Challenge - Money Terms, Phrases, Expressions

Question

Have you ever noticed how many references to water or liquid are used in English when we discuss money?

For example: He has no liquid assets.

I want to see how many others we can come up with. I also would like to know if there are corresponding terms in Spanish.

For those of you learning English, you might want to pay attention, because they probably wouldn't ordinarily make sense to someone who hadn't heard them used repeatedly.

I've already given the first one.

He has no liquid assets. El está ilíquido.

• "activo líquido o activo circulante"... I've never heard "ilíquido" in Spanish :) - Benz Mar 3, 2010
• Él no tiene... - Benz Mar 3, 2010
• or just: "Él no tiene liquidez" - Mokay Mar 3, 2010

Answer 1

How about the phrase "awash in red ink" meaning "in debt"?

• Yes, exactly. - h1deaway Mar 4, 2010

Answer 2

Can you float me a small loan?

¿Puede flotarme un poco de dinero? ¿Puede prestarme un poco de dinero?

Answer 3

drowning in debt

ahogando en deuda

Answer 4

Money laundering.

Answer 5

You don't want to be "under water." (drowning in debt)

During a credit crunch like this one, you do want to be "liquid." (with adequate cash reserves)

You don't want to have your "assets frozen." (have the bank seize their collateral)

During a real estate market in which prices are rising, they say, "All boats rise with the tide." (meaning you don't have to be smart to make money, you just have to have to be invested)

• Excellent, excellent, excellent. - h1deaway Mar 5, 2010

Answer 6

Swimming in the money. (Eminem & Kanye)

Answer 7

El dinero abajo el desagüe.

Money down the drain.

(To lose or waste money.)

Corrections appreciated.

Answer 8

Do you have some liquid soap I could use?

Tienes un poco de jabón líquido que pueda usar?

• serious?? haha. I've never heard that one before! - Evan99 Mar 3, 2010
• We use liquid soap and the term exists in English... look it up in the dictionary and see jajajaja :) - Benz Mar 3, 2010
• how do you use liquid soap in terms of cash? - MexGuy Mar 4, 2010
• jajaja not in terms of cash!! sorry I misunderstood!! jajaja - Benz Mar 4, 2010
• No problem. I think my question was worded quite poorly. - h1deaway Mar 5, 2010

Answer 9

I've got loads of dough. Now, I know dough isn't a liquid, but it is gelatinous, not quite solid. I really couldn't think of any direct references to water or liquid.

Answer 10

No, I mean things like cashflow. Water flows.

Answer 11

Cold hard cash.

Water can be cold (frío) Water can be hard.(dureza)

Answer 12

The business has sufficient reserves to stay afloat for six more months. El negocio tiene reservas suficientes para mantenerse a flote por seis meses más.

Answer 13

They bled him dry, of every penny.

Answer 14

The economy is saturated in debt.

Answer 15

Tasa (but not Taza that holds liquid).

Interest rate on government paper (including rate of inflation, unemployment, etc).

• Oh, excellent. - h1deaway Mar 5, 2010