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Tener un pie en el estribo

 

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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Old December 10, 2010, 08:52 PM
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Question Tener un pie en el estribo

Empecé trabajando con una profesora particular para conversación en español. Ella es mexicana. Estabamos hablando sobre nuestra afición compartida para el viajar. En inglés, lo que yo llamo "wander lust" en español ella llamó "tener un pie en el estribo". Por lo menos pienso que esto es lo que ella dijo.

Aquí, en Tomísimo, en la sección de modismos, dice que "tener un pie en el estribo" significa "one foot in the grave". Ésta es una cosa muy diferente... ¿Hay mexicanos (o otros) aquí que pueden comentar sobre esto?

¡Muchísimas gracias!
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Old December 10, 2010, 09:16 PM
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tener un pie en el estribo = tener siempre la maleta lista---> estar siempre presto a viajar

tener un pie en el estribo (para el viaje final) ---> tener un pie en la tumba
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Old December 11, 2010, 03:07 AM
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Gran Diccionario Oxford:

estribo masculino
A
1 (Equitación) stirrup; con un pie en el estribo ready to go; perder los estribos to fly off the handle, lose one's cool; tomarse la del estribo to have one for the road (familiar)
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Old December 11, 2010, 06:07 AM
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Thanks, both of you. I just wanted to check. Perikles - those other idioms are fun! I'll have to remember them.
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Old December 12, 2010, 08:33 AM
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"Estribo" is the stirrup hanging at both sides of a saddled horse, where you put your foot in to mount the animal, "so to have a foot in it" means that you're ready to get on the horse and go away any moment.
By extension (not the immediate meaning though), you can also use it to mean someone is about to die, as if they were going to make a trip (with no return).
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Old December 12, 2010, 09:22 AM
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Should that idea be added to the suggested translations in the "idioms" section of Tomisimo?
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Old December 15, 2010, 04:16 AM
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Should be, because it's already in RAE
Searching for pie:
Quote:
estar alguien con el ~ en el estribo.
1. loc. verb. Estar dispuesto y próximo a hacer un viaje o emprender un camino.
2. loc. verb. Estar próximo a la muerte.
I usualy use it with the "diying" meaning, the other was new to me.
I also use Perikle's "perder los estribos" to fly off the handle, lose one's cool

saludos
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