Idioms Translator
Base language: EN
Letter: c
Total idioms: 9849 - currently selected: 646 (50 per page)(A) Chip off the old block
A person who is a chip off the old block resembles one of their parents in appearance, character or behaviour.
Someone who takes after one of his or her parents.
Examples:
1. James is a chip off the old block - he reacts the same way as his father.
2. He’s a chip off the old block for following in his father’s footsteps.
Aschia nu sare departe de trunchi
Detalii:
Cand spui ca aschia nu sare departe de trunchi inseamna ca persoana despre care vorbesti seamana cu parintii sai la infatisare, caracter sau comportament.
Exemple:
1. Aschia nu sare departe de trunchi. James se poarta la fel ca tatal sau.
2. Calca exact pe urmele lui tata-su. Aschia nu sare departe de trunchi.
(As) Clean as a whistle
Something as clean as a whistle is extremely clean. This can also mean that a person's criminal record is clean.
Completely innocent; beyond moral reproach.
Examples:
1. Bob spent the afternoon washing and shining his car until it was as clean as a whistle.
2. The only suspect I got has the file as clean as a whistle.
Curat ca lacrima
Detalii:
Ceva curat ca lacrima este extrem de curat. Poate sa mai insemne ca acea persoana are un cazier curat.
Absolut inocent, de o moralitate ireprosabila.
Exemple:
1. Radu si-a petrecut dupa-amiaza spaland si lustruind masina pana a facut-o curata ca lacrima.
2. Am un singur suspect si asta are cazierul curant ca lacrima.
A cash cow
A product or service which is a regular source of income for a company is called a cash cow. A product, service, or enterprise that generates ongoing, high net free cash flows.
Someone or something which is a dependable source of appreciable amounts of money; a moneymaker.
Examples:
His latest invention turned out to be a real cash cow.
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A cold day in hell
The time of occurrence of an event that will never happen.
Examples:
It'll be a cold day in hell when that happens.
Cand o zbura porcul
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Exemple:
Se va intampla aia cand o zbura porcul.
Cake crumbs
cake crumbs (plural only)1. Used other than as an idiom: see cake,? crumbs.2. (idiomatic) Hardly anything.
Examples:
All that was left of his business were a few measly cake crumbs.
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Cake not worth the candle
To say that the cake is not worth the candle means that the advantages to be gained from doing something are not worth the effort involved.
Examples:
He recorded an album but sold very few copies; the cake wasn't worth the candle.
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Cake not worth the candle
To say that the cake is not worth the candle means that the advantages to be gained from doing something are not worth the effort involved.
Examples:
He recorded an album but sold very few copies; the cake wasn't worth the candle.
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Cake walk
cake walk (plural cake walks)
1. A type of dance originating in the United States in the 19th century.
2. From the mid 1900s, a game at a fair or party in which people walk around a numbered circle along to music. When the music is stopped, the caller draws a number from a jar and whoever is standing on or closest to that number that number wins a cake.
3. (idiomatic) Someth
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Cakes and ale
cakes and ale (plural only)
1. (idiomatic, UK) The simple material pleasures of life.
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Cakewalk
cakewalk (plural cakewalks)
1. A contest in which cake was offered for the best dancers.
2. (music) The style of music associated with such a contest.
3. (performing arts) The dance, or style of dance associated with such a contest.
4. (idiomatic) Something that is easy or simple, or that does not present a great challenge.
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Calculated risk
A calculated risk is a risk taken with full knowledge of the dangers involved.
Examples:
The company took a calculated risk when they hired Sean straight out of college.
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Call a spade a spade
A person who calls a spade a spade speaks openly and truthfully about something, especially difficult matters.
To speak the truth; to say things as they really are.
Examples:
1. What I like about the new manager is that he calls a spade a spade - it makes things so much easier for everyone.
2. Maybe God just calls a spade a spade, when the president talks to God. - Bright Eyes, When the President Talks to God - 2005
Spune lucrurilor pe nume
Detalii:
O persoana care spune lucurilor pe nume vorbeste deschis si sincer despre ceva, mai ales despre chestiuni mai dificile.
A spune adevarul; a spune lucrurile cum sunt in realitate.
Exemple:
1. Ce-mi place la noul director e ca spune lucrurilor pe nume - e mult mai usor pentru toata lumea.
2. Poate Dumnezeu spune lucrurilor pe nume cand presedintele vorbeste cu Dumnezeu. - Bright Eyes, When the President Talks to God - 2005
Call it a day
call it a day
1. (idiomatic) To retire.
