of using a mix.
Va decidir fer el pastís des de zero en comptes d'utilitzar una barreja preparada.
put it down to experience
Learn from something bad that has happened instead of being upset by it.
Aprendre d’alguna cosa dolenta que ha passat en lloc d’afligir-se per això.
When my first business failed, I decided to put it down to experience and try again with a better plan.
Quan la meva primera empresa va fracassar, vaig decidir prendre-ho com una experiència i tornar-ho a intentar amb un millor pla.
know where I stand
To understand your position or situation, especially in relation to someone else or a particular issue.
Entendre la teva posició o situació, especialment en relació amb algú o algun tema concret.
After our conversation, I finally know where I stand with my boss regarding the promotion.
Després de la nostra conversa, per fi sé a què atenir-me amb el meu cap sobre l'ascens.
get a kick out of something
to enjoy something very much or find it amusing
gaudir molt d’alguna cosa o trobar-la molt divertida
I get a real kick out of going for a run first thing in the morning before anyone else is up.
Jo em diverteixo molt sortint a córrer a primera hora del matí abans que ningú s’hagi llevat.
learnt my lesson
To realize, usually after a negative experience, that you should not repeat the same mistake.
Adonar-se'n, normalment després d'una experiència negativa, que no s'ha de repetir el mateix error.
After forgetting my umbrella and getting soaked, I learnt my lesson and always check the weather now.
Després d'oblidar el paraigua i mullar-me, vaig aprendre la lliçó i ara sempre comprovo el temps.
teach him/her a lesson
To punish or show someone the consequences of their actions so that they will not repeat the same mistake.
Castigar algú o mostrar-li les conseqüències de les seves accions perquè no repeteixi el mateix error.
After he lied to his parents, they grounded him for a week to teach him a lesson.
Després de mentir als seus pares, el van castigar una setmana per donar-li una lliçó.
got the message
someone finally becomes aware of a fact (often used with unpleasant facts)
algú finalment s'adona d'un fet (sovint desagradable)
After being ignored all week, I finally got the message that she didn't want to talk to me.
Després d'ignorar-me tota la setmana, finalment vaig captar la indirecta que no volia parlar amb mi.
set/put the record straight
Tell the true facts to someone who has believed a different set of facts up to that moment.
Aclarir la veritat a algú que fins aquell moment havia cregut una altra cosa.
After hearing so many rumors, she decided to set the record straight and explain what really happened.
Després de sentir tants rumors, va decidir posar les coses clares i explicar què havia passat realment.
heard it on/through the grapevine
To hear news or information indirectly, often through gossip or rumors, rather than from an official or direct source.
Assabentar-se de notícies o informació de manera indirecta, sovint a través de rumors o xafarderies, i no d’una font oficial o directa.
I heard it through the grapevine that our manager is leaving the company next month.
He sentit campanes que el nostre cap marxarà de l’empresa el mes que ve.
a figment of your imagination
something you have imagined which is not true
alguna cosa que t’has imaginat i que no és real
The ghost you saw last night was just a figment of your imagination.
El fantasma que vas veure ahir a la nit només era fruit de la teva imaginació.
lost sight of
forgotten a central, important fact or truth about something
oblidar un fet central o important sobre alguna cosa
In the rush to finish the project, the team lost sight of the original goals.
En la pressa per acabar el projecte, l'equip va perdre de vista els objectius originals.
what beats me
what I cannot understand
el que no puc entendre
What beats me is how he managed to finish the project so quickly.
No entenc com ha pogut acabar el projecte tan ràpid.
having second thoughts about
Decided something, but now am no longer sure about it.
Haver pres una decisió però ara ja no estar-ne segur
She agreed to move abroad, but now she's having second thoughts about leaving her family behind.
Va acceptar anar a viure a l'estranger, però ara s'ho està repensant sobre deixar la família enrere.
the ins and outs of
the details of something; all the intricacies or specific information about how something works or is done.
tots els detalls i els aspectes concrets de com funciona o es fa alguna cosa.
Before you start the job, you should learn the ins and outs of the company’s procedures.
Abans de començar la feina, hauries d'aprendre els detalls dels procediments de l'empresa.
make it big
To achieve great success or become famous, especially in one's career or chosen field.
Aconseguir un gran èxit o fer-se famós, especialment en la pròpia carrera.
After years of playing in small clubs, she finally made it big when her song hit the charts.
Després d'anys tocant en petits clubs, finalment va triomfar quan la seva cançó va arribar a les llistes.
make a big thing of
To treat something as very important or special, often by celebrating it or giving it a lot of attention.
Tractar quelcom com molt important o especial, sovint celebrant-ho o donant-hi molta atenció.
My parents always make a big thing of my birthday, even though I tell them I don't need a party.
Els meus pares sempre fan un gran enrenou del meu aniversari, tot i que dic que no cal festa.
think big
have ambitious plans and ideas, and be keen to achieve a lot
tenir plans i idees ambiciosos i voler assolir grans coses
If you want to succeed in business, you need to think big and not be afraid to take risks.
Si vols triomfar en els negocis, has de pensar en gran i no tenir por de córrer riscos.
big deal
Said when something happens but you are not impressed or excited, even if others are.
Es diu quan passa alguna cosa però no t'impressiona ni et fa il·lusió, encara que als altres sí.
So you got an A on your test—big deal, I got straight A's all year.
Has tret un excel·lent a l'examen? I què?, jo he tret excel·lents tot l'any.
larger than life
Much more exciting and interesting than average people; having a personality or appearance that is very impressive or exaggerated.
Molts més emocionant i interessant que la mitjana; amb una personalitat o aparença molt impressionant o exagerada.
The actor was truly larger than life, captivating everyone in the room with his stories and charisma.
L'actor era realment una figura llegendària, captivant tothom amb les seves històries i carisma.
looms large
Said of something which could happen and which is a huge worry for people.
Es diu d’alguna cosa que podria passar i que és una gran preocupació per a la gent.
The threat of climate change looms large in the minds of many young people today.
L’amenaça del canvi climàtic plana fortament sobre la ment de molts joves avui dia.
budge an inch
To change one's position or opinion even a little bit; to yield or compromise, even slightly.
No canviar d’opinió o posició ni un pam; no cedir gens ni mica.
No matter how much we argued, she wouldn't budge an inch on her decision.
Per molt que discutíem, ella no volia cedir ni un pam en la seva decisió.
miles away
not concentrating, but thinking about something else
distret, amb el cap a una altra banda
Sorry, I didn't hear what you said—I was miles away thinking about my vacation.
Perdona, no he sentit què has dit—estava amb el cap als núvols pensant en les vacances.
see/spot that a mile off
It's very easy to see or recognize; something is extremely obvious.
És molt fàcil de veure o reconèixer; una cosa extremadament òbvia.
You could see that he was lying a mile off—his story didn't make any sense.
Es veia d’una hora lluny que estava mentint—la seva història no tenia cap sentit.
sticks/stands out a mile
It's very easy to see or is extremely obvious.
És molt fàcil de veure o extremadament obvi.
That bright red car sticks out a mile in the parking lot full of gray vehicles.
Aquest cotxe vermell brillant crida l'atenció en un aparcament ple de vehicles grisos.
a far cry from
very different from
molt diferent de
Living in the city is a far cry from the quiet life I had in the countryside.
Viure a la ciutat és molt diferent de la vida tranquil·la que tenia al camp.
in small doses
You like someone or something, but only for short periods of time; too much of them can be overwhelming or annoying.
T'agrada algú o alguna cosa, però només en petites quantitats; massa pot ser aclaparador o molest.
I can handle my little brother in small doses, but if we spend all day together, he drives me crazy.
El meu germà petit el suporto en petites dosis, però si passem tot el dia junts, em posa nerviós.
a small fortune
a huge amount of money
una gran quantitat de diners
She spent a small fortune on her wedding dress.
Va gastar una petita fortuna en el vestit de núvia.
in all shapes and sizes
a wide variety of types, forms, or sizes; used to emphasize diversity.
gran varietat de tipus, formes o mides; per posar èmfasi en la diversitat.
At the pet store, you can find animals in all shapes and sizes, from tiny hamsters to large parrots.
A la botiga d’animals pots trobar animals de totes les formes i mides, des de hàmsters petits fins a lloros grans.
an unknown quantity
A person or thing whose abilities, qualities, or potential are not yet known or have not been revealed.
Persona o cosa de la qual encara no se'n coneixen les habilitats o el potencial
The new player is an unknown quantity, so the coach isn't sure how he'll perform in the big game.
El nou jugador és una incògnita, així que l'entrenador no sap com rendirà en el partit gran.
taking the law into their own hands
taking action which should be taken by the police or the courts
prendre la justícia per la seva mà en comptes de deixar-la als cossos de seguretat o a la justícia
The neighbors took the law into their own hands when they started patrolling the streets at night.
Els veïns van prendre la justícia per la seva mà quan van començar a patrullar els carrers a la nit.
have become a law unto themselves
are completely out of control and simply ignore the law
estan completament fora de control i ignoren la llei
The local gangs have become a law unto themselves, doing whatever they want without fear of the police.
Les bandes locals fan la llei per si mateixes, fent el que volen sense por a la policia.
lay down the law
To be very firm and clear about rules or expectations, and to enforce them strictly.
Ser molt ferm i clar amb les normes o expectatives, i fer-les complir estrictament.
When the kids started fighting, Mom had to lay down the law and tell them to behave.
Quan els nens van començar a barallar-se, la mare va haver de posar ordre i dir-los que es comportessin.
bending the rules
making special exceptions; letting some people disobey the rules/laws
fer excepcions especials; permetre que algunes persones no segueixin les normes o lleis
The coach was accused of bending the rules to let his star player join the team despite missing tryouts.
L'entrenador va ser acusat de fer la vista grossa per permetre que la seva estrella s'unís a l'equip tot i que no va assistir a les proves.
carry the can
accept the blame or responsibility alone, even though other people were also responsible
assumir la culpa o la responsabilitat tot sol, tot i que altres també en són responsables
Even though the whole team made mistakes, it was Sarah who had to carry the can when the project failed.
Tot i que tot l’equip va cometre errors, va ser la Sarah qui va haver de donar la cara quan el projecte va fracassar.
get / let someone off the hook
To be freed or to free someone from responsibility, blame, or a difficult situation.
Alliberar algú de responsabilitat, culpa o una situació difícil.
Even though he broke the vase, his parents decided to let him off the hook and didn't punish him.
Tot i que va trencar el gerro, els seus pares van decidir perdonar-li-ho i no el van castigar.
leave someone to their own devices
Allow someone to act independently, without supervision or interference.
Permetre que algú actuï per si mateix, sense supervisió ni interferències.
When you leave children to their own devices, they often come up with the most creative games.
Quan deixes els infants al seu aire, sovint inventen els jocs més creatius.
are at/on the receiving end (of something, for example, a person’s anger/criticism)
To be the person who suffers from or is the target of someone else's anger, criticism, or other negative actions.
Ser la persona que rep la ira, la crítica o accions negatives d’algú.
Whenever the boss is in a bad mood, I always find myself at the receiving end of his criticism.
Quan el cap té un mal dia, sempre em toca el rebre de les seves crítiques.
are at someone’s beck and call
do everything they tell you to do, whenever they tell you to do it
fer tot el que et demanen, quan sigui que ho demanin
She is at her boss’s beck and call, always ready to answer emails or run errands, no matter the time.
Ella està sempre a disposició del seu cap, preparada per respondre correus o fer encàrrecs a qualsevol hora.
get your own way
persuade other people to let you do what you want
convèncer els altres perquè et deixin fer el que vols
She always manages to get her own way in every argument, no matter what.
Sempre aconsegueix sortir-se’n amb la seva en qualsevol discussió, passi el que passi.
go to the polls
vote in a general election
votar en unes eleccions generals
Millions of citizens will go to the polls next week to choose their new president.
Milions de ciutadans aniran a les urnes la setmana que ve per escollir el seu nou president.
spin doctors
public relations officers who meet the press/media and present events in a way that suits them
experts en relacions públiques que manipulen la informació per beneficiar-se
After the politician's scandal, the spin doctors worked overtime to control the narrative.
Després de l'escàndol del polític, els mags de la comunicació van treballar hores extres per controlar la narrativa.
hidden agenda
An undisclosed plan or motive behind someone's actions, often implying deceit or manipulation.
Un pla o motiu ocult darrere les accions d’algú, sovint amb intenció d’enganyar o manipular.
I think the new manager has a hidden agenda; he keeps making changes without explaining why.
Crec que el nou gestor té una agenda amagada; va fent canvis sense explicar el perquè.
I've come up against a brick wall.
Something is blocking me from doing what I want to do.
Hi ha alguna cosa que m'impedeix fer el que vull.
I've been trying to fix this computer for hours, but I've come up against a brick wall and can't figure out what's wrong.
Porto hores intentant arreglar aquest ordinador, però m'he trobat amb una paret i no aconsegueixo saber què falla.
I put my foot in it.
Said something tactless and embarrassing.
Dir alguna cosa indiscreta o embarassosa.
At the dinner party, I put my foot in it when I mentioned their recent breakup, not knowing they were trying to keep it private.
Al sopar, vaig ficar la pota quan vaig mencionar la seva ruptura recent sense saber que volien mantenir-ho en privat.
I'm in dire straits.
In a very difficult or dangerous situation.
En una situació molt difícil o perillosa.
After losing my job and getting sick, I'm in dire straits and don't know how I'll pay my bills.
Després de perdre la feina i posar-me malalt, estic en un bon embolic i no sé com pagaré les factures.
I've dug myself into a hole.
Have myself caused a problem that will be difficult to escape from (informal).
Haver-se ficat en un embolic difícil de sortir-ne pel teu propi compte.
After lying to my boss, I realized I've dug myself into a hole and now I don't know how to fix it.
Després de mentir-li al meu cap, vaig adonar-me que m’he ficat en un bon embolic i ara no sé com arreglar-ho.
I've spread myself too thin.
Am trying to do too many things at the same time, with the result that I can't give any of them the attention they need.
Intentar fer massa coses alhora, de manera que cap d'elles rep l'atenció necessària.
Between work, volunteering, and night classes, I've spread myself too thin and now I'm exhausted.
Entre la feina, el voluntariat i les classes nocturnes, m'he embolicat massa i ara estic esgotat.
I've been left holding the baby.
Others have left me to deal with a problem alone.
M'han deixat sol/a per resoldre el problema
When everyone else left the project early, I was left holding the baby and had to finish everything myself.
Quan tothom va marxar del projecte abans d'hora, em van deixar amb el marró i vaig haver d'acabar-ho tot jo sol/a.
They've got me over a barrel.
They have put me in a situation where I have no choice or control over what I can do.
M'han posat en una situació on no tinc opció ni control sobre el que puc fer.
Since they already have my deposit, they've got me over a barrel and I can't back out of the deal.
Com ja tenen la meva fiança, em tenen contra les cordes i no puc tirar-me enrere en l'acord.
I'm clutching at straws now.
Am in such a difficult situation that I will try anything.
Estic en una situació tan difícil que provo qualsevol cosa.
I've tried every possible solution, but now I'm clutching at straws by asking random people for advice.
He provat totes les solucions possibles, però ara m’agafo a un ferro roent demanant consell a qualsevol.
I've drawn a blank.
Am unable to find information or to achieve something I'd hoped for.
No puc trobar informació ni aconseguir allò que esperava.
I tried to remember her name, but I've drawn a blank.
Vaig intentar recordar el seu nom, però em vaig quedar en blanc.
face the music
Accept criticism or punishment for what you have done.
Acceptar les crítiques o el càstig pel que has fet.
After skipping class all week, Jake knew he would have to face the music when his parents found out.
Després de fer campana tota la setmana, en Jake sabia que hauria de donar la cara quan els seus pares ho descobrissin.
Fact of life
An unpleasant situation which has to be accepted because it cannot be changed.
Situació desagradable que s’ha d’acceptar perquè no es pot canviar.
It's just a fact of life that sometimes things don't go the way we planned.
És simplement una realitat de la vida que a vegades les coses no surten com havíem previst.
Easier said than done
Something you say when something seems like a good idea, but is difficult to actually do.
És més fàcil de dir que de fer
Quitting sugar completely is easier said than done, especially with all the tempting desserts around.
Deixar completament el sucre és més fàcil de dir que de fer, especialment amb tots aquests postres temptadors a prop.
fed up (to the back teeth)
very annoyed or bored with something that has been happening for a long time
molt cansat o enfadat amb alguna cosa que porta molt temps passant
I'm fed up to the back teeth with all this rain—we haven't seen the sun in weeks!
Estic fart fins al capdamunt de tanta pluja—ja fa setmanes que no veiem el sol!
at my wits' end
So worried, confused, or annoyed that you do not know what to do next.
Tan preocupat, confós o molest que no saps què fer després
After trying everything to stop the baby from crying, I was at my wits' end.
Després d'intentar-ho tot perquè el nadó deixés de plorar, estava al límit de la paciència.
had it up to here
Have reached the limit of your patience or endurance with something.
Haver arribat al límit de la paciència o la resistència amb alguna cosa.
I've had it up to here with all this noise from the construction next door.
Ja no puc més amb tant soroll de les obres del costat.
have/throw a fit
react very angrily
reaccionar molt enfadat
When she saw the mess in the kitchen, she threw a fit and started yelling at everyone.
Quan va veure el desordre a la cuina, va fer una rebequeria i va començar a cridar a tothom.
go off the deep end
suddenly become very angry or emotional
enfadar-se o posar-se molt emocional de sobte
When he saw the mess in the kitchen, he went off the deep end and started yelling at everyone.
Quan va veure el caos a la cuina, va perdre els nervis i va començar a cridar a tothom.
go spare
to become very angry or lose one's temper
enfadar-se molt o perdre els nervis
If you break that vase, Mum will go spare!
Si trenques aquell gerro, la mare es posarà com una fúria!
do his nut
become very angry
enfadar-se molt
When he saw the mess in the kitchen, he did his nut and started shouting at everyone.
Quan va veure el desordre a la cuina, li va agafar un atac de fúria i va començar a cridar a tothom.
blow a fuse
suddenly become very angry
enfadar-se de cop i volta, molt fort
When I told my dad I crashed the car, he blew a fuse and started yelling.
Quan vaig dir al meu pare que havia xocat el cotxe, va posar-se fet una fúria i va començar a cridar.
if someone's blood is up
They are very angry and may react in a violent way.
Està molt enfadat i podria reaccionar de manera violenta.
When the referee made a bad call, you could see that Jake's blood was up and he started shouting at everyone.
Quan l’àrbitre va fer una mala decisió, es notava que en Jake estava fora de si i va començar a cridar a tothom.
after someone's blood
want to catch someone in order to hurt or punish them
voler atrapar algú per fer-li mal o castigar-lo
Ever since I broke his window, he's been after my blood.
Des que li vaig trencar la finestra, va rere meu per venjar-se.
out for blood
determined to find someone to attack or blame for something bad that has happened
decidit a buscar algú a qui culpar o atacar per alguna cosa dolenta que ha passat
After the team lost the championship, the fans were out for blood and demanded the coach be fired.
Després que l'equip perdés el campionat, els aficionats estaven a la recerca de culpables i demanaven l'acomiadament de l'entrenador.
drive someone up the wall
To make someone very angry, irritated, or sometimes extremely bored.
Fer enfadar o irritar molt a algú.
The constant noise from the construction site drives me up the wall every morning.
El soroll constant de les obres em treu de polleguera cada matí.
drive/send someone round the bend/twist
To make someone very angry, annoyed, or sometimes extremely bored.
Fer que algú s'enfadi molt, s'irriti o s'avorreixi extremadament.
The constant noise from the construction site is starting to drive me round the bend.
El soroll constant de l’obra m’està començant a treure de polleguera.
rub someone up the wrong way
To annoy or irritate someone, often unintentionally.
Molestar o irritar algú, sovint sense voler.
I didn't mean to rub her up the wrong way, but my joke clearly upset her.
No volia fer-la enfadar, però la broma li va molestar clarament.
get/put someone's back up
To make someone annoyed or irritated.
Fer que algú s’enfadi o s’irriti.
His constant criticism really puts my back up during meetings.
Les seves crítiques constants realment em posen dels nervis a les reunions.
ruffle someone's feathers
To make someone annoyed or upset, often by disturbing their routine or offending them.
Fer enfadar o molestar algú, sovint per distorsionar la seva rutina o ofendre'l.
He didn't mean to ruffle her feathers, but his comments about her work were a bit harsh.
No pretenia fer-la empipar, però els seus comentaris sobre la seva feina van ser una mica durs.
put/send the cat among the pigeons
To do or say something that causes a lot of people to become angry, worried, or agitated.
Fer o dir alguna cosa que fa enfadar o preocupar molta gent
When the manager announced there would be layoffs, it really put the cat among the pigeons in the office.
Quan el gerent va anunciar acomiadaments, realment va aixecar la polseguera a l'oficina.
not be on speaking terms
be so angry with each other that they refuse to speak to each other
estar tan enfadats que es neguen a parlar-se
Ever since their argument last week, Sarah and Tom have not been on speaking terms.
Des de la seva discussió la setmana passada, la Sarah i en Tom no es parlen.
give someone an earful
Tell someone how angry you are with them, usually in a loud or forceful way (informal).
dir-li a algú, de manera enfadada i sovint amb crits, el teu descontentament
My mom gave me an earful when she found out I had skipped school.
La meva mare em va clavar una bona bronca quan va saber que havia fet campana.
give someone a piece of your mind
To angrily tell someone what you really think, especially to express your disapproval or annoyance.
Dir enfadat el que un realment pensa per mostrar desaprovació o molèstia.
When I saw how messy the kitchen was, I gave my roommate a piece of my mind.
Quan vaig veure com de desordenada estava la cuina, li vaig dir quatre paraules al meu company de pis.
You could’ve fooled me!
You do not believe what someone says about something that you saw or experienced yourself.
S'expressa quan no creus el que diu algú sobre quelcom que has experimentat tu mateix.
He said he wasn't tired, but with those bags under his eyes, you could’ve fooled me!
Ha dit que no estava cansat, però amb aquelles ulleres, gairebé m'ho crec!
There’s no accounting for taste(s)!
You can’t understand why someone likes or doesn’t like something.
No pots entendre per què a algú li agrada o no li agrada alguna cosa.
He puts ketchup on his pizza, but I guess there’s no accounting for tastes!
Posa quètxup a la pizza, però sobre gustos no hi ha res escrit!
If all else fails
If all other plans do not work.
Si tot falla.
If all else fails, we can always order pizza for dinner.
Si tot falla, sempre podem demanar pizza per sopar.
The lesser of two evils
It is the less unpleasant of two bad options.
L'opció menys dolenta entre dues de poc agradables.
When choosing between working late and coming in on the weekend, I picked working late because it was the lesser of two evils.
Quan vaig haver de triar entre treballar fins tard o venir el cap de setmana, vaig escollir treballar fins tard perquè era el mal menor.
One thing just led to another
A series of events happened, each caused by the previous one.
Una sèrie d'esdeveniments en què cadascun porta al següent.
We started talking over coffee, and before we knew it, one thing just led to another and we ended up spending the whole day together.
Vam començar a parlar prenent un cafè i, una cosa va portar a l'altra, vam acabar passant tot el dia junts.
I’ll never live it down!
You think that you have done something bad or embarrassing that people will never forget.
Creus que has fet una cosa tan vergonyosa que la gent mai no oblidarà.
After tripping and spilling coffee all over my boss during the meeting, I thought, 'I’ll never live it down!'
Després d'ensopegar i vessar cafè sobre el meu cap a la reunió, vaig pensar: 'Això no ho superaré mai!'
Strike while the iron is hot
Do something immediately while you have a good chance of success.
Fer alguna cosa de seguida mentre tens una bona oportunitat d'èxit.
If you want that promotion, you should strike while the iron is hot and apply as soon as the position opens.
Si vols aquesta promoció, hauries de aprofitar l'oportunitat i presentar-te tan aviat com la plaça estigui oberta.
One way or another
You are not sure exactly how yet, but it will happen.
No saps exactament com, però passarà.
One way or another, we will finish this project before the deadline.
D'una manera o altra, acabarem aquest projecte abans del termini.
Over the top
More extreme than is necessary or appropriate.
Més extrem del necessari o apropiat.
Her reaction to the small mistake was really over the top; she started yelling and throwing things.
La seva reacció davant la petita errada va ser realment exagerada; va començar a cridar i llençar coses.
In your shoes
In your position; if I were you.
En el teu lloc; si fos tu.
If I were in your shoes, I would talk to your manager about the problem.
Si fos al teu lloc, parlaria amb el teu cap sobre el problema.
At the top of my agenda
The most important priority for me.
La prioritat més important per a mi.
Finishing this project is at the top of my agenda right now.
Acabar aquest projecte és la meva principal prioritat ara mateix.
It’s just not on!
Not an appropriate way of behaving.
No és una manera adequada de comportar-se.
You can’t just take someone’s lunch from the fridge—it’s just not on!
No pots simplement agafar el dinar d'algú de la nevera—això no es fa!
knows inside out
knows every detail of it
coneix tots els detalls
She knows the software inside out, so if you have any questions, just ask her.
Ella coneix el programari d'allò més bé, així que si tens cap pregunta, pregunta-li a ella.
knows his stuff
has a very good knowledge of it
en sap molt o n'és expert
When it comes to computer programming, Jake really knows his stuff.
Quan es tracta de programació d'ordinadors, en Jake realment en sap molt.
has a familiar ring to it
It sounds familiar; it seems like something you have heard or experienced before.
Sona familiar; sembla que ja ho has sentit o experimentat abans.
That story has a familiar ring to it—are you sure you haven't told me this before?
Aquesta història em sona—estàs segur que no m'ho has explicat abans?
rings a bell
To sound familiar or remind someone of something, even if they can't remember the details.
Sona familiar o recorda alguna cosa, encara que no es recordin els detalls.
That name rings a bell, but I can't quite place where I've heard it before.
Aquest nom em sona, però no sé d’on el conec.
haven’t (got) / don’t have a clue
To not know or understand something at all; to have no idea.
No saber o entendre res; no tenir ni idea.
I haven’t got a clue how to solve this math problem.
No tinc ni idea de com resoldre aquest problema de matemàtiques.
haven’t (got) / don’t have the faintest idea
I really don’t know at all.
No en tinc ni idea.
Sorry, I haven’t got the faintest idea where your keys are.
Ho sento, no en tinc ni idea d'on són les teves claus.
haven’t (got) / don’t have the foggiest (idea)
To have absolutely no knowledge or understanding about something; to not know at all.
No tenir cap coneixement ni comprensió sobre alguna cosa; no saber-ho gens.
Sorry, I haven't got the foggiest idea where your keys are.
Ho sento, no en tinc ni idea d’on són les teves claus.
can’t for the life of me
I can’t remember at all; used to emphasize that you are completely unable to recall or do something.
No puc recordar-ho de cap manera; s'utilitza per remarcar la incapacitat total de recordar o fer alguna cosa.
I can’t for the life of me remember where I put my keys last night.
Per més que m'hi esforço, no recordo on vaig deixar les claus ahir a la nit.
a bit out of touch
Not being aware of the latest information, trends, or developments in a particular area.
no estar al corrent de la informació o tendències més recents en un àmbit
Ever since I stopped working in tech, I feel a bit out of touch with the latest gadgets.
Des que vaig deixar de treballar en tecnologia, em sento una mica desconnectat de les últimes novetats.
doesn’t ring any bells with me
I don’t think I’ve ever heard it before; it is unfamiliar.
Crec que mai n’he sentit a parlar; em resulta desconegut.
That name doesn’t ring any bells with me, are you sure we’ve met before?
Aquest nom no em sona de res, estàs segur que ens hem vist abans?
put two and two together
To figure something out or draw a logical conclusion from the information available.
Deduir alguna cosa o treure una conclusió lògica a partir de la informació disponible.
When I saw her car outside his house, I put two and two together and realized they were dating.
Quan vaig veure el seu cotxe fora de casa seva, vaig lligar caps i vaig entendre que estaven sortint junts.
got (hold of) the wrong end of the stick
came to the wrong conclusion
va arribar a una conclusió equivocada
I think you got the wrong end of the stick—I wasn't criticizing you at all.
Crec que has entès malament—no t’estava criticant gens.
be on the breadline
To be very poor; to have very little money and be close to poverty.
