IdiomDaily Life
Spanish
Spanishno pegar ni con cola
Meaning: To be conspicuously out of place or unsuitable.
Literally: To not stick even with glue
Example: “Ese sofá naranja no pega ni con cola en el salón.” — That orange sofa sticks out like a sore thumb in the living room.
English equivalent: To stick out like a sore thumb
Equivalents in other languages
English: stick out like a sore thumb
Origin: Cola is glue, and pegar means both to stick and to go well together. Something that would not stick even with glue clashes so badly with its surroundings that nothing could make it fit. The RAE dictionary lists no pegar ni con cola algo.
More Spanish idioms
- volver la espalda To reject, abandon, or refuse to help someone.
- tener su miga To have hidden depth or complexity; to be more complicated than it appears.
- con el rabo entre las piernas In a state of shame, defeat, or humiliation; cowed and demoralized.
- de caballo Enormous; of impressive or overwhelming size or intensity.
- perder los estribos To lose one's temper or composure; to become angry or agitated.
- caérsele el alma a los pies to be deeply disappointed or dismayed.
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- Dios los cría y ellos se juntan People of the same kind find each other, usually said of a bad lot.
- La gallina de mi vecina más huevos pone que la mía Other people's things always seem better than your own.
- No hay mal que por bien no venga Something good can come out of every misfortune.
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