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1 could
[ forma debole kəd] [ forma forte kʊd]it could be that... — potrebbe essere che
could be — colloq. forse
"did she know?" - "no, how could she?" — "lo sapeva?" - "no, come avrebbe potuto?"
you couldn't come earlier, could you? — non potresti arrivare prima, vero?
6) (expressing likelihood, assumption)he couldn't be more than 10 years old — non dovrebbe avere o non avrà più di 10 anni
••I could murder him! — colloq. l'ammazzerei!
Note:Could is formally the past tense and the conditional of can. As the past tense of can, could is translated by the appropriate past tense in the indicative: I couldn't leave the children = non potevo lasciare i bambini / non potei lasciare i bambini; few people could read or write = poche persone sapevano leggere o scrivere; he couldn't sleep for weeks = non è riuscito a dormire per settimane; we could hear them laughing = li sentivamo ridere. When preceded by and dependent on a verb in the past tense, could + verb is translated by the past conditional of the appropriate Italian verb: I was sure you could do it = ero sicuro che saresti riuscito a farlo. In reported speech, could is translated by the appropriate past tense, according to the rules of Italian grammar (see the note 1.dire): she never told us she could speak Chinese = non ci ha mai detto che sapeva parlare il cinese. - For more examples, particular usages and all other uses of could see the entry below* * *[kud]negative short form - couldn't; verb1) (past tense of can: They asked if I could drive a car; I said I couldn't; She asked if she