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en la cuerda floja

Meaning: To be in a precarious or dangerous position; to be walking a fine line between safety and disaster.

Language: Spanish

Literally: on the loose rope

Category: Daily Life

Origin: The image is of a tightrope walker balanced on a rope with little margin for error—one misstep leads to a fall.

More idioms — Daily Life

  • romper la baraja — To abandon a game or situation in frustration; to take one's ball and go home.
  • en la estacada — abandoned or left in a difficult situation without help.
  • tira y afloja — a back-and-forth negotiation or struggle where each side gives and takes.
  • a escondidillas — in secret; covertly or without someone's knowledge.
  • de pitiminí — something trivial or of insignificant value.
  • cada muerte de obispo — extremely rarely; once in a blue moon.

More Spanish idioms

  • de aquellos polvos, estos lodos — Consequences or problems arise later from careless or harmful actions taken earlier; misd…
  • a contracorriente — To act or think in opposition to prevailing opinion, custom, or the natural course of eve…
  • cachicamo diciéndole a morrocoy conchudo — Calling out someone's faults when the accuser has the very same fault, especially when th…
  • a todo gañote — At the top of one's voice; very loudly.
  • fuera de sí — to be in a state of extreme emotion, either elation or distress, such that one loses comp…
  • curva de la felicidad — excess abdominal fat; a protruding belly caused by overeating or drinking.

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