dar el brazo a torcer

Spanish

Etymology

Literally, “to give one's arm to twist”. It comes from the strength sport of arm wrestling.

Verb

dar el brazo a torcer (first-person singular present doy el brazo a torcer, first-person singular preterite di el brazo a torcer, past participle dado el brazo a torcer)

1. (idiomatic) to give in or give way, concede one's opinions, allow yourself to be persuaded
   • 2020 July 28, “La presión contra la cuarentena del Reino Unido arrecia en Europa”, in La Vanguardia‎^[1]:

     Con todo, el Ejecutivo británico no dio su brazo a torcer, asestando otro duro golpe a la industria turística española.

     However, the British government did not give in, dealing another severe blow to the Spanish tourism industry.

Usage notes

• Dar el brazo a torcer is a false friend, and does not mean twist someone's arm. Spanish equivalents are shown in the "Translations" section of the English entry twist someone's arm.

Further reading

• “dar alguien su brazo a torcer”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014