Literally "Punchinello's secret." An open secret—something that is supposed to be a secret but everyone actually knows.

Literally "where the devil says goodnight." Describes a place that is very remote or isolated. "In the middle of nowhere."

Literally "to explain like to a cow on a ditch." To explain something in an extremely simple, repetitive, or blunt way because the other person is being slow to …

Literally "a drowning man clutches at a razor." Someone in a desperate situation will grasp at anything — even something that will cut them. Describes …

Literally "to hit the ten" — the bullseye ring on a shooting target, scored 10. Means to be exactly right, to hit the nail on the head.

Literally "the scythe hit a stone." Used when someone tough or stubborn finally meets an opponent who is just as tough or stubborn. "To meet one's match."

Literally "to keep one's tongue behind one's teeth." Means to keep your mouth shut — to say nothing when speaking would cause trouble.

Literally "to hold thumbs." This is the Polish equivalent of "crossing your fingers." Used to wish someone good luck.

Literally "to hold someone by their word." Means to hold someone to a promise — to expect them to follow through on what they said.

Literally "to keep one's hand on the pulse." To stay informed and up-to-date with a developing situation. "To have one's finger on the pulse."

Literally "here is where the dog is buried." Refers to the core of a problem or the hidden reason behind something. "That's the crux of the matter."

Literally "a hard nut to crack/crunch." A difficult problem to solve or a tough person to deal with.

Literally "as much as a cat cried." Used to describe a very tiny, insignificant amount of something (usually money or resources). "Next to nothing."