Ser molt pobre; viure al límit de la pobresa.
After losing his job, he found himself on the breadline and struggling to pay rent.
Després de perdre la feina, es va trobar al límit de la pobresa i amb dificultats per pagar el lloguer.
live in the lap of luxury
To live an extremely comfortable and extravagant life, usually because of having a lot of money.
Viure una vida extremadament còmoda i luxosa gràcies a tenir molts diners.
After winning the lottery, they lived in the lap of luxury with a mansion and private jet.
Després de guanyar la loteria, vivien com a reis amb una mansió i un jet privat.
well off / well-to-do / well-heeled
having plenty of money
benestant, amb molts diners
After landing that high-paying job, she became quite well off and bought a new house.
Després de trobar aquella feina molt ben pagada, es va tornar força benestant i va comprar una casa nova.
spend money like water
spend too much, often without thinking about it
gastar diners sense pensar, malbaratar
Ever since he got his bonus, he has been spending money like water on clothes and gadgets.
Des que va rebre la paga extra, gasta els diners com si no tinguessin valor en roba i gadgets.
tighten your belt
spend less than you did before, because you have less money
gastar menys perquè tens menys diners
After losing his job, John had to tighten his belt and cut back on unnecessary expenses.
Després de perdre la feina, en John va haver de estrènyer-se el cinturó i retallar despeses innecessàries.
make a killing
earn a lot of money very easily
guanyar molts diners molt fàcilment
He made a killing when he sold his company to a big tech firm.
Va fer l'agost quan va vendre la seva empresa a una gran firma tecnològica.
be a money spinner
be a successful way of making money
ser una font d’ingressos molt rendible
Their new online course has turned out to be a real money spinner for the company.
El seu nou curs en línia ha resultat ser una mina d'or per a l'empresa.
pay through the nose
To pay much more than a fair price; to pay an excessive amount of money for something.
pagar molt més del que val una cosa
We had to pay through the nose for concert tickets because they sold out so quickly.
Vam haver de pagar una fortuna per les entrades del concert perquè es van esgotar molt ràpidament.
a rip-off
something that is not worth the money that you paid for it
una cosa que no val el que has pagat
That concert ticket was a rip-off; I can't believe I paid $100 for such a short show.
Aquella entrada de concert va ser una estafa; no em puc creure que pagués 100 dòlars per un espectacle tan curt.
spend a small fortune
To spend a large amount of money, often more than expected or considered reasonable.
Gastar una gran quantitat de diners, sovint més del que s'esperava o és raonable.
We spent a small fortune on our vacation to Hawaii last year.
L'any passat vam gastar una fortuna en les nostres vacances a Hawaii.
cost a small fortune
to cost a lot of money; to be very expensive
costar molts diners; ser molt car
That designer handbag cost a small fortune, but she just had to have it.
Aquella bossa de dissenyador va costar una fortuna, però ella la volia igualment.
make a small fortune
to earn or acquire a large amount of money, often more than expected
guanyar o aconseguir una gran quantitat de diners, sovint més del que s’esperava
She made a small fortune selling handmade jewelry online during the holidays.
Ella va fer una petita fortuna venent joies fetes a mà en línia durant les festes.
lose a small fortune
to lose a large amount of money, often unexpectedly or through bad luck or poor decisions.
perdre una gran quantitat de diners, sovint inesperadament o per males decisions.
He lost a small fortune when the stock market crashed last year.
Va perdre una petita fortuna quan la borsa va caure l’any passat.
pick up the tab/bill
pay for something, often something that is not your responsibility (informal)
pagar alguna cosa, sovint encara que no sigui responsabilitat teva (informal)
Since it was my friend's birthday, I decided to pick up the tab for dinner.
Com que era l'aniversari del meu amic, vaig decidir convidar al sopar.
at a considerable price
by sacrificing a lot or by doing something unpleasant in order to get it
a costa de grans sacrificis o de fer alguna cosa desagradable
She achieved her dream of becoming a doctor, but it came at a considerable price—years of hard work and little time for her family.
Va aconseguir el somni de ser metgessa, però va ser a un preu considerable—anys de molta feina i poc temps per la família.
work put paid to
Stopped someone from doing something that they were planning to do.
Fer impossible que algú realitzi els seus plans.
I was going to go hiking this weekend, but work put paid to my plans.
Volia anar a fer senderisme aquest cap de setmana, però la feina em va tirar per terra els plans.
paying the price for
experiencing the unpleasant consequences of something you have done
patir les conseqüències desagradables d'allò que has fet
After staying up all night to finish the project, I paid the price for it the next day when I couldn't stay awake in class.
Després d'estar despert tota la nit per acabar el projecte, l'endemà vaig pagar-ne les conseqüències perquè no podia mantenir-me despert a classe.
commit something to memory
make yourself remember something
aprendre alguna cosa de memòria
Before the exam, I tried to commit all the important formulas to memory.
Abans de l'examen vaig intentar aprendre'm totes les fórmules importants de memòria.
take a stroll/trip down memory lane
To remember or reminisce about happy or significant events from the past.
Recordar o rememorar esdeveniments feliços o significatius del passat.
Every time we look through old photo albums, we take a stroll down memory lane and laugh about our childhood adventures.
Cada vegada que mirem àlbums antics de fotos, fem un viatge pel record i riem de les nostres aventures d'infantesa.
jog someone’s memory
To help someone remember something they may have forgotten.
Ajudar algú a recordar una cosa que potser ha oblidat.
Looking at old photographs can sometimes jog my memory about childhood events.
Mirar fotografies antigues pot, de vegades, refrescar la meva memòria sobre esdeveniments de la infància.
in/within living memory
can be remembered by people still alive
que es recorda dins la memòria viva de la gent
There hasn't been a winter this cold in living memory.
No hi ha hagut un hivern tan fred dins la memòria de la gent.
come/spring to mind
to immediately think of something or someone when a particular topic is mentioned
pensar immediatament en algú o alguna cosa quan es menciona un tema concret
When you mention classic novels, Pride and Prejudice immediately comes to mind.
Quan es parla de novel·les clàssiques, Orgull i prejudici em ve de seguida al cap.
slip your mind
to forget about something, often unintentionally or by accident
oblidar-se d’alguna cosa, sovint sense voler o per accident
Sorry I missed your birthday—it completely slipped my mind.
Perdona per oblidar el teu aniversari—em va passar completament per alt.
bear/keep something in mind
To remember or consider something when making a decision or thinking about a situation.
Recordar o tenir en compte alguna cosa quan es pren una decisió o es pensa en una situació.
When planning your budget, keep in mind that unexpected expenses can come up.
En planificar el teu pressupost, tingues en compte que poden sorgir despeses imprevistes.
your mind goes blank
You suddenly cannot remember or think of anything, especially when you are expected to speak or act.
Quan de sobte no pots recordar o pensar en res, especialment quan has de parlar o actuar.
When the teacher called on me to answer the question, my mind went blank and I couldn't say a word.
Quan la professora em va demanar de respondre, em vaig quedar en blanc i no vaig poder dir res.
cross your mind
To briefly think about something or have a thought occur to you, often unexpectedly or for a short moment.
Pensar en alguna cosa per un instant, sovint de manera inesperada.
Did it ever cross your mind that she might be telling the truth?
T’ha passat mai pel cap que potser deia la veritat?
out of sight, out of mind
If you do not see someone or something, you are likely to forget about them or stop thinking about them.
Si no veus algú o alguna cosa, és fàcil oblidar-se'n.
After moving to a new city, I rarely thought about my old neighbors—it's true what they say, out of sight, out of mind.
Després de mudar-me a una nova ciutat, gairebé no pensava en els meus antics veïns—és cert això de ull que no veu, cor que no sent.
something is on the tip of your tongue
You know something but can’t quite remember it or say it at the moment.
Saps una cosa però no pots recordar-la o dir-la en aquell moment.
Her name is on the tip of my tongue, but I just can't remember it right now.
El seu nom el tinc a la punta de la llengua, però ara mateix no el recordo.
ring a bell
To sound familiar or remind you of something you have heard or seen before.
Sona familiar o et recorda alguna cosa que has sentit o vist abans.
Does the name Sarah ring a bell to you? I feel like we've met her somewhere.
El nom de la Sarah et sona? Em sembla que l’hem vist en algun lloc.
a train of thought
a series of connected ideas or thoughts that follow one another in a logical sequence.
Una sèrie d’idees connectades que segueixen una seqüència lògica.
She was explaining her plan when a loud noise interrupted her train of thought.
Estava explicant el seu pla quan un soroll fort va interrompre el seu fil de pensament.
rack your brains
To think very hard or make a great effort to remember or solve something.
Pensar molt intensament o fer un gran esforç per recordar o resoldre alguna cosa.
I've been racking my brains all day trying to remember where I put my keys.
He estat trencant-me el cap tot el dia intentant recordar on he posat les claus.
toffee-nosed
Thinks he is of a high social class and looks down on people of lower class (negative)
Pensa que pertany a una classe social alta i menysprea la resta (negatiu)
Ever since she moved to the city, she's become so toffee-nosed and refuses to talk to her old friends.
Des que es va traslladar a la ciutat, s'ha tornat molt estirada i es nega a parlar amb els antics amics.
putting on / giving yourself airs and graces
acting as if you were someone of a higher social class than you really are
actuar com si pertanyessis a una classe social més alta del que realment ets
Ever since she got that promotion, she's been putting on airs and graces and acting like she's better than the rest of us.
Des que li van donar la promoció, fa veure que és més important i es comporta com si fos millor que la resta.
pillar of society
a solid, respectable and respected member of society
persona respectada i exemplar dins la societat
Everyone in town considers Mr. Thompson a pillar of society because of his charitable work and honesty.
Tothom al poble considera el senyor Thompson un pilar de la societat per la seva caritat i honestedat.
rough diamond
a person who seems impolite or unrefined at first, but who is actually of good character or has hidden qualities.
persona que sembla mal educada o poc refinada al principi, però que en realitat té bones qualitats o valors amagats.
At first, Jake seemed rude and blunt, but after working with him, I realized he was a real rough diamond.
Al principi, en Jake semblava groller i directe, però després de treballar amb ell, vaig veure que era un diamant en brut.
down-and-outs
people who have no home, no money and no job, who live on the streets
persones sense llar, diners ni feina, que viuen al carrer
The shelter provides food and beds for down-and-outs during the winter months.
El refugi ofereix menjar i llits als sense sostre durant l'hivern.
keep up appearances
To continue to maintain an outward show of prosperity or normalcy, even when facing difficulties or financial problems.
Continuar mantenint una aparença de prosperitat o normalitat, tot i estar afrontant dificultats o problemes financers.
Even after losing his job, Tom tried to keep up appearances by wearing his suit every day and pretending everything was fine.
Fins i tot després de perdre la feina, en Tom intentava guardar les aparences portant vestit cada dia i fent veure que tot anava bé.
high-flyer
A person who rises very quickly to a successful position, especially in their career or studies.
Persona que assoleix l'èxit molt ràpidament, sobretot en la seva carrera o estudis.
After only a year at the company, Sarah became known as a high-flyer because of her rapid promotions.
Després d'un any a l'empresa, la Sarah era coneguda com una estrella emergent per les seves ràpides promocions.
made a name for himself
became well-known or famous, usually through one's own efforts or achievements.
Es va fer conegut o famós, generalment gràcies als seus propis esforços o assoliments.
After years of hard work in the tech industry, he made a name for himself as an innovative software developer.
Després d'anys de feina dura al sector tecnològic, es va fer un nom com a desenvolupador de programari innovador.
on his way up
rising to better and better positions
pujar a posicions cada cop millors
After getting promoted twice in one year, it's clear that John is on his way up in the company.
Després de ser ascendit dues vegades en un any, està clar que en John va escalant posicions a l’empresa.
up-and-coming
becoming more and more popular or famous
esdevenir cada cop més popular o famós
That up-and-coming band is playing at the festival this weekend.
Aquella banda emergent tocarà al festival aquest cap de setmana.
new blood
a new person from outside the company, often brought in to bring fresh ideas or energy.
una persona nova de fora l'empresa, sovint contractada per aportar idees o energia nova.
The team needed new blood to help revitalize their marketing strategy.
L'equip necessitava sang nova per revitalitzar la seva estratègia de màrqueting.
keep a low profile
not draw attention to oneself; to remain unnoticed or avoid attracting attention.
no cridar l’atenció; passar desapercebut o evitar fer-se notar.
After the scandal, the politician decided to keep a low profile for a while.
Després de l’escàndol, el polític va decidir mantenir un perfil baix una temporada.
anybody who is anybody
all the important people
totes les persones importants
Anybody who is anybody in the fashion industry attended the gala last night.
A la gala d'ahir a la nit hi van assistir tots els qui són algú del sector de la moda.
the odd one out
Someone or something that is different from the others in a group.
Algú o alguna cosa diferent a la resta d’un grup.
When everyone wore black suits to the meeting, I felt like the odd one out in my bright red dress.
Quan tothom portava vestits negres a la reunió, em vaig sentir la rara avis amb el meu vestit vermell brillant.
politically correct name
An acceptable and non-offensive way of referring to particular social groups; often used with a hint of criticism, suggesting that being overly careful with language to avoid offending anyone can be excessive or unnecessary.
Forma acceptada i no ofensiva de referir-se a certs grups socials; sovint s’utilitza amb una crítica implícita, suggerint que l'excés de cura en el llenguatge pot ser innecessari.
Some people think using a politically correct name for every group is just common courtesy, while others find it unnecessary.
Algunes persones pensen que utilitzar un nom políticament correcte per a cada grup és simplement cortesia, mentre d’altres ho veuen innecessari.
out of this world
extremely good or impressive
extremadament bo o impressionant
The chocolate cake at that bakery is out of this world; you have to try it!
El pastís de xocolata d'aquella fleca és de somni; l'has de tastar!
second to none
the best; better than anything else
el millor; insuperable
Her attention to detail is second to none; no one can match her precision.
La seva atenció als detalls és sense igual; ningú pot igualar la seva precisió.
a hard act to follow
So good or impressive that it is difficult for anyone else to match or surpass.
Tan bo o impressionant que és difícil d'igualar o superar.
The previous manager was a hard act to follow, but I’ll do my best in this new role.
El gerent anterior era una vara molt alta, però faré el millor possible en aquest nou paper.
made for this room
perfectly suited for this room
com si estigués feta expressament per aquesta habitació
This antique table looks like it was made for this room; it fits the space perfectly.
Aquesta taula antiga sembla feta per a aquesta habitació; encaixa a la perfecció.
he gave as good as he got
He responded to criticism or attack with equal force.
Va respondre a la crítica o atac amb la mateixa força.
When the debate got heated, he gave as good as he got and didn't back down from any argument.
Quan el debat es va escalfar, va tornar la jugada i no es va fer enrere.
like gold dust
very rare and valuable
molt rar i valuós
Tickets to the concert were like gold dust; they sold out within minutes.
Les entrades pel concert eren com or fi; es van esgotar en qüestió de minuts.
ground-breaking work
work that is innovative and introduces new ideas or methods
treball innovador que introdueix noves idees o mètodes
The scientist received an award for her ground-breaking work in renewable energy.
La científica va rebre un premi pel seu treball innovador en energies renovables.
all sweetness and light
friendly and pleasant, but in a false or insincere way
amable i agradable, però de manera falsa o poc sincera
She was all sweetness and light when the boss was around, but complained as soon as he left.
Era tot somriures i bones paraules quan hi havia el cap, però es queixava tan bon punt ell marxava.
getting on my nerves
irritating or annoying me
m'irrita o m'emprenya
The constant noise from the construction site is really getting on my nerves.
El soroll constant de les obres realment em posa dels nervis.
give me a hard time
To criticize, tease, or make things difficult for someone, often in a way that causes discomfort or guilt.
Criticar, burlar-se o posar les coses difícils a algú, sovint generant incomoditat o culpa.
My friends always give me a hard time when I forget to reply to their messages.
Els meus amics sempre em prenen el pèl quan oblido respondre els seus missatges.
poke fun at
to tease or mock someone, often in a playful or lighthearted way
burlar-se d’algú, sovint de manera lúdica o afectuosa
My friends always poke fun at me for my terrible sense of direction.
Els meus amics sempre em prenen el pèl pel meu mal sentit de l’orientació.
to add insult to injury
to make a bad situation even worse
empitjorar encara més una situació ja dolenta
Not only did they lose the game, but to add insult to injury, their star player got hurt in the last minute.
No només van perdre el partit, sinó que, per acabar-ho d'adobar, el seu jugador estrella es va lesionar a l’últim minut.
cast aspersions on
To criticize someone or something unfairly or suggest that they are not honest or trustworthy, often in a subtle or indirect way (formal).
Criticar o posar en dubte la honestedat o les capacitats d’algú d’una manera injusta o indirecta.
It's unfair to cast aspersions on her abilities just because she made one mistake.
No és just posar en dubte les seves capacitats només per un error.
out-and-out
completely or totally, especially used to emphasize negative qualities of people.
completament o totalment, especialment per ressaltar qualitats negatives.
Everyone knew he was an out-and-out liar who couldn't be trusted.
Tothom sabia que era un mentider complet en qui no es podia confiar.
asking for trouble
Doing something that is likely to cause problems or lead to negative consequences.
Fer alguna cosa que probablement causarà problemes o portarà conseqüències negatives.
If you leave your car unlocked in this neighborhood, you're really asking for trouble.
Si deixes el cotxe obert en aquest barri, realment et busques problemes.
give something your all
use all your energy and effort to do something
donar-ho tot, esforçar-se al màxim
She gave the performance her all and received a standing ovation.
Ella ho va donar tot en l'actuació i va rebre una ovació dempeus.
go all out
use a lot of energy and effort to do something
posar tota l'energia i esforç en alguna cosa
For her birthday party, we decided to go all out with decorations and food.
Per a la seva festa d'aniversari, vam decidir tirar la casa per la finestra amb la decoració i el menjar.
go out of your way to do something
try very hard to do something, usually something nice
esforçar-se molt per fer alguna cosa, normalment amable
She really went out of her way to make sure I felt welcome at the party.
Ella realment es va esforçar per fer-me sentir benvingut a la festa.
pull your weight
work as hard as other people in a group
treballar tant com la resta del grup
If you don't pull your weight, the whole team will struggle to finish the project on time.
Si no fas la teva part, tot l'equip tindrà dificultats per acabar el projecte a temps.
by hook or by crook
using whatever methods are necessary
costi el que costi
She was determined to get the tickets by hook or by crook, even if it meant waiting in line all night.
Estava decidida a aconseguir les entrades costi el que costi, encara que hagués d'esperar tota la nit.
pull your finger out
make more of an effort (very informal)
fer un esforç més gran (molt informal)
If you don't pull your finger out, you'll never finish that project on time.
Si no et poses les piles, mai acabaràs aquest projecte a temps.
at a push
Probably possible, but it will be difficult.
Probablement possible, però serà difícil.
We can fit five people in the car, but at a push we might be able to squeeze in six.
Podem posar cinc persones al cotxe, però apretant-nos molt potser hi encaixem una sisena.
have a go
try to do something
intentar fer alguna cosa
I've never played tennis before, but I'd love to have a go.
Mai he jugat a tennis abans, però m'encantaria provar-ho.
have a bash at
try to do something (more informal way of saying have a go)
provar de fer alguna cosa
I've never baked bread before, but I think I'll have a bash at it this weekend.
No he fet mai pa abans, però crec que aquest cap de setmana ho provaré.
went through the motions
Did something because you are expected to do it, not because you want to do it. In other words, you do it but without putting much effort or enthusiasm into it.
Fer una cosa només perquè s’espera de tu, sense esforç ni entusiasme.
During the meeting, he just went through the motions and didn't contribute any new ideas.
Durant la reunió, només va complir amb l’expedient i no va aportar idees noves.
child's play
extremely easy
molt fàcil
For someone with your experience, fixing this computer will be child's play.
Per a algú amb la teva experiència, reparar aquest ordinador és bufar i fer ampolles.
as easy as pie
extremely easy (informal)
extremadament fàcil (informal)
The math homework was as easy as pie; I finished it in just ten minutes.
Els deures de matemàtiques van ser bufar i fer ampolles; els vaig acabar en deu minuts.
a piece of cake
extremely easy (informal)
molt fàcil (informal)
The math test was a piece of cake; I finished it in just twenty minutes.
L'examen de matemàtiques va ser bufar i fer ampolles; el vaig acabar en només vint minuts.
as easy as taking candy from a baby
Extremely easy; something that can be done with little or no effort.
Extremadament fàcil; una cosa que es pot fer sense esforç.
Finishing that puzzle was as easy as taking candy from a baby for her.
Acabar aquell trencaclosques va ser bufar i fer ampolles per a ella.
a doddle
extremely easy (informal)
molt fàcil (col·loquial)
The math test was a doddle for her; she finished it in ten minutes.
L’examen de matemàtiques va ser bufar i fer ampolles per ella; el va acabar en deu minuts.
heavy-going
difficult and needing a lot of effort
difícil i que requereix molt d'esforç
The textbook was so heavy-going that I had to reread each chapter twice to understand it.
El llibre de text era tan feixuc que vaig haver de llegir cada capítol dues vegades per entendre’l.
making do
managing with something that isn’t as good as you would like
apanyar-se amb alguna cosa que no és tan bona com voldries
We didn't have enough chairs for everyone, so we made do with some old boxes.
No teníem prou cadires per a tothom, així que ens vam apanyar amb algunes caixes velles.
give it a shot/whirl
To try something, especially for the first time, often without being sure of success (informal).
Intentar alguna cosa, especialment per primera vegada, tot i no estar segur de l'èxit.
I've never played tennis before, but I'm willing to give it a shot.
No he jugat mai a tennis, però estic disposat a provar-ho.
get to grips with
make an effort to understand or to deal with a problem or situation
fer un esforç per entendre o afrontar un problema o situació
It took me a few weeks to really get to grips with the new software at work.
Vaig necessitar algunes setmanes per agafar el ritme amb el nou programari a la feina.
to be on the safe side
to take extra precautions or do something to avoid possible problems, even if it might not be strictly necessary.
prendre precaucions addicionals per evitar possibles problemes, encara que potser no sigui estrictament necessari
I brought an umbrella with me, just to be on the safe side, even though the forecast said it wouldn't rain.
Vaig portar un paraigua només per si de cas, tot i que el pronòstic deia que no plouria.
get to the bottom of
try to discover the truth about something
intentar descobrir la veritat sobre alguna cosa
The manager promised to get to the bottom of the missing funds as soon as possible.
El director va prometre arribar al fons dels diners desapareguts tan aviat com fos possible.
shed a great deal of light on
make something clearer; help people understand a situation
fer més clar alguna cosa; ajudar a entendre una situació
The new evidence shed a great deal of light on the cause of the accident.
Les noves proves van aclarir molt la causa de l'accident.
brought to light
make unknown facts become known
fer coneguts fets desconeguts
The investigation brought to light several issues with the company's accounting practices.
La investigació va treure a la llum diversos problemes amb les pràctiques comptables de l'empresa.
come to light
unknown facts becoming known
fets desconeguts surten a la llum
After months of investigation, new evidence finally came to light that changed the direction of the case.
Després de mesos d'investigació, finalment van sortir a la llum noves proves que van canviar la direcció del cas.
bring something to light
to reveal or make known facts or information that were previously hidden or unknown
revelar o fer conèixer fets o informació que abans eren ocults o desconeguts
The investigation helped bring several important details to light that had been overlooked.
La investigació va ajudar a treure a la llum diversos detalls importants que havien estat passats per alt.
shed/throw light on something
To help people understand a situation by providing new information or making something clearer.
Ajudar a comprendre una situació proporcionant informació nova o aclarint alguna cosa.
The new evidence finally shed light on the cause of the accident.
Les noves proves finalment han fet llum sobre la causa de l’accident.
light at the end of the tunnel
something makes you believe that a difficult and unpleasant situation is coming to an end
una esperança després d’una situació difícil
After months of job searching, I finally got an interview offer—it feels like there's a light at the end of the tunnel.
Després de mesos buscant feina, finalment m’han ofert una entrevista—sembla que hi ha llum al final del túnel.
in the bag
certain to be achieved (informal)
segur d’aconseguir-se (informal)
With our team leading by three goals and only five minutes left, the victory is practically in the bag.
Amb el nostre equip guanyant per tres gols i només cinc minuts per jugar, la victòria està pràcticament a la butxaca.
the answer to my prayers
something or someone that you have needed or hoped for for a long time, often appearing just when you need it most.
Alguna cosa o algú que necessitaves o esperaves des de fa temps, i que apareix just quan més ho necessites.
After months of searching for a job, this offer is the answer to my prayers.
Després de mesos buscant feina, aquesta oferta és una benedicció caiguda del cel.
wave a magic wand
to find or wish for an easy and immediate solution to a difficult problem, as if by magic
trobar o desitjar una solució fàcil i immediata a un problema difícil, com si fos màgia
If I could just wave a magic wand, all our financial problems would disappear.
Si només pogués agitar una vareta màgica, tots els nostres problemes financers desapareixerien.
tie up a few loose ends
deal with the last few things that need to be done before something is completed
acabar d'enllestir els últims detalls abans de concloure alguna cosa
Before we leave for vacation, I need to tie up a few loose ends at work.
Abans de marxar de vacances, he de tancar alguns temes pendents a la feina.
fall into place
To become clear, understandable, or organized; to happen in a satisfactory or desired way.
Esdevenir clar, comprensible o organitzat; succeir de manera satisfactòria.
After weeks of confusion, everything finally fell into place and the project made sense.
Després de setmanes de confusió, finalment tot va encaixar i el projecte tenia sentit.
pick up the pieces
to try to return to normal or recover after something bad has happened
intentar tornar a la normalitat o recuperar-se després d’un fet negatiu
After the company went bankrupt, it took years for the employees to pick up the pieces and rebuild their lives.
Després de la fallida de l’empresa, els treballadors van trigar anys a refer les seves vides.
be in someone's good books
To be liked or approved of by someone, often because you have done something to please them.
Ser benvist o agradar a algú, sovint perquè has fet alguna cosa per complaure’l.
After helping my boss finish the project ahead of schedule, I was definitely in her good books.
Després d’ajudar la meva cap a acabar el projecte abans d’hora, clarament vaig quedar bé amb ella.
get on like a house on fire
To become very friendly with someone very quickly and get along extremely well.
Fer-se molt amic d'algú molt ràpidament i portar-se de meravella.
Even though they'd just met, Sarah and Tom got on like a house on fire at the party.
Tot i que acabaven de conèixer-se, la Sarah i en Tom van fer molt bones amistats de seguida a la festa.
keep/get/be/stay in touch with someone
To maintain communication or contact with someone.
Mantenir la comunicació o el contacte amb algú.
Even after moving to different cities, we keep in touch with each other through emails and phone calls.
Fins i tot després de mudar-nos a ciutats diferents, nosaltres mantenim el contacte a través de correus electrònics i trucades.
make it up to someone
do something good for someone you have done something bad to in the past
fer alguna cosa bona per algú a qui has fet mal abans
I'm so sorry I missed your birthday party; let me make it up to you by taking you out to dinner.
Em sap greu haver-me perdut la teva festa d'aniversari; deixa que t'ho compensi portant-te a sopar.
take a shine to someone
To like someone immediately or develop a fondness for them, often without a clear reason (informal).
agafar-li afecte a algú de seguida, sovint sense una raó clara
It was obvious that the new puppy took a shine to my brother as soon as they met.
Era evident que el cadell nou va agafar afecte al meu germà només de veure’l.
have a soft spot for someone
feel a lot of affection for one particular person, often without knowing why
sentir molt d'afecte per una persona en particular, sovint sense saber per què
Even though my little brother can be annoying, I have a soft spot for him.
Encara que el meu germà petit pot ser pesat, li tinc una debilitat.
be at loggerheads
to disagree strongly with each other, often in a way that cannot be easily resolved
tenir una forta discrepància, sovint sense solució fàcil
The two managers have been at loggerheads over the new company policy for weeks.
Els dos gerents estan barallats per la nova política de l’empresa des de fa setmanes.
be (talking) at cross-purposes (of two people or groups)
not understand each other because they are trying to do or say different things
no entendre's perquè cadascú intenta fer o dir coses diferents
During the meeting, it became clear that John and Sarah were talking at cross-purposes, as each thought the other was discussing a different project.
