oler a chamusquina
Meaning: a situation is becoming tense or dangerous; trouble is brewing.
Language: Spanish
Literally: to smell of a scorch or singe
Category: Body & Senses
Origin: The phrase draws on the smell of something being singed or burned as a warning sign of impending trouble or loss of control.
More idioms — Body & Senses
- codo con codo — Standing shoulder to shoulder, side by side in close proximity.
- por la cara — Boldly and undeservedly; without earning it or paying for it; purely out of audacity or s…
- mal trago — a difficult or unpleasant experience; a bitter pill to swallow.
- en dos patadas — very easily or effortlessly.
- con pies de plomo — To proceed with extreme caution or wariness; to tread carefully in a delicate situation.
- con lo puesto — With nothing but the clothes on one's back; in a state of complete destitution.
More Spanish idioms
- cazar al vuelo — To seize or take something quickly before someone else can.
- vender la moto — To trick or deceive someone, often by persuading them to believe a false story.
- a vida o muerte — In a desperate, all-or-nothing struggle where the stakes are the highest possible.
- llevar la contraria — To argue against or contradict someone habitually.
- para andar por casa — Makeshift, temporary, or of poor quality; fit only for casual home use.
- salvar las apariencias — To maintain an outward show of respectability or normalcy despite underlying problems.
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