IdiomBody & Senses
Spanish
Spanishcon pies de plomo
Meaning: To proceed with extreme caution or wariness; to tread carefully in a delicate situation.
Literally: With feet of lead
Example: “Hay que ir con pies de plomo al hablar del testamento.” — You have to tread carefully when the will comes up.
English equivalent: To tread carefully
Equivalents in other languages
English: tread carefully
Origin: Feet of lead are heavy and slow, so each step is taken carefully and deliberately. The RAE dictionary lists con pie, o pies, de plomo for proceeding with great caution, and French has the same image in avancer avec des pieds de plomb.
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