Durant la reunió, va quedar clar que en John i la Sarah parlaven cadascun d'una cosa diferent, ja que cadascú pensava que l'altre es referia a un projecte diferent.
have it in for someone
To be determined to criticize, harm, or treat someone unfairly, often due to a personal grudge.
Tenir mania o estar decidit a perjudicar algú per alguna rancúnia personal.
Ever since I accidentally broke her mug, I feel like my boss has it in for me.
Des que li vaig trencar la tassa sense voler, tinc la sensació que la meva cap me la té jurada.
have it out with someone
To confront someone directly in order to discuss and resolve a disagreement or problem.
Enfrontar-se directament amb algú per parlar i resoldre un desacord o problema.
After weeks of tension, I finally decided to have it out with my roommate about the mess in the kitchen.
Després de setmanes de tensió, finalment vaig decidir parlar clar amb el meu company de pis sobre el desordre a la cuina.
two-time someone
have a romantic or sexual relationship with two people at the same time
mantenir una relació romàntica o sexual amb dues persones al mateix temps
She was devastated when she found out her boyfriend had been two-timing her for months.
Va quedar destrossada quan va descobrir que el seu xicot l’havia estat enganyant durant mesos.
keep someone/something at bay
prevent someone or something from coming near you or causing harm or trouble
impedir que algú o alguna cosa s'acosti a tu o causi problemes o perjudicis
She tried to keep her fears at bay by focusing on her work.
Va intentar mantenir les seves pors a ratlla centrant-se en la feina.
keep yourself to yourself
prefer to be on your own and avoid talking with or doing things with other people
prefereix estar sol i evita parlar o fer coses amb altres persones
Ever since he moved to the city, he tends to keep himself to himself and rarely joins us for lunch.
Des que es va traslladar a la ciutat, tendeix a anar molt a la seva i poques vegades s’apunta a dinar amb nosaltres.
caught napping
got into trouble because they were not paying enough attention
es va ficar en problemes per no estar prou atent
The security guard was caught napping when the thief slipped past the entrance unnoticed.
El vigilant de seguretat va ser sorprès desprevingut quan el lladre va passar desapercebut per l’entrada.
going out on a limb
stating an opinion or doing something different from anyone else
expressar una opinió o fer alguna cosa diferent de la resta
She knew she was going out on a limb by suggesting such a radical solution at the meeting.
Sabia que es posava en risc suggerint una solució tan radical a la reunió.
out on a limb
You are alone and lacking support from anyone else.
Estàs sol i sense el suport de ningú.
She knew she was out on a limb when she disagreed with the entire team.
Ella sabia que estava arrisca-se tota sola quan no estava d'acord amb tot l'equip.
led astray
Influenced so that someone does bad things or moves away from the correct or intended path.
Ser influït per fer coses dolentes o apartar-se del camí correcte.
He was led astray by his older friends and started skipping classes.
Els seus amics més grans el van portar pel mal camí i va començar a saltar-se les classes.
leave well alone
try not to change or improve something because this might make things worse
no intentis canviar ni millorar res perquè pots empitjorar la situació
The software is working fine now, so let's leave well alone and not update it unnecessarily.
El programari funciona bé ara, així que deixem-ho tal com està i no l’actualitzem innecessàriament.
panic stations
a time or situation where you feel very anxious and have to act quickly (informal)
una situació en què et sents molt ansiós i has d'actuar ràpidament (informal)
When the fire alarm went off during the meeting, it was panic stations as everyone rushed to evacuate the building.
Quan va sonar l'alarma d'incendi durant la reunió, va ser caos total mentre tothom corria per evacuar l'edifici.
necessary evil
something you do not like, but you agree that it must exist or happen
alguna cosa que no t'agrada, però acceptes que ha d'existir o passar
Filing taxes every year is a necessary evil if you want to avoid trouble with the government.
Presentar impostos cada any és un mal necessari si vols evitar problemes amb el govern.
safe and sound
To be completely unharmed and in good health, especially after being in danger or a risky situation.
Estar completament il·lès i sa, especialment després d’un perill.
After the long journey through the storm, we were relieved to arrive safe and sound.
Després del llarg viatge sota la tempesta, vam quedar alleujats d’arribar sans i estalvis.
have a narrow escape
just manage to avoid danger or trouble
evitar el perill o el problema per ben poc
We had a narrow escape when our car skidded on the icy road but stopped just before hitting the tree.
Vam lliurar-nos per poc quan el cotxe va derrapar sobre el gel però es va aturar just abans de l’arbre.
do something by the skin of your teeth
only just succeed in doing something
aconseguir fer alguna cosa per molt poc
I passed the exam by the skin of my teeth; I thought I was going to fail.
Vaig aprovar l’examen pels pèls; pensava que suspendria.
rather/too close for comfort
So close in distance or similar in amount that you are worried or frightened.
Tan a prop o semblant que fa preocupar o espantar.
The lightning struck too close for comfort during the storm last night.
El llamp va caure massa a prop per estar tranquils durant la tempesta d’ahir a la nit.
cut things fine
leave yourself only just enough time to do something
deixar-se només el temps just per fer alguna cosa
You always cut things fine when you leave for the airport just an hour before your flight.
Sempre vas molt just de temps quan marxes cap a l'aeroport només una hora abans del vol.
something sets alarm bells ringing
Something causes you to feel worried or suspicious because it suggests there may be a problem.
Alguna cosa et fa preocupar o sospitar perquè indica que hi pot haver un problema.
When I noticed the sudden drop in sales, it really set alarm bells ringing for me.
Quan vaig notar la caiguda sobtada de les vendes, això realment va fer saltar les alarmes per a mi.
take your life in(to) your hands
To do something very risky or dangerous, often with the possibility of serious harm.
Fer alguna cosa molt arriscada o perillosa, sovint amb possibilitat de dany greu.
You take your life in your hands every time you drive on those icy mountain roads.
Et jugues la vida cada vegada que condueixes per aquelles carreteres de muntanya gelades.
your life is in someone's hands
That person can affect whether you live or die; you are completely dependent on their actions or decisions for your safety or survival.
La teva vida depèn completament de les accions o decisions d'una altra persona.
During the surgery, my life was in the surgeon's hands and I had to trust their expertise.
Durant la cirurgia, la meva vida estava en mans del cirurgià i vaig haver de confiar en la seva experiència.
hanging by a thread
in a very precarious or risky situation; likely to fail or collapse soon
en una situació molt precària o arriscada; a punt de fracassar o enfonsar-se
After the latest round of layoffs, my job feels like it’s hanging by a thread.
Després de l'última ronda d'acomiadaments, la meva feina penja d'un fil.
on a knife-edge
in a very difficult situation and there are worries about the future
en una situació molt difícil i amb incertesa pel futur
The outcome of the election was on a knife-edge until the very last votes were counted.
El resultat de les eleccions va estar penjant d'un fil fins al darrer vot comptat.
red tape
official rules and bureaucracy that make it difficult to do something
regles oficials i burocràcia que dificulten fer alguna cosa
It took months to get the permit approved because of all the red tape.
Va trigar mesos a aprovar-se el permís per tota la burocràcia.
be in the red
To have a negative amount in your bank balance; to owe more money than you have.
Tenir un saldo negatiu al banc; deure més diners dels que es tenen.
After paying all my bills this month, I am in the red and need to watch my spending.
Després de pagar totes les factures aquest mes, estic en números vermells i haig de controlar la despesa.
catch someone red-handed
To catch someone in the act of doing something wrong or illegal.
Enxampar algú mentre fa alguna cosa dolenta o il·legal.
The security guard caught the thief red-handed as he was trying to steal a wallet.
El vigilant va enxampar el lladre in fraganti quan intentava robar una cartera.
a red herring
something unimportant that takes attention away from the main subject
alguna cosa poc important que distreu del tema principal
The detective realized the mysterious phone call was a red herring meant to distract him from the real suspect.
El detectiu va adonar-se que la trucada misteriosa era una cortina de fum per distreure’l del veritable sospitós.
till I was blue in the face
Say the same thing repeatedly, but someone refuses to listen or nothing changes.
Repetir quelcom sense que ningú escolti ni res canviï.
I explained the math problem to him till I was blue in the face, but he still didn't understand.
Li vaig explicar el problema de matemàtiques fins a quedar-me sense veu, però igualment no ho va entendre.
blue blood
belonging to the highest social class or being of aristocratic descent
pertànyer a la classe social més alta o ser de descendència aristocràtica
Everyone at the party knew she had blue blood because of her family's long history of nobility.
Tothom a la festa sabia que tenia sang blava per la llarga història nobiliària de la seva família.
blue-collar workers
workers who do physical work, especially in factories
treballadors que fan feina física, especialment en fàbriques
Blue-collar workers often have to wear uniforms or protective gear on the job.
Els treballadors manuals sovint han de portar uniforme o equipament de protecció a la feina.
green with envy
very envious
molt envejos
When I saw her brand new sports car, I was green with envy.
Quan vaig veure el seu cotxe esportiu nou, estava verd d’enveja.
got green fingers
is a very good gardener
és molt bon jardiner
My grandmother really has got green fingers; her garden is always full of beautiful flowers.
La meva àvia realment té mà verda; el seu jardí sempre està ple de flors boniques.
given the green light
given permission for something to start
s'ha donat permís per començar alguna cosa
After months of planning, the team was finally given the green light to launch the new product.
Després de mesos de planificació, l'equip finalment va rebre llum verda per llançar el nou producte.
in the green belt
countryside around a town or city which is protected from building development
zona rural al voltant d'una ciutat protegida de la urbanització
They bought a house in the green belt to enjoy peace and quiet away from the city.
Van comprar una casa a la zona verda per gaudir de la tranquil·litat lluny de la ciutat.
white-collar workers
workers who work in offices, not doing physical work
treballadors que treballen en oficines, no en feines físiques
Many white-collar workers spend most of their day in front of a computer.
Molts treballadors d’oficina passen la major part del dia davant de l’ordinador.
in black and white
Written down or printed, not just spoken; something that is officially documented.
Per escrit o imprès, oficialment documentat.
I need to see the contract in black and white before I agree to anything.
Necessito veure el contracte per escrit abans d'acceptar res.
grey area
something that is a problem, and is not very clear because there are no rules
alguna cosa problemàtica i poc clara perquè no hi ha normes
The legality of downloading music from certain websites is a grey area because the laws aren't always clear.
La legalitat de descarregar música de certs llocs web és una zona grisa perquè les lleis no sempre són clares.
black hole
something which has no bottom, and everything put into it just disappears
alguna cosa sense fons, on tot el que hi poses desapareix
My inbox is a black hole; emails go in and are never seen again.
La meva bústia d'entrada és un forat negre; els correus entren i mai més es veuen.
I'm thrilled to bits
extremely happy
extremadament feliç
She was thrilled to bits when she found out she had passed her exams with flying colors.
Estava tocant el cel amb els dits quan va saber que havia aprovat els exàmens amb nota.
get a (real) kick out of something
To greatly enjoy or find amusement in something; to take pleasure in an activity or situation (informal).
gaudir molt o trobar diversió en alguna cosa
I get a real kick out of going for a run first thing in the morning before anyone else is up.
Em fa molta gràcia sortir a córrer al matí abans que tothom es llevi.
do something for kicks
do something because it is exciting, usually something dangerous (informal)
fer alguna cosa per la sensació d'adrenalina, normalment perillosa (informal)
Some people do it for kicks, but I think skydiving is too risky.
Algunes persones ho fan per l'adrenalina, però penso que el paracaigudisme és massa arriscat.
jump for joy
be very happy and excited about something that has happened
estar molt feliç i emocionat per alguna cosa que ha passat
When she heard she got the job, she couldn't help but jump for joy.
Quan va saber que li havien donat la feina, no va poder evitar saltar d’alegria.
be floating/walking on air
To be extremely happy or elated, usually because something very good has happened.
Estar extremadament feliç o eufòric, normalment perquè ha passat alguna cosa molt bona.
After hearing that she got the job, she was walking on air for the rest of the week.
Després de saber que va aconseguir la feina, estava al setè cel tota la setmana.
something makes your day
something that happens which makes you feel very happy or improves your mood significantly.
Quelcom que et fa molt feliç o t’alegra el dia.
Getting a surprise call from my best friend really made my day.
Rebre una trucada sorpresa del meu millor amic realment m’ha alegrat el dia.
out of sorts
slightly unhappy or slightly ill
lleugerament indisposat o de mal humor
She was feeling a bit out of sorts after staying up too late last night.
Es trobava una mica desganada després d'anar a dormir tan tard ahir a la nit.
down in the dumps
unhappy (informal)
decaigut o trist (col·loquial)
After failing his exam, he was down in the dumps for days.
Després de suspendre l'examen, va estar decaigut durant dies.
it's not the end of the world
What has happened won’t cause any serious problems; things are not as bad as they seem.
El que ha passat no causarà problemes seriosos; les coses no són tan greus com semblen.
Don't worry if you failed the test—it's not the end of the world, you can always try again.
No et preocupis si has suspès l'examen—no és la fi del món, sempre pots tornar-ho a intentar.
grin and bear it
accept a situation you don’t like because you can’t change it
acceptar una situació que no t’agrada perquè no pots canviar-la
Even though the commute is long and tiring, I just grin and bear it because I need the job.
Encara que el trajecte és llarg i cansat, simplement apreto les dents i aguanto perquè necessito la feina.
a misery guts
someone who complains all the time and is never happy (very informal)
algú que sempre es queixa i mai està content
Stop being a misery guts and try to enjoy the party for once.
Deixa de ser un rondinaire i intenta gaudir de la festa d’una vegada.
sour grapes
being jealous about something you can’t have
tenir enveja d’alguna cosa que no es pot tenir
When she said she didn't want the promotion anyway, it sounded like sour grapes to me.
Quan va dir que tampoc volia l’ascens, em va sonar a raïms agressius.
puts a damper on
To make an event or situation less enjoyable, exciting, or successful.
Fer que un esdeveniment o situació sigui menys agradable o exitós
The sudden rainstorm really put a damper on our picnic plans.
La pluja sobtada realment va aigualir els nostres plans de pícnic.
on the one hand
used to present one of two opposite facts or different ways of looking at the same issue
s'utilitza per presentar dos fets oposats o diferents punts de vista sobre un mateix tema
On the one hand, I want to save money, but on the other hand, I really need a new laptop.
D'una banda, vull estalviar diners, però d'altra banda, realment necessito un portàtil nou.
on the other hand
used to present the opposite fact or a different way of looking at the same issue
s'utilitza per presentar un fet contrari o una manera diferent de veure el mateix tema
I love living in the city because everything is close by. On the other hand, it can be really noisy at night.
M'encanta viure a la ciutat perquè tot és a prop. D'altra banda, pot ser molt sorollós a la nit.
be that as it may
An expression which means you accept that something is true, but it still does not change your opinion.
Una expressió que vol dir que acceptes que una cosa és certa, però no canvia la teva opinió.
I know you worked hard on the project, be that as it may, we still need to make some changes.
Sé que has treballat molt en el projecte, tanmateix cal fer alguns canvis.
to put it in a nutshell
indicates that you’re describing something as briefly as you can
en resumides comptes, per dir-ho breument
To put it in a nutshell, we just don’t have enough money to continue the project.
En resum, no tenim prou diners per continuar el projecte.
pros and cons
advantages and disadvantages
avantatges i inconvenients
Before making a decision, it's important to weigh the pros and cons of each option.
Abans de prendre una decisió, és important valorar els avantatges i inconvenients de cada opció.
vicious circle
a problem that cannot be solved because it causes another problem that causes the first problem again
un problema que no es pot resoldre perquè en genera un altre que torna a l'inicial
It's a vicious circle: she can't get a job without experience, but she can't get experience without a job.
És un cercle viciós: no pot trobar feina sense experiència, però no pot tenir experiència sense feina.
can of worms
a problem which you do not want to deal with because it will cause trouble (informal)
un problema que no vols afrontar perquè portarà complicacions
Bringing up the budget cuts at the meeting opened a real can of worms that no one wanted to deal with.
Sacar el tema de les retallades de pressupost a la reunió va obrir una autèntica caixa de Pandora que ningú volia afrontar.
acid test
a key test which will prove the value, quality or truth of something
una prova clau que mostrarà el valor, la qualitat o la veritat d’alguna cosa
The new software will face its acid test when thousands of users log in at the same time.
El nou programari s’enfrontarà a la seva prova de foc quan milers d’usuaris es connectin alhora.
the other side of the coin
A different perspective or aspect of a situation, often one that contrasts with or opposes the original view.
Una perspectiva o aspecte diferent d'una situació, sovint en contrast amb el punt de vista original.
Many people love working from home, but the other side of the coin is that it can be quite isolating.
A molta gent li agrada treballar des de casa, però l'altra cara de la moneda és que pot ser bastant aïllant.
tie yourself (up) in knots
To become very confused or anxious, especially when trying to explain or deal with something complicated.
Posar-se molt confús o nerviós, especialment intentant explicar o gestionar alguna cosa complicada.
She tied herself up in knots trying to explain the new policy to the team.
Es va fer un embolic intentant explicar la nova política a l'equip.
be brought/called to account
Be forced to explain your actions and (probably) punished.
Ser obligat a explicar les teves accions i probablement ser castigat.
After the financial scandal, the CEO was brought to account for his role in the company's losses.
Després de l'escàndol financer, el CEO va ser responsabilitzat pel seu paper en les pèrdues de l'empresa.
give someone the benefit of the doubt
To choose to believe or trust someone, even though you are not sure if what they are saying or doing is true or honest.
Triar confiar en algú, tot i no estar segur que el que diu o fa sigui veritat o sincer.
Even though Tom was late again, his boss decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and assumed he had a good reason.
Tot i que en Tom va arribar tard de nou, el seu cap va decidir donar-li el benefici del dubte i suposar que tenia un bon motiu.
go round in circles
To make no progress in an argument or discussion; to keep talking about the same things without reaching a conclusion.
No avançar en una discussió; repetir els mateixos temes sense arribar a una conclusió.
We went round in circles for hours during the meeting but never agreed on a solution.
Vam estar donant voltes durant hores a la reunió i mai no vam acordar una solució.
won’t budge/give an inch
Won’t modify an opinion or agree to even small changes that another person wants.
No vol canviar d'opinió ni acceptar cap concessió, ni que sigui petita.
No matter how much I argued, my boss wouldn’t budge on the deadline and wouldn’t give an inch.
Per molt que vaig insistir, el meu cap no va cedir ni un mil·límetre amb el termini.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
Being apart from someone you love makes you love them more.
Estar lluny d'algú que estimes fa que l'enyorança augmenti.
After spending a month away from her family, Jane realized that absence really makes the heart grow fonder.
Després d'un mes lluny de la seva família, la Jane va comprendre que l'absència fa créixer l'enyorança.
Actions speak louder than words
What people do is more important than what they say.
Els fets valen més que les paraules
He always promises to help, but never shows up. I guess actions speak louder than words.
Sempre promet ajudar, però mai apareix. Suposo que els fets valen més que les paraules.
There’s no point / It’s no good crying over spilt milk
There’s no point in getting upset over something bad that’s happened when you can’t change it.
No té sentit lamentar-se per una cosa que ja no es pot arreglar.
I know you lost your phone, but there’s no point crying over spilt milk—let’s focus on getting you a new one.
Ja sé que has perdut el mòbil, però no cal plorar per la llet vessada—millor ens concentrem a trobar-te’n un de nou.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
It is not a good idea to put all your efforts or all your money into one project as, if it fails, you may lose everything.
No és una bona idea posar tots els teus esforços o diners en un sol projecte, perquè si falla pots perdre-ho tot.
When investing, it's wise to not put all your eggs in one basket by diversifying your portfolio.
Quan inverteixes, és savi no posar tots els ous al mateix cistell i diversificar la cartera.
Many hands make light work
A job is done quickly and easily if plenty of people help.
Una feina es fa ràpid i fàcil si moltes persones ajuden.
We finished cleaning the park in no time because many hands make light work.
Vam acabar de netejar el parc en un moment perquè entre tots, la feina pesa menys.
Blood is thicker than water
Family relationships are stronger than any other relationships.
Les relacions familiars són més fortes que qualsevol altra.
Even though they argued, when her brother needed help, she remembered that blood is thicker than water and supported him.
Tot i que havien discutit, quan el seu germà va necessitar ajuda, va recordar que la sang tira més que l’aigua i el va ajudar.
Too many cooks spoil the broth
If too many people work on something, they will spoil it.
Si massa gent s'encarrega d'una cosa, l'acaben espatllant.
We had five people trying to design the logo, but in the end, too many cooks spoil the broth and it looked terrible.
Érem cinc dissenyant el logotip, però al final massa cuiners fan malbé l’olla i va quedar fatal.
People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones
People shouldn’t criticise other people for faults that they have themselves.
No s'ha de criticar els altres per errors que tu mateix tens.
Before you point out her mistakes, remember that people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
Abans de remarcar els seus errors, recorda que qui estigui lliure de culpa, que tiri la primera pedra.
It’s the last straw that breaks the camel’s back
Something is the last in a series of unpleasant events, and which finally makes you feel that the situation cannot continue.
L’últim fet d’una sèrie de mals que fa que no es pugui continuar.
When my boss criticized my work again after a long week of overtime, it was the last straw that broke the camel’s back and I decided to quit.
Quan el meu cap va criticar el meu treball una altra vegada després d’una setmana llarga d’hores extres, va ser la gota que va fer vessar el got i vaig decidir plegar.
While the cat’s away, the mice will play
When the person in authority is not there, other people will not do what they should do.
Quan l'autoritat no hi és, la resta aprofita per fer el que vol.
As soon as the boss left for vacation, the employees while the cat’s away, the mice will play and started taking longer lunch breaks.
Tan bon punt el cap va marxar de vacances, els empleats quan el gat no hi és, els ratolins ballen i van començar a fer pauses de dinar més llargues.
Take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves
If you don’t waste small sums of money, you’ll end up with plenty of money.
Si no malgastes petites quantitats, acabaràs tenint molts diners.
My grandmother always told me, 'Take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves,' so I try to save even the smallest amounts.
La meva àvia sempre deia: 'Estalvia els cèntims i els euros ja vindran', així que intento estalviar encara que sigui el més petit.
Birds of a feather flock together
People who have similar characters or interests will often choose to spend time together.
Les persones amb caràcters o interessos similars solen ajuntar-se.
You always see those two hanging out; I guess it's true what they say, birds of a feather flock together.
Sempre veus aquells dos junts; suposo que és veritat allò de: Déu els cria i ells s'ajunten.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
It’s better to keep what you have rather than to risk losing it by trying to get more.
És millor quedar-se amb el que ja tens que arriscar-ho tot per tenir-ne més.
I was offered a new job, but I decided to stay at my current one because a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
M'han ofert una nova feina, però he decidit quedar-me on soc perquè més val ocell a la mà que catorze volant.
The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence
Other people always seem to be in a better situation than you.
Sempre sembla que els altres estan en una situació millor que tu.
She thinks life would be perfect if she moved to the city, but I told her that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.
Pensa que la vida seria perfecta si es traslladés a la ciutat, però li vaig dir que l’herba sempre és més verda al jardí del veí.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
Someone who spends all their time working becomes a boring person.
Qui només treballa i no es diverteix es torna avorrit.
You should take a break and relax; remember, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
Hauries de fer una pausa i relaxar-te; recorda que tot feina i gens de diversió fa que la gent sigui avorrida.
No such luck!
You’re disappointed you were not able to do something.
Estàs decebut perquè no has pogut fer alguna cosa.
I hoped the meeting would be canceled, but no such luck!
Esperava que la reunió s'anul·lés, però no ha pogut ser.
The more, the merrier.
You’re happy for others to join your group or activity.
Com més serem, més riurem
If you want to bring your friends to the party, go ahead—the more, the merrier!
Si vols portar els teus amics a la festa, endavant—com més serem, més riurem!
You can say that again!
Used to express strong agreement with what someone has just said.
S'utilitza per expressar un acord total amb el que algú ha dit.
A: 'This weather is absolutely perfect for a picnic.' B: 'You can say that again!'
A: 'Aquest temps és perfecte per fer un pícnic.' B: 'Ja ho pots ben dir!'
There’s nothing to it!
Used to say that something is very easy to do or understand.
S'utilitza per dir que alguna cosa és molt fàcil de fer o d'entendre.
Don’t worry about assembling the furniture—there’s nothing to it once you read the instructions.
No et preocupis per muntar els mobles—és bufar i fer ampolles un cop llegeixis les instruccions.
Don’t make me laugh!
Used to express disbelief or skepticism, especially when someone suggests something that you think is unlikely, ridiculous, or impossible.
S'utilitza per expressar incredulitat o escepticisme, especialment quan algú suggereix quelcom que sembla improbable o ridícul.
You think you can finish all that work by tomorrow? Don’t make me laugh!
Creus que pots acabar tota aquesta feina per demà? No em facis riure!
How time flies!
You are surprised at how quickly time has passed.
Et sorprèn com de ràpid ha passat el temps.
I can't believe it's already June—how time flies!
No puc creure que ja sigui juny—com passa el temps!
It’s a small world.
You are surprised at a coincidence, e.g. meeting someone unexpectedly or discovering mutual friends.
Et sorprens per una coincidència, com trobar algú de forma inesperada o descobrir amics en comú.
I ran into my old college roommate while traveling in Japan—it’s a small world!
Vaig coincidir amb el meu antic company de pis del col·legi al Japó — el món és un mocador!
It’s neither here nor there.
It is not very important.
No és gaire important.
Whether we meet at 2 or 3 o’clock is neither here nor there—just let me know what works for you.
Si ens veiem a les 2 o a les 3 és igual—només digues què et va bé.
It’s six of one and half a dozen of the other.
There is no real difference between two choices or situations; both options are essentially the same.
No hi ha cap diferència real entre dues opcions; totes dues són pràcticament iguals.
Whether we take the highway or the back roads, it'll take about the same time—it’s six of one and half a dozen of the other.
Si agafem l’autopista o les carreteres secundàries, tardarem igual—ve a ser el mateix.
I can take it or leave it.
You do not hate something, but you don’t particularly like it either.
No odies una cosa, però tampoc t'entusiasma.
When it comes to spicy food, I can take it or leave it; it doesn't really matter to me.
Amb el menjar picant, m’és igual; no m’importa massa.
You name it.
Used to indicate that anything you can think of or mention is included; whatever you say or choose.
S'utilitza per indicar que qualsevol cosa que puguis imaginar hi està inclosa.
She’s traveled to Europe, Asia, Africa—you name it, she’s been there.
Ha viatjat per Europa, Àsia, Àfrica—només cal que ho diguis, hi ha estat.
This is the life!
It’s great to relax and not to be at work.
És genial relaxar-se i no estar a la feina.
Sitting by the pool with a cold drink in my hand, I thought, This is the life!
Assegut al costat de la piscina amb una beguda freda a la mà, vaig pensar: Això és vida!
You haven’t lived!
Used humorously to say that someone has not experienced something enjoyable or exciting, and they should try it.
Es diu amb humor per expressar que algú no ha viscut alguna cosa divertida o emocionant i val la pena que la provi.
If you've never tried deep-fried ice cream, you haven’t lived!
Si mai has tastat el gelat fregit, no has viscut!
It’s/That’s the story of my life!
Bad things always seem to be happening to me. (humorous)
Sempre em passen coses dolentes (en to humorístic).
I missed the bus by just a minute—that’s the story of my life!
He perdut l’autobús per només un minut—aquesta és la història de la meva vida!
Such is/That’s life!
Bad things happen and you cannot prevent them.
Passen coses dolentes i no les pots evitar.
I missed the last train home, but that’s life—sometimes things just don’t go your way.
He perdut l’últim tren cap a casa, però així és la vida—a vegades les coses simplement no van bé.
a pack of lies
completely untrue statements.
afirmacions completament falses.
Everything he said about his job was a pack of lies; he never even worked there.
Tot el que va dir sobre la seva feina era un munt de mentides; ni tan sols hi havia treballat.
a slip of the tongue
a small mistake in speaking, usually when you say something you did not intend to.
un petit error de parla, habitualment quan dius alguna cosa sense voler.
When I called my teacher 'mom' in class, it was just a slip of the tongue.
