English The South, United States

nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs

Idiom USED On Rare Occasion BY Some People

Used to describe someone who is nervous. The imagery is that a cat with a long tail would be in constant danger of having its tail crushed under the moving chairs in a room full of rocking chairs

“Did you get to see her before she gets on stage?” “Yes, she’s nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs, but I think she’ll be great.”

Italian Italy

Il lupo perde il pelo ma non il vizio

Proverb USED On Rare Occasion BY Some People

(The wolf looses its fur but not its vice) • This proverb describes that it’s very difficult to get rid of a bad habit.

“Perché vi siete lasciati?” “Mi ha di nuovo tradito!” “Te l’ho detto, il lupo perde il pelo ma non il vizio!”

“Why did you break up?” “She cheated on me again!” “I told you already, the wolf looses its fur but not its vice!”

Czech Czechia

nejneobhospodařovanější

Word USED On Rare Occasion BY Students

It is the adjective referring to something that is the least taken care of, mostly in the sense of farmland. "Hospodářství" means several things, amongst which is a "farm".

"To pole je nejneobhospodařovanější ze všech."

"This farm field is the least taken care of."

Polish Poland

z gówna bicza nie ukręcisz

Expression USED On Rare Occasion BY Some People

(you can't turn shit into a whip) • You can't make something out of nothing -or- you can't make miracles happen.

"Skończyłeś siekać cebulę?" "Nie ma opcji, wszystkie noże są tępe." "Trudno, z gówna bicza nie ukręcisz. Będzie bez cebuli."

"Have you finished dicing the onions?" "Not going to happen, all the knives are blunt." "Too bad, you can't turn shit into a whip. No onions then."

Dutch Netherlands

benzineschaamte

Word USED On Rare Occasion BY people who care about climate change

(n.) • (petrol shame) • When you travel by car or plane while knowing it is bad for the environment.

"Met de dalende prijzen van de trein en benzineschaamte nemen steeds minder mensen de auto op vakantie"

"With descending prices for trains and petrol shame, less people are taking the car on vacation."

English English speaking countries

mentrification

Neologism USED On Rare Occasion BY women

When a field of interest of women is taken over by men, subsequently pushing out the women who were previously there.

"Computer science used to be filled with women until men came in and mentrified the field."

Spanish Madrid, Spain

Pues espera sentado y llévate un bocadillo

Expression USED On Rare Occasion BY Some People

(Sit waiting and pack a sandwich) • It's often used when wanting to say "don't wait around" or "you'll be waiting a while."

"Llamé al director del hotel, pero no respondió." "Pues espera sentado y llévate un bocadillo!"

"I called the hotel manager, but he didn't pick up." "Better sit down and pack a sandwich."

Serbian Serbia

možeš na hleb da ga namažeš

Expression USED On Rare Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(you could spread him on bread) • Someone that is too nice and sometimes even easily manipulated.

''He is so nice, you could spread him on bread.''

''Toliko je dobar, možeš na hleb da ga namažeš.''

Serbian Serbia

pičkovac

Slang USED On Rare Occasion BY Adults

Pičkovac arises from the word pička which means pussy. Pičkovac indicates a faraway place or a place that is hard to reach.

''Ma on dolazi iz pičkovca, čekaćemo ga još.''

''He is coming from pičkovac, we will wait for him more.''

Portuguese Brazil

enfiar o pé na jaca

Idiom USED On Rare Occasion BY Some People

(to stick your foot in the jackfruit) • It's used in moments when someone drinks too much alcohol or eats too much junk food. Generally used when someone goes beyond their limits.

"Depois de uma semana de dieta, ele acabou enfiando o pé na jaca no sábado"

"After a week on a diet, he ended up sticking his foot in the jackfruit on Saturday"

Italian Italy

Chi ha i denti non ha il pane e chi ha il pane non ha i denti

Proverb USED On Rare Occasion BY Everyone

(Who has teeth has no bread and who has bread has no teeth) • It means that some people have talents and ambitions but no opportunity to realise them and some others have means (usually financial resources) but no aspirations to realise. It is used both to feel sorry for a talented person who can't afford what they want and to criticise a person who has occasions that they don't deserve.

