
IdiomDaily Life
English
no holds barred
Meaning: With no rules or restraints.
Example: “The debate was a no-holds-barred argument about the budget.”
Origin: From wrestling, where certain holds are normally forbidden; in a "no holds barred" bout, none were. The figurative use is common from the early 20th century.
Equivalents in other languages
Spanish: sin cuartel Literally: Without quarter
More English idioms
- one's heart sinks To feel sudden disappointment or dread.
- shoulder to shoulder Side by side, working together.
- grow like wildfire To spread very fast.
- tread carefully To act with great caution in a delicate situation.
- pull the other one Said to someone telling an obvious lie.
- make a clean break To end something completely rather than gradually.
Explore another collection: Untranslatable Words
Words that capture a feeling or idea English needs a whole sentence for.
- Schadenfreude The guilty little pleasure of taking satisfaction in someone else's misfortune.
- Wabi-sabi Finding beauty in imperfection, impermanence, and the worn or incomplete.
- Tsundoku Buying books and letting them pile up unread — a habit, not a crime.
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