2. (idiomatic) To cease the activity for the day.
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Call it a night
call it a night
1. (idiomatic) To go to bed to sleep
2. (idiomatic) To cease what one has been doing for the night
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Call it even
call it even
1. (idiomatic) To declare debts resolved or favors or other exchange equitable.
? Since you paid for dinner last time, I'll pay this time, and we'll call it even.
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Call it quits
to call it quits (third-person singular simple present calls it quits, present participle calling it quits, simple past and past participle called it quits)
1. (idiomatic) To conclude; to quit or stop an activity, especially after applying oneself to it for a significant period of time.
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Call off the dogs
call off the dogs (third-person singular simple present calls off the dogs, present participle calling off the dogs, simple past and past participle called off the dogs)
1. (idiomatic) To ease up on after inflicting great punishment.
2. (sports, idiomatic) During a one-sided sports contest, to remove the first-string unit of a team from the game after dominating the opp
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Call on
call on (third-person singular simple present calls on, present participle calling on, simple past and past participle called on)
1. (idiomatic, transitive) To visit (a person); to pay a call to.
? I really should call on my aunt more often.
2. (idiomatic, transitive, in a classroom) To select (a student).
? He sat there, baffled, hoping
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Call out
call out (third-person singular simple present calls out, present participle calling out, simple past and past participle called out)
1. (transitive, idiomatic) To specify, especially in detail.
? They call out 304 stainless steel in the drawing, but the part was made from aluminum.
2. (transitive, idiomatic) To order into service; to summon into s
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Call someone's bluff
If you call someone's bluff, you challenge them to do what they threaten to do (while believing that they will not dare to do it).
To take action on the basis that another person is bluffing.
Examples:
After the neighbour's threats to demolish the fence, when Jack decided to call his bluff, there were no more complaints.
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Call the shots
call the shots
1. (idiomatic, chiefly US) To make the decisions; to be in charge; to give orders.
? You may know all about glassblowing, but here in the gym I call the shots.
Examples:
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Call the shots/the tune
The person who calls the shots or the tune is the one who makes all the important decisions and is in control of the situation.
Examples:
He shows a lot of authority but in fact it's his wife who calls the tune.
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Call the tune
The person who calls the tune makes all the important decisions and is in control of the situation.
Examples:
He shows a lot of authority but in fact it's his wife who calls the tune.
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Call to account
call to account
1. (idiomatic) To challenge or contest; to hold answerable for.
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Call to the bar
call to the bar (plural calls to the bar)
1. (idiomatic, law) Admission to practice in the courts.
call to the bar (third-person singular simple present calls to the bar, present participle calling to the bar, simple past and past participle called to the bar)
1. To adm
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Call up
call up (plural call ups)
1. An order to report for military service.
call up (third-person singular simple present calls up, present participle calling up, simple past and past participle called up)
1. To retrieve from personal or computer memory.
2. (idiomatic) To
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Calling card
calling card (plural calling cards)
1. A small printed card which identifies the bearer, traditionally presented for introduction when making a social visit to a home or when attending a formal social event or business meeting.
2. (idiomatic) An attribute, object, or behavior which is distinctly characteristic of someone or something.
3. (euphemistic) Excrement, especially o
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Calm as a millpond
as calm as a millpond
1. (simile, of water) Very calm, not choppy
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Calm before the storm
calm before the storm
1. (idiomatic) A period of peace before a disturbance or crisis; an unnatural or false calm before a storm.
? The meeting may be peaceful now, but this is only the calm before the storm.
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Calm your tits
calm your tits
1. (Internet slang, idiomatic, vulgar) Calm down! (Used to tell someone to relax when they are agitated, angry, overexcited, etc.)
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Camel through the eye of a needle
camel through the eye of a needle
1. (idiomatic) Hyperbole to illustrate something that is almost impossible to do or to make happen.
? Getting George to wake up before 7 o'clock is harder than getting a camel through the eye of a needle.
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Camel's nose
camel's nose (plural camels' noses)
1. (idiomatic) A metaphor for a situation where the permitting of some small act will lead consequently to a larger undesirable act or circumstance.
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Can it
can it (third-person singular simple present cans it, present participle canning it, simple past and past participle canned it)
1. (idiomatic, imperative) To silence; to quit doing something; to put an end to something.
