breathe down someone's neck
Meaning: To watch someone too closely, or to be close behind them.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “I can't work with the manager breathing down my neck.”
Category: Body & Senses
Origin: Someone standing so close behind you that you feel their breath. It is common from the mid-20th century, possibly from horse racing, where a close rival breathes down the leader's neck.
Equivalents in other languages
- Turkish: İki ayağını bir pabuca sokmak — literally: To stuff someone's two feet into one shoe
- French: Marquer à la culotte — literally: To mark at the shorts
More idioms — Body & Senses
- elbow grease — Hard physical work, especially scrubbing or polishing.
- have a heavy heart — To feel sad or burdened.
- in one's heart of hearts — In one's deepest private feelings.
- an old hand — Someone with long experience at something.
- a low blow — An unfair or cruel attack.
- it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye — Rough play may seem harmless but can end in injury.
More English idioms
- champ at the bit — To be impatient to start.
- at cross purposes — To misunderstand each other or work toward conflicting goals.
- a Bible thumper — A person who is aggressively or tiresomely religious.
- one swallow does not make a summer — One good sign does not mean things will continue that way.
- walk into the lion's den — To go deliberately into a dangerous or hostile place.
- an old sea dog — An experienced old sailor.
From our untranslatable words
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