fall through the cracks: meaning & examples

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Language: English

Meanings:

  • 1.

    Internationalneutral
    • To pass or drop through a narrow gap or crack between surfaces.

    Examples

    Beta

    • The coin slipped from her fingers and fell through the cracks in the wooden bench.

      The coin passed through a narrow gap in the wooden bench.

    • During the renovation, small nails often fell through the cracks in the scaffolding floor.

      During the renovation, small nails passed through narrow gaps in the scaffolding floor.

    • I dropped a button on the table, and it immediately fell through the cracks between the slats.

      I dropped a button on the table, and it immediately passed through the gaps between the slats.

    • Be sure to secure your tools so they don’t fall through the cracks when working at height.

      Be sure to secure your tools so they don’t pass through narrow gaps when working at height.

  • 2.

    Internationalinformalidiomatic
    • To be overlooked, neglected, or omitted by an organization, system, or process, resulting in a failure to receive necessary attention or care.

    Examples

    Beta

    • Some patients fell through the cracks during the hospital’s restructuring and missed essential care.

      Some patients were overlooked during the hospital’s restructuring and missed essential care.

    • If the paperwork falls through the cracks, the application process can be delayed indefinitely.

      If the paperwork is neglected, the application process can be delayed indefinitely.

    • The new system was meant to be foolproof, but a few cases still fell through the cracks.

      The new system was meant to be foolproof, but a few cases still were overlooked.

Examples:

  • EN: That's when people fall through the cracks. It's that way with everything. School too.
    ES: Todo a pequeña escala tiene mayor consideración con el individuo.
  • EN: We work in a system where old people tend to sometimes fall through the cracks.
    ES: Trabajamos en un sistema en el cual los ancianos tienden a ser ignorados.
  • EN: I need you to be sure things don't fall through the cracks.
    ES: Tienen que asegurarse de que no se le vayan las cosas.
  • EN: He went undercover for you people, he spilled his guts out, and you were so busy covering your ass that you let your star witness fall through the cracks, and it cost him his life!
    ES: ¿Qué? ¿También te trajeron aquí? No exactamente.
  • EN: Some things fall through the cracks.
    ES: Hay cosas que se escapan por la grietas.
  • EN: - It can fall through the cracks.
    ES: - Podría pasárseles.
  • EN: Every year, I watch bright kids like Shawn fall through the cracks.
    ES: Cada año, veo niños brillantes como Shawn caer a través de las grietas.
  • EN: A clinic can keep track of people who fall through the cracks.
    ES: Una clínica nos ayudaría a no perder de vista a los pacientes.
  • EN: I'm not gonna watch our children fall through the cracks of this arrangement
    ES: Me niego a ver como nuestros hijos están expuestos a sufrir una crisis nerviosa por este trato
  • EN: The trouble is, Madeline, the puzzle palace you created... tends to let the truth fall through the cracks.
    ES: El problema eres tú, Madeline, el palacio de enigmas que has creado... deja que la verdad salga por hendiduras.
  • EN: Nothing will fall through the cracks.
    ES: Nada se nos escapará.
  • EN: Things can't fall through the cracks.
    ES: No puedo permitir que se me vaya de las manos.
  • EN: It'll fall through the cracks.
    ES: No lo harán.
  • EN: I am basically doing this by myself... and, maybe, sometimes you do fall through the cracks.
    ES: Por buenos que sean C.J. y el abuelo educando niños básicamente estoy haciéndolo yo sola y puede que, a veces, se me escapen algunas cosas de ti.
  • EN: You represent a generation of y-y-young people... who have been bl-blessed with education and opportunity... who don't just fall through the cracks but j-jump through.
    ES: Representas a una generación de jóvenes... que han tenido educación y oportunidades... y que no pasan inadvertidos sino que ocultan la cabeza en un agujero.

Related Idioms

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Sourced from Wiktionary

Source: Wiktionary

fall through the cracks | Idiomator