Idioms

                                                                            

1.- PARTS OF THE BODY.

Ø  These sentences break the grammatical order, i.e., they work with the context or phrase, is this case particulizan parts of the body.

All ears, Eager to listen to someone.	(todo oídos)
Catch (someone) red-handed,  find someone in the middle of doing something wrong.	(atrapar a alguien con las manos en la masa)
From hand to hand, from one person to another and another.	(de mano en mano)
Dressed to the nines (teeth): dressed elegantly.	(elegantemente vestido, "hasta los dientes")
young at heart, Someone is young at heart if they still feel young even though they're getting old.	(Jovenes de Corazon)
(your) hands are tied, You can say your hands are tied if you're prevented from doing something that you'd normally have the power or the authority to do.	(Tener las manos atadas)
young bloo, If you say "young blood", you mean young people who have fresh, new ideas and lots of energy.	(Sangre joven)
put your foot in your mouth, If you put your foot in your mouth you say or do the wrong thing and usually make matters worse.	(  Pon tu pie en la boca)

2.-  PEOPLE  NAMES.

Ø  The following phrases are examples of when you mention colloquially to someone in a very funny context.

Any Tom, Dick or Harry If something could be done by any Tom, Dick or Harry, it could be done by absolutely anyone.	( Cualquier Tom, Dick o Harry)
Before you can say Jack Robinson The term Jack Robinson represents 'a short amount of time'. When you do something before you can say Jack Robinson, you do it very quickly.	(Antes de que puedas decir Jack Robinson)
Benjamin of the family. The Benjamin of the family is the youngest child.	(Benjamín de la familia.)
Do a Lord Lucan (UK) If someone disappears without a trace or runs off, they do a Lord Lucan.  (Lord Lucan disappeared after a murder)	(Hacer un señor Lucan)
Every Tom, Dick and Harry If every Tom, Dick and Harry knows about something, then it is common knowledge.	(Cada Tom, Dick y Harry)
Even Stevens If everything is equal between people, they are even Stevens.	(Incluso Stevens)
Peeping Tom A peeping Tom is someone who tries to look through other people's windows without being seen in order to spy on people in their homes.	(Espiar Tom)
Patience of Job If  something requires the patience of Job, it requires great patience.	(Paciencia de escritora)

3. - ANIMALS.

Ø  These phrases generalize to the names of animals in human actions.

Change horses in midstream,  make new plans or choose a new leader in the middle of an important activity.	(cambiar de caballo en la mitad del   río)
eat like a horse,  eat a lot	(comer como un caballo)
Act as a guinea pig. To allow some kind of test to be performed on someone	(actuar como un conejillo de Indias)
alley cat  a stray cat	(un gato callejero)
as innocent as a lamb  having no guilt, naive	(tan inocente como un cordero)
as quiet as a mouse very quiet, shy	(tan tranquil o como un ratón)
back the wrong horse  to support someone or something that cannot or does not win or succeed	(atrás del   caballo equivocado)
bet on the wrong horse - to misread the future, to not choose the winning person or solution	(apostar por el caballo equivocado)

4. - EMOTIONS.

Ø  The phrases express terms of emotions, and generalize to activities or colloquial terms.

cry over spilt milk, cry or complain about something that has already happened	(llorar sobre leche derramada)
crocodile tears, a show of sorrow that is not really felt	(lágrimas de cocodrilo)
easy-going, tolerant and relaxed	(tolerante, de fácilconvivencia)
fall in love with, begin to love someone	(enamorarse de)
fed up with, disgusted or bored with someone or something	(harto de)
Absent minded: forgetful	(distraído)
wear your heart on your sleeve	(llevar tu corazón en su manga)
Happy as Larry When you're as happy as Larry, you're very happy indeed.	(Feliz como Larry)