what's what | Idiomator

Meaning: (idiomatic)Preciselywhat thesituationreally is or what thefactstruly are; thetruestateofthings.1823,Lord Byron,Don Juan, Canto the Tenth:Besides, he had some qualities which fixMiddle-aged ladies even more than young:The former knowwhat's what; while new-fledged chicksKnow little more of Love than what is sungIn rhymes . . .1918,P. G. Wodehouse, chapter 18, inPiccadilly Jim:"Well, I knowwhat's what, too. I know what you are for one thing." He chuckled. "I've got your number all right."1921,Samuel Hopkins Adams, chapter 17, inSuccess:Anyway, he's a wise old bird and may hand you a pointer or two aboutwhat's whatin New York.c.1925-29,Mahadev Desai(translator),M.K. Gandhi,The Story of My Experiments with Truth, Part I, chapter xvii[1]:This was a hardship in as much as inquiry showed that even in vegetarian restaurants many courses used to contain eggs. This meant that unless I knewwhat was what, I had to go through the awkward process of ascertaining whether a particular course contained eggs or no, for many puddings and cakes were not free from them.2011August 15, Sonia Van Gilder Cooke, “Sangat TV”, inTime:Sometimes it takes a scruffy underdog to show the professionalswhat's what. During the London riots, it was tiny Birmingham broadcaster Sangat TV that trumped the BBC and CNN with its riveting footage and quirky commentary.

Examples:

EN: He'll tell that blighter what's what. You'll see if he don't.
ES: Él le enseñará a ese tipo cómo comportarse.
EN: Look, Bachicche knows what's what.
ES: Mira, Bachicche sabe lo que se hace.
EN: Beulah, remind me to tell Flea Madigan to get that blue book in here with the 400 in it, so I'll know who's who and what's what in this town.
ES: Beulah, recuérdame decirle a Pulga Madigan que me traiga El Libro Azul... y Los 400 para saber quién es quién en esta ciudad.
EN: I saw Eleanor at the Cotton Club tonight and thought I'd call up to find out what's what.
ES: Esta noche he visto a Eleanor en el Cotton Club y llamaba por si había pasado algo.
EN: Giving you the inside dope on what's what among the who's who. - Take it, Bert.
ES: Bert Keeler, la voz de Broadway, ofreciéndoles las vidas y milagros de los famosos, adelante Bert.
EN: But at least you can help me decide what's what.
ES: Pero al menos puedes ayudarme a decidir.
EN: I realize that, but I mean if we were sweethearts... I'd have the good right to tell you what's what.
ES: Ya lo sé, pero quiero decir, si fuéramos novios... tendría derecho a decirte qué usar.
EN: Well, this time, I'm going to find out what's what... if I have to keep everyone on this train awake all night.
ES: Esta vez averiguaré qué está pasando... aunque deba tener a todo el tren despierto toda la noche.
EN: I'm going into town to see what's what.
ES: - Entraré a la ciudad para saber la verdad.
EN: Children that don't know what's what trusted with town cars.
ES: Niños inocentes con autos de la ciudad.
EN: Never mind the noble gestures. I'll decide what's what.
ES: No me importan los gestos nobles, yo soy el que decide las cosas aquí.
EN: I know you're both fall in, but this show, your what's what, and then we'll leave you.
ES: Sabemos que los dos lo están. Les enseñaremos dónde está todo y nos iremos...
EN: It's because he knows what's what.
ES: ¡Porque él sí que sabe! De acuerdo.
EN: Well, I know what's what.
ES: Yo sé lo que me digo.
EN: Let's take a look at this and see what's what.
ES: Echemos un vistazo para ver qué ocurre.

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