matar cachorro a grito
Meaning: To be extremely poor or destitute.
Language: Portuguese
Literally: to kill a dog by shouting
Category: Animals
Origin: Origin uncertain; the image may derive from the desperation of killing a dog through noise alone rather than with a weapon, suggesting extreme poverty and lack of resources.
More idioms — Animals
- met de kippen op stok gaan — to go to bed very early, at sunset.
- köra med — To tease, bully, or push someone around.
- kasta pärlor för svin — To offer something valuable to someone who cannot appreciate or will waste it.
- ingen ko på isen — There is no danger or immediate problem; the situation is safe.
- inte göra en fluga förnär — To be harmless and gentle, incapable of hurting even the smallest creature.
- som vatten på en gås — Something that has no effect or makes no impression, sliding off harmlessly.
More Portuguese idioms
- mandar bala — To pursue something with enthusiasm and vigor.
- encontro às cegas — A romantic meeting between two people who have never met before.
- na ponta da língua — To have something in one's mind but be unable to recall or express it completely.
- ao fim e ao cabo — After everything is considered; ultimately; in the final analysis.
- fazer uma tempestade num copo de água — To make an excessive fuss over something trivial.
- dar um tiro no pé — To harm oneself through one's own actions; to undermine one's own interests.
From our tongue twisters
- A aranha arranha a rã. A rã arranha a aranha. — Contrasts the soft single r of aranha against the hard rolled rr of arranha — one letter…
- O rato roeu a roupa do rei de Roma; a rainha com raiva roeu o resto. — An unstoppable 'r' trill drill — every key word begins or ends with the Portuguese r.
- Um tigre, dois tigres, três tigres tristes triscam trigo num trigal. — A 'tr' cluster drill that adds a sad adjective to make the alliteration worse.