To speak badly of someone behind their back, in a low voice but with the intention of it being known. Gossiping in a discrete way.

To hint or suggest something without directly saying it, leaving the message to be understood between the lines. This phrase requires the other person to be perceptive and able to pick up on subtle cues.

Extreme, overwhelming stress — not ordinary pressure but the suffocating kind that makes you feel like everything is collapsing at once. The hyperbolic 'of a thousand demons' captures the intensity perfectly.

To put on a stone-faced expression — totally blank, giving nothing away emotionally. In Spain, ponerse cara de palo is a deliberate move: you school your face into neutral and refuse to react, no matter what's happening.