on the hoof
Slang Term
British
Unknown
informal
Meaning: while traveling / without planning
边走边做/临时决定
sobre la marcha / sin planificar
移動中に/計画なしで
이동 중에 / 즉석에서
Done while moving or without advance preparation. From livestock being sold before slaughter.
在移动中完成或没有事先准备就做。源自牲畜在屠宰前被出售的说法。
Hecho mientras uno se mueve o sin preparación previa. Proviene de la venta de ganado antes del sacrificio.
移動しながら、または事前の準備なしに行うこと。家畜がと殺前に売られていたことに由来。
이동 중이거나 사전 준비 없이 하는 것. 도축 전에 판매되는 가축에서 유래한 표현.
Examples
- I'll eat something on the hoof - no time for lunch. 我边走边吃点东西吧——没时间吃午饭了。Comeré algo sobre la marcha, no hay tiempo para almorzar.移動中に何か食べるよ——昼食の時間がない。이동하면서 뭐라도 먹을게—점심 먹을 시간이 없어.
- We made the decision on the hoof. 我们临时做了决定。Tomamos la decisión sobre la marcha.その場で判断した。그 결정은 즉석에서 내렸다.
- Planning on the hoof isn't ideal but sometimes necessary. 走一步看一步虽然不理想,但有时也没办法。Planificar sobre la marcha no es ideal, pero a veces es necesario.行き当たりばったりは理想的ではないが、時には必要だ。즉석에서 계획하는 건 이상적이지 않지만 때로는 필요하다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: casual, busy
Tone: matter-of-fact
✓ Do Say
- Describe doing things while moving描述边移动边做事时使用para describir hacer cosas en movimiento移動中に何かをすることを表現するとき이동하면서 무언가를 하는 것을 묘사할 때
✗ Don't Say
- In American contexts - less understood在美式英语中不太常用En el contexto americano se entiende menosアメリカではあまり通じない미국식 영어 맥락에서—잘 이해되지 않음
Origin & History
From livestock trading where animals were sold 'on the hoof' (alive, still walking). Extended to mean while moving.
Cultural Context
Era: timeless
Generation: all ages
Social background: all
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