come down hard on someone
Meaning: To punish or criticize someone severely.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “The coach came down hard on players who missed practice.”
Category: Daily Life
Origin: The image of a heavy blow falling from above. The phrase is common from the 20th century.
Equivalents in other languages
- Bulgarian: Обръщам дебелия край (Obrashhtam debeliya kray) — literally: To turn the thick end
More idioms — Daily Life
- Pédaler dans la semoule — To be confused and getting nowhere.
- Avoir d'autres chats à fouetter — To have more important things to do.
- Avoir le cul entre deux chaises — To be indecisive, caught between two options.
- Les carottes sont cuites — It's too late, nothing can be done.
- Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof — I don't understand anything at all.
- Schwein haben — Getting unexpectedly lucky — rooted in medieval tournaments where the last-place finisher…
More English idioms
- when it rains, it pours — Bad things tend to happen together.
- like a headless chicken — In a frantic, disorganized way.
- a bundle of nerves — A very anxious or nervous person.
- light-fingered — Tending to steal.
- The last straw that broke the camel's back — The final small burden that causes a total collapse.
- To have a frog in your throat — To have difficulty speaking due to hoarseness.
From our compliments & insults
- Sei un salame — You're a clumsy, dopey softie — said with a smile.
- Eres más corto que las mangas de un chaleco — You're not the sharpest — a bit slow on the uptake.
- Du bist nicht die hellste Kerze auf der Torte — You're a little dim — not the smartest in the room.