Quan vaig dir 'mare' a la professora a classe, només va ser una relliscada de llengua.
That's a likely story!
Used to express disbelief or skepticism about what someone has said, implying that you think they are lying or exaggerating.
S’utilitza per expressar incredulitat o escepticisme sobre el que ha dit algú, suggerint que penses que està mentint o exagerant.
You finished all your homework in ten minutes? That's a likely story!
Has acabat tots els deures en deu minuts? I tant, segur!
off-the-cuff remark
something said without preparation or thought.
alguna cosa dita sense preparació ni reflexió.
During the meeting, he made an off-the-cuff remark that surprised everyone.
Durant la reunió, va fer un comentari espontani que va sorprendre tothom.
in the same breath
Say two things that contradict each other at the same time.
dir dues coses contradictòries alhora
He told me he loved my cooking, but in the same breath said he preferred eating out.
Em va dir que li encantava el meu menjar, però en la mateixa frase va dir que preferia menjar fora.
small talk
conversation about unimportant or non-serious topics.
conversa sobre temes poc importants o no seriosos.
At the party, we made small talk about the weather before the main event started.
A la festa, vam fer xerrada trivial sobre el temps abans que comencés l'esdeveniment principal.
didn't ring true
did not seem to be true or believable.
no semblava veritat ni creïble.
His explanation about why he was late just didn't ring true to me.
La seva explicació de per què arribava tard no em va convèncer.
couldn't think of anything to say
Unable to respond or speak, often due to being overwhelmed.
Incapaz de respondre o parlar, sovint per sentir-se aclaparat.
When the teacher called on me unexpectedly, I couldn't think of anything to say and just sat there in silence.
Quan la mestra em va cridar de sobte, em vaig quedar en blanc i només vaig seure en silenci.
lost for words
unable to speak because of surprise or emotion.
incapaç de parlar per sorpresa o emoció.
When she saw the surprise party, she was completely lost for words.
Quan va veure la festa sorpresa, es va quedar completament sense paraules.
he was on about
What he was talking about (very informal).
De què estava parlant (molt informalment).
I had no idea what he was on about during the meeting; it all sounded like nonsense to me.
No tenia ni idea de què deia a la reunió; tot em semblava insensat.
in a word
used to sum up your opinion in a short, direct way.
s'utilitza per resumir la teva opinió de manera breu i directa.
When asked how the meeting went, I said, in a word, disappointing.
Quan em van preguntar com va anar la reunió, vaig dir, en una paraula, decebedor.
for want of a better word
Not the exact or best word, but good enough for the situation.
No és la paraula exacta o millor, però s'ajusta a la situació.
He was, for want of a better word, obsessed with collecting rare stamps.
Ell estava, per dir-ho d'alguna manera, obsessionat amb la col·lecció de segells rars.
to coin a phrase
used when you use a phrase that is not original or sounds clichéd, often to acknowledge that what you are saying is a common expression.
S'utilitza quan s'empra una frase feta o tòpica per reconèixer que el que es diu no és original.
It's not rocket science, to coin a phrase, but you do need to pay attention to the details.
No és cap secret, com es diu sovint, però cal tenir cura dels detalls.
taking the mick/mickey out of
Laughing at someone by copying funny things they do or say, often in a playful or teasing way.
Riure’s d’algú imitant de manera divertida o burlesca el que diu o fa.
He was taking the mick out of his brother by mimicking the way he dances.
Estava fent broma al seu germà imitant la seva manera de ballar.
make light of
To treat something serious as if it were not important or as a joke.
Restar importància a alguna cosa greu o prendre-s'ho amb broma.
He tried to make light of his mistake during the meeting, but his boss was not amused.
Va intentar treure importància al seu error durant la reunió, però al seu cap no li va fer gràcia.
no laughing matter
not something to laugh at, quite serious.
no és cap broma, és una cosa seriosa.
Failing the final exam is no laughing matter; you need to take it seriously.
Suspensar l’examen final no és cap broma; t’ho has de prendre seriosament.
It's no joke
Used to emphasize that a situation is serious, difficult, or not to be taken lightly.
S’utilitza per remarcar que una situació és seriosa, difícil o no s’ha de prendre a la lleugera.
It's no joke trying to find a job in this economy.
No és cap broma intentar trobar feina en aquesta economia.
on the off-chance
because you hope you will do or find something or someone even if you do not think success is very likely
perquè tens l'esperança d'aconseguir o trobar alguna cosa encara que no creguis que sigui probable
She stopped by the bakery on the off-chance that they might have some fresh croissants left.
Va passar per la fleca per si de cas quedaven croissants acabats de fer.
against all the odds
despite a lot of problems making it unlikely that you will succeed
malgrat molts problemes que fan improbable l'èxit
She managed to finish the marathon against all the odds, even though she injured her ankle halfway through.
Va aconseguir acabar la marató contra tot pronòstic, tot i que es va lesionar el turmell a mig camí.
take someone close to you for granted
Not to show you’re grateful to someone because they are with you so often.
No mostrar agraïment a algú perquè sempre està amb tu.
Sometimes we take our family members for granted and forget to thank them for all they do.
De vegades donem per fet els membres de la nostra família i ens oblidem d'agrair-los tot el que fan.
a foregone conclusion
the result is obvious to everyone even before it happens
el resultat és obvi per a tothom abans que passi
With their star player back in the lineup, it was a foregone conclusion that they would win the match.
Amb el seu jugador estrella de tornada, era claríssim que guanyarien el partit.
coming a mile off
To be able to see or predict that something, usually something bad or obvious, is going to happen well in advance.
Poder preveure que alguna cosa, normalment dolenta o òbvia, passarà amb antelació.
You could see that argument coming a mile off—they never agree on anything.
Es podia veure aquella discussió venir de lluny; mai s'entenen.
touch-and-go
A situation that is uncertain or risky, where the outcome is not clear and could go either way.
Una situació incerta o arriscada en què el resultat és incert i pot anar en qualsevol direcció.
It was touch-and-go for a while during the surgery, but thankfully everything turned out fine.
Durant la cirurgia, va ser penjant d'un fil, però per sort tot va sortir bé.
no prizes for guessing
It is very easy to figure out or predict something; the answer is obvious.
És molt fàcil d’endevinar o preveure alguna cosa; la resposta és òbvia.
No prizes for guessing who ate the last piece of cake—there are crumbs all over Tom's desk.
No cal ser molt llest per saber qui s’ha menjat l’últim tros de pastís—hi ha molles per tot el despatx del Tom.
the cards are stacked against you
You are not likely to succeed because there are so many obstacles in your way.
És poc probable que tinguis èxit perquè tens molts obstacles al teu camí.
With so little funding and no experience, the cards are stacked against us in this competition.
Amb tan pocs recursos i sense experiència, ho tenim tot en contra en aquesta competició.
chancing your arm
taking a risk to achieve what you want (informal)
arriscar-se per aconseguir el que es vol
He knew it was a long shot, but he decided to chance his arm and ask for a promotion.
Sabia que era difícil, però va decidir arriscar-se i demanar una promoció.
in the lap of the gods
is not something that you can control yourself
no és una cosa que puguis controlar tu
After submitting my application, whether I get the job or not is in the lap of the gods.
Després d'enviar la sol·licitud, si aconsegueixo la feina o no està en mans del destí.
Don’t push your luck!
Don’t try too hard to get what you want and risk losing what you have achieved.
No arrisquis el que ja has aconseguit intentant obtenir encara més.
You already got a discount, so don’t push your luck by asking for free shipping too.
Ja tens un descompte, així que no temptis la sort demanant també l’enviament gratuït.
We’ll take pot luck.
We’ll take whatever is available without knowing if it will be good or not.
Acceptarem el que hi hagi disponible sense saber si serà bo o no.
Since we didn't make a reservation, I guess we’ll take pot luck at the restaurant and hope for a table.
Com que no hem fet reserva, suposo que anirem a l'aventura al restaurant i esperarem que hi hagi taula.
It’s the luck of the draw.
It’s a matter of chance and you have no control over it.
És qüestió de sort i no ho pots controlar.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose—it’s the luck of the draw.
A vegades guanyes, a vegades perds—és qüestió de sort.
Just my luck!
You say this, usually humorously, to mean that you are always unlucky.
Es diu en to humorístic quan un sempre té mala sort.
I missed the bus by one minute—just my luck!
He perdut l’autobús per un minut—Quina sort la meva!
You should be so lucky!
Used to express doubt or disbelief that something desired or hoped for will actually happen; implies that the thing is very unlikely.
S'utilitza per expressar dubte o incredulitat que passi alguna cosa desitjada; implica que és molt poc probable.
You think you'll get tickets to the sold-out concert? You should be so lucky!
Creus que aconseguiràs entrades pel concert exhaurit? Ja t’agradaria!
have a lot to answer for
To be responsible for causing many problems or negative situations.
Ser responsable de causar molts problemes o situacions negatives.
Social media companies have a lot to answer for when it comes to the spread of misinformation.
Les empreses de xarxes socials tenen molt per respondre quan es tracta de la difusió de desinformació.
something is not all it’s cracked up to be
is not as good as people say it is
no és tan bo com es diu
The new restaurant was okay, but honestly, it wasn't all it’s cracked up to be.
El nou restaurant estava bé, però sincerament no era per tant.
someone/something has the edge over someone/something
is slightly better than
és una mica millor que
While both phones are impressive, I think the new model has the edge over its predecessor in terms of battery life.
Tot i que tots dos telèfons són impressionants, crec que el nou model té un avantatge lleuger respecte a l'anterior en durada de la bateria.
leave a lot to be desired
is not as good as it should be or as we might expect; lacking in quality or satisfactory aspects.
no és tan bo com hauria de ser o com s'esperava; li falta qualitat o aspectes satisfactoris.
The service at that restaurant leaves a lot to be desired; the waiter was rude and the food was cold.
El servei d'aquell restaurant deixava molt a desitjar; el cambrer era groller i el menjar fred.
have all the makings of
are likely to develop into; possess all the necessary qualities or ingredients for something to happen or succeed
tenir totes les qualitats o ingredients necessaris perquè alguna cosa passi o tingui èxit
This new project has all the makings of a huge success if we keep working hard.
Aquest nou projecte té tots els ingredients per ser un gran èxit si continuem treballant de valent.
on the big/expensive, etc. side
Slightly more than desired or expected in terms of size, cost, weight, or another quality.
Lleugerament superior al desitjat o esperat en mida, cost, pes o una altra qualitat.
This suitcase is on the heavy side, so you might want to pack a little less.
Aquesta maleta és una mica pesada, potser hauries de portar menys coses.
a dead loss
completely useless
completament inútil
After several failed attempts to fix the old printer, we realized it was a dead loss and decided to buy a new one.
Després de diversos intents fallits de reparar la impressora vella, vam veure que era una causa perduda i vam decidir-ne comprar una de nova.
throws the baby out with the bathwater
To eliminate or discard something valuable or important while trying to get rid of something unwanted.
Elimina alguna cosa valuosa mentre intentes desfer-te del que no vols.
When updating the software, make sure you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater by removing useful features along with the outdated ones.
Quan actualitzis el programari, assegura't de no llençar el nen amb l'aigua bruta eliminant funcionalitats útils.
gets/jumps/leaps on the bandwagon
To join others in doing something that is currently popular or successful, often in order to gain some benefit.
Unir-se a una cosa popular o reeixida per aprofitar-ne els beneficis.
After seeing how popular the new social media app became, everyone at school jumped on the bandwagon and created an account.
Després de veure com es popularitzava la nova aplicació de xarxes socials, tothom a l'escola es va pujar al carro i va crear un compte.
plays devil’s advocate
To pretend to be against an idea or argument, often for the sake of debate or to encourage discussion.
Fingir estar en contra d’una idea per incentivar el debat.
Even though she agreed with the plan, Maria decided to play devil’s advocate to make sure everyone considered the risks.
Tot i que hi estava d’acord, la Maria va decidir fer d’advocat del diable perquè tothom considerés els riscos.
drives someone to distraction
To make someone extremely annoyed, irritated, or bored.
Fer que algú estigui extremadament irritat, molest o avorrit.
The constant noise from the construction site drives me to distraction every morning.
El soroll constant de les obres em fa perdre els nervis cada matí.
makes an exhibition of themselves
To behave in a way in public that attracts attention and makes one look foolish or silly.
Comportar-se en públic de manera que crida l'atenció i fa quedar en ridícul.
He always makes an exhibition of himself at parties by dancing on tables and shouting.
Sempre fa el ridícul a les festes ballant sobre les taules i cridant.
does something under false pretences
To do something by lying about your identity, intentions, or reasons, usually to deceive others.
Fer alguna cosa enganyant sobre la teva identitat, intencions o motius per enganyar a altres.
He got the job under false pretences by claiming he had a degree he never earned.
Va aconseguir la feina amb enganys fingint que tenia una titulació que mai va obtenir.
never does anything by halves
always makes a great effort and does things very well, never only partially or carelessly.
sempre s'esforça molt i fa les coses molt bé, mai de manera superficial o a mitges.
When it comes to organizing events, Sarah never does anything by halves; she plans every detail perfectly.
Quan es tracta d’organitzar esdeveniments, la Sarah no fa mai res a mitges; planifica cada detall a la perfecció.
is a laughing stock
are laughed at or mocked by everyone; someone who is ridiculed by others.
ser el motiu de burla, ésser l'escarni de tothom
After his disastrous speech, the politician is a laughing stock among his colleagues.
Després del seu discurs desastrós, el polític és l'escarni entre els seus col·legues.
bottom of the career ladder
in a low position in a work organisation or hierarchy
en una posició baixa dins d’una organització laboral o jerarquia
After graduating, she started at the bottom of the career ladder as an intern.
Després de graduar-se, va començar a la base de l’escala professional com a becària.
dead-end job
A job that offers little or no chance of advancement or improvement in position, salary, or skills.
Una feina sense possibilitats d'ascendir ni de millorar el sou o les habilitats.
He realized he was stuck in a dead-end job with no opportunities for promotion.
Es va adonar que estava atrapat en una feina sense futur sense oportunitats de promoció.
run-of-the-mill
ordinary, average, or not special in any way; boring or routine.
ordinari, estàndard o sense res d'especial; avorrit o rutinari.
The movie was just run-of-the-mill; nothing about it really stood out.
La pel·lícula era simplement del munt; no hi havia res que destaqués.
get out of a rut
escape from a monotonous, boring situation
escapar d'una situació monòtona i avorrida
After working the same job for ten years, I needed to get out of a rut and try something new.
Després de deu anys fent la mateixa feina, necessitava sortir de la rutina i provar alguna cosa nova.
pulled out all the stops
made a great effort to do something well
va fer un gran esforç per fer alguna cosa molt bé
The organizers pulled out all the stops to make sure the charity event was a huge success.
Els organitzadors ho van donar tot per assegurar-se que l'esdeveniment solidari fos un èxit.
got the sack
was dismissed from his job
va ser acomiadat de la seva feina
After arriving late too many times, he finally got the sack from his company.
Després d'arribar tard massa vegades, finalment el van acomiadar de l'empresa.
stepped into his shoes
took over his job or responsibilities, especially after he left or was unable to continue.
va assumir la seva feina o responsabilitats, especialment després que marxes o no pogués continuar.
After the manager retired, Sarah stepped into his shoes and led the team to success.
Després que el gerent es jubilés, la Sarah va ocupar el seu lloc i va liderar l’equip cap a l’èxit.
rushed off his feet
Very busy; having too much to do in a short period of time.
Molt ocupat; tenir massa feina en poc temps.
Ever since the sale started, the shop assistants have been rushed off their feet with customers.
Des que han començat les rebaixes, els dependents han estat de gom a gom de clients.
had his work cut out
had something very difficult to do
tenia una tasca molt difícil
With only two days to finish the project, he had his work cut out for him.
Amb només dos dies per acabar el projecte, ho tenia molt complicat.
headhunted
invited to join a new workplace which had noticed his talents
va ser reclutat per una empresa que va notar el seu talent
After publishing her research, Maria was headhunted by several top universities.
Després de publicar la seva recerca, diverses universitats líders van fitxar la Maria.
climbed to the top of the career ladder
got to a top position in a work organisation or hierarchy
arribar a la posició més alta en una organització o jerarquia laboral
After years of hard work and dedication, she finally climbed to the top of the career ladder and became the CEO.
Després d’anys de feina, finalment va arribar al cim de l’escala professional i es va convertir en directora general.
rushed off your feet
to be extremely busy, with too much to do and not enough time
estar molt ocupat, amb massa feina i poc temps
We've been rushed off our feet ever since the sale started.
Des que va començar la rebaixa, hem estat de bòlit tot el temps.
snowed under
To be extremely busy, with too much work to do.
Estar extremadament ocupat, amb massa feina per fer.
I'm snowed under with assignments this week and barely have time to eat.
Estic fins dalt de feina amb tasques aquesta setmana i gairebé no tinc temps ni per menjar.
got my hands full
To be very busy or occupied with tasks, often to the point of being unable to take on anything else.
Estar molt ocupat amb moltes tasques, fins al punt de no poder assumir res més.
With three kids under five, I really got my hands full these days.
Amb tres nens menors de cinc anys, aquests dies realment tinc les mans plenes.
up to my eyes/ears in work
Extremely busy or overwhelmed with a large amount of work or tasks.
Extremadament ocupat o aclaparat per una gran quantitat de feina o tasques.
Sorry, I can't go out tonight—I'm up to my ears in work and need to finish this project.
Ho sento, no puc sortir aquesta nit—estic fins dalt de feina i he d'acabar aquest projecte.
on the go
very busy, always active
molt ocupat, sempre actiu
Between work, school, and taking care of the kids, I'm always on the go.
Entre la feina, l’escola i tenir cura dels nens, sempre estic amunt i avall.
put on hold
left until a later date (usually used in the passive)
ajornat fins a més endavant
The project was put on hold due to budget cuts.
El projecte es va posar en pausa per retallades de pressupost.
look great on paper
Describes something that seems perfect or impressive when considered theoretically or in writing, but may not work as well in real life.
Descriu alguna cosa que sembla perfecta o impressionant en teoria o per escrit, però que pot no funcionar igual a la pràctica.
The new marketing strategy looked great on paper, but it failed to attract any new customers.
La nova estratègia de màrqueting semblava genial sobre el paper, però no va atreure cap client nou.
behind the scenes
out of sight, hidden, or in a way that people are not aware of, often when something else is happening publicly
fora de la vista, amagat o d’una manera que la gent no percep, sovint quan passa alguna cosa de manera pública
The actors are on stage, but a lot of hard work happens behind the scenes to make the show a success.
Els actors són a l’escenari, però molta feina dura passa entre bastidors perquè l’espectacle triomfi.
talk shop
talk about work when you are not at work
parlar de la feina fora de l’horari laboral
Even at the party, the engineers couldn't help but talk shop about their latest project.
Fins i tot a la festa, els enginyers no podien evitar parlar de la feina sobre el seu últim projecte.
look right/straight through someone
Behave as if you do not see someone, either because you do not notice them or because you are deliberately ignoring them.
Comportar-se com si no veiessis algú, ja sigui perquè no el notes o perquè l'estàs ignorant deliberadament.
When I waved at Sarah in the hallway, she just looked straight through me and kept walking.
Quan vaig saludar la Sarah al passadís, ella simplement em va ignorar completament i va continuar caminant.
leave someone in the lurch
To abandon someone in a difficult situation when they need your help or support.
Abandonar algú en una situació difícil quan necessita la teva ajuda o suport.
I can't believe you would leave me in the lurch right before the big presentation.
No em puc creure que em deixessis penjat just abans de la gran presentació.
give someone a hard/rough/tough time
to make things difficult or unpleasant for someone, often by criticizing, teasing, or challenging them.
fer-li la vida difícil o desagradable a algú, sovint criticant-lo, prenent-lo a broma o reptant-lo.
My older brother always gives me a hard time about my taste in music.
El meu germà gran sempre em fa la punyeta pel meu gust musical.
keep a lid on something
To control or limit the level of something, especially to prevent it from increasing or becoming worse.
controlar o limitar alguna cosa per evitar que empitjori o augmenti
The government is trying hard to keep a lid on inflation this year.
El govern fa molts esforços per mantenir a ratlla la inflació aquest any.
let (yourself) go
either take less care of your appearance or relax completely and enjoy yourself
descuidar l’aspecte físic o relaxar-se i gaudir plenament
After her retirement, she really let herself go and stopped worrying about her hairstyle or clothes.
Després de jubilar-se, realment es va deixar anar i va deixar de preocupar-se pel pentinat o la roba.
blow something out of (all) proportion
Behave as if something that has happened is much worse than it really is.
Comportar-se com si alguna cosa fos molt pitjor del que realment és.
The media tends to blow minor incidents out of all proportion, making them seem like huge scandals.
Els mitjans solen fer una muntanya d’un gra de sorra amb incidents menors, fent-los semblar grans escàndols.
thought nothing of it
Did something that other people found difficult very easily.
Va fer alguna cosa que altres trobaven difícil amb molta facilitat.
While everyone else was nervous about speaking in public, she thought nothing of it and delivered her speech confidently.
Mentre tothom estava nerviós de parlar en públic, ella ho va fer sense despentinar-se i va fer el discurs amb seguretat.
it brought a lump to my throat
moved me so much that I wanted to cry
em va commoure tant que tenia ganes de plorar
Watching the old couple reunite after years apart brought a lump to my throat.
Veure la parella d'avis reunir-se després d'anys em va fer un nus a la gola.
make the most of
take full advantage of something because it may not last long
aprofitar al màxim alguna cosa perquè potser no durarà gaire
We should make the most of this sunny weather and have a picnic in the park.
Hauríem de aprofitar al màxim aquest bon temps i fer un pícnic al parc.
hanging in the balance
No one knows what will happen to it in the future; its outcome is uncertain.
Ningú sap què passarà en el futur; el resultat és incert.
The fate of the missing hikers is still hanging in the balance as the search continues.
El destí dels excursionistes desapareguts encara penja d’un fil mentre continua la recerca.
faded/paled into insignificance
did not seem at all important when compared to something else
no semblava gens important en comparació amb una altra cosa
After seeing the devastation caused by the hurricane, my own problems paled into insignificance.
Després de veure la devastació provocada per l'huracà, els meus problemes es van quedar petits.
wouldn’t dream of
would never do something because we think it is wrong
mai faria alguna cosa perquè creu que està malament
I wouldn’t dream of lying to my parents about where I was last night.
Ni en somni mentiria als meus pares sobre on era ahir a la nit.
come to terms with
start to accept emotionally and to deal with a difficult situation
començar a acceptar i afrontar emocionalment una situació difícil
After months of therapy, she finally came to terms with her father's passing.
Després de mesos de teràpia, finalment va acceptar la mort del seu pare.
a dark horse
someone who is clever or skilful in a way that no one knew or expected
algú que és hàbil o intel·ligent d'una manera inesperada
No one thought Sarah would win the competition, but she turned out to be a dark horse and took first place.
Ningú pensava que la Sarah guanyaria la competició, però va resultar ser la sorpresa i va aconseguir el primer lloc.
a lone wolf
someone who does not mix socially with other people
algú que no es barreja socialment amb altres persones
Ever since college, Jake has been a lone wolf, preferring to work and travel by himself.
Des de la universitat, en Jake ha estat un llop solitari, preferint treballar i viatjar tot sol.
a cold fish
someone who is not very friendly and does not show their feelings
una persona poc amigable i que no mostra els seus sentiments
Even at the party, Mark was a cold fish, barely talking to anyone.
Fins i tot a la festa, en Mark era fred i distant, gairebé no parlava amb ningú.
a guinea pig
someone who acts as a subject in an experiment or trial of something
algú que fa de subjecte en un experiment o prova
They needed volunteers to test the new app, so I agreed to be a guinea pig.
Necessitaven voluntaris per provar la nova aplicació, així que vaig acceptar ser conillet d'índies.
a party animal
someone who loves parties and socialising
una persona que gaudeix molt de les festes i la vida social
Jake is such a party animal; he goes out dancing every weekend and never misses a celebration.
El Jake és tot un animal de festa; surt a ballar cada cap de setmana i mai es perd una celebració.
a fly on the wall
someone who would love to be present to see or hear something private or secret without being noticed
algú que voldria estar present escoltant una conversa privada sense ser notat
I wish I could be a fly on the wall during their meeting to hear what they really think.
M'encantaria ser una mosca a la paret durant la seva reunió per escoltar què pensen realment.
fly-on-the-wall
A documentary or style of filming that observes real-life situations as they happen, often unobtrusively or with hidden cameras, to capture authentic behavior.
Un documental o estil de filmar que observa situacions reals tal com passen, sovint de manera discreta o amb càmeres ocultes, per captar comportaments autèntics.
The filmmaker used a fly-on-the-wall approach to show what really happens behind the scenes at the hospital.
El director va utilitzar un enfocament de càmera oculta per mostrar què passa realment entre bastidors a l’hospital.
bark is worse than his bite
He may seem fierce or tough, but he is not really as bad or as harsh as he appears.
Pot semblar dur o sever, però en realitat no és tan dolent com sembla.
Don't worry about the coach yelling; his bark is worse than his bite.
No et preocupis pels crits de l'entrenador; fa més soroll que mal.
wouldn't hurt a fly
is totally harmless and would never hurt anyone
és totalment inofensiu i mai faria mal a ningú
Everyone says that Tom wouldn't hurt a fly; he's the gentlest person I know.
Tothom diu que en Tom no faria mal ni a una mosca; és la persona més tranquil·la que conec.
travel bug
a strong desire to travel
un gran desig de viatjar
Ever since her trip to Italy, she seems to have caught the travel bug and can't stop planning her next adventure.
Des del seu viatge a Itàlia, sembla que té el cuquet dels viatges i no pot parar de planejar la pròxima aventura.
got/taken the bit between her teeth
started to work or act in a very determined and energetic way, often after being hesitant or slow at first.
va començar a treballar o actuar de manera molt determinada i enèrgica, sovint després de ser reticent o lent al principi.
Once she got the bit between her teeth, there was no stopping her from finishing the project ahead of schedule.
Un cop es va posar les piles, res la podia aturar d’acabar el projecte abans del previst.
given me free rein
given me complete freedom to act or make decisions as I see fit.
m'ha donat llibertat total per actuar o prendre decisions com consideri oportú.
My boss has given me free rein to design the new marketing campaign however I want.
El meu cap m'ha donat carta blanca per dissenyar la nova campanya de màrqueting com vulgui.
a little bird told me
Said when someone has told you a secret, but you do not want to say who.
Es diu quan algú t’ha explicat un secret però no vols dir qui.
A little bird told me that you're planning a surprise party for Sarah.
Un ocellet m’ha dit que estàs preparant una festa sorpresa per a la Sarah.
made a beeline for
went quickly and directly to
anar directament i ràpid cap a
As soon as the doors opened, the kids made a beeline for the ice cream truck.
Tan bon punt es van obrir les portes, els nens van córrer directes a la furgoneta de gelats.
butterflies in my stomach
to feel very nervous or anxious, usually because you are about to do something important or exciting
estar molt nerviós o ansiós, normalment abans de fer alguna cosa important o emocionant
Before going on stage for the first time, I had butterflies in my stomach.
Abans de sortir a l'escenari per primer cop, tenia papallones a l'estómac.
made a real pig of myself
ate too much; overindulged in food, often to the point of feeling uncomfortable or embarrassed.
va menjar massa; es va atipar tant que es va sentir incòmode o avergonyit
At the buffet last night, I made a real pig of myself and tried every dessert they had.
Al bufet d'ahir a la nit, em vaig atipar i vaig provar tots els postres.
chasing my tail
Doing a lot of activity or work but achieving little or making no real progress; being busy with unproductive tasks.
Fer molta activitat però sense avançar realment; estar ocupat amb tasques poc productives.
I've been chasing my tail all day, answering emails and making calls, but I haven't finished any of my important tasks.
He estat tot el dia donant voltes sense avançar, responent correus electrònics i trucant, però no he acabat cap tasca important.
start the ball rolling
to begin an activity or process and encourage others to participate or continue it
començar una activitat o procés i animar els altres a participar o continuar
Let's start the ball rolling by introducing ourselves to the group.
Comencem trencant el gel presentant-nos al grup.
the ball is in your court
You have to do something now before any progress can be made.
