https://www.proz.com/kudoz/spanish-to-english/slang/6799340-perder-como-en-la-guerra.html
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Glossary entry

español term or phrase:

perder como en la guerra

inglés translation:

to get slaughtered

Added to glossary by Wendy Gosselin
Apr 15, 2020 17:45
4 yrs ago
44 viewers *
español term

perder como en la guerra

español al inglés Otros Jergas popular sayings - Argentina
Used in Argentina to refer to a resouding loss. For example in this quote from a trade union negotiator disappointed with the outcome of a salary deal:

"Nosotros votamos en contra (las dos CTA), pero perdimos como en la guerra, pero no se puede fijar un salario mínimo para el año que viene en 8.000 pesos cuando la canasta es de 16.000 pesos", expresó Micheli.

Or this quote by a newspaper reader reflecting on the Macri presidency:
"Ya perdimos como en la guerra, con la deuda a 100 años, 60% de inflación, 10% desempleo y 35% de pobreza. Macri lo hizo."

Can anyone think of a catchy phrase in English for a major defeat/loss, ideally with a war metaphor?
Proposed translations (inglés)
4 +2 to get slaughtered
4 +1 to meet one's Waterloo
4 it's like losing the battle AND the war
4 lose disastrously

Discussion

philgoddard Apr 15, 2020:
Could you tell us which is the text you're translating, please.

I think Robert's "get slaughtered" would work well in the first example, where it's the unfavourable outcome of an adversarial process, but less so in the second, which appears to refer to the people suffering as a result of Macri's mismanagement.
matt robinson Apr 15, 2020:
As Robert said, and to be/get routed or be/get trounced also spring to mind.

Proposed translations

+2
3 minutos
Selected

to get slaughtered

Or as Obama would say, "a shellacking".

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Note added at 6 mins (2020-04-15 17:52:29 GMT)
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Annihilated is another:

"We were slaughtered/annihilated..."
Peer comment(s):
agree Christopher Lane : It is a common Argentine expression
1 hora
Thanks, Christopher.
agree patinba : We got hammered (like when my team lost 6-0 in the Cup Final)
1 hora
neutral Lester Tattersall : If they in fact they did lose by a big margin, then OK, but there's no clear evidence they did.
1 día 17 horas
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Loved it! Perfect."
52 minutos

it's like losing the battle AND the war

Modification of the real quote: Lose the battle and win the war. I think it fits here.
Something went wrong...
+1
2 horas

to meet one's Waterloo

Peer comment(s):
agree Nelly Alejandra Alister : https://www.dictionary.com/browse/meet-one-s-waterloo
1 hora
Something went wrong...
1 día 18 horas

lose disastrously

"...but we lost disastrously"
Meaning that "it was a disaster that we lost" - the consequences were great.
I don't think he's necessarily saying they lost by a large margin, and it would be a mistake to imply this (e.g. 'get slaughtered/hammered etc.) if not true.

Example
"Archie Woodrow on Twitter: "She got moved out of the leader's ...
twitter.com › Archimbaldo › status
17 Dec 2019 - ... completely run into the ground and become totally dysfunctional, and was then sent to run the election campaign which we lost disastrously."
Something went wrong...