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Cerrar a cal y canto

 

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 13, 2009, 03:49 PM
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Arrow Cerrar a cal y canto

este dicho tiene una fuerza expresiva enorme, y se usa para decir que cerramos algo de tal forma que es da la impresión de que nadie habita en el lugar. Existe algo en inglés para decir lo mismo.
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  #2  
Old July 14, 2009, 09:17 AM
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cuando algo cierra algo a cal y canto parece que no existe vida en el edificio o la casa.
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Old July 14, 2009, 09:24 AM
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Sealed with stone and cement.
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Old July 14, 2009, 09:27 AM
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is that a saying or just a translation ?
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Old July 14, 2009, 09:55 AM
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I don't believe we have a saying, but we have ways to say this.
locked up tight
shut up tight
boarded up (tight)
looks deserted
not lived in
vacant
vacated (premises)
closed for years
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Old July 14, 2009, 10:30 AM
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Also:

It looks like a tomb (in there).
It's sealed shut.
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Old July 14, 2009, 12:22 PM
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Quote:
la impresión de que nadie habita en el lugar
It's a ghost town?
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  #8  
Old July 14, 2009, 05:56 PM
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In Mexico it's said "cerrar a piedra y lodo"


@Bob: it's not so much like a ghost town, but rather that the place doesn't have doors but rather stone walls.
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Old July 15, 2009, 06:50 AM
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"cerrar a cal y canto" means literally "to seal with whitewash and rocks" (middelage), now we would say, like poli, "Sealed with stone and cement/Sealed with bricks and cement"
It's used when you close something, so tight, you want to forget it.
examples
"El viejo manicomio se cerró a cal y canto, ya nadie vive allí"
"la investigación se cerró a cal y canto, ya no hay anda más que hacer"
"no consigo sacar información de esa comunidad, todos tienen la boca cerrada a cal y canto"
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  #10  
Old July 15, 2009, 09:45 AM
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Thank you, sosia. We could insert a couple of different phrases in each of the samples you gave, but 'was sealed shut' (offered by David) works pretty well for se cerró. And 'mouths sealed shut' works for the other.
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