poner a los pies de los caballos
Meaning: To betray or abandon someone to harm or ridicule.
Language: Spanish
Literally: to put at the feet of the horses
Category: Animals
Origin: The phrase pictures throwing a person down in front of charging horses, a violent image of abandonment and betrayal.
More idioms — Animals
- 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.
- cazar al vuelo — To seize or take something quickly before someone else can.
- tomar el toro por los cuernos — To face a difficult problem directly and courageously rather than avoiding it.
- lobo con piel de cordero — A person who appears harmless or trustworthy but is actually dangerous or deceitful.
More Spanish idioms
- no pegar ni con cola — To be conspicuously out of place or unsuitable.
- 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.
- quedarle cuerda — To still have plenty of energy, vitality, or usefulness left.
- de grado o por fuerza — Whether one likes it or not; willingly or unwillingly.
- mandarse a mudar — To leave abruptly or without notice; to depart hastily.
From our tongue twisters
- Como poco coco como, poco coco compro. — A bouncy 'co' drill — the word order and meaning flip with each repetition.
- Pepe Pecas pica papas con un pico. ¿Con qué pico pica papas Pepe Pecas? — A bouncy 'p' cluster that accelerates with the question at the end.
- El perro de San Roque no tiene rabo porque Ramón Ramírez se lo ha robado. — A rolled-'r' workout — every word demands the vibrating trill.