IdiomBody & Senses
Spanish
Spanishmorder el polvo
Meaning: to be defeated or to die.
Literally: To bite the dust
Example: “El campeón mordió el polvo en la segunda ronda.” — The champion bit the dust in the second round.
English equivalent: To bite the dust
Equivalents in other languages
English: bite the dust
French: Mordre la poussière Literally: To bite the dust
Origin: The image is Homer's: in the Iliad, fallen warriors bite the earth as they die, and the phrase reached Spanish, French and English ("bite the dust") through translations of epic poetry. In Spanish it means being defeated as much as dying, and it is common in sports reporting.
More Spanish idioms
- dale que te pego relentlessly; without stopping or holding back.
- tira y afloja a back-and-forth negotiation or struggle where each side gives and takes.
- como pez en el agua perfectly at ease in a situation; in one's natural element.
- de pitiminí something trivial or of insignificant value.
- no haber color there is no comparison; one option is vastly superior to another.
- cada muerte de obispo extremely rarely; once in a blue moon.
Explore another collection: Proverbs
Short sayings of timeless wisdom from more than 50 cultures, each with its meaning and origin.
- Nadie da duros a cuatro pesetas If an offer looks too good to be true, it probably is.
- Loro viejo no aprende a hablar It is hard to learn new things when you are old.
- Por la boca muere el pez Talking too much gets people into trouble.
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