WITCHY AND GHOSTLY IDIOMS

In this strange and uncertain year we are living we haven't been able to celebrate Halloween properly, so thinking about possible ways to learn something related to it, I guessed we could do some ghostly and witchy idioms. So if you are ready, off we go......

TO GHOST SOMEONE: to ignore someone's messages or calls trying to avoid that person

The action is called "ghostling"       

ex: He has been ghosted by his girlfriend, he never answers her calls  

TO HAVE THE GHOST OF A CHANCE: to have the slightest possibility of something.

ex: he didn't have the ghost of a chance to win the race, he had got injured 

TO GIVE UP THE GHOST "Tirar la toalla" : when you stop trying because you know it is useless and you won't succeed.

ex: After several attempts for a vaccine, he gave up the ghost.  

GHOST WRITER " un negro": a writer who does the work but                                                     doesn't get the credit.     

                                         ex: she got lots of money for the book she                                                                                         published, but her ghost writer was discovered

 

TO WORK THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT " hacer turno de noche" : to work from 12:00 till 8:00 at night

            ex: She was waiting for her husband to return from working his graveyard shift.

  

DIGGING YOUR OWN GRAVE: When someone does something even when they know it will cause them problems. 

 

ex: when she rejected the job she knew she was digging her own grave. 

 

 AS COLD AS A WITCH'S CARESS: "tan frío como un muerto" something which is very cold, chilling

                 Ex: Her feet were as cold as a witch's caress

 

A WITCH'S BREW or BROTH: " mezcla explosiva" a fearsome mixture

        Ex: drugs and alcohol are witches' brew  

 TO GO ON A WITCH HUNT: to blame or pursue somebody for their ideas or actions

        Ex: There was a witch hunt for comunists in USA

 

TO PUT A SPELL ON SOMEONE: "estar hechizado"  when you are fascinated, or influenced by someone.

            ex: Ariadna Grande has put a spell on you 

 

TO SPILL YOUR GUTS " desahogarse, soltarlo todo, escupirlo todo"  when you are holding a secret and people want you to tell it. 

ex: Her mum wanted to know everything, so she spilt her guts and told her 

TO PLAY THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE. " hacer de abogado del diablo" someone who will argue against an idea or suggestion only to get it validated by them. 

 

Ex: she played the devil's advocate when she discussed women's rights 

TO BE DEAD ON YOUR FEET. "no poder sostenerse de cansancio" you are so tired that you can even stand up

I hope you like it and learn them. so go ahead and use these spooky idioms.