“Rock” (roca, peñasco, peñón) you may know. I imagine that some Spanish politicians also understand the word “rock”, as they clamour (clamorear) for Spain to take possession of “The Rock of Gibraltar”. However, Great Britain will be “rock solid” in saying “no”.
The purpose here is not to debate Gibraltar as there is little to debate. We are going to examine “rock” as used in idioms (modismos). Here are some interesting uses:
- Greece is on the rocks (Grecia no tiene un céntimo, o está sin blanca).
- The British Labour Party is rock bottom in the polls (el partido laborista de Gran Bretaña esta por los suelos en las encuestas).
- A whisky on the rocks (con hielo) please!
- The EU is between a rock and a hard place (esta entre la espada y la pared) when it comes to Brexit.
- The pound was rock solid (permanecía sólida como una roca frente…) against the euro.
- His business is on the rocks (…anda fatal…).
“Rock” is also a verb, meaning to “rock a child” (acunar), and the audience “rocked with laughter” (el public se río a carcajadas).
