Los Últimos Coletazos

[silopanna]

Gente,

Que quiere decir "los últimos coletazos"? Como se usa, en cuales circumstancias?

Hay un dicho similar en Ingles?

Gracias!

Silopanna

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by silopanna

Que quiere decir "los últimos coletazos"?

it's the thrashing of a tail, used in

1) intentando evitar los coletazos de los tiburones - trying to avoid the lashing tails of sharks

2) al salir de la curva dio un coletazo - the rear of the car skidded as we came out of the curve

or the more usual metaphorical use
3) la dictadura está dando los últimos coletazos - the dictatorship is in its death throes

[silopanna]

Perikles,

Thanks for the explanation, and for being so prompt.

So "coletazos" means to fishtail, and "los ultimos coletazos" would be one's death throes or last flutters.

I do appreciate it!

Silopanna

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by silopanna

Perikles,

Thanks for the explanation, and for being so prompt.

So "coletazos" means to fishtail, and "los ultimos coletazos" would be one's death throes or last flutters.

You are welcome, but note that coletazo is strictly not the the tail itself (cola) but the movements of it.

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by silopanna

Gente,

Que quiere decir "los últimos coletazos"? Como se usa, en cuales circumstancias?

Hay un dicho similar en Ingles?

Gracias!

Silopanna

That word is used only when you are in some circumstance where you are giving the last actions upon someone or something, it's most than a Mexican slang, at least I have heard it in my country, and another countries I can be sure that it's not used.

I don't know, if someone can give us his opinion about it.

[hermit]

"...azo", as a suffix in Spanish, often means a "stroke", "blow", or "cut".

Example: "machetazo" = a "cutting stroke with a machete".

"hachazo" = a "cutting blow with an axe", (also has other
regional meanings).

[irmamar]

"Coletazos" are the movements a fish makes when it's taken out from the water. When you say that something is "dando los últimos coletazos" you're saying that something is going to disappear (for instance a system of government), but it has still enough strong to make some things.