"Maria parla benissimo l'inglese ma non più permettersi il viaggio a Londra, quindi il suo posto verrà preso da Marco, che non parla una parola di inglese. È proprio vero che chi ha i denti non ha il pane e chi ha il pane non ha i denti!"

"Maria speaks English very well, but she can't afford the trip to London, so her place will be taken by Marco, who doesn't speak a word of English. It is true that who has teeth has no bread and who has bread has no teeth!"

French France

avoir une araignée au plafond

Expression USED On Rare Occasion BY Everyone

(to have a spider on the ceiling) • Describes someone who is not the brightest or someone crazy. If a spider has the space to make a net inside your head, it is not a good sign, as the spider lives in a room that is not used a lot.

"N'écoute pas ce mec, il a une araignée au plafond." "Ton pote est un peu bizarre, il doit avoir une araignée au plafond."

"Don't listen to this guy, he has a spider on the ceiling." "Your mate is a bit weird, he must have a spider on the ceiling."

French French speaking countries

Ce n'est pas le couteau le plus aiguisé du tiroir.

Expression USED On Rare Occasion BY Some People

(It is not the sharpest knife in the drawer.) • It means that you are not really smart but it is said in a funny way.

" - Je n'ai pas réussi à faire cet exercice. - Tu n'es vraiment pas le couteau le plus aiguisé du tiroir..."

"I did not manage to do this exercise. - You are definitely not the sharpest knife in the drawer..."

French France

Bien vu, l'aveugle!

Expression USED On Rare Occasion BY Anyone

(Well seen, the blind!) • This is something you may say to someone who just discovered something obvious. This is obviously a pun, and "bien vu" actually translates to "well spotted", "good catch".

"T'as déjà remarqué que presque tous les salons de coiffures ont un jeu de mot dans leur nom ?" "Bien vu, l'aveugle !"

"Have you ever noticed that almost every hairdressing salon has a pun in its name?" "Well seen, the blind!"

Italian Lombardy and Tessin, Italy and Switzerland

Dopo sette fette, ha capito che era polenta

Proverb USED On Rare Occasion BY Mostly old people

(After seven slices, s/he realized it was polenta) • Used to describe someone who realizes something obvious, especially after doing the same thing in a more long or difficult way for a long time.

"Ieri mio fratello ha scoperto che può sbloccare il suo telefono con l'impronta digitale." "Beh, dopo sette fette ha capito che era polenta!"

"Yesterday my brother discovered he can unlock his phone with his fingerprint." "Well, after seven slices he realized it was polenta!"

Italian Italy

broccolo

Word USED On Rare Occasion BY Everyone

(broccoli ) • "Broccolo" is what you would call someone who is good for nothing and doesn't have any skills. Also someone who is stupid and dumb.

"Non ho parole... Sei un broccolo!"

"I'm speechless... You are a broccoli!"

Italian Italy

baccalà

Word USED On Rare Occasion BY Some People

(salted codfish) • It's an insult used to address an incompetent and stupid person.

"È un baccalà, non è buono a niente!"

"He is a salted codfish, a good-for-nothing!"

Dutch Netherlands

iets in het contract fietsen

Expression USED On Rare Occasion BY business people

(to cycle something in the contract) • To add something to a contract during negotiations.

"Het aantal vakantiedagen moeten we nog wel in het contract fietsen."

"We still have to cycle the number of vacation days in the contract."

Dutch Netherlands

op een oude fiets moet je het leren

Expression USED On Rare Occasion BY Some People

(you have to learn it on an old bicycle) • Used to refer to a young person going out with an older partner (often younger men with older women). It can also be used for people using other learning tools that are quite old (like old books, etc.)

"Heb je de nieuwe vriendin van Jos gezien?" "Tsja, op een oude fiets moet je het leren."

"Have you seen Jos's new girlfriend?" "Well, you have to learn it on an old bicycle."

Dutch Netherlands

de fiets aan de haak hangen

Expression USED On Rare Occasion BY Some People

(to hang the bike on the wall) • Originally refers to someone stopping with cycling, putting their bike up on the wall, but can now be used for anyone stopping with something.

"Na 30 jaar heeft hij de fiets aan de muur gehangen."

"After 30 years he hung his bike from the wall."