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No da puntada sin hilo

 

An idiom is an expression whose meaning is not readily apparent based on the individual words in the expression. This forum is dedicated to discussing idioms and other sayings.


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  #1  
Old July 21, 2009, 09:40 AM
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Arrow No da puntada sin hilo

How do you say this saying in English? No dar puntada sin hilo, meaning that everything sb does is measured to the milimitre.
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Old July 21, 2009, 10:01 AM
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Might this work?

My boss is really watching me like a hawk.
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Old July 21, 2009, 10:17 AM
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@David: it's rather when you do something about which you have calculated everything you'll need (and maybe even consequences) in advance.

En México se dice "no dar paso sin huarache".
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Old July 21, 2009, 10:20 AM
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very calculated
very meticulous
dots every i, crosses every t
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Old July 21, 2009, 10:27 AM
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yes it´s somebody very meticulous, literally he doesn´t sew with no thread. Do you have a beatuiful saying like this one in Spanish ?
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Old July 21, 2009, 10:40 AM
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I sometimes hear: anal
anal retentive
by the book
T.A.
tight assedsomewhat vulgar
O.C.D.
obsessivie compulsive
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Old July 21, 2009, 11:53 AM
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By the book sounds familiar but you don´t have to follow something by the book. We use it when you do something with a reason in mind, to take advantage of sth.
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Old July 21, 2009, 01:29 PM
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I'd say that this expression goes beyond the mere fact of meticulously doing things. It means you don't do anything spontaneously (like helping others, for example) without planning everything and knowing in advance you'll get some benefit from it.
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Old July 21, 2009, 01:49 PM
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Doing something by the book can mean you are missing something. There is no need for insight in things done by the book.

For instance if you learn language by the book, you will not truly learn the
language.
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Old July 21, 2009, 03:50 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ROBINDESBOIS View Post
yes it´s somebody very meticulous, literally he doesn´t sew with no thread. Do you have a beatuiful saying like this one in Spanish ?
All sewn up?
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