Ara et toca a tu fer alguna cosa perquè hi hagi avenços.
I've done all I can to help you, so now the ball is in your court.
He fet tot el que he pogut per ajudar-te, ara la pilota és a la teva teulada.
on the ball
quick to understand and react
ràpid per entendre i reaccionar
The new assistant is really on the ball; she catches every mistake before it becomes a problem.
La nova assistenta és realment espavilada; detecta cada error abans que sigui un problema.
do something off our own bat
on our own initiative, without being asked to by anyone else
per iniciativa pròpia, sense que ningú ho demanés
She did it off her own bat and organized the whole event without waiting for instructions.
Ella ho va fer pel seu compte i va organitzar tot l'esdeveniment sense esperar instruccions.
throw us a curveball
surprise us with an unexpected problem
sorprendre'ns amb un problema inesperat
Just when we thought the project was on track, the client threw us a curveball by changing the requirements.
Quan pensàvem que el projecte anava bé, el client ens va sorprendre canviant els requisits.
play ball
co-operate in order to achieve something (usually used in a negative context)
cooperar per aconseguir alguna cosa (generalment en un context negatiu)
If you don't play ball with the new management, you might lose your job.
Si no col·labores amb la nova direcció, pots perdre la feina.
on a level playing field
in a situation where everyone has the same opportunities and advantages; a fair situation
en una situació on tothom té les mateixes oportunitats i avantatges; una situació justa
The new regulations are designed to ensure that all companies compete on a level playing field.
Les noves regulacions busquen garantir que totes les empreses competeixin en igualtat de condicions.
play your cards right
Behave in a smart or strategic way to achieve your desired outcome.
Actuar de manera intel·ligent o estratègica per aconseguir el que vols.
If you play your cards right, you might get promoted this year.
Si jugues bé les teves cartes, pots aconseguir una promoció aquest any.
put/lay your cards on the table
Tell someone honestly what you think or what you plan to do.
Explicar sincerament el que penses o el que vols fer.
It's time to put my cards on the table and tell you how I really feel about this project.
És hora de posar totes les cartes damunt la taula i dir-te com em sento realment sobre aquest projecte.
follow suit
do the same as everyone else has just done
fer el mateix que han fet els altres després
When the first student started packing up early, the rest of the class quickly followed suit.
Quan el primer alumne va començar a recollir abans d’hora, la resta de la classe va fer el mateix.
call someone's bluff
make someone prove that what they are saying is true or prove that they will really do what they say they will do
fer que algú demostri que el que diu és cert o que realment farà el que diu
When Tom threatened to quit if he didn't get a raise, his boss decided to call his bluff and told him to hand in his resignation.
Quan en Tom va amenaçar de plegar si no li pujaven el sou, el seu cap va decidir provar si de veritat ho faria i li va demanar la dimissió.
take the plunge
do something important or difficult that you’ve been thinking of doing for a long time
fer alguna cosa important o difícil després de molt de temps pensant-ho
After years of thinking about it, I finally took the plunge and started my own business.
Després d'anys pensant-hi, finalment vaig fer el pas i vaig començar el meu propi negoci.
go back to square one
to return to the starting point of a process or project because previous efforts have failed or produced no results.
tornar al punt de partida perquè els intents anteriors han fracassat o no han donat resultat.
After our proposal was rejected, we had to go back to square one and come up with a completely new plan.
Després que rebutgessin la nostra proposta, vam haver de començar de nou i idear un pla completament nou.
be wide of the mark
to be incorrect, inaccurate, or far from the intended target or answer
estar equivocat, ser inexacte o molt lluny de la resposta correcta
His guess about the cost of the repairs was wide of the mark; it ended up being much cheaper.
La seva estimació del cost de les reparacions estava totalment fora de lloc; al final va ser molt més barat.
do something on the spur of the moment
do something suddenly, without planning
fer una cosa de sobte, sense planificació
We decided to go to the beach on the spur of the moment and didn't even pack a lunch.
Vam decidir anar a la platja per impuls i ni tan sols vam portar dinar.
be on the cards
be likely to happen
probable que passi
A promotion could be on the cards for you if you keep working this hard.
Un ascens podria estar a punt d’arribar si continues treballant així.
your best bet
the best thing you can do to achieve the result you want
la millor opció per aconseguir el resultat desitjat
If you want to avoid traffic, your best bet is to leave early in the morning.
Si vols evitar el trànsit, el millor que pots fer és sortir d’hora al matí.
when the chips are down
when you are in a difficult situation, especially one which tests whether you can trust people
quan et trobes en una situació difícil que posa a prova la confiança amb els altres
You really find out who your friends are when the chips are down.
Realment descobreixes qui són els teus amics quan vénen mals moments.
makes your mouth water
Describes something, usually food, that looks, smells, or sounds so delicious that it makes you want to eat it immediately.
Descriu quelcom, sovint menjar, que es veu, fa olor o sona tan deliciós que vols menjar-ho immediatament.
The smell of freshly baked bread always makes my mouth water.
L’olor de pa recent fet sempre em fa venir salivera.
has a sweet tooth
particularly likes sweet things
tenir debilitat pels dolços
She definitely has a sweet tooth; she can't finish a meal without dessert.
Ella sens dubte és molt llaminera; no pot acabar un àpat sense postres.
whet your appetite
awaken a desire (for food or something else)
despertar el desig (de menjar o d'altres coses)
The chef's delicious appetizer really whet my appetite for the main course.
L'aperitiu deliciós del xef realment em va obrir la gana pel plat principal.
the icing on the cake
something that makes a good situation even better
quelcom que fa que una bona situació sigui encara millor
Getting promoted was amazing, but receiving a bonus was the icing on the cake.
Ser ascendit va ser increïble, però rebre una prima va ser la cirereta del pastís.
you can’t have your cake and eat it / you want to have your cake and eat it
Two good things are impossible to do or have at the same time; you can't enjoy both benefits without giving up one.
No es poden tenir dues coses bones alhora; cal renunciar a una per tenir l’altra.
If you want to save money, you can’t have your cake and eat it by also spending a lot on luxury items.
Si vols estalviar, no pots tenir el pa sencer i el gos tip gastant també en articles de luxe.
leaves a sour taste in your mouth
To have an unpleasant memory or lingering bad feeling about something that happened.
Tenir un mal record o una sensació desagradable sobre alguna cosa que ha passat.
The way the manager dismissed her concerns really left a sour taste in my mouth.
La manera com el gerent va descartar les seves preocupacions realment em va deixar mal gust de boca.
to the bitter end
see something through to the end even though it takes a long time and is difficult
acabar alguna cosa fins al final encara que sigui difícil i duri molt
Despite the challenges, she was determined to stick with the project to the bitter end.
Malgrat les dificultats, estava decidida a continuar amb el projecte fins al final.
have egg on your face
be left feeling stupid or embarrassed because of something you did
quedar en ridícul o sentir-se avergonyit per alguna cosa que has fet
After announcing the wrong winner at the ceremony, the host really had egg on his face.
Després d'anunciar el guanyador equivocat a la cerimònia, el presentador realment va quedar en evidència.
be the best/greatest thing since sliced bread
To be considered excellent, innovative, or extremely useful (informal).
Ser considerat excel·lent, innovador o extremadament útil
Everyone in the office thinks the new project management app is the best thing since sliced bread.
A l’oficina tothom pensa que la nova app de gestió de projectes és el millor invent des del pa tallat.
be your bread and butter
Be an activity or job you do to get the money you need.
activitat o feina que dona el sosteniment principal
Freelance writing is my bread and butter, but I also enjoy painting in my free time.
Escriure com a freelance és el meu pa de cada dia, però també m’agrada pintar en el meu temps lliure.
bear fruit
produce a positive result
donar un resultat positiu
After months of hard work, their efforts finally bore fruit when they won the contract.
Després de mesos de feina dura, els seus esforços finalment van donar fruits quan van guanyar el contracte.
flavour of the month
something or someone that is very popular at the moment
alguna cosa o algú que és molt popular ara mateix
That new singer is the flavour of the month, but I doubt people will remember her next year.
Aquella nova cantant és la moda del moment, però dubto que la gent la recordi l'any vinent.
be past or pass your sell-by date
not wanted or used anymore because they are too old
ja no és desitjat ni utilitzat perquè és massa vell
Some people think that vinyl records are past their sell-by date, but collectors still love them.
Algunes persones creuen que els discos de vinil han quedat antiquats, però als col·leccionistes encara els encanten.
caught in the act
seen doing something wrong or forbidden while actually doing it
ser enxampat mentre es fa alguna cosa dolenta o prohibida
The thief was caught in the act of breaking into the car by a passing police officer.
El lladre va ser enxampat in fraganti quan intentava forçar el cotxe per un policia que passava.
get her act together
organize herself more effectively
organitzar-se millor i ser més eficient
If she wants to pass her exams, she really needs to get her act together and start studying seriously.
Si vol aprovar els exàmens, realment necessita posar-se les piles i començar a estudiar seriosament.
get in on the act
to take part in something exciting or profitable, often after seeing others benefit from it
participar en alguna cosa emocionant o profitosa després de veure que d’altres hi obtenen èxit
After seeing how much money people were making selling handmade crafts online, I decided to get in on the act too.
Després de veure quants diners guanyava la gent venent manualitats online, vaig decidir pujar-me al carro també.
putting on an act
pretending, not being genuine
fer veure, no ser sincer
I could tell he was putting on an act when he said he wasn't upset.
Vaig notar que feia comèdia quan va dir que no estava molest.
balancing act
A situation where you try to give equal attention or importance to two or more different things, often with difficulty.
Situació on intentes donar la mateixa atenció o importància a diverses coses alhora, sovint amb dificultat.
Being a working parent is a real balancing act between job responsibilities and family time.
Ser un pare o mare que treballa és un veritable acte d'equilibri entre la feina i el temps en família.
clean up their act
To start behaving in a more acceptable or responsible way, especially by stopping bad habits or actions that others disapprove of.
Començar a comportar-se de manera més acceptable o responsable, deixant mals hàbits.
After getting in trouble at work, he knew he had to clean up his act if he wanted to keep his job.
Després de tenir problemes a la feina, sabia que havia de posar-se les piles si volia conservar la feina.
act your age
Don’t behave in a childish way; behave in a manner appropriate for your age.
No et comportis de manera infantil; comporta't d'acord amb la teva edat.
Stop making silly faces in class and act your age.
Deixa de fer cares estranyes a classe i comporta't d'acord amb la teva edat.
acting the fool/goat
Behaving in a silly or playful way, often to make others laugh or to avoid being serious.
Comportar-se d'una manera ximple o juganera, sovint per fer riure als altres o evitar ser seriós.
During the meeting, Tom kept acting the fool and making everyone laugh instead of focusing on the agenda.
Durant la reunió, en Tom no parava de fer el pallasso i feia riure a tothom en lloc de centrar-se en l’agenda.
hive of activity
a very busy place (like a beehive) with people working hard all the time
un lloc molt concorregut amb gent treballant sense parar
The kitchen was a hive of activity as everyone prepared food for the party.
La cuina era un rusc d’activitat mentre tothom preparava el menjar per a la festa.
out of action
Not working or unable to participate in normal activities, often due to illness, injury, or malfunction.
No poder treballar o participar en activitats normals, sovint per malaltia, lesió o avaria.
After spraining his ankle, Tom was out of action for the rest of the soccer season.
Després d'esquinçar-se el turmell, en Tom va quedar fora de combat la resta de la temporada.
back in action
To be able to work, perform, or participate again after a break, injury, or pause.
Poder tornar a treballar, actuar o participar després d'una pausa, lesió o aturada.
After recovering from his knee surgery, the football player was finally back in action for the championship game.
Després de recuperar-se de la cirurgia al genoll, el futbolista finalment estava de nou en acció per a la final.
get a slice/piece of the action
To take part in something exciting or profitable, often because others are already benefiting from it.
Participar en alguna cosa emocionant o rendible perquè altres ja se n'estan beneficiant
After hearing about the company's rapid growth, investors wanted to get a piece of the action before it was too late.
Després de sentir parlar del ràpid creixement de l’empresa, els inversors volien emportar-se una part del pastís abans no fos massa tard.
all talk and no action
Be someone who promises or says they will do a lot of exciting things, but doesn’t actually do them.
Algú que fa moltes promeses però no les compleix
He’s all talk and no action when it comes to helping out—he always promises, but never shows up.
Ell és molt parlar i poc fer quan es tracta d’ajudar—sempre promet, però mai apareix.
course of action
A way of acting or a plan that someone decides to take, especially in a formal or considered manner.
Una manera d'actuar o un pla que algú decideix prendre, especialment de manera formal o meditada.
After much discussion, the committee decided that the best course of action was to postpone the event.
Després de molta discussió, el comitè va decidir que la millor línia d'actuació era ajornar l'esdeveniment.
goes to the dogs
It goes from a good situation or condition to a bad one; deteriorates or declines in quality.
Passar d’una bona situació a una de dolenta; deteriorar-se.
Ever since the new management took over, the company has gone to the dogs and lost most of its loyal customers.
Des que la nova direcció va agafar el control, l’empresa ha anat de mal en pitjor i ha perdut la majoria de clients fidels.
put the cat among the pigeons
To do or say something that is likely to cause trouble, controversy, or a strong reaction among a group of people.
Fer o dir quelcom que probablement causi problemes, controvèrsia o una forta reacció dins d’un grup.
When the manager announced the new working hours, it really put the cat among the pigeons in the office.
Quan el gerent va anunciar els nous horaris, va remoure les aigües a l’oficina.
not (enough) room to swing a cat
there is very little room or space somewhere
hi ha molt poc espai, tot és molt estret
This apartment is so tiny, there's not enough room to swing a cat in the kitchen.
Aquest pis és tan petit que no s'hi pot ni girar a la cuina.
law of the jungle
a situation where people do whatever they want without caring about others, often in a selfish or ruthless way
una situació on la gent fa el que vol sense importar-li els altres, sovint amb egoisme o crueltat
In the world of high finance, it's often the law of the jungle—only the strongest survive.
Al món de les finances altes, sovint hi regna la llei de la selva—només sobreviuen els més forts.
a real can of worms
a very complicated, difficult, or problematic situation
una situació molt complicada, difícil o problemàtica
Trying to fix the old computer turned into a real can of worms when we discovered all the hidden issues.
Intentar arreglar l'ordinador vell va ser un bon embolic quan vam descobrir tots els problemes ocults.
like water off a duck’s back
having no effect on someone, especially criticism or insults
no afecta a algú, especialment la crítica o insults
No matter how much they tease him, it’s like water off a duck’s back; he just laughs it off.
Per molt que li facin burla, tot li rellisca; simplement riu.
running round like headless chickens
being very busy and active but not achieving anything useful or effective
estar molt ocupat i actiu però sense avançar res útil
During the product launch, everyone in the office was running round like headless chickens, but nothing actually got done.
Durant el llançament del producte, tothom a l'oficina anava com pollastres sense cap, però realment no es va fer res.
snail mail
traditional postal mail (as opposed to email), often used humorously
correu postal tradicional (en contrast amb el correu electrònic), sovint en to humorístic
I still love sending birthday cards through snail mail even though everyone else uses email.
Encara m’agrada enviar targetes d’aniversari amb el correu caragol, tot i que tothom usa correu electrònic.
put out feelers
make informal enquiries; talk to people unofficially to see if someone is interested
fer consultes informals; parlar amb gent per veure si algú està interessat
Before applying for the new position, she decided to put out feelers to see if the company was actually hiring.
Abans de sol·licitar la nova plaça, va decidir sondejar el terreny per veure si l’empresa realment contractava.
bite the bullet
To face a difficult or unpleasant situation with courage and determination, instead of avoiding it.
Afrontar una situació difícil o desagradable amb coratge i determinació, en comptes d’evitar-la.
Even though she was scared of the dentist, she decided to bite the bullet and make an appointment.
Tot i que tenia por del dentista, va decidir afrontar-ho i demanar hora.
jump the gun
do something too soon, before you should do it
fer alguna cosa massa aviat, abans d’hora
We jumped the gun and started the meeting before everyone arrived.
Vam avançar-nos i vam començar la reunió abans que arribés tothom.
stick to your guns
Don’t let other people change your mind, ideas, or principles; to remain firm in your beliefs or decisions even when others try to persuade you otherwise.
No deixar que altres canviïn la teva opinió o principis; mantenir-se ferm en les teves conviccions.
Even though everyone disagreed with her, she decided to stick to her guns and follow her plan.
Tot i que tothom no hi estava d’acord, va decidir mantenir-se ferm i seguir el seu pla.
look daggers at someone
To look at someone in a very angry or hateful way.
Mirar algú amb una mirada molt enfadada o d’odi.
When I accidentally spilled coffee on her report, she looked daggers at me for the rest of the meeting.
Quan accidentalment vaig vessar cafè al seu informe, ella em va clavar una mirada que matava la resta de la reunió.
put the knife in
deliberately do or say something really hurtful to someone
fer o dir expressament alguna cosa molt dolorosa a algú
She really put the knife in when she told him he was the worst manager she'd ever worked for.
Realment va posar el dit a la nafra quan li va dir que era el pitjor cap amb qui havia treballat.
twist the knife
do or say something which makes a bad or hurtful situation even worse
empitjorar una situació dolorosa amb paraules o accions
After I lost the game, my brother just had to twist the knife by reminding me of my last mistake.
Després de perdre el partit, el meu germà va posar sal a la ferida recordant-me el meu últim error.
have a shot at
to try (something), especially something new or challenging
provar de fer alguna cosa, especialment si és nova o difícil
Even though I've never painted before, I'd like to have a shot at creating my own artwork.
Tot i que mai he pintat, m’agradaria provar de crear la meva pròpia obra d’art.
in the firing line
in a position where people can criticize or blame you
estar en una posició on et poden criticar o culpar
After the project failed, the manager found himself in the firing line during the meeting.
Després del fracàs del projecte, el gerent es va trobar al punt de mira durant la reunió.
call the shots
be the person who makes all the important decisions
ser la persona que pren totes les decisions importants
Ever since she was promoted to manager, Jane has been the one to call the shots in the office.
Des que van ascendir a la Jane, ella és qui pren les decisions a l’oficina.
caught in the crossfire
Involved in a situation where people around you are arguing or fighting, often unintentionally becoming affected by their conflict.
Estar involucrat en una situació en què els altres discuteixen o es barallen, sovint acabant afectat sense voler-ho.
During their heated debate, I got caught in the crossfire and ended up having to defend myself even though I wasn't involved.
Durant el seu debat acalorat, em vaig veure atrapat al mig del foc creuat i vaig acabar defensant-me tot i que no hi estava implicat.
hold fire
wait and not take action yet
esperar i no actuar encara
Let's hold fire on making a decision until we have all the facts.
Esperem abans de prendre una decisió fins que tinguem tots els fets.
up in arms
angry and protesting loudly
enfadat i protestant enèrgicament
The residents were up in arms when they heard about the plan to build a factory near their homes.
Els veïns estaven en peu de guerra quan van sentir el pla de construir una fàbrica a prop de casa seva.
his own worst enemy
His own attitude or behavior will prevent him from reaching his goal.
La seva pròpia actitud o comportament li impedeix aconseguir el seu objectiu.
John is his own worst enemy when it comes to work; he procrastinates so much that he misses important deadlines.
En John és el seu pitjor enemic a la feina; procrastina tant que perd terminis importants.
fighting a losing battle
trying to achieve something that you will probably fail to achieve
intentar aconseguir una cosa que probablement fracassaràs
She knew she was fighting a losing battle when she tried to convince her boss to change his mind.
Sabia que lluitava una batalla perduda quan intentava convèncer el seu cap perquè canviés d'opinió.
burn your bridges
do something that makes it impossible to go back to a situation you were in before
fer alguna cosa que fa impossible tornar a la situació anterior
If you quit your job without notice and insult your boss, you really burn your bridges with that company.
Si deixes la feina sense avisar i insultes el teu cap, realment cremes els ponts amb aquella empresa.
have an axe to grind
To have a strong personal opinion, bias, or selfish motive that one wants to promote, often in a way that is not entirely objective.
tenir un interès o motiu personal que es vol promoure
She always seems to have an axe to grind when it comes to environmental issues.
Sempre sembla que té un interès personal en qüestions ambientals.
when it comes to the crunch
when a situation becomes serious or difficult
quan la situació es posa seriosa o difícil
Everyone says they'll help, but when it comes to the crunch, only a few people actually show up.
Tothom diu que ajudarà, però quan arriba l'hora de la veritat, només uns pocs es presenten.
a chink in his armour
a weak point in someone's character, argument, or defenses that can be exploited or taken advantage of.
un punt feble en el caràcter, argumentació o defenses d'algú que es pot aprofitar.
The lawyer found a chink in his armour during the cross-examination, which helped win the case.
L’advocat va trobar el taló d’Aquil·les durant el contrainterrogatori, cosa que va ajudar a guanyar el cas.
have something on the brain
You can’t stop thinking or talking about one particular thing.
No pots deixar de pensar o parlar d'una cosa en particular.
Ever since she started planning her wedding, she has it on the brain and talks about it nonstop.
Des que va començar a planificar el seu casament, no pot treure-se’l del cap i en parla sense parar.
pick someone's brains
ask for information or advice from a person who knows more about something than you do.
Demanar informació o consell a algú amb més experiència.
Can I pick your brains about the new software update? You always understand these things better than I do.
Puc demanar-te consell sobre l'actualització del programari? Sempre ho entens millor que jo.
brain drain
the movement of highly skilled and educated people from their own country to another one where they are paid more.
fuga de cervells: marxa de persones molt qualificades i amb estudis a un altre país on els paguen més.
Many doctors and engineers leave the country, contributing to the brain drain that affects the nation's development.
Molts metges i enginyers marxen del país, contribuint a la fuga de cervells que afecta el desenvolupament nacional.
be a load/weight off your mind
To feel relieved because a worry or concern has been removed.
Sentir alleujament perquè una preocupació ha desaparegut.
Finding out that my test results were negative was a real weight off my mind.
Saber que els resultats de la prova eren negatius va ser un gran alleujament.
have/keep an open mind
Wait until you have all the facts before forming an opinion.
Espera a tenir tots els fets abans de formar una opinió.
It's important to keep an open mind when learning about new cultures.
És important tenir la ment oberta quan aprens sobre noves cultures.
have a mind of its own
Used to describe a machine or object that seems to act independently or unpredictably, not following the user's intentions.
Utilitzat per descriure una màquina o objecte que sembla actuar de manera independent o impredictible, sense seguir la voluntat de l'usuari.
My old printer has a mind of its own; sometimes it prints, and sometimes it just makes strange noises.
La meva impressora vella va per lliure; de vegades imprimeix i altres només fa sorolls estranys.
make up your mind
To decide; to choose between options or come to a conclusion.
Decidir-se; escollir entre opcions o arribar a una conclusió.
You need to make up your mind about which college you want to attend.
Has de decidir-te sobre a quina universitat vols anar.
put/set someone's mind at rest
To help someone stop worrying or feeling anxious by providing reassurance or information.
Tranquil·litzar algú i eliminar les seves preocupacions donant informació o seguretat.
The doctor was able to put my mind at rest by explaining that the symptoms were nothing serious.
El metge va poder deixar-me la ment tranquil·la explicant que els símptomes no eren greus.
at the back of your mind
Always in your mind although you don’t spend too much time thinking about it.
Sempre al cap tot i que no hi pensis gaire.
Even while enjoying the party, the thought of my upcoming exam was at the back of my mind.
Fins i tot gaudint de la festa, el pensament de l’examen pròxim estava al fons de la meva ment.
in your mind’s eye
in your imagination or memory.
en la teva imaginació o memòria.
Whenever I miss my hometown, I just close my eyes and in my mind’s eye I can see the old streets and familiar faces.
Quan trobo a faltar la meva ciutat natal, només cal que tanqui els ulls i amb els ulls de la ment puc veure els carrers antics i les cares conegudes.
blood and guts
very violent (used to describe films, stories, or situations with a lot of graphic violence).
molt violent (es fa servir per descriure pel·lícules, històries o situacions amb molta violència gràfica).
He loves movies with blood and guts, but I prefer comedies.
Li encanten les pel·lícules amb sang i violència, però jo prefereixo les comèdies.
in cold blood / in a cold-blooded way
done in a cruelly planned and unemotional way.
fet de manera cruel, planificada i sense emocions.
The crime was committed in cold blood, shocking the entire community.
El crim es va cometre de sang freda, deixant commocionada tota la comunitat.
like getting blood out of a stone
Very difficult to do, especially when trying to make someone give you information or something they don't want to give.
Molt difícil de fer, especialment quan intentes aconseguir alguna cosa que algú no vol donar.
Trying to get him to talk about his feelings is like getting blood out of a stone.
Aconseguir que parli dels seus sentiments és com treure aigua d’una pedra.
gut feeling/reaction
An instinctive feeling or reaction that is not based on logical reasoning but rather on intuition.
Una sensació o reacció instintiva basada en la intuïció i no en el raonament lògic.
Even though the deal looked good on paper, I had a gut feeling that something was off.
Tot i que l’acord semblava bo sobre el paper, vaig tenir un presentiment que alguna cosa no anava bé.
slog/sweat/work your guts out
To work extremely hard, often with great effort and determination.
Treballar moltíssim, sovint amb gran esforç i determinació.
She slogged her guts out to finish the project before the deadline.
Ella es va deixar la pell per acabar el projecte abans del termini.
relief in the air
A feeling or sense of relief that is noticeable or shared by a group of people in a particular place or situation.
Sensació generalitzada d’alleujament entre un grup de persones en un lloc o situació
After the announcement that the exams were canceled, there was relief in the air throughout the school.
Després de l’anunci que s’anul·laven els exàmens, hi va haver alleujament general a tota l’escola.
up in the air
Not yet decided or settled; uncertain.
Encara no decidit o incert.
Our vacation plans are still up in the air because we haven't chosen a destination yet.
Els nostres plans de vacances estan encara en l’aire perquè no hem escollit destinació.
clear the air
To resolve misunderstandings or bad feelings between people, usually by talking openly about the issue.
Resoldre malentesos o mals sentiments entre persones, sovint parlant obertament sobre el tema.
After their argument, they decided to sit down and clear the air so they could work together again.
Després de la seva discussió, van decidir seure i aclarir les coses per poder tornar a treballar junts.
a breath of fresh air
something or someone that is new, different, and exciting, often bringing a refreshing change to a situation.
alguna cosa o algú nou, diferent i entusiasmat, que aporta un canvi refrescant.
Her positive attitude was a breath of fresh air in the otherwise tense office.
La seva actitud positiva va ser una alenada d’aire fresc en una oficina tensa.
out of the blue
completely unexpectedly
completament inesperadament
She called me out of the blue after years of no contact.
Em va trucar de sobte després d’anys sense contacte.
down-to-earth
very practical, realistic, and unpretentious; having a sensible and straightforward attitude.
molt pràctic, realista i senzill; amb una actitud assenyada i directa.
Despite her fame, she remains down-to-earth and always treats everyone with respect.
Malgrat la seva fama, continua sent amb els peus a terra i tracta tothom amb respecte.
come (back) down to earth with a bang
To suddenly return to reality after being excited, happy, or distracted, often in a way that is disappointing or sobering.
Tornar de cop a la realitat després d’entusiasme o alegria, sovint de manera decebedora.
After winning the lottery, he came down to earth with a bang when he realized how much tax he had to pay.
Després de guanyar la loteria, va tocar de peus a terra quan va veure quants impostos havia de pagar.
bites the dust
To fail, break down, or die; to come to an end or be defeated.
fracassar, espatllar-se, acabar-se o ser derrotat
Another one of my old laptops just bites the dust after years of use.
Un altre dels meus portàtils antics acaba de fer figa després d'anys d'ús.
living on another planet
To be completely unaware of what is happening in the real world; to be out of touch with reality.
Estar completament desconnectat de la realitat.
Sometimes I think my brother is living on another planet when he talks about his wild business ideas.
De vegades penso que el meu germà viu en un altre món quan parla de les seves idees boges de negocis.
over the moon
You are extremely happy or delighted about something.
Estar extremadament feliç o il·lusionat per alguna cosa.
She was over the moon when she found out she got the job.
Estava al setè cel quan va saber que havia aconseguit la feina.
hits rock bottom
To reach the lowest or worst possible point in a situation.