? Can it, you two! I'm trying to work.
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Can of worms
To describe a situation as a can of worms means that it is complicated, unpleasant and difficult to deal with.
A complex, troublesome situation arising when a decision or action produces considerable subsequent problems.
Examples:
1. The discovery of the transfer of funds turned out to be a real can of worms.
2. If I give her a promotion which she doesn't deserve, it will open up a whole can of worms with the other employees.
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Can't get enough (of)
To greatly enjoy; to like a lot
Examples:
We'll need to bake more of those new chicken and mushroom pies. The customers can't get enough of them.
Nu ma mai satur (de)
Detalii:
A-ti placea ceva foarte mult
Exemple:
Va trebui sa facem mai multe placinte din alea cu pui si ciuperci. Clientii nu se mai satura de ele.
Can't hold a handle to
If one person can't hold a candle to another, they are much less competent or do not perform as well as the other.
Examples:
John is very intelligent but he can't hold a candle to his brother Paul when it comes to sports.
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Can't make an omelette without breaking eggs
This expression means that it is impossible to make important changes without causing some unpleasant effects.
Examples:
Some people will lose their jobs after the merger, but you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs.
Nu poti sa faci omleta fara sa spargi oua
Detalii:
Aceasta expresie inseamna ca este imposibil sa faci schimbari importante fara a cauza unele efecte neplacute.
Exemple:
Cativa oameni isi vor pierde serviciul dupa jonctiunea firmelor, dar nu poti face omleta fara sa spargi oua.
Can't make head or tail of
If you can't make head or tail of something, you can't understand it at all.
Examples:
Amy's message was so confusing. I couldn't make head or tail of it!
Nu pricep o boaba/iota.
Detalii:
Daca nu pricepi o boaba/iota din ceva, inseamna ca nu intelegi acel lucru absolut deloc.
Exemple:
Mesajul de la Ana a fost asa de confuz... N-am priceput o iota din el.
Origine:
Este posibil sa vina de la litera Iota din alfabetul grecesc.
In epoca fanariota multe dintre documentele oficiale erau redactate in limba greaca si evident ca romanii, mai ales cei nestiutori de carte, nu aveau nicio idee despre ce scria acolo, de unde probabil s-a nascut si expresia.
Can't see the woodfor the trees
If someone can't see the wood for the trees, they are so concentrated on the details that they can't see the situation as a whole.
Examples:
The new manager found the situation so complicated that he couldn't see the wood for the trees.
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Can't seem
can't seem (third-person singular simple present can't seem, past tense couldn't seem, with no infinitive, present participle, or past participle)
1. Seem to be unable.
? I can't seem to lift the box alone. Would you give me a hand, please?
2. Used other than as an idiom: see
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Can't stand
can't stand
1. (idiomatic) hate
? I can't stand people who smoke in public places.
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Can't stand the pace
If you can't stand the pace, you are unable to do things well when there is a lot of pressure.
Examples:
She once worked for a famous fashion designer but she couldn't stand the pace.
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Can't wait
can't wait
1. (idiomatic) To eagerly anticipate; to find it unbearable to wait for a forthcoming pleasurable event
? I can't wait for that party on Friday.
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Canary in a coal mine
canary in a coal mine (plural canaries in a coal mine)
1. (idiomatic) Something whose sensitivity to adverse conditions makes it a useful early indicator of such conditions; something which warns of the coming of greater danger or trouble by a deterioration in its health or welfare.
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Candle in the wind
candle in the wind (plural candles in the wind)
1. (idiomatic) A fragile or vulnerable thing, likely to be put in jeopardy.
Examples:
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Cap in hand
If you do something cap in hand, you ask for something in a very respectful manner.
Examples:
They went to the teacher, cap in hand, and asked for more time to complete their project.
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Cap it all off
cap it all off
1. (idiomatic) To finish or complete something.
2. (idiomatic) To surpass or outdo something
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Cap over the windmill
cap over the windmill
1. (idiomatic) in a crazed manner
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Captain of industry
captain of industry (plural captains of industry)
1. (idiomatic) A prominent business person who owns or is the highest-ranking executive of one or more major firms, especially one who has considerable wealth and influence.
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Cards on the table
If you put your cards on the table, you speak honestly and openly about your feelings and intentions.
Examples:
Let's clean the air and put our cards on the table.
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