IdiomDaily Life
Spanish
Spanishtira y afloja
Meaning: a back-and-forth negotiation or struggle where each side gives and takes.
Literally: Pull and loosen
Example: “Tras un mes de tira y afloja, firmaron el contrato.” — After a month of give and take, they signed the contract.
English equivalent: Give and take
Equivalents in other languages
English: give and take
Origin: From the motion of hauling on a rope and then letting it slacken: tirar (to pull) and aflojar (to loosen). A negotiation is pictured as that alternating pressure, each side pulling hard and then giving a little. The RAE dictionary lists it, and English speaks of "give and take."
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