nip and tuck | Idiomator

Meaning: (idiomatic)Soevenlymatchedthat theadvantageshiftsfrom one to the other, and theoutcomeisuncertain.1867September, C. H. Webb, “My Mexican Mines”, inHarper's Magazine, volume XXXV, number CCVIII,page461:It wasnip and tuckwith me between holding on to my stock and being sold out; but by great industry and prudence I managed to keep a little ahead and my mouth above water.1889,Mark Twain[pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens],A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, New York, N.Y.:Charles L. Webster & Company,→OCLC:Bang! One saddle empty. Bang! another one. Bang—bang, and I bagged two. Well, it wasnip and tuckwith us, and I knew it.1906–1907,Jack London, chapter XII, inBefore Adam:We broke away toward the north, the tribe howling on our track. Across the open spaces we gained, and in the brush they caught up with us, and more than once it wasnip and tuck.1951,Howdy Doody's ChristmasWell, it wasnip and tuck, but everything worked out fine. Santa Claus got there in time to bring toys to all the boys and girls.

Examples:

EN: I expect It'll be nip and tuck Between them The rest of their lives.
ES: Espero que estén codo con codo entre ellos el resto de sus vidas.
EN: Hey, mother, why didn't We call them nip and tuck?
ES: Hey madre, ¿por qué no les pusimos codo con codo?
EN: It's only nip and tuck now who makes the biggest catch, Daddy or me.
ES: Ahora es difícil decir quién atrapa los más grandes, si papá o yo.
EN: I'm a glutton for cuttin' For putting' with a button To snip and pluck, nip and tuck fix and trim, tie on that brim
ES: Soy un glotón de confección, de la inserción de un botón, de tijerear y costurear, arreglar y remendar,
EN: Here we are at the end of the thi rd i nning of this nip and tuck ball game... with a score of Senators three, Cleveland two.
ES: Es el final de la tercera entrada en este partido tan reñido: Senators 3, Cleveland 2.
EN: - It's nip and tuck, sir.
ES: - Es muy apurado, señor.
EN: You know, Frank, you should really offer him a nip and tuck job.
ES: ¿Sabes, Frank? Deberías considerar tomar ese trabajo.
EN: It was nip and tuck.
ES: - Fue una lucha codo con codo.
EN: I know a killer doctor in beverly hills... that will nip and tuck ya.
ES: Conozco un médico en Beverly Hills que hace milagros.
EN: We got a citizen down who, as we speak, is nip and tuck.
ES: En cambio tenemos a un ciudadano que está siendo arrestado.
EN: It was nip and tuck there for a while I think I'm a pretty strong guy but I'm telling ya, that sucker hit that line!
ES: estuvimos peleando de un lado a otro creo que soy un tipo fuerte pero te digo, este cayó en mi trampa!
EN: If we nip and tuck in different departments, we can do it.
ES: Si arreglamos algunos departamentos, podemos hacerlo.
EN: There's no way they can just nip and tuck so you both get some? .
ES: Y no hay forma que puedan cortar para que ambos tengan una parte?
EN: Well, for all I know.. you might have had a little nip and tuck under the gills.
ES: Bueno, todo lo que sé... es que puede ser que hayas tenido un poquito de agallas.
EN: Olivia, you and Elliot talk to the nip and tuck brigade.
ES: Olivia, tú y Elliot hablarán con los especialistas en cirugía plástica.

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