Arribar al punt més baix o pitjor d'una situació.
After losing his job and his apartment, he really hit rock bottom before things started to improve.
Després de perdre la feina i el pis, realment va tocar fons abans que les coses milloressin.
find out how the land lies
To assess or investigate a situation before becoming involved or making a decision.
Avaluar o investigar una situació abans d'involucrar-s'hi o prendre una decisió.
Before making any big decisions at the new job, I decided to find out how the land lies first.
Abans de prendre decisions importants a la nova feina, vaig decidir veure com estava el pati primer.
upper-crust
They belong to a very high social class.
Pertanyen a una classe social molt alta.
She was invited to the gala because her family is considered part of the upper-crust of society.
La van convidar a la gala perquè la seva família és considerada part de l’alta societat.
in the dark
not told important things that other people know
no estar assabentat de coses importants que els altres sí que saben
I was completely in the dark about the surprise party they were planning for me.
Jo estava completament a les fosques sobre la festa sorpresa que estaven preparant per a mi.
keeps you in the dark
not told important things that other people know
no t’expliquen coses importants que altres sí saben
The manager always keeps us in the dark about upcoming changes in the company.
El gerent sempre ens té a les fosques sobre els canvis que vindran a l’empresa.
in your element
You are happy and relaxed in a situation because you are good at the things it involves.
Ets feliç i relaxat en una situació perquè ets bo en allò que requereix.
When she's teaching a class, she is truly in her element.
Quan fa classe, realment està al seu element.
out of your element
You feel unhappy or uncomfortable because you are not familiar with or good at the tasks or environment involved.
Et sents incòmode o fora de lloc perquè no ets familiaritzat amb la situació o l'entorn.
When I had to give a speech in front of the whole company, I felt out of my element.
Quan vaig haver de fer un discurs davant de tota l’empresa, em vaig sentir com un peix fora de l’aigua.
long time no see
Used as a greeting when you meet someone you haven't seen for a long period.
S'utilitza com a salutació quan trobes algú que fa molt temps que no veus.
Long time no see! How have you been since we graduated?
¡Quant de temps sense veure't! Com estàs des que vam acabar els estudis?
it's a long story
It’s complicated or takes too long to explain.
És complicat o triga massa a explicar-ho.
Why did you move to a new city? Well, it's a long story, but the short version is I got a new job.
Per què et vas traslladar a una nova ciutat? Bé, és una llarga història, però en resum vaig aconseguir una feina nova.
how long is a piece of string?
That’s an impossible question to answer.
Aquesta és una pregunta impossible de respondre.
When asked how much it would cost to renovate the old house, the builder replied, 'how long is a piece of string?'
Quan li van preguntar quant costaria reformar la casa vella, el constructor va respondre: 'qui ho sap?'
a list as long as your arm
A very long list indeed.
Una llista molt llarga.
She has a list as long as your arm of things she wants to do before she turns thirty.
Té una llista interminable de coses que vol fer abans de complir trenta anys.
long-winded
Too long and boring (about a story, lecture, or speech).
Massa llarg i avorrit (sobre una història, classe o discurs).
The professor's explanation was so long-winded that half the class fell asleep.
L'explicació del professor va ser tan llarguera que la meitat de la classe es va adormir.
a long haul
A task or process that is not going to be easy and will take a long time.
Una tasca o procés que no serà fàcil i portarà molt de temps.
Finishing my degree was a long haul, but it was worth it in the end.
Acabar la meva carrera va ser una llarga travessia, però finalment va valer la pena.
have a long face
To look sad, depressed, or disappointed.
semblar trist, deprimit o decebut
Why do you have a long face? Did something bad happen at work?
Per què fas cara llarga? Ha passat res dolent a la feina?
go to great lengths
To make a very big effort to achieve something, often more than what is expected or necessary.
Fer molt de esforç per aconseguir alguna cosa, sovint més del que s’espera o caldria.
She went to great lengths to organize the perfect surprise party for her friend.
Ella va fer mans i mànigues per organitzar la festa sorpresa perfecta per la seva amiga.
go to any lengths
To do whatever is necessary, even if it is difficult or extreme, to achieve a goal.
Fer el que calgui, encara que sigui difícil o extrem, per aconseguir un objectiu.
She would go to any lengths to protect her children from harm.
Ella faria el que calgués per protegir els seus fills de qualsevol perill.
go a long way
To be very successful or make significant progress, often rising to a high level in one's profession or endeavors.
Tenir molt d'èxit o avançar significativament, sovint arribant a llocs alts en la professió o esforços propis.
With her talent and determination, I'm sure she will go a long way in her career.
Amb el seu talent i determinació, estic segur que arribarà molt lluny en la seva carrera.
go back a long way
Have known each other for many years.
Es coneixen des de fa molts anys.
Sarah and I go back a long way; we were in kindergarten together.
La Sarah i jo ens coneixem de tota la vida; vam anar juntes a parvulari.
come a long way
To have made significant progress or improvement over time.
Haver fet un progrés o una millora significativa amb el temps.
She has come a long way since her first day on the job.
Ella ha fet molta via des del seu primer dia a la feina.
take a long, hard look
To examine or consider something very carefully and thoroughly, often in order to make an important decision or judgment.
Examinar o considerar alguna cosa amb molta cura i profunditat, sovint per prendre una decisió important.
Before making any changes to the project, we need to take a long, hard look at the current plan.
Abans de fer cap canvi al projecte, hem de revisar a fons el pla actual.
be on someone's back
constantly ask someone to do something or criticise them in an annoying way
insistir o criticar algú de manera persistent i molesta
My boss is always on my back about finishing the reports on time.
El meu cap sempre està al darrere meu perquè acabi els informes a temps.
you wouldn't be sorry / you'd be pleased/glad/happy to see the back of someone/something
You'd be glad when someone leaves or something ends because you don't like that person or thing.
Et fa feliç quan algú marxa o alguna cosa s’acaba perquè no t’agradava.
After months of dealing with the noisy neighbors, I was glad to see the back of them when they finally moved out.
Després de mesos suportant els veïns sorollosos, em vaig alegrar de veure com marxaven quan finalment van mudar-se.
could do something with one arm/hand tied behind your back
To be able to do something very easily, without much effort.
Poder fer una cosa molt fàcilment, sense gaire esforç.
She's so good at math that she could solve these problems with one hand tied behind her back.
És tan bona en matemàtiques que podria resoldre aquests problemes amb els ulls tancats.
stab someone in the back
do something harmful to a person who trusted you, especially by betraying them secretly
fer alguna cosa perjudicial a algú que ha confiat en tu, especialment traint-lo en secret
I couldn't believe she would stab me in the back after all the help I gave her.
No em podia creure que m'hagués clavat un ganivet per l'esquena després de tota l'ajuda que li vaig donar.
do something when/while someone's back is turned
do something while someone can't see what you are doing (usually something that person would not approve of)
fer alguna cosa mentre algú no està mirant (normalment alguna cosa que no aprovaria)
The kids always get into trouble when their teacher's back is turned.
Els nens sempre es fiquen en problemes quan la mestra no els mira.
you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours
If you help me, I'll help you; mutual assistance for mutual benefit.
Assistència mútua per benefici compartits.
If you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours—I'll cover your shift today if you help me with my project next week.
Si tu m'ajudes, jo t'ajudo—avui et cobreixo el torn si la setmana vinent m'ajudes amb el meu projecte.
know a place/person/thing like the back of your hand
To know a place, person, or thing extremely well; to be very familiar with it.
Conèixer molt bé un lloc, persona o cosa; estar-hi molt familiaritzat.
After living in Paris for ten years, I know the city like the back of my hand.
Després de deu anys vivint a París, conec la ciutat com la palma de la meva mà.
on the back burner
isn't being dealt with now but hasn't been totally forgotten
no s'està tractant ara però no s'ha oblidat del tot
We had to put the renovation project on the back burner until we save up more money.
Hem hagut de deixar el projecte de renovació en segon pla fins que estalviem més diners.
at/in the back of beyond
A place that is extremely remote or far away from any town or civilization.
Un lloc extremadament remot o llunyà de qualsevol poble o civilització.
My grandparents live in the back of beyond, so it takes hours just to get to the nearest store.
Els meus avis viuen a la quinta forca, així que es tarda hores a arribar a la botiga més propera.
take a back seat
to allow someone or something else to become more important or prominent while you become less involved or less important.
cedir la importància a algú o alguna cosa, quedant en segon pla
After the birth of their child, her career had to take a back seat to family responsibilities.
Després del naixement del fill, la seva carrera va haver de passar a un segon pla per les responsabilitats familiars.
came/fell off the back of a lorry
Used humorously to suggest that something was probably stolen, especially when its origin is suspicious or unclear.
S'utilitza humorísticament per insinuar que alguna cosa probablement és robada o de procedència dubtosa.
When I asked where he got the designer bag, he just winked and said it fell off the back of a lorry.
Quan li vaig preguntar d’on havia tret la bossa de dissenyador, només va fer un gest còmplice i va dir que va caure d’un camió.
by/through the back door
It comes in a way that is not honest or official.
Succeeix d'una manera poc oficial o poc honesta.
He managed to get the job through the back door, without going through the proper interview process.
Va aconseguir la feina per la porta del darrere, sense passar pel procés d'entrevista oficial.
leant/bent over backwards
tried very hard to help or please someone, often more than is expected or necessary
va esforçar-se molt per ajudar o complaure algú, sovint més del que és esperat o necessari
She bent over backwards to make sure her guests were comfortable during their stay.
Ella va fer mans i mànigues perquè els seus convidats estiguessin còmodes durant la seva estada.
left without a backward glance
left with no regrets or sad feelings
marxar sense penediment ni tristesa
After quitting her stressful job, she left without a backward glance and never looked back.
Després de deixar la seva feina estressant, va marxar sense mirar enrere i no va tornar mai.
make yourself at home
To relax and behave as if you were in your own house; to feel comfortable and at ease in someone else's place.
Sentir-se còmode i actuar com si fossis a casa teva a casa d’un altre.
Please come in and make yourself at home while I finish preparing dinner.
Si us plau, entra i fes com si fossis a casa mentre acabo de preparar el sopar.
as safe as houses
extremely safe
extremadament segur
You can trust this investment; it's as safe as houses.
Pots confiar en aquesta inversió; és segura com una casa.
come home to me
To become fully understood, realized, or appreciated, often after some time has passed.
Adonar-se completament d’alguna cosa després d’un temps
It finally came home to me how much my parents had sacrificed for my education.
Finalment em vaig adonar de tot el que havien sacrificat els meus pares per la meva educació.
brought home to me
made me understand, usually something unpleasant
em va fer entendre, sovint una cosa desagradable
The dangers of texting while driving were brought home to me when I saw the aftermath of a car accident.
Els perills de enviar missatges mentre condueixes em van quedar clars quan vaig veure les conseqüències d’un accident de cotxe.
got my foot in the door
started working at a low level in an organisation because you want to get a better job in the same organisation later on
començar en una posició baixa per aconseguir una millor feina després a la mateixa organització
Even though the position was just an internship, I was happy that I got my foot in the door at the company.
Tot i que només era una pràctica, estava content de posar el peu dins de l’empresa.
hold the key to
to provide the explanation for something you could not previously understand; to be the crucial factor in solving a problem or mystery.
el factor clau per resoldre un problema o un misteri
Improved communication holds the key to a successful relationship.
La comunicació millorada és la clau per a una relació exitosa.
flew off the handle
reacted in a very angry way (informal)
va reaccionar molt enfadat (col·loquialment)
When the printer jammed again, Sarah suddenly flew off the handle and started yelling at everyone in the office.
Quan la impressora es va encallar de nou, la Sarah va explotar de ràbia i va començar a cridar a tothom a l'oficina.
sit on the fence
delay making a decision or fail to choose between two alternatives
retardar la presa d’una decisió o no triar entre dues alternatives
When it came time to vote, she decided to sit on the fence instead of choosing a side.
Quan va arribar l’hora de votar, va decidir no mullar-se en lloc d’escollir un bàndol.
come down on one side or the other
To make a decision or choose between two options or opinions.
Prendre una decisió o escollir entre dues opcions o opinions.
After hours of debate, the committee had to come down on one side or the other regarding the new policy.
Després d'hores de debat, el comitè va haver de decantar-se per una banda respecte la nova política.
hit the ceiling/roof
To react with sudden and intense anger.
Reaccionar amb una ràbia sobtada i intensa.
When she saw the mess in the kitchen, she hit the ceiling and started yelling at everyone.
Quan va veure el desordre a la cuina, va perdre els nervis i va començar a cridar a tothom.
got out of bed on the wrong side
got up in a bad mood and stayed in a bad mood all day
es va llevar de mal humor i així s'ha quedat tot el dia
Don't mind her grumpiness—she just got out of bed on the wrong side this morning.
No li facis cas a la seva grolleria—simplement s'ha llevat amb el peu esquerre aquest matí.
burning the candle at both ends
To overwork yourself by doing too many things, especially by staying up late and getting up early, which can lead to exhaustion.
Treballar massa fent moltes coses, especialment si es va a dormir tard i es lleva d’hora, cosa que pot portar a l’esgotament.
She’s been burning the candle at both ends trying to finish her project and take care of her family.
Ha estat forçant la màquina intentant acabar el seu projecte i cuidar la família.
put me in the picture
explained the situation to me; gave me the necessary information to understand what is happening
em va explicar la situació; em va donar la informació necessària per entendre què està passant
I was confused about the new project, but my manager put me in the picture during our meeting.
Estava confós amb el nou projecte, però el meu cap em va posar al corrent durant la reunió.
take a leaf out of his girlfriend’s book
To copy or imitate something that someone else does, often because it has brought them success or advantage.
Imitar o copiar el que fa algú altre, sovint perquè li ha portat èxit o avantatge.
If he wants to improve his grades, he should take a leaf out of his girlfriend’s book and start studying every evening.
Si vol millorar les notes, hauria de prendre exemple de la seva xicota i començar a estudiar cada vespre.
keep someone in the picture
To keep someone informed or updated about a situation or development.
Mantenir algú informat o al corrent d’una situació o desenvolupament.
Please keep me in the picture about any changes to the project schedule.
Si us plau, mantén-me al corrent de qualsevol canvi en el calendari del projecte.
open your heart
To share your deepest feelings, thoughts, or emotions honestly and openly with someone.
Compartir sincerament i obertament els teus sentiments i pensaments més profunds amb algú.
Sometimes it's hard to open your heart after being hurt, but it's the only way to truly connect with others.
A vegades costa obrir el cor després d’haver estat ferit, però és l’única manera de connectar realment amb els altres.
bare your heart/soul
To share your deepest, most personal or secret feelings, often of an emotional or dramatic nature, with someone else.
Compartir els teus sentiments més profunds o secrets personals amb algú.
After years of keeping it to herself, she finally decided to bare her soul to her best friend.
Després d'anys guardant-s'ho per a ella, finalment va decidir obrir el seu cor a la seva millor amiga.
pour your heart out
To share your deepest feelings, worries, or secrets with someone, often in an emotional way.
Compartir els teus sentiments, preocupacions o secrets més profunds amb algú de manera emotiva.
After the breakup, she poured her heart out to her best friend over coffee.
Després de trencar, ella es va obrir de cor a la seva millor amiga prenent un cafè.
your heart misses/skips a beat
You suddenly feel so excited, surprised, or frightened that your heart seems to stop or beat faster for a moment.
De cop et sents tan emocionat, sorprès o espantat que sembla que el cor se't pari o bategui més ràpid per un instant.
When I saw the exam results posted, my heart skipped a beat before I found my name on the list.
Quan vaig veure els resultats de l’examen, em va fer un bot el cor abans de trobar el meu nom a la llista.
someone’s heart is in the right place
someone is good even if they sometimes behave the wrong way
algú és bo tot i que a vegades es comporti de manera equivocada
He can be a bit blunt, but his heart is in the right place and he always means well.
Pot ser una mica directe, però té bon cor i sempre ho fa amb bona intenció.
have a change of heart
To change your opinion or the way you feel about something.
Canviar d'opinió o de sentiment respecte a alguna cosa.
At first, she didn't want to adopt the puppy, but after spending some time with it, she had a change of heart.
Al principi, no volia adoptar el cadell, però després d'una estona va canviar d'opinió.
break someone’s heart
make someone very sad (often someone who loves you)
fer que algú estigui molt trist (sovint algú que t'estima)
It would break her heart if you left without saying goodbye.
Li trencaries el cor si marxes sense acomiadar-te.
your heart sinks
You start to feel sad, disappointed, or worried, often because something bad or unexpected has happened.
Comences a sentir-te trist, decebut o preocupat, sovint perquè ha passat quelcom dolent o inesperat.
When I saw the exam questions, my heart sank because I hadn't studied those topics.
Quan vaig veure les preguntes de l'examen, em va caure l’ànima als peus perquè no havia estudiat aquells temes.
a man/woman after my own heart
someone who you admire because they do or believe the same as you
algú a qui admires perquè té aficions o creences similars a tu
When I heard she loved hiking as much as I do, I knew she was a woman after my own heart.
Quan vaig saber que li agradava fer excursions com a mi, vaig saber que era una persona de la meva corda.
talk to someone heart-to-heart / have a heart-to-heart
have a serious conversation and express your feelings openly
mantenir una conversa sincera i expressar els teus sentiments obertament
After weeks of tension, I finally decided to have a heart-to-heart with my roommate about our issues.
Després de setmanes de tensió, finalment vaig decidir mantenir una conversa sincera amb el meu company de pis sobre els nostres problemes.
take something to heart
To take something (usually criticism or advice) seriously and be deeply affected by it.
Prendre’s alguna cosa (normalment crítiques o consells) molt seriosament i sentir-se profundament afectat
She took her teacher's comments to heart and worked hard to improve her writing.
Ella es va prendre els comentaris de la seva professora molt a cor i va esforçar-se per millorar la seva escriptura.
lose heart
To stop believing that you can succeed; to become discouraged or lose confidence.
perdre l'esperança o la confiança en tenir èxit, desanimar-se
After failing the exam twice, she started to lose heart and considered giving up.
Després de suspendre l'examen dues vegades, va començar a desanimar-se i va pensar a deixar-ho córrer.
to your heart’s content
You do something as much as you want to because you enjoy it.
Fas alguna cosa tant com vols perquè t’agrada.
On weekends, I sleep to my heart’s content without worrying about alarms.
Els caps de setmana dormo tant com vull sense preocupar-me del despertador.
put your heart and soul into something
To put a great deal of effort, passion, and determination into something; to be fully committed and dedicated.
Posar-hi tot l’esforç, passió i dedicació; estar completament compromès.
She put her heart and soul into the project, working late every night to make sure it was perfect.
Ella hi va posar tot el cor i l’ànima en el projecte, treballant fins tard cada nit per assegurar-se que fos perfecte.
set your heart on something / have your heart set on something
To be very determined to achieve or obtain something; to strongly desire something.
Tenir una gran determinació o desig intens d'aconseguir alguna cosa.
Ever since she was a child, she set her heart on becoming a doctor.
Des de petita, somniava amb ser metge.
know something by heart / learn something off by heart
memorise something so that you can recite it perfectly
memoritzar alguna cosa per poder-la recitar perfectament
She can recite the poem by heart after practicing for weeks.
Després de setmanes practicant, pot recitar el poema de memòria.
paths cross
to meet someone, often unexpectedly or by chance
trobar algú, sovint per casualitat
I never expected our paths would cross again after college, but we ran into each other at the airport.
Mai hauria pensat que els nostres camins es tornarien a creuar després de la universitat, però ens vam trobar a l’aeroport.
stuck in a rut
in a boring situation, with no hope of excitement, or future prospects
en una situació avorrida, sense esperança d'emocions ni futur
After working the same job for ten years, I feel like I'm stuck in a rut and need a change.
Després de deu anys treballant a la mateixa feina, sento que estic atrapat en la rutina i necessito un canvi.
driving me round the bend
making me angry and frustrated
em posa molt nerviós i frustrat
The constant noise from the construction site is really driving me round the bend.
El soroll constant de l'obra em posa dels nervis.
right up your street/alley
perfect for you; exactly what interests you
perfecte per a tu; exactament del teu interès
If you love mystery novels, this new detective series will be right up your street.
Si t’agraden les novel·les de misteri, aquesta nova sèrie de detectius és feta per a tu.
middle-of-the-road
neither left-wing nor right-wing, has no radical views
ni d’esquerres ni de dretes, sense opinions radicals
The candidate's policies are very middle-of-the-road, appealing to voters who don't want extreme changes.
Les polítiques del candidat són molt moderades, atraient votants que no volen canvis extrems.
on the right/wrong track
Thinking or acting in a way that is likely to lead to success or the correct result (right track), or in a way that is likely to lead to failure or an incorrect result (wrong track).
Pensar o actuar d'una manera que porta a l'èxit o al resultat correcte (anar pel bon camí), o d'una manera que porta al fracàs o al resultat incorrecte (anar pel mal camí).
If you keep practicing every day, you're definitely on the right track to becoming a great pianist.
Si continues practicant cada dia, realment estàs pel bon camí per convertir-te en un gran pianista.
an uphill battle/fight/struggle
a very difficult task
una tasca molt difícil
Convincing the board to approve the new project was an uphill battle from the start.
Convèncer el consell perquè aprovés el nou projecte va ser una lluita costa amunt des del principi.
gone downhill
Something that used to be good has become worse over time.
Una cosa que abans era bona ha empitjorat amb el temps.
Ever since the new manager took over, the service at this restaurant has really gone downhill.
Des que va arribar el nou gerent, el servei d'aquest restaurant ha empitjorat molt.
off the beaten track
in a very isolated place
en un lloc molt aïllat
We found a charming little café off the beaten track that none of the tourists knew about.
Vam trobar una petita cafeteria encantadora lluny dels camins habituals que cap turista coneixia.
at a crossroads
At a decisive or critical point where an important decision must be made that will have significant consequences.
En un punt decisiu on cal prendre una decisió important que tindrà grans conseqüències.
After graduating from college, I found myself at a crossroads, unsure whether to start working or continue my studies.
Després de graduar-me, em vaig trobar en una cruïlla, dubtant si començar a treballar o continuar estudiant.
a dead end
It has no future or prospects; a situation, job, or path that leads nowhere.
No té futur ni perspectives; una situació, feina o camí que no porta enlloc.
After working there for five years, I realized my job was a dead end with no chance for promotion.
Després de cinc anys treballant allà, vaig adonar-me que la meva feina era un carreró sense sortida sense cap possibilitat d’ascens.
go/get from A to B
to make simple or typical journeys, usually referring to the basic act of traveling from one place to another without complications.
fer desplaçaments simples, normalment només anant d’un lloc a un altre sense complicacions.
This small car is perfect if you just need to get from A to B around the city.
Aquest cotxe petit és perfecte si només necessites anar del punt A al B per la ciutat.
put the village on the map
To make the village well-known or famous, especially when it was previously unknown.
Fer que el poble sigui conegut o famós, especialment si abans era desconegut.
The new art festival really put the village on the map, attracting visitors from all over the country.
El nou festival d'art va realment posar el poble al mapa, atraient visitants de tot el país.
hit the road
to start a journey or leave a place, especially by car or on a trip.
començar un viatge o marxar d’un lloc, especialment amb cotxe o d’excursió.
We should hit the road early tomorrow to avoid traffic.
Hauríem de posar-nos en camí d’hora demà per evitar el trànsit.
road rage
violent incidents resulting from traffic disputes
incidents violents per disputes de trànsit
He experienced a bout of road rage when another driver cut him off on the highway.
Va experimentar un episodi de ràbia al volant quan un altre conductor el va tallar a l'autopista.
keep your head
keep calm, especially in a difficult or dangerous situation
mantenir la calma, especialment en situacions difícils o perilloses
Even when the fire alarm went off, Sarah managed to keep her head and guided everyone to safety.
Fins i tot quan va sonar l'alarma d'incendis, la Sarah va saber mantenir la calma i va guiar tothom cap a un lloc segur.
lose your head
To panic or lose control of your emotions, especially in a stressful situation.
perdre el control o entrar en pànic en una situació estressant
When the fire alarm went off, she didn't lose her head and calmly led everyone outside.
Quan va sonar l'alarma d'incendi, no va perdre els nervis i va conduir tothom fora amb calma.
laugh/scream/shout your head off
To laugh, scream, or shout very loudly and energetically, often in an uncontrolled or exaggerated way (informal).
Riure, cridar o xisclar molt fort i amb molta energia, sovint de manera exagerada o descontrolada.
The kids laughed their heads off when the clown slipped on a banana peel.
Els nens reien a ple pulmó quan el pallasso va relliscar sobre una pell de plàtan.
be banging or hitting your head against a brick wall
To keep trying to achieve something that is very difficult or impossible, especially because other people are not cooperating or listening.
Seguir intentant aconseguir alguna cosa molt difícil o impossible, especialment perquè els altres no cooperen o no escolten.
Trying to convince my boss to change his mind is like banging my head against a brick wall.
Intentar convèncer el meu cap és com anar a parlar-li a una paret.
bring something to a head / something comes to a head
An unpleasant situation becomes so bad or intense that it must be addressed or resolved immediately.
Una situació desagradable es fa tan greu que ha de ser resolta immediatament.
The ongoing arguments between the two departments finally came to a head when the manager called a meeting to resolve the issues.
Les discussions entre els dos departaments finalment van arribar al punt crític quan el gerent va convocar una reunió per resoldre els problemes.
shouting their heads off
To shout very much and very loudly.
cridar a plens pulmons
The kids were shouting their heads off during the birthday party, making it impossible to hear anything.
Els nens cridaven a plens pulmons durant la festa d'aniversari, fent impossible sentir res.
banging your head against a brick wall
To keep trying to achieve something that is very difficult or impossible, especially when your efforts are ignored or not successful.
Intentar aconseguir alguna cosa molt difícil o impossible, especialment quan els teus esforços són ignorats o no tenen èxit.
Trying to convince my boss to change his mind is like banging my head against a brick wall.
Intentar convèncer el meu cap és com parlar amb una paret.
came to a head
An unpleasant situation became so bad or intense that it had to be dealt with immediately.
Una situació desagradable es va fer tan intensa o greu que s’havia d’afrontar de seguida.
The conflict between the two departments came to a head when both managers refused to compromise.
El conflicte entre els dos departaments va arribar a un punt crític quan tots dos caps es van negar a cedir.
put ideas into someone’s head
make someone want to do something they had not wanted to do before (usually something foolish or unwise)
fer que algú vulgui fer una cosa que abans no volia (normalment alguna cosa imprudent o ximple)
Don't put ideas into his head about skipping school—he hadn't even thought of it until you mentioned it.
No li posis idees al cap sobre fer campana—ni tan sols ho havia pensat fins que ho has dit tu.
get your head (a)round (usually – can’t get (my) head (a)round)
come to fully accept or understand something (informal)
acceptar o entendre completament alguna cosa
I just can't get my head around the fact that they're moving to another country.
No aconsegueixo entendre que se'n vagin a un altre país.
off the top of your head
without thinking about it for very long or looking at something that has been written about it
sense pensar-hi gaire o consultar res abans
Can you tell me, off the top of your head, how many countries are in Europe?
Em pots dir, de memòria, quants països hi ha a Europa?
turns heads
people notice that person because they look interesting or attractive
crida l’atenció perquè sembla interessant o atractiu
Whenever she walks into a room, she turns heads with her unique sense of style.
Cada vegada que entra en una habitació, crida l’atenció pel seu estil únic.
knock that on the head
put a stop to it (informal)
tallar d’arrel (informal)
If you keep arguing, I'm going to knock that on the head right now.
Si continueu discutint, ho tallaré d’arrel ara mateix.
keep his head above water
To manage to survive or cope, especially with work or financial difficulties, often just barely.
Aconseguir sobreviure o tirar endavant, especialment amb dificultats econòmiques o laborals, sovint per molt poc.
With all the bills piling up, he's struggling to keep his head above water these days.
Amb totes les factures que s'acumulen, li costa mantenir-se a flotació aquests dies.
bites/snaps their heads off
speaks to them angrily, often suddenly or without clear reason
els parla enfadat, sovint de sobte o sense motiu clar
Whenever he's stressed at work, he bites my head off for the smallest mistakes.
