cantar las cuarenta

Spanish

Etymology

The phrases stems from the card game tute

Verb

cantar las cuarenta (first-person singular present canto las cuarenta, first-person singular preterite canté las cuarenta, past participle cantado las cuarenta)

1. (idiomatic) to read the riot act; tick off; scold; reprimand

   Synonym: leer la cartilla

2. (idiomatic) (to someone) to state an opinion firmly and even bluntly, without caring if the other person might get offended
3. (idiomatic, rare) to score a big achievement or victory in any field

Further reading

• “cantar las cuarenta”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014