"agarrando aire hasta por las orejas"

Question

What is the meaning of "agarrando aire hasta por las orejas"? Please see below for the context. Is it an expression? Is there a similar one in English? Thank you! La mujer tirada en el piso, hizo un esfuerzo enorme para levantar la cabeza y con los ojos inyectados de sangre, volteó a ver a los niños y agarrando aire hasta por las orejas, les gritó: "¡¡¡¡ El que toque el venado, lo mato!!!!

Welcome to SpanishDict. - rac1, May 29, 2017

Answer 1

Literally maybe "grasping air through her ears." Idiomatically I'd guess this could represent breathing with great difficulty. Maybe if exhausted and unable to breath well through the normal passages so figuratively air is sucked in through the ears?

In NZ we say "sucking in the big ones" for this, but I don't think that will be universal and wouldn't advise using it where it could be misunderstood Probably just "grasping for air" would be the best.

This is a guess though, and a native speaker will be much better placed to comment on idiomatic use.

"Grasping for air" sounds reasonable. Thanks for the thorough explanation! - Calmath100, May 30, 2017

You're welcome Calmath :) - jellonz, May 30, 2017

This is used in a very dubious way mate I am glad that you added the slight disclaimer . - ray76, May 30, 2017

Answer 2

It sounds to me like grasping for as much air as possible, because "hasta las orejas" probably denotes a larger amount of air than usual. In Spanish it is frequent to hear expressions constructed with "hasta..." That indicates a very distant limit, in order to illustrate the notion of "very much", "a large amount", "a very long duration" and outstanding endurance".

• Estoy hasta las narices de esta situación - I am sick and tired of this situation.

• Te quiero hasta el cielo y de vuelta - I love you very much.

• Estoy de frijoles hasta el cuello - I am full of (eating) beans.

• Aguantó hasta la sangre y terminó venciendo - He endured very much and he eventually overcame.

Of course, the intensity of the action is implied but "tomando (or agarrando) aire hasta las orejas" denotes a very very deep breath of air.

I hope it helps.

It certainly does, and I appreciate lots of examples you provided. Thank you! - Calmath100, May 30, 2017

You are welcome! - Raff75, May 30, 2017

Answer 3

Never heard this expression. It is probably what jellonz said. Remember the woman is on the floor, she's making great efforts even to lift hear head etc. What is a common expression is something with a similar construction but different meaning. It is:

Hablar hasta por los codos.Speak even through one's elbows The meaning is speaking very, very, very much even through your elbows although nobody can't speak

Thank you for answering my question and explaining another expression I did not know. - Calmath100, May 30, 2017