This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
Fondo General de Participaciones
calificación (del contrato)

Glossary entry

Spanish term or phrase:

colgué los guantes pero quedaron lustraitos

English translation:

I hung up my gloves but they were still shiny

Added to glossary by David Ronder
Oct 10, 2011 20:05
12 yrs ago
Spanish term

colgué los guantes pero quedaron lustraitos

Spanish to English Other Idioms / Maxims / Sayings Personal letter
This appears towards the end of a letter written to a friend. The writer is from Chile. Earlier in the letter he mentions how he has given up drinking so I'm wondering if this refers to that in some way but this is just a guess. Any help much appreciated, thanks.
Proposed translations (English)
4 +3 I hung up my gloves but they were still shiny
3 +2 I hung up my boots but they were still polished
4 +1 I hung up my gloves but I've still got the itch
3 +1 I went on the wagon but still thirsty
3 I've given up the demon drink but the lure of the bottle is always there
Change log

Oct 24, 2011 07:06: David Ronder Created KOG entry

Discussion

Rosa Paredes Oct 10, 2011:
@asker Hi Sandy: Soy de Chile y la frase no tiene sentido sin contexto. "Colgué los guantes" quiere decir que dejé de hacer algo o me rendí; "pero quedaron lustraitos" quiere decir que quedaron como si no los hubiera usado, como nuevos. Ayudaría saber qué viene antes y después de la frase. Saludos.

Proposed translations

+3
2 hrs
Selected

I hung up my gloves but they were still shiny

or gleaming

(or burnished...?)

or still glistened

The original is a boxing metaphor and I see no reason to switch to football.

You hang up your gloves when you give up the fight. If they're still shiny or gleaming or burnished or glistening, you might just be ready to step back into the ring with whatever opponent you face (perhaps in this instance alcohol, as you suggest).

References:

to hang up your gloves
http://www.sportinglife.com/boxing/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_...

gleaming
BLOW BY BLOW - HINCH.net - The Official Derryn Hinch Website
www.hinch.net/articles_archive/blow_by_blow.htm - Block all www.hinch.net results
One night, somebody produced a gleaming pair of red leather boxing gloves. I put them on and was mesmerised. Had to have them. Took them home to Mum ...

shiny
I Want To Learn How To Box
www.articlesbase.com › Sports and Fitness › Self Defense19 May 2011 – They eventually arrive, you rip open the packages, put on your shiny new boxing gloves and you're now staring at a brand new heavy bag that ...

glistening
A Son of War: A Novel - Google Books Result
books.google.co.uk/books?isbn=1559707208...
Melvyn Bragg - 2004 - Fiction - 432 pages
Sam whispered the rehearsal as he laid out the big boxing gloves like a ... But he could not keep his eyes off the snuggling of the large glistening gloves, ...

Peer comment(s):
agree patinba
7 mins
Thanks, pba
agree Bubo Coroman (X) : personally I would stick to the original image as you've done. To me it means "I've hung up my gloves but without using them" -- meaning he hasn't fought much?
8 hrs
Thanks, Deborah
agree FVS (X)
9 hrs
Thanks, FVS
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
+2
11 mins

I hung up my boots but they were still polished

Difficult, so this is a general suggestion just to get the ball rolling; the meaning is clear that the possibility to return to doing something still remains...
Peer comment(s):
agree Charles Davis : I think this works well -- close to the original but idiomatic -- but I read it as meaning "I've hung up my boots but they're still polished", with the Latin American use of preterite instead of present perfect.
1 hr
agree re your comment, many thanks Charles! ;-)
agree jacana54 (X) : Sí, yo lo leo igual que Charles.
1 hr
many thanks Lucia! ;-)
Something went wrong...
+1
2 hrs

I went on the wagon but still thirsty

if it's to do with drinking ....

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2011-10-10 22:50:29 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or: I hung up the gloves but still looking for a fight

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2011-10-10 22:51:22 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

to keep the metaphor
Peer comment(s):
agree Neil Ashby : If indeed the expression is linked to the writer's alcohol abstention, then this fits the bill, or "....but I've still got the thirst."
9 hrs
Something went wrong...
+1
11 hrs

I hung up my gloves but I've still got the itch

In other words, I quit but a drink is as appealing as ever, I've still got the urge.
http://www.reddit.com/.../ive_almost_fully_quit_but_the_itch... +1'd this publicly. Undo
2 days ago – I've almost fully quit, but the itch is still there. Here is ... 20 days later, and I got the itch and logged back on. ... Regret came, delayed, but surely. ...
http://www.network54.com/.../Datograph (still got the itch) ... +1'd this publicly. Undo
21 posts - 4 authors - Last post: 4 Mar 2004
The itch for Dato is still here but there's now a new itch.. for the ... I've been itching to get a Datograph, and I am contemplating to ...
Peer comment(s):
agree Neil Ashby : I prefer this to the first two as it makes a reference to the alcohol abstention, or more precisely the cold turkey, (if indeed that is the subject).
49 mins
Thanks Dr Neil. Whatever it is he's given up, he still is tempted at times.
Something went wrong...
13 hrs

I've given up the demon drink but the lure of the bottle is always there

When you give up the bottle, that's when the battle begins

I'm a reformed alcoholic but the temptation is never far away

Yes, sadly, the boxing gloves metaphor is lost here. In fact, I'm not sure that "hanging up one's gloves" isn't rather misplaced in this context, as it rather implies giving up fighting - which is far from the case with fighting alcoholism. Instead I'm assuming that this IS referring to the writer having given up alcohol, and have gone in this case for a more explicative translation. It's well known that alcoholics are never completely cured. I know several reformed alcoholics, and they have to steer well clear of any alcohol, as they know that just one drink will send them right back to square 1.
Something went wrong...
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search