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No se puede poner puertas al campo

English translation: you can't stem the tide

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:No se puede poner puertas al campo
English translation:you can't stem the tide
Entered by: Margarita Ezquerra (Smart Translators, S.L.)

10:38 Apr 29, 2005
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / sayings, idioms, maxims, axioms
Spanish term or phrase: No se puede poner puertas al campo
Spanish axiom, meaning that when something is so big (like the countryside), you can't put a fence around it to stop people getting in.

In my context, it refers specifically to internet gambling, although this is hardly important

Anybody any ideas how we would say this in English. Doesn't have to be literal, ideally an axiom that expresses the same concept.
MJ Barber
Spain
Local time: 13:50
you can't stem the tide
Explanation:
suerte
Selected response from:

Margarita Ezquerra (Smart Translators, S.L.)
Spain
Local time: 13:50
Grading comment
thanks, very close in meaning.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +10you can't stem the tide
Margarita Ezquerra (Smart Translators, S.L.)
3 +4you can't cover the sun with your hands
kunstkoenigin
3 +1the floodgates have opened
Sara Noss
3it's impossible to ring-fence
CMJ_Trans (X)


  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
you can't cover the sun with your hands


Explanation:
you can't cover the sun with your hands

kunstkoenigin
Local time: 13:50
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Arcoiris: this one and the one from Smarttans both give the idea
47 mins
  -> Thx.

agree  Cecilia Della Croce
1 hr
  -> Thx.

agree  lizziec: I think this one conveys the original idea more
6 hrs

agree  Alejandra Tolj
1 day 4 hrs
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +10
you can't stem the tide


Explanation:
suerte

Margarita Ezquerra (Smart Translators, S.L.)
Spain
Local time: 13:50
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 144
Grading comment
thanks, very close in meaning.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Michael Powers (PhD)
4 mins
  -> thanks Michael

agree  Iulia Matei
25 mins
  -> thanks Iulia

agree  marybro: I like this...reflects being unable to "restrain"
26 mins
  -> thanks marybro

agree  Arcoiris
46 mins
  -> gracias Apricitas

agree  RebeW
1 hr
  -> gracias RebeW

agree  Cecilia Della Croce
1 hr
  -> gracias Cecilia

agree  kunstkoenigin
1 hr
  -> gracias kunstkoenigin

agree  roneill
2 hrs
  -> mil gracias Rónat

agree  Adriana de Groote
6 hrs
  -> gracias Adriana

agree  Marcelo González: I'd add the words "that bind".
2 days 12 hrs
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7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
it's impossible to ring-fence


Explanation:
not an expression as such though

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Note added at 2005-04-29 10:45:51 (GMT)
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you can\'t lock the door and hide the key

CMJ_Trans (X)
Local time: 13:50
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 39
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13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
the floodgates have opened


Explanation:
referring to something that con no longer be contained.

All the best.
Sara

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Note added at 14 mins (2005-04-29 10:52:22 GMT)
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oops, \'can\'

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Note added at 23 mins (2005-04-29 11:01:24 GMT)
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Or, how about the Genie is out of the bottle?

Sara Noss
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:50
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Maria-Teresa Zenteno: I like this one--and I have heard it also--in a similar context.
3 hrs
  -> Thank you.
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