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Describir Cualidades - Mala Calidad o Condición

Explora los modismos en inglés sobre mala calidad o condición con ejemplos como 'worse for wear' y 'beyond recall'.

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English Idioms used to Describe Qualities
fair to middling

acceptable, but not exceptional

regular tirando a bien, aceptable

regular tirando a bien, aceptable

Ex: The movie received fair to middling reviews, with critics expressing mixed opinions about its quality. 

El hotel estuvo regular tirando a bien, así que probablemente no lo reservaría otra vez.

to [leave] {sth} to be desired

to fail to fulfill one's expectations

dejar que desear, no estar a la altura

dejar que desear, no estar a la altura

Ex: The quality of the product leaves something to be desired, as it often malfunctions. 

El diseño parece moderno, pero la experiencia de usuario deja mucho que desear.

in (bad|poor|terrible) nick

in a very unfavorable or disadvantageous condition

en mal estado, hecho polvo

en mal estado, hecho polvo

Ex: Due to a lack of exercise and a sedentary lifestyle, his fitness level was in terrible nick, leading to various health issues. 

Después de la gripe, estuvo hecho polvo casi una semana.

cracked up to be

used to say that a person or thing is not as good as other people say they are

no es para tanto, sobrevalorado

no es para tanto, sobrevalorado

Ex: The celebrity's performance at the concert was lackluster; it wasn't as captivating as it was cracked up to be. 

El trabajo suena emocionante, pero quizá no sea para tanto.

the poor man's {sth}

a thing that is less desirable or has a lower quality or price than what was mentioned

versión barata, sustituto barato

versión barata, sustituto barato

Ex: Critics dismissed him as a poor man's Hemingway. 

Los críticos lo descartaron como una versión barata de Hemingway.

worse for wear

in a very bad physical condition due to being used for an extended period of time

gastado, hecho polvo

gastado, hecho polvo

Ex: He returned from the intense workout at the gym, drenched in sweat and worse for wear, feeling utterly exhausted. 

La maleta quedó hecha polvo después de tres meses de viaje.

dog's (breakfast|dinner)

something that is done very poorly

una chapuza, un trabajo chapucero

una chapuza, un trabajo chapucero

Ex: The party preparations were a dog's breakfast; decorations were haphazardly placed, and the schedule was poorly planned. 

Su presentación fue una chapuza, con diapositivas que faltaban y puntos confusos.

{sb} could do worse

used to suggest someone that a particular course of action or choice is better than what they think, even though it is still bad

no es mala opción, podría ser peor

no es mala opción, podría ser peor

Ex: When it comes to choosing a career path, you could do worse than pursuing a degree in engineering. 

Para un almuerzo rápido, la cafetería de abajo no es mala opción.

beyond recall

used to refer to something that cannot be restored to its original or previous condition

irrecuperable, sin vuelta atrás

irrecuperable, sin vuelta atrás

Ex: The decision to close the factory is beyond recall now, as all the equipment has been dismantled. 

Algunas antiguas costumbres del pueblo son ya irrecuperables.

out at (the|) elbows

(of a piece of clothing) looking shabby and worn-out

raído, gastado

raído, gastado

Ex: His favorite pair of jeans became out at elbows after years of regular use, developing holes and signs of distress. 

Su chaqueta estaba raída, pero la llevaba con orgullo.

at a low ebb

in a depressed, bad, or weakened state

en horas bajas, en mal momento

en horas bajas, en mal momento

Ex: The economy was at a low ebb during that winter. 

La economía estaba en mal momento durante aquel invierno.

on the blink

used to refer to machinery that is not functioning properly or at all

estropeado, no funciona bien

estropeado, no funciona bien

Ex: The car's air conditioning is on the blink, making the summer drives quite uncomfortable. 

Nuestro frigorífico viejo está estropeado, así que quizá necesitemos uno nuevo.

out of action

unable to operate normally for a limited time

fuera de servicio, temporalmente inutilizado

fuera de servicio, temporalmente inutilizado

Ex: The striker is out of action with a knee injury. 

El delantero está temporalmente fuera de acción por una lesión de rodilla.

to [give] up the ghost

(of a machine) to fail to work properly

dejar de funcionar, morir del todo

dejar de funcionar, morir del todo

Ex: After years of reliable service, the washing machine finally gave up the ghost and had to be replaced. 

El portátil murió del todo justo antes de la fecha límite.

down at heel

looking cheap, worn, or filthy

venido a menos, desaliñado

venido a menos, desaliñado

Ex: The town has become very down at heel. 

El barrio antes famoso está ahora bastante venido a menos.

crack in {one's} armor

a weakness in someone's defense, confidence, or perfect image

Ex: The scandal created the first crack in the mayor's armor. 
built on sand

having a weak or unstable foundation

Ex: The agreement was built on sand because no one trusted it. 
out of commission

unable to work, function, or be used

Ex: The printer is out of commission again. 
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