lay an egg | Idiomator

Meaning: (of a bird or other egg-creating animal)Toproducean egg.1903, Henry Yule & al.,Hobson-Jobson..., s.v. "DAWK, To lay a":During the mutiny of 1857–58, when several young surgeons had arrived in India, whose services were urgently needed at the front, it is said that the Head of the Department to which they had reported themselves, directed them immediately to 'lay adawk.' One of them turned back from the door, saying: 'Would you explain, Sir; for you might just as well tell me tolay an egg!'; (idiomatic,of a person, organization, etc.)To produce afailureorflop; to do something which isunsuccessful.That author usually writes good stuff, but he reallylaid an eggwith that last piece.

Examples:

EN: 0Oh, lay an egg, you old coot.
ES: Que te den, cabrón.
EN: "lay an egg."
ES: Lay an egg.
EN: Oh, go lay an egg.
ES: Oh, pon un huevo.
EN: Go lay an egg!
ES: - ¡Métete en tus asuntos!
EN: And I'm telling you go lay an egg.
ES: Y yo te digo ve y pon un huevo.
EN: - Go lay an egg.
ES: - Piérdete.
EN: Oh, go and lay an egg.
ES: Oh, vete a poner un huevo.
EN: My duck can lay an egg.
ES: Mi pato puede poner un huevo.
EN: - Well, can you lay an egg?
ES: - ¿Bien, puede usted poner un huevo?
EN: A lot of... second-hand sturgeon looking for a river to lay an egg in!
ES: Una gran cantidad de esturiones viejos en busca de un río para poner los huevos.
EN: Any bird can build a nest, but it isn't everyone that can lay an egg, is it, Ollie?
ES: Cualquier ave puede construir un nido, pero no es todo el mundo que se puede poner un huevo, ¿verdad, Ollie?
EN: Now go flap your wings and show me how to lay an egg.
ES: Ahora agita las alas y enséñame cómo poner un huevo.
EN: My brother's been managing a chicken farm for 10 years, but he still can't lay an egg!
ES: Mi hermano lleva encargándose diez años de una granja de pollos y todavía no ha puesto un huevo.
EN: I said, "What do they expect you to do, lay an egg? "
ES: Le dije: "¿Qué esperan, que pongas un huevo?"
EN: Or lay an egg.
ES: O pondrás un huevo.

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