wish the ground would swallow one up
Meaning: To feel so embarrassed that one wants to disappear.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “When my phone rang during the funeral, I wished the ground would swallow me up.”
Category: Nature
Origin: An image of escaping shame by vanishing into the earth. The phrase is common in English from the 19th century.
Equivalents in other languages
- Polish: zapaść się pod ziemię — literally: to sink into the earth
More idioms — Nature
- push up daisies — To be dead and buried.
- gild the lily — To spoil something already perfect by adding to it.
- lightning never strikes twice — An unusual event, lucky or unlucky, is unlikely to happen again in the same way.
- Avoir le vent en poupe — To be doing very well; everything is going your way.
- Avoir la tête dans les nuages — To be a daydreamer; out of touch with reality.
- Jeter de l'huile sur le feu — To make a bad situation worse.
More English idioms
- have one's head screwed on — To be sensible and practical.
- a ballpark figure — A rough estimate.
- a bird-brain — A silly or scatterbrained person.
- toss one's cookies — To vomit.
- put on a brave face — To look cheerful or confident while feeling otherwise.
- throw up one's hands — To show that one gives up, in despair or frustration.
From our false friends
- Firma — Actually means 'signature'. Metti la tua firma = Put your signature here.
- Magazzino — Actually means 'warehouse' or 'storeroom'. A magazine (periodical) is una rivista.
- Conveniente — Actually means 'affordable', 'good value', or 'suitable'. È conveniente = It's a good dea…