Quan està estressat a la feina, em crida per les errades més petites.
keep my head down
say as little as possible in order to avoid arguments
dir el mínim possible per evitar conflictes
During the heated meeting, I decided to keep my head down and not get involved in the debate.
Durant la reunió tensa vaig decidir passar desapercebut i no involucrar-me al debat.
jazz it up
make something more lively or interesting
fer que alguna cosa sigui més animada o interessant
We decided to jazz it up by adding some colorful decorations to the room.
Vam decidir donar-hi més vida afegint decoracions de colors a l'habitació.
sang her heart out
sang with great passion or effort
cantar amb tota la passió i l'esforç
At the talent show, she sang her heart out and received a standing ovation from the crowd.
Al concurs de talents, ella va cantar amb tot el cor i va rebre una ovació dempeus del públic.
sound like a broken record
To keep repeating the same thing over and over, often to the annoyance of others.
Repetir el mateix una vegada i una altra, sovint molestant als altres.
You sound like a broken record when you keep reminding me to clean my room every day.
Sembles un disc ratllat quan cada dia em recordes que netegi l'habitació.
music to my ears
something that is very pleasant or gratifying to hear
alguna cosa molt agradable d'escoltar
When my boss said I could leave early on Friday, it was music to my ears.
Quan el meu cap va dir que podia marxar d'hora divendres, va ser música per a les meves orelles.
struck a chord
caused someone to feel sympathy, emotion, or enthusiasm
va fer sentir simpatia, emoció o entusiasme a algú
Her story about overcoming adversity really struck a chord with the audience.
La seva història de superació va tocar la fibra del públic.
changed his tune
changed his opinion or attitude
va canviar d'opinió o actitud
At first, he refused to help, but after seeing the results, he changed his tune and offered his support.
Al principi es va negar a ajudar, però després de veure els resultats, va canviar d'opinió i va oferir el seu suport.
fine-tuning
making small improvements to something to make it as good as possible
fer petits ajustos per aconseguir el millor resultat possible
The engineer spent hours fine-tuning the engine to get the best performance.
L’enginyer va passar hores polint el motor per aconseguir el màxim rendiment.
making a song and dance about
making an unnecessary fuss about something
fer-ne un gra massa per cosa de no res
She was making a song and dance about the tiniest mistake in the report.
Estava fent-ne un gra massa per la més petita errada del informe.
set the stage for
create a situation that allows something else to happen
crear una situació que permeti que passi una altra cosa
The new government policies set the stage for economic growth in the region.
Les noves polítiques del govern van obrir el camí per al creixement econòmic a la regió.
making a spectacle of yourself
behaving in a way that attracts other people’s attention, usually because you are doing something stupid or silly
comportar-se d’una manera que crida l’atenció dels altres, generalment fent alguna cosa ximple o ridícula
He was making a spectacle of himself by dancing wildly on the table at the wedding.
Ell va fer el ridícul ballant de manera boja sobre la taula al casament.
been in the spotlight
been the centre of attention, often in public media
ser el centre d'atenció, sovint als mitjans de comunicació
Ever since the scandal broke, the politician has been in the spotlight and can't go anywhere without reporters following.
Des que va esclatar l'escàndol, el polític és al punt de mira i no pot anar enlloc sense periodistes.
the curtain has fallen on
Used to indicate that something, such as a career, event, or period, has come to an end.
S’utilitza per indicar que alguna cosa, com una carrera, esdeveniment o període, ha arribat a la seva fi.
After thirty years in the music industry, the curtain has finally fallen on his remarkable career.
Després de trenta anys en la indústria musical, ha caigut el teló de la seva carrera excepcional.
the show must go on
No matter what difficulties or setbacks occur, an activity or event must continue as planned.
Passi el que passi, una activitat o esdeveniment s’ha de continuar segons el previst.
Even though the lead actor was sick, the director insisted that the show must go on and the performance continued.
Tot i que el protagonista estava malalt, el director va insistir que l'espectacle ha de continuar i la funció es va fer.
in line for
likely to get (used about something good)
probable que rebi alguna cosa bona
After all his hard work, Tom is in line for a big promotion at his company.
Després de tot el seu esforç, en Tom està a punt d’aconseguir un gran ascens a la seva empresa.
out of line
not suitable, that should not have been said (or sometimes done)
no adequat, que no s'hauria d'haver dit o fet
His comment during the meeting was completely out of line and offended several people.
El seu comentari durant la reunió va ser completament fora de lloc i va ofendre diverses persones.
along the lines of
similar to; in a way that is like or resembles something else
semblant a; d'una manera que s'assembla a una altra cosa
He suggested something along the lines of what we did last year for the company picnic.
Va suggerir alguna cosa semblant al que vam fer l'any passat al pícnic de l'empresa.
step out of line
behave in a way that is not what is expected of you
comportar-se d'una manera inesperada o fora del que s'espera de tu
If you step out of line at school, you might get detention.
Si et surts de la línia a l'escola, podries ser castigat.
line of work
the type of job or profession someone has
el tipus de feina o professió que té algú
In my line of work, I often have to travel to different countries.
En el meu camp professional, sovint he de viatjar a diferents països.
go along/on the right lines
be doing something in a way that will bring good results
fer una cosa de manera que portarà bons resultats
If you keep practicing every day, you are definitely going along the right lines to improve your skills.
Si continues practicant cada dia, vas pel bon camí per millorar les teves habilitats.
along/on the same lines
of a similar kind (sometimes in a similar way)
del mateix tipus (de vegades d'una manera similar)
Her presentation was along the same lines as the one we saw last week.
La seva presentació va ser en la mateixa línia que la que vam veure la setmana passada.
draw the line
To set a limit on what one is willing to do or accept; to distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable behavior.
Fixar un límit al que estàs disposat a fer o acceptar; distingir entre el comportament acceptable i l'inacceptable.
I don't mind helping you move, but I draw the line at packing all your boxes for you.
No em fa res ajudar-te a mudar, però poso un límit a empaquetar totes les teves caixes.
draw the line at something
not do something because you think it is wrong or too extreme
no fer alguna cosa perquè consideres que és incorrecta o massa extrema
I'm willing to help you move, but I draw the line at carrying your piano up three flights of stairs.
Estic disposat a ajudar-te a mudar-te, però poso un límit a pujar el teu piano fins al tercer pis.
draw a line under something
decide that something is finished and you are not going to think about it again
decidir que una cosa ha acabat i no hi pensaràs més
After months of arguing, they finally agreed to draw a line under their past disagreements and move forward.
Després de mesos de discutir, finalment van acordar passar pàgina als seus desacords i avançar.
there is a fine/thin line between one thing and another
Two things are very similar, although the second thing is bad while the first is not.
Dues coses són molt semblants, encara que la segona sigui negativa i la primera no.
There is a fine line between being confident and being arrogant.
Hi ha una línia molt fina entre la confiança i l'arrogància.
drop me a line
send me a short letter, postcard or e-mail
envia'm una carta curta, postal o correu electrònic
When you get to Paris, please drop me a line so I know you arrived safely.
Quan arribis a París, si us plau escriu-me quatre ratlles per saber que has arribat bé.
reading between the lines
To understand the hidden or unspoken meaning in something that is said or written.
Entendre el significat ocult o no dit d’allò que es diu o s’escriu.
When she said she was 'fine,' I tried reading between the lines and realized she was actually upset.
Quan va dir que estava 'bé', vaig intentar llegir entre línies i vaig notar que en realitat estava disgustada.
sign on the dotted line
To formally agree to something, usually by signing a legal or official document.
Acceptar formalment alguna cosa, generalment signant un document legal o oficial.
After months of negotiations, she finally decided to sign on the dotted line and buy the house.
Després de mesos de negociacions, finalment va decidir signar el contracte i comprar la casa.
the bottom line
the most important fact or the final outcome of a situation, especially after considering all the details.
El fet més important o el resultat final després de considerar tots els detalls.
After hours of discussion, the bottom line is that we need to cut costs if we want to stay in business.
Després d’hores de discussió, el resum és que cal retallar despeses si volem seguir endavant.
stand on your own two feet
be independent; look after yourself
ser independent; espavilar-se sol
After graduating from college, I had to stand on my own two feet and find a job.
Després de graduar-me, vaig haver de valer-me per mi mateix i trobar una feina.
rushed off my feet
Extremely busy or overwhelmed with work or tasks; having a lot to do in a short amount of time.
Extremadament ocupat o aclaparat per la feina o les tasques; tenir molt per fer en poc temps.
I've been rushed off my feet all day trying to finish these reports before the deadline.
He estat sense parar tot el dia intentant acabar aquests informes abans de la data límit.
kept both feet on the ground
remained normal and realistic
mantenir-se humil i realista
Even after winning the lottery, she kept both feet on the ground and continued to live modestly.
Fins i tot després de guanyar la loteria, ella va mantenir els peus a terra i va continuar vivint modestament.
got cold feet
became afraid to do something, especially at the last moment
tenir por de fer alguna cosa, sobretot a l’últim moment
She was all set to go skydiving, but she got cold feet right before boarding the plane.
Estava a punt de fer paracaigudisme, però es va fer enrere just abans de pujar a l’avió.
find your feet
To become comfortable in a new situation or environment; to adjust and feel confident or capable.
acostumar-se i sentir-se segur en una nova situació o entorn
It took me a few weeks to find my feet at the new job, but now I feel much more confident.
Em va costar unes setmanes adaptar-me a la nova feina, però ara em sento molt més segur.
got off on the wrong foot
Our relationship started badly; to begin a relationship or activity in an unfavorable or awkward way.
La nostra relació va començar malament; començar una relació o activitat de manera desfavorable o incòmoda.
We got off on the wrong foot during our first meeting, but things have improved since then.
Vam començar amb mal peu a la nostra primera trobada, però després les coses han anat millorant.
under my feet
in my way, disturbing my activities
destorbant, entorpint les meves activitats
The kids were always under my feet while I was trying to cook dinner.
Els nens sempre estaven enmig mentre intentava cuinar el sopar.
landed/fallen on his feet
been very lucky or successful in a difficult situation
haver tingut molta sort o èxit en una situació difícil
After losing his job, Tom quickly found an even better one—he really landed on his feet.
Després de perdre la feina, en Tom va trobar-ne una de millor—realment ha caigut dret.
got itchy feet
got a desire to travel
tenir ganes de viatjar
After a year in the same city, I got itchy feet and started planning my next adventure.
Després d'un any a la mateixa ciutat, em va entrar el cuquet de viatjar i vaig començar a planificar la meva propera aventura.
put my foot in it
accidentally said or did something very embarrassing or tactless, often without realizing it at the time.
dir o fer alguna cosa molt embarassosa o poc encertada sense voler
I really put my foot in it when I asked her about her husband, not knowing they had just separated.
Realment vaig ficar la pota quan li vaig preguntar pel seu marit, sense saber que acabaven de separar-se.
put your foot down
to assert your authority or make a firm decision, especially when refusing to allow something
imposar la teva autoritat o prendre una decisió ferma, especialment en negar alguna cosa
When my kids refused to do their homework, I had to put my foot down and take away their video games.
Quan els meus fills es van negar a fer els deures, vaig haver de posar límits i treure'ls els videojocs.
followed in his father’s footsteps
took the same course of action as somebody else
seguir les passes d'algú
After graduating from college, he followed in his father’s footsteps and became a doctor.
Després de graduar-se, va seguir les passes del seu pare i es va convertir en metge.
dragging her heels
deliberately being slow
fer alguna cosa a poc a poc expressament
She was dragging her heels about finishing her homework because she didn't want to go to bed early.
Ella s'anava entretenint amb els deures perquè no volia anar a dormir d'hora.
digging their heels in
refusing to change their position or opinion, especially when others are trying to persuade them to do so.
negar-se a canviar d'opinió o postura, encara que els altres intentin convèncer-los.
Despite all the evidence, the committee members dug their heels in and refused to reconsider their decision.
Tot i les proves, els membres del comitè es van mantenir ferms i van refusar reconsiderar la decisió.
keeps us on our toes
keeps us busy; makes us give our full energy to our work
ens manté ocupats; ens fa posar tota la nostra energia a la feina
Working in the emergency room really keeps us on our toes because you never know what will happen next.
Treballar a urgències realment ens manté en alerta perquè mai saps què passarà després.
go one better
do more or do something better than it has been done before
fer més o alguna cosa millor del que s’ha fet abans
She decided to go one better than her brother by running a full marathon instead of a half marathon.
Va decidir anar un pas més enllà que el seu germà corrent una marató sencera en comptes d’una mitja.
against our better judgement
although we did not think it was a sensible thing to do
tot i saber que no era el més assenyat
We decided to adopt the stray dog against our better judgement, but he turned out to be a wonderful companion.
Vam decidir adoptar el gos abandonat tot i saber que no era prudent, però es va convertir en un gran company.
stand her in good stead
To be useful or beneficial to her in the future, especially in a way that helps her handle new situations or challenges.
Ser-li útil o beneficiós en el futur, especialment per afrontar noves situacions o reptes.
Her years of volunteering will stand her in good stead when she applies for a job in social work.
Els anys de voluntariat li seran de gran utilitat quan sol·liciti una feina en treball social.
thought better of
Decided not to do something after reconsidering, usually because it might not be a good idea.
Decidir no fer alguna cosa després de repensar-s'ho, normalment perquè potser no és bona idea.
She was about to confront her boss, but then she thought better of it and decided to wait.
Estava a punt d'enfrontar-se al seu cap, però després s'ho va repensar i va decidir esperar.
second best
not as good as the thing you really want
no tan bo com allò que realment vols
Winning the silver medal felt like second best to her, since she had trained so hard for the gold.
Guanyar la medalla de plata li va semblar una segona opció, perquè havia entrenat per la d'or.
get the best of both worlds
have the advantages of two different things at the same time
tenir els avantatges de dues coses diferents alhora
By working from home two days a week and going to the office the rest, I get the best of both worlds.
Treballant des de casa dos dies a la setmana i anant a l’oficina la resta, tinc el millor dels dos mons.
for the best
unpleasant now but will turn out well in the future
desagradable ara però serà bo en el futur
Losing that job was tough, but I think it was for the best in the end.
Perdre aquella feina va ser difícil, però crec que va ser el millor al final.
make the best of a bad job
Be positive about a situation that you do not like but cannot change.
Ser positiu davant una situació que no agrada però que no es pot canviar.
Even though the weather ruined our picnic, we decided to make the best of a bad job and played board games indoors.
Tot i que el temps va espatllar el nostre pícnic, vam decidir fer bona cara al mal temps i jugar a jocs de taula dins de casa.
be on your best behaviour
make an effort to behave as well as possible
fer un esforç per comportar-se tan bé com sigui possible
Please be on your best behaviour when we visit Grandma's house.
Si us plau, porta't el millor possible quan visitem a l'àvia.
in a bad way
in a poor condition
en mal estat
After the accident, his car was really in a bad way and needed major repairs.
Després de l'accident, el seu cotxe estava realment en mal estat i necessitava grans reparacions.
gone from bad to worse
got even worse than it was before
la situació va empitjorar encara més
After the power went out, things went from bad to worse when the pipes burst and flooded the basement.
Després de la apagada, les coses van passar de mal en pitjor quan les canonades van rebentar i van inundar el soterrani.
given it up as a bad job
Stopped trying to do something because it seemed pointless or too difficult to continue.
Va deixar d’intentar-ho perquè semblava inútil o massa difícil continuar.
After hours of trying to fix the old computer, I finally gave it up as a bad job and called a technician.
Després d’hores intentant arreglar el vell ordinador, finalment vaig tirar la tovallola i vaig trucar a un tècnic.
if the worst comes to the worst
if the situation becomes very difficult or serious
si la situació es complica molt o es torna greu
If the worst comes to the worst, we can always call a taxi to get home.
En el pitjor dels casos, sempre podem agafar un taxi per tornar a casa.
I have a bone to pick with you
You have done something that has annoyed me, and we must discuss it.
Has fet alguna cosa que m’ha molestat i hem de parlar-ho.
Hey, I have a bone to pick with you about the mess you left in the kitchen.
Escolta, tinc una cosa pendent amb tu pel desordre que vas deixar a la cuina.
bare bones
The most basic, essential, or fundamental aspects of something, without any extras or details.
Els aspectes més bàsics i essencials d’alguna cosa, sense detalls ni extres.
The report only included the bare bones of the proposal, leaving out all the supporting data.
L’informe només incloïa l’essència de la proposta, deixant de banda totes les dades de suport.
a chip on her shoulder
Blames other people for something negative that has happened to her and goes on carrying these feelings for ever.
Culpa els altres per alguna cosa negativa que li ha passat i arrossega aquests sentiments per sempre.
Ever since she was passed over for that promotion, she's had a chip on her shoulder and snaps at anyone who brings up work.
Des que no li van donar l'ascens, arrossega rancúnia i s'irrita amb qui parli de la feina.
a shoulder to cry on
Sympathy or support in time of trouble.
suport o consol en moments difícils
After her breakup, she really needed a shoulder to cry on, so I stayed with her all night.
Després de la seva ruptura, realment necessitava una espatlla on plorar, així que vaig quedar-me amb ella tota la nit.
stand shoulder to shoulder with you
Support you in a difficult time.
Donar-te suport en moments difícils.
No matter what happens, I will always stand shoulder to shoulder with you when things get tough.
Passi el que passi, sempre estaré al teu costat quan les coses es posin difícils.
gave me the cold shoulder
Reacted to me in an unfriendly or cold way for no obvious reason.
Va reaccionar de manera freda o antipàtica sense un motiu evident
When I tried to say hello, she just gave me the cold shoulder and walked away.
Quan vaig intentar saludar-la, simplement em va fer el buit i va marxar.
twisted my arm
Persuaded me to do something I didn’t really want to do.
Em van convèncer de fer una cosa que realment no volia fer.
I didn't want to go to the party, but Sarah twisted my arm and convinced me to join her.
No volia anar a la festa, però la Sarah em va convèncer per acompanyar-la.
keep/hold her at arm’s length
To maintain a distance or avoid becoming too close or involved with her.
Mantenir les distàncies o evitar apropar-se massa o involucrar-se amb ella.
Even though they work together, he always keeps her at arm’s length to avoid any office gossip.
Tot i que treballen junts, ell sempre manté les distàncies amb ella per evitar tafaneries a l'oficina.
pulling your leg
Joking or teasing someone by telling them something that is not true, usually in a playful way.
Bromejar o enganyar algú explicant-li una cosa que no és certa de manera divertida.
Don't worry, I'm just pulling your leg—there's no way you have to work this weekend.
No et preocupis, només t'estic prenent el pèl—no has de treballar aquest cap de setmana.
hasn’t (got) a leg to stand on
Has nothing to support his claim or position.
No té res que sustenti la seva afirmació o posició.
After the evidence was presented, he hasn't got a leg to stand on in court.
Després de presentar les proves, no té cap argument sòlid al jutjat.
push the boat out
spend a lot of money, usually because you are celebrating
gastar molts diners per celebrar alguna cosa
For their anniversary, they decided to push the boat out and booked a luxury hotel suite.
Per l'aniversari, van decidir tirar la casa per la finestra i van reservar una suite de luxe.
rock the boat
do or say something that causes problems, usually when you try to change a situation that other people do not want to change
fer o dir alguna cosa que causa problemes, especialment quan vols canviar una situació que els altres no volen canviar
Please don't rock the boat during the meeting; the team finally agreed on a plan.
Si us plau, no remoguis les aigües durant la reunió; l'equip finalment ha arribat a un acord.
miss the boat
be too late to get something you want
ser massa tard per aconseguir el que vols
I wanted to buy tickets to the concert, but I missed the boat and now they're sold out.
Volia comprar entrades pel concert, però he perdut el tren i ara ja no n'hi ha.
burn your boats/bridges
do something that makes it impossible for you to go back to the situation you were in before
fer alguna cosa que fa impossible tornar a la situació anterior
When she quit her job and told off her boss, she really burned her bridges with that company.
Quan va deixar la feina i va desafiar el seu cap, realment va cremar els ponts amb aquella empresa.
be in the same boat
To be in the same, usually difficult, situation as someone else.
Estar en la mateixa, sovint difícil, situació que una altra persona.
Don't worry about failing the test; we're all in the same boat and will have to retake it.
No et preocupis per suspendre l'examen; tots estem al mateix vaixell i haurem de repetir-lo.
steer clear of
avoid someone or something because it is dangerous for you
evitar algú o alguna cosa perquè pot ser perillós per a tu
You should steer clear of that neighborhood after dark.
Hauries de allunyar-te de aquest barri quan es faci fosc.
sail close to the wind
to do something that is risky or almost illegal; to behave in a way that is nearly improper or dangerous.
fer alguna cosa arriscada o gairebé il·legal; comportar-se d'una manera gairebé improcedent o perillosa.
He's always sailing close to the wind with his tax returns, claiming things he probably shouldn't.
Ell sempre juga amb foc amb les declaracions d’impostos, reclamant coses que probablement no hauria.
be plain sailing
To be very easy or straightforward, without any difficulties.
Molt fàcil o senzill, sense dificultats.
Once we fixed the engine, the rest of the trip was plain sailing.
Un cop vam arreglar el motor, la resta del viatge va ser bufar i fer ampolles.
be in the doldrums
(of a business) be not very successful; (of a person) feel sad and without energy
en una etapa d'estancament o desànim
Ever since the company lost its biggest client, it has been in the doldrums and profits have plummeted.
Des que l’empresa va perdre el seu client més gran, està de baixa i els beneficis han caigut en picat.
put/stick your oar in
Join a discussion or give your opinion when it is not wanted or when you are not invited (informal).
Ficar-se en una conversa o donar la teva opinió quan no es vol o sense ser convidat (informal).
I wish you wouldn't always put your oar in when I'm talking to my boss.
M'agradaria que no et fiquessis sempre on no et demanen quan parlo amb el meu cap.
show someone the ropes
To teach someone how to do a particular job or activity, especially by explaining the basic procedures and rules.
Ensenyar a algú com fer una feina o activitat, especialment explicant-li els procediments i regles bàsiques.
On my first day at the bakery, Sarah offered to show me the ropes so I wouldn't feel lost.
El meu primer dia a la fleca, la Sarah es va oferir a ensenyar-me com funcionen les coses perquè no em perdés.
be a nervous wreck
To be extremely anxious, worried, or stressed, often to the point of being unable to function normally.
Estar extremadament ansiós, preocupat o estressat fins al punt de no poder funcionar amb normalitat.
She was a nervous wreck before her big presentation at work.
Ella era un sac de nervis abans de la gran presentació a la feina.
clear the decks
To finish or remove all unnecessary tasks or obstacles in order to prepare for something important or to be ready for action.
Eliminar totes les tasques o obstacles innecessaris per estar preparat per quelcom important.
Before starting the new project, we need to clear the decks and make sure all old files are archived.
Abans de començar el nou projecte, hem de fer neteja i assegurar-nos que tots els arxius antics estiguin arxivats.
be (all) at sea
To be confused or unsure about what to do; to feel lost or bewildered.
Estar confós o insegur sobre què fer; sentir-se perdut.
When the new software was introduced, I was all at sea trying to figure out how to use it.
Quan van introduir el nou programari, estava completament perdut intentant esbrinar com fer-lo servir.
as blind as a bat
Unable to see well; having very poor eyesight.
No veu bé; té la vista molt dolenta.
Without my glasses, I am as blind as a bat and can't read anything on the board.
Sense les ulleres, sóc cec com un talp i no puc llegir res a la pissarra.
like a bat out of hell
moving very fast indeed
com un llamp
When the fire alarm went off, everyone ran like a bat out of hell to get outside.
Quan va sonar l'alarma d’incendi, tothom va sortir corrents com un llamp.
like a bear with a sore head
Very bad-tempered or irritable; acting in a grumpy or angry manner.
Molt de mal humor o irritable.
After staying up all night working, he came into the office like a bear with a sore head and snapped at everyone.
Després de passar-se tota la nit treballant, va arribar a l’oficina d’un humor de mil dimonis i va cridar a tothom.
as free as a bird
To feel or be completely free, without any worries, restrictions, or responsibilities.
Sentir-se completament lliure, sense preocupacions, restriccions ni responsabilitats.
Now that school is over for the summer, I feel as free as a bird.
Ara que s'ha acabat l'escola per l'estiu, em sento lliure com un ocell.
like a red rag to a bull
Something that is likely to make someone very angry or provoke a strong, negative reaction.
Alguna cosa que segurament farà enfadar molt algú o provocarà una reacció negativa forta.
Mentioning his rival's name is like a red rag to a bull; he immediately gets furious.
Esmentar el nom del seu rival és com afegir llenya al foc; s'enfada de seguida.
like something the cat brought/dragged in
Looking very scruffy, untidy, or messy, as if one has been through a rough experience.
Tenir un aspect molt deixat, desendreçat, com si hagués passat per una mala experiència.
After the long flight and no sleep, I looked like something the cat dragged in when I arrived at the hotel.
Després del vol llarg i sense dormir, vaig arribar a l'hotel fet un desastre.
as slippery as an eel
Describes someone who is difficult to catch, control, or pin down, often because they are evasive or constantly changing their position or attitude.
Descriu algú difícil d'atrapar, controlar o definir, sovint perquè és evasió o canvia constantment de postura.
Whenever you try to get a straight answer from him, he’s as slippery as an eel and avoids the question.
Sempre que intentes aconseguir una resposta clara d’ell, és escurridís com una anguila i evita la pregunta.
like a fish out of water
uncomfortable because you are different from other people
incòmode perquè ets diferent als altres
When I moved to the new school, I felt like a fish out of water because I didn't know anyone.
Quan vaig arribar a l'escola nova, em sentia com un peix fora de l'aigua perquè no coneixia ningú.
as sly/cunning as a fox
Very clever, crafty, or deceitful, especially in achieving one's goals.
Molt llest, astut o enginyós, especialment per aconseguir els seus objectius.
Don't trust him with your secrets—he's as sly as a fox when it comes to getting information out of people.
No li confiïs els teus secrets—és astut com una guineu quan vol obtenir informació de la gent.
has eyes like a hawk
sees everything; never misses anything
ho veu tot; no se li escapa res
My teacher has eyes like a hawk; she always notices when someone is cheating on a test.
La meva mestra té ulls de llince; sempre s'adona quan algú fa trampes a un examen.
as strong as an ox
very strong
molt fort
Even at seventy years old, my grandfather is still as strong as an ox and can lift heavy boxes with ease.
Fins i tot amb setanta anys, el meu avi encara és fort com un toro i pot aixecar caixes pesades fàcilment.
as far as the eye could see
Extending over a vast area; visible for a great distance, often so far that the end cannot be seen.
S'estén sobre una àrea immensa; visible fins on arriba la vista.
The fields of sunflowers stretched as far as the eye could see, creating a sea of yellow.
Els camps de gira-sols s'estenien fins on arriba la vista, creant un mar groc.
as plain as the nose on your face
very easy to see or obvious to everyone
molt fàcil de veure o evident per a tothom
The answer to the problem was as plain as the nose on your face, but somehow everyone missed it.
La resposta al problema era més clara que l'aigua, però d'alguna manera tothom la va passar per alt.
as ugly as sin
very ugly indeed
molt lleig
That old building is as ugly as sin, but it's full of history.
Aquell edifici antic és lleig com una mala cosa, però està ple d’història.
as light as a feather
Extremely light in weight; almost weightless.
Extremament lleuger, gairebé sense pes.
This new smartphone is as light as a feather, so I barely notice it in my pocket.
Aquest nou telèfon intel·ligent és lleuger com una ploma, amb prou feines el noto a la butxaca.
as heavy as lead
very heavy
molt pesat
The suitcase was as heavy as lead, and I could barely lift it onto the bed.
La maleta era pesada com el plom i gairebé no vaig poder posar-la al llit.
like the plague
To avoid someone or something completely because it is unpleasant or undesirable.
Evitar algú o alguna cosa completament perquè és desagradable o no desitjat.
Ever since that incident, she avoids him like the plague.
Des d'aquell incident, ella l'evita com la pesta.
a memory like a sieve
a very bad memory; the tendency to forget things easily.
Tenir molt mala memòria; tendència a oblidar les coses fàcilment.
He has a memory like a sieve—he can't even remember where he put his keys five minutes ago.
Té memòria de peix—ni recorda on ha deixat les claus fa cinc minuts.
like greased lightning
very quickly indeed
molt ràpidament
When the bell rang, the students ran out of the classroom like greased lightning.
Quan va sonar la campana, els estudiants van sortir de l’aula com un llamp.
play it by ear
respond to the situation as it occurs, don’t decide what to do beforehand
respondre a la situació a mesura que succeeix, sense decidir prèviament què fer
We don’t have a set plan for the weekend, so let’s just play it by ear and see what we feel like doing.
No tenim un pla fix pel cap de setmana, així que millor anem improvisant i veiem què ens ve de gust fer.
play by ear
To do something without a plan, improvising as you go; in music, to play a tune by listening rather than reading sheet music.
improvisar, actuar segons el moment sense pla previ
We don't have a set schedule for the trip, so let's just play it by ear and see what we feel like doing each day.
No tenim un horari fix pel viatge, així que millor improvisem i veiem què ens ve de gust fer cada dia.
couldn’t believe my ears
To be extremely surprised or shocked by what one hears.
Estar molt sorprès o impactat pel que se sent.
When they announced my name as the winner, I couldn’t believe my ears.
Quan van anunciar el meu nom com a guanyador, no em podia creure el que sentia.
goes in one ear and out the other
Said when someone doesn’t listen or pay attention, or forgets things immediately.
Es diu quan algú no escolta, no para atenció o s'oblida de les coses immediatament.
Whenever I tell my little brother to clean his room, it just goes in one ear and out the other.
Cada vegada que dic al meu germà petit que netegi l'habitació, li entra per una orella i li surt per l'altra.
I’m all ears
I’m very keen to hear what you have to tell me.
Tinc moltes ganes d’escoltar el que has de dir-me.
Go ahead and tell me your story, I’m all ears.
Explica’m la teva història, sóc tot orelles.
lip service
To express support or agreement for something verbally, but not follow through with actions.
Expressar suport o acord només amb paraules, però sense fer res.
The company paid lip service to environmental issues, but continued to pollute the river.
L’empresa va fer només paraules buides sobre temes ambientals, però va continuar contaminant el riu.
my lips are sealed
I shall keep the secret / tell no one
no diré res / guardaré el secret
Don't worry, my lips are sealed—I won't tell anyone about your surprise party.
No et preocupis, tinc la boca tancada—no diré res sobre la teva festa sorpresa.
word of mouth
Information or recommendations passed from person to person through conversation rather than through written or formal means.
Informació o recomanacions que es transmeten entre persones parlant, no mitjançant canals oficials o escrits.
Most of our new customers hear about us through word of mouth.
La majoria dels nostres nous clients ens coneixen pel boca-orella.
mouth-watering / making my mouth water
Describes food that looks or smells so delicious that it makes you want to eat it immediately.
Descriu un menjar que té tan bon aspecte o olor que et fa venir ganes de menjar-lo immediatament.
The smell of freshly baked bread was so mouth-watering that I couldn't resist buying a loaf.
L’olor del pa acabat de fer era tan apetidora que no vaig poder resistir comprar-ne una barra.
poking/sticking your nose into other people’s business
To interfere in matters that do not concern you; to be nosy or meddlesome.
Ficar-se en assumptes que no t'importen; ser tafaner o entremès.
My neighbor is always sticking her nose into my affairs, asking about my job and my family.
La meva veïna sempre està ficant el nas en els meus afers, preguntant sobre la meva feina i família.
turn your nose up at
To refuse something because you think it is not good enough for you; to show disdain or contempt for something.
Rebutjar una cosa perquè es considera insuficientment bona; mostrar menyspreu.
She turned her nose up at the homemade cookies because they weren't from a fancy bakery.
Ella va arrufar el nas davant de les galetes casolanes perquè no eren d'una pastisseria de renom.
gets right up everybody’s nose
annoys or irritates everyone
molesta o irrita tothom
The way he constantly interrupts people really gets right up everybody’s nose.
La manera com sempre interromp als altres realment posa dels nervis a tothom.
in the teeth of
despite; in direct opposition to something or facing strong difficulty or resistance
malgrat; fent front a dificultats o resistència forta
The hikers continued their journey in the teeth of a fierce snowstorm.
Els excursionistes van continuar el seu viatge malgrat una forta tempesta de neu.
by the skin of my teeth
To barely succeed at something or narrowly escape a disaster.
Aconseguir alguna cosa per molt poc o escapar d’un desastre per ben poc.
I passed the final exam by the skin of my teeth; I thought I was going to fail.
Vaig aprovar l’examen final d’un pèl; pensava que suspendria.
grit our teeth
To accept a difficult or unpleasant situation and deal with it with determination and perseverance.
Acceptar una situació difícil o desagradable i fer-hi front amb determinació i perseverança.
We had to grit our teeth and keep working even though the project seemed impossible.
Havíem de estrènyer les dents i continuar treballant encara que el projecte semblés impossible.
lying through his teeth
telling a deliberate lie
mentir descaradament
Everyone knew he was lying through his teeth when he said he had finished the project on time.
Tothom sabia que mentia descaradament quan deia que havia acabat el projecte a temps.
bit my tongue
remained silent; didn’t react
es va quedar en silenci; no va reaccionar
When my boss criticized my work unfairly, I just bit my tongue and didn’t say anything.
Quan el meu cap va criticar la meva feina injustament, només em vaig mossegar la llengua i no vaig dir res.
on the tip of my tongue
I know it and will be able to remember it very soon.
Ho sé i ho recordaré ben aviat.
Her name is on the tip of my tongue, but I just can't recall it right now.
El seu nom el tinc a la punta de la llengua, però ara no em surt.
common ground
things we agree on; similar opinions and experience
coses en què estem d'acord; opinions i experiències similars
Even though they disagreed on many issues, they found common ground in their love for music.
Tot i que discrepaven en molts temes, van trobar un punt en comú en l’amor per la música.
gaining ground
becoming more popular or accepted; making progress or advancing in a particular area.
esdevenir més popular o acceptat; avançar en un àmbit determinat
Electric cars are really gaining ground as more people look for eco-friendly transportation options.
Els cotxes elèctrics estan realment guanyant terreny a mesura que més persones cerquen opcions de transport ecològiques.
cut the ground from under the feet of
To make someone's position or argument weaker by doing or saying something more effective.
Debilitar la posició o l’argument d’algú fent o dient alguna cosa més efectiva.
The lawyer cut the ground from under the feet of the opposing counsel by presenting new evidence.
L’advocat va deixar sense arguments a l’oposició presentant proves noves.
hold/stand her ground
refuse to change her opinion or behaviour, especially when under pressure or in a difficult situation.
Negar-se a canviar d'opinió o comportament, especialment sota pressió o en una situació difícil.
Even though everyone disagreed, she stood her ground and defended her decision.
Tot i que tothom discrepava, ella va mantenir-se ferma i va defensar la seva decisió.
on dangerous ground
To hold a view or opinion that will probably offend or upset people, or to be in a risky or sensitive situation.
Tenir una opinió que pot molestar o estar en una situació sensible o arriscada.
You're on dangerous ground if you criticize her work in front of the whole team.
Ets en terreny perillós si critiques la seva feina davant tot l'equip.
give ground
to change your opinion or accept the other side’s position, especially in an argument or negotiation
canviar d’opinió o acceptar la postura de l’altra part, especialment en una discussió o negociació
After hours of heated debate, the manager finally gave ground and agreed to some of the employees’ demands.
Després d’hores de debat intens, el gerent finalment va cedir i va acceptar algunes de les demandes dels empleats.
shifting her ground
changing her opinion or argument, especially in a discussion or debate.
canviar constantment d'opinió o d'argument, especialment en una discussió o debat.
During the debate, she kept shifting her ground whenever someone challenged her points.
Durant el debat, anava canviant de parer cada cop que algú li rebatia els arguments.
gets a project/idea off the ground
To help a project or idea begin successfully or to get it started.
Ajudar a que un projecte o idea comenci amb èxit
The team worked hard to get the new product off the ground before the holiday season.
L'equip va treballar de valent per posar en marxa el nou producte abans de la temporada de festes.
gets in on the ground floor
become involved in something right at the beginning (and which is often successful later)
implicar-se en alguna cosa des del principi (que sovint té èxit després)
She got in on the ground floor of the tech startup and now she's a senior executive.
Ella hi va entrar des del principi a la startup tecnològica i ara és directiva.
prepares the ground
create a good or suitable situation for something to take place
crear una situació favorable perquè alguna cosa tingui lloc
The new policy prepares the ground for future economic reforms.
La nova política prepara el terreny per a futures reformes econòmiques.
wished the ground would swallow me up
Wished I could just disappear, usually because of embarrassment or shame.
Desitjaria poder desaparèixer, normalment per vergonya o sentit de ridícul.
When I realized my fly was open during the presentation, I wished the ground would swallow me up.
Quan em vaig adonar que portava la cremallera oberta durant la presentació, vaig desitjar que se m'empassés la terra.
thick/thin on the ground
To be present in large numbers (thick) or very few (thin); used to describe the abundance or scarcity of something.
Ser molt abundants o molt escassos; descriure l’abundància o escassetat d’alguna cosa.
Good restaurants are thin on the ground in this part of town, so we usually cook at home.
Els bons restaurants són comptats amb els dits d’una mà en aquesta zona, així que normalment cuinem a casa.
suits me down to the ground
suits me perfectly; is exactly what I want or need.
em va com l’anell al dit; és exactament el que vull o necessito.
Working from home suits me down to the ground because I don't have to commute.
Treballar des de casa em va com l’anell al dit perquè no hauré de desplaçar-me.
gone to ground
To hide or disappear, especially to avoid being found or to escape attention.
Amagar-se o desaparèixer, especialment per evitar ser trobat o cridar l’atenció.
After the scandal broke, the politician went to ground and refused to speak to the media.
Després de l’escàndol, el polític va desaparèixer i es va negar a parlar amb els mitjans.
stamping/stomping ground
A place where someone spent a lot of time, especially in their youth or earlier years; a familiar or favorite place.
Un lloc on algú va passar molt de temps, especialment quan era jove; lloc familiar o preferit.
This old café used to be my stomping ground when I was in college.
Aquest cafè antic havia estat el meu refugi quan era a la universitat.
at her fingertips
immediately available or accessible
immediatament disponible o accessible
With all the latest research at her fingertips, the scientist was able to answer every question with ease.
Amb tota la recerca més recent a l'abast, la científica va poder respondre a cada pregunta amb facilitat.
keep your fingers crossed
To hope that things will happen in the way you want; to wish for good luck.
Esperar que les coses passin com vols; desitjar bona sort.
I'm waiting to hear back about the job interview, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Estic esperant resposta de l'entrevista, així que creuo els dits.
put his finger on
to identify or pinpoint exactly what is wrong or the cause of a problem
identificar exactament quin és el problema o la seva causa
The mechanic couldn't put his finger on the reason why the car kept stalling.
El mecànic no podia posar el dit a la nafra sobre per què el cotxe s’aturava.
lifts a finger
to make any effort to help, usually used in the negative to indicate someone is not helping at all
fer qualsevol esforç per ajudar, habitualment usat en negatiu per indicar que algú no ajuda gens
Even when the house was a mess, he never lifted a finger to clean up.
Fins i tot quan la casa era un desastre, ell no va moure un dit per netejar.
got his fingers burnt
Suffered as a result of an action; lost money or was hurt, often due to taking a risk or making a mistake.
Pateix una pèrdua o dany com a conseqüència d’una acció, sovint per haver arriscat o comès un error.
He got his fingers burnt when he invested in that risky startup and lost all his savings.
Va sortir escaldat quan va invertir en aquella startup arriscada i va perdre tots els estalvis.
given the thumbs up/down
To approve (thumbs up) or reject (thumbs down) something or someone.
Aprovar o rebutjar alguna cosa o algú.
The manager gave the thumbs up to our new marketing proposal, so we can start working on it right away.
El responsable va donar llum verda a la nostra nova proposta de màrqueting, així que podem començar immediatament.
sticks/stands out like a sore thumb
looks different from everything else in its environment (in a negative sense)
destaca d'una manera negativa respecte a l'entorn
That bright red car stands out like a sore thumb in a parking lot full of black and gray vehicles.
Aquest cotxe vermell brillant desentona com un esparver en un galliner en un aparcament ple de vehicles negres i grisos.
as a rule of thumb
a general, useful rule or guideline based on experience rather than a strict law.
una norma general i útil basada en l'experiència, no en una llei estricta
When baking bread, as a rule of thumb, I let the dough rise until it has doubled in size.
Quan faig pa, com a norma general, deixo que la massa pugi fins que dobli el seu volum.
given me a free hand
Allows me to take whatever action I want to; gives me complete freedom to make decisions or act as I see fit.
Em permet donar-me total llibertat per actuar o decidir com em sembli bé.
My boss has given me a free hand to redesign the website however I think is best.
El meu cap m'ha donat carta blanca per redissenyar la web com cregui millor.
turn his hand to
has the skill or ability to do unfamiliar jobs without any previous experience
té la capacitat de fer feines desconegudes sense experiència prèvia
Jake can turn his hand to anything—one day he's fixing cars, the next he's baking bread.
En Jake pot sortir-se’n en tot—un dia arregla cotxes, l’endemà fa pa.
got out of hand
got out of control
se'n va anar de les mans
The party got out of hand when too many people showed up and the neighbors called the police.
La festa se'n va anar de les mans quan va venir massa gent i els veïns van trucar a la policia.
first-hand
Directly experienced or obtained personally, rather than through another person or source.
Experimentat o obtingut personalment, no a través d'una altra persona o font.
She wanted to see the results first-hand before making any decisions.
Volia veure els resultats de primera mà abans de prendre cap decisió.
changed hands
been sold to a new owner
ha estat venut a un nou propietari
The old bookstore on Main Street has changed hands three times in the last decade.
La llibreria antiga del carrer Major ha canviat de mans tres cops en l’última dècada.
have my hands full
am very busy / have a lot of things to do
estar molt ocupat / tenir moltes coses per fer
With three young kids at home, I really have my hands full these days.
Amb tres criatures petites a casa, aquests dies realment tinc les mans plenes.
try my hand at
To attempt to do something for the first time, especially as an experiment or to see if one enjoys or is good at it.
Intentar fer alguna cosa per primera vegada, especialment per veure si t’agrada o se’t dóna bé.
I've always wanted to try my hand at painting, so I signed up for an art class.
Sempre he volgut provar sort amb la pintura, així que m’he apuntat a una classe d’art.
keep my hand in
to continue practicing something so as not to lose skill or knowledge in it
seguir practicant alguna cosa per no perdre habilitat o coneixement
Even though I don't play chess competitively anymore, I still keep my hand in by playing online once a week.
Tot i que ja no jugo escacs competitivament, encara mantinc la mà entrenada jugant en línia un cop a la setmana.
to hand
available; nearby
disponible; a mà
I always keep a notebook to hand in case I get a good idea.
Sempre tinc una llibreta a mà per si tinc una bona idea.
give me a hand
help me, for example to carry or lift something
ajuda'm, per exemple a portar o aixecar alguna cosa
Could you give me a hand with these boxes? They're really heavy.
Em podries donar un cop de mà amb aquestes caixes? Són molt pesades.
washed my hands of
stopped being involved in or took no further responsibility for something
va deixar d'estar involucrat o de ser-ne responsable
After years of trying to help, I finally washed my hands of the whole situation.
Després d'anys intentant ajudar, finalment em vaig rentar les mans de tota la situació.
get into gear
start working effectively or with energy
començar a treballar amb eficàcia o energia
After a slow morning, the team finally got into gear and finished the project ahead of schedule.
Després d’un matí lent, l’equip finalment es va posar les piles i va acabar el projecte abans d’hora.
real back-seat driver
someone who gives unwanted advice or criticism, especially when someone else is doing something
algú que dona consells o crítiques no desitjades mentre una altra persona fa alguna cosa
My brother is such a real back-seat driver; he keeps telling me how to park even though I'm the one behind the wheel.
El meu germà és un copilot que tot ho sap; no para de dir-me com aparcar tot i que qui condueix sóc jo.
put the brakes on
To slow down or stop something that is happening, especially to prevent it from continuing or getting out of control.
Frenar o aturar alguna cosa per evitar que continuï o es descontroli
The company decided to put the brakes on its expansion plans due to the uncertain economy.
L’empresa va decidir posar el fre als plans d’expansió per la incertesa econòmica.
ticking over
working quietly and smoothly, without problems
funcionant tranquil·lament i amb suavitat, sense problemes
Even though the boss is away, the office is still ticking over nicely.
Encara que el cap no hi sigui, l'oficina continua funcionant bé.
let off steam
express strong emotions or energy by doing something active or noisy
expressar emocions fortes o energia fent alguna cosa activa o sorollosa
After a stressful day at work, I let off steam by going for a long run.
Després d’un dia estressant a la feina, descarrego adrenalina anant a córrer una bona estona.
programmed
always doing the same thing in the same way, like a computer
fer sempre el mateix de la mateixa manera, com una màquina
He wakes up at 6 a.m. every day, eats the same breakfast, and leaves for work at exactly 7—it's like he's programmed.
Es desperta cada dia a les 6 del matí, menja el mateix esmorzar i surt a treballar exactament a les 7—sembla que estigui programat.
get your lines/wires crossed
to have a misunderstanding or miscommunication with someone, often resulting in confusion or mistakes.
tenir un malentès o una mala comunicació amb algú, que sol provocar confusió o errors.
We must have got our wires crossed because I thought the meeting was at 2, not 3.
Segurament hem tingut un malentès perquè jo pensava que la reunió era a les 2 i no a les 3.
are on the same wavelength as someone
You view the world or think in the same way as them.
veus el món o penses igual que una altra persona
It's so easy to work with Sarah because we are on the same wavelength about almost everything.
És molt fàcil treballar amb la Sarah perquè estem en la mateixa ona gairebé en tot.
blow a fuse/gasket
To lose your temper and react very angrily to an event.
Perdre els nervis i reaccionar amb molta ira davant d’un fet.
When the kids broke his favorite vase, he blew a fuse and started yelling.
Quan els nens van trencar el seu gerro preferit, va perdre els estreps i va començar a cridar.
give someone a buzz
To phone or call someone, usually in an informal or casual way.
Trucar a algú de manera informal.
I'll give you a buzz later to confirm the meeting time.
Et faig un toc després per confirmar l'hora de la reunió.
back-pedalling
beginning to say the opposite of what was said before; reversing a previous position
començar a desdir-se o canviar de postura respecte al que s'havia dit abans
After realizing his statement was unpopular, the politician started back-pedalling during the interview.
En adonar-se que la seva declaració no era popular, el polític va començar a tirar enrere durant l'entrevista.
put/throw a spanner in the works
To spoil something, such as a plan, or prevent it from succeeding.
Esprear o impedir que una cosa, com un pla, tingui èxit.
We were all set to launch the new product next week, but the supplier delay really put a spanner in the works.
Estàvem a punt de llançar el nou producte la setmana vinent, però el retard del proveïdor realment ens va aigualir la festa.
meltdown
a complete failure; a situation where everything goes wrong
fracàs total; una situació on tot surt malament
The company had a financial meltdown after the stock market crash.
L'empresa va patir un derrumbe financer després del crack borsari.
in the pipeline
being discussed, prepared, or planned but not public yet
s’està discutint, preparant o planificant però encara no és públic
The company has several new products in the pipeline that will be released next year.
L’empresa té diversos nous productes en preparació que es llançaran l’any vinent.
make/pull a face
show that you do not like something by making an unpleasant expression
mostrar desgrat amb una expressió facial de rebuig
The child made a face when he tasted the sour lemon.
El nen va fer una ganyota en tastar la llimona àcida.
keep a straight face
not laugh or change your expression even though you want to laugh
no riure ni canviar l'expressió encara que vulguis riure
It was so hard to keep a straight face when my friend told that ridiculous story.
Va ser molt difícil mantenir la cara seriosa quan el meu amic va explicar aquella història ridícula.
put a brave face on something
pretend you are happy about something when you are not happy
fingir que estàs content quan en realitat no ho estàs
Even though she was disappointed about not getting the job, she put a brave face on it during the family dinner.
Tot i estar decebuda per no aconseguir la feina, al sopar familiar va fer bona cara.
take something at face value
Accept something as it appears, without questioning or doubting its truth or considering any hidden meaning.
Acceptar alguna cosa tal com sembla, sense qüestionar-la ni buscar-hi un significat ocult.
You shouldn't take everything he says at face value; sometimes he exaggerates.
No hauries de prendre tot el que diu al peu de la lletra; de vegades exagera.
on the face of it
according to the appearance of something; as something seems at first glance, without deeper investigation
segons l'aparença; a primera vista, sense aprofundir
On the face of it, the proposal seems reasonable, but there may be hidden problems.
A primera vista, la proposta sembla raonable, però potser hi ha problemes amagats.
face to face
with another person in their presence rather than, say, by phone or letter
amb una altra persona present, presencialment, i no per telèfon o carta
After months of video calls, it was great to finally meet face to face.
Després de mesos de videotrucades, va ser fantàstic poder trobar-nos finalment cara a cara.
keep your hair on
Stay calm; don't get angry or upset.
Mantén la calma; no t’enfadis ni t’alteris.
Just keep your hair on, there's no need to shout about it.
Només mantingues la calma, no cal cridar per això.
tearing/pulling her hair out
To be extremely anxious, frustrated, or stressed, often because of a difficult or overwhelming situation.
Estar extremadament ansiós, frustrat o estressat per una situació difícil.
She was tearing her hair out trying to meet the project deadline with so little time left.
Estava a punt d'esclatar intentant complir amb el termini del projecte amb tan poc temps.
didn't turn a hair
showed no reaction at all
no va mostrar cap reacció
When the fire alarm went off during the meeting, she didn't turn a hair and kept talking as if nothing had happened.
Quan va sonar l'alarma d'incendi durant la reunió, ella ni es va immutar i va continuar parlant com si res.
at each other's throats
arguing in a very angry way
discutir-se molt agressivament
The two coworkers were at each other's throats during the meeting, making it hard for anyone else to speak.
Els dos companys estaven barallant-se furiosament durant la reunió i era difícil que ningú més pogués parlar.
make a clean breast of it
To confess fully and honestly, especially about something one has done wrong, in order to relieve guilt.
Confessar completament i sincerament, especialment un error, per alleujar la culpa.
After weeks of feeling guilty, he finally made a clean breast of it and told his boss about the mistake.
Després de setmanes sentint-se culpable, finalment va confessar-ho tot i va explicar al seu cap l'error.
breathing down his neck
paying close attention to what he is doing in an annoying or threatening way
vigilar algú de ben a prop d'una manera molesta o amenaçadora
The manager kept breathing down my neck while I was finishing the report, which made me really nervous.
El gerent no parava de estar a sobre meu mentre acabava l'informe, i això em posava molt nerviós.
a real pain in the neck
Someone or something that is very annoying or bothersome.
Algú o alguna cosa que és molt molesta o empipadora.
My little brother can be a real pain in the neck when I'm trying to do my homework.
El meu germà petit pot ser un autèntic maldecap quan intento fer els deures.
got it off his chest
told someone about something that was bothering him, usually a secret or worry, in order to feel relieved
va explicar el que li preocupava per alliberar-se
After weeks of worrying, he finally got it off his chest and told his friend the truth.
Després de setmanes de preocupació, finalment es va treure un pes de sobre i va dir la veritat al seu amic.
ramming it down his throat
Forcing someone to accept or listen to your opinions or beliefs, often in an aggressive or insistent way.
Imposar opinions o creences a algú de manera insistent o agressiva.
He kept ramming it down my throat that his way was the only way to solve the problem.
Ell no parava d’intentar-me imposar que la seva manera era l’única solució al problema.
giving him the cold shoulder
ignoring him in a deliberate way
ignorar algú de manera intencionada
After their argument, she started giving him the cold shoulder at work.
Després de discutir, ella va començar a fer-li el buit a la feina.
couldn't believe my eyes
To be extremely surprised or shocked by what one is seeing; to find something visually unbelievable.
Estar extremadament sorprès o sorprès pel que es veu; trobar alguna cosa increïble als ulls.
When I saw the size of the cake, I couldn't believe my eyes.
Quan vaig veure la mida del pastís, no em creia el que veia.
couldn't keep my eyes off
couldn't stop looking at someone or something because they are very attractive, interesting, or captivating.
no podia deixar de mirar algú o alguna cosa perquè era molt atractiu o captivador.
The painting was so beautiful that I couldn't keep my eyes off it.
El quadre era tan bonic que no podia treure-li els ulls de sobre.
catch her eye
get her attention; make her look at me
cridar la seva atenció
He tried to catch her eye across the crowded room, hoping she would notice him.
Va intentar cridar la seva mirada a través de la sala plena, esperant que ella el notés.
keep an eye on
To watch or monitor something or someone carefully.
Vigilar o supervisar alguna cosa o algú amb atenció.
Can you keep an eye on my bag while I go to the restroom?
Pots vigilar la meva bossa mentre vaig al lavabo?
turn a blind eye
ignore behaviour which you know is wrong
ignorar un comportament que se sap que és incorrecte
The teacher decided to turn a blind eye to the students whispering during the test.
El professor va decidir fer els ulls grossos als xiuxiuejos dels alumnes durant l’examen.
with your eyes open
aware of all the problems or difficulties that could arise in a situation; fully informed before making a decision
ser conscient de tots els problemes o dificultats que poden sorgir; estar totalment informat abans de decidir
She accepted the challenging job offer with her eyes open, knowing it would require long hours and hard work.
Va acceptar la feina difícil sabent perfectament on es ficava, conscient que suposaria moltes hores i esforç.
see eye to eye
to agree with someone or have the same opinion as them
estar d'acord amb algú o tenir la mateixa opinió
My sister and I rarely see eye to eye when it comes to choosing a movie.
La meva germana i jo gairebé mai estem d'acord a l'hora de triar una pel·lícula.
raised a few eyebrows
To cause surprise, shock, or mild disapproval among people.
Causar sorpresa, xoc o una lleu desaprovació entre la gent.
Her decision to wear pajamas to the office definitely raised a few eyebrows among her coworkers.
La seva decisió d'anar a la feina amb pijama va deixar bocabadats als companys.
run/cast your eye over
To have a quick look at something, usually to check or review it briefly.
Donar una ullada ràpida a alguna cosa per revisar o comprovar breument.
Could you run your eye over this report before I send it to the manager?
Pots fer una ullada a aquest informe abans que l'enviï al director?
on the blink
beginning to break down and go wrong, probably because it is old
començar a espatllar-se, probablement perquè és vell
My old laptop has been on the blink for weeks; it keeps shutting down unexpectedly.
El meu portàtil vell fa setmanes que està espellifat; s'apaga de sobte.
have/keep one eye on
To observe or monitor something or someone carefully, often while doing something else.
Vigilar o estar pendent d’alguna cosa o algú mentre fas una altra cosa.
While cooking dinner, I always keep one eye on the kids playing in the backyard.
Mentre faig el sopar, sempre tinc un ull posat als nens que juguen al jardí.
didn't bat an eyelid
didn't react at all; showed no surprise, emotion, or concern in response to something unexpected or shocking.
no va reaccionar gens; no va mostrar sorpresa, emoció ni preocupació davant d’alguna cosa inesperada o xocant.
When I told her the shocking news, she didn't bat an eyelid and just kept working.
Quan li vaig dir la notícia impactant, no va immutar-se i va continuar treballant.
caught my eye
Something that attracted my attention or made me notice it.
Alguna cosa que va cridar la meva atenció o em va fer adonar-ne.
The bright red dress in the shop window immediately caught my eye as I walked by.
El vestit vermell brillant a l’aparador de la botiga de seguida em va cridar l’atenció mentre passava.
opened my eyes to
made me understand or realize something for the first time; made me aware of something I hadn't noticed before.
em va fer adonar o entendre alguna cosa per primer cop
Traveling to different countries really opened my eyes to how diverse the world is.
Viure en diferents països realment em va obrir els ulls a la diversitat del món.
a real eye-opener
an event or situation that I unexpectedly learnt something from
un esdeveniment o situació del qual he après alguna cosa inesperadament
Visiting the developing country was a real eye-opener for me; I never realized how different life could be.
Visitar el país en desenvolupament va ser tota una revelació per a mi; mai no hauria pensat que la vida podria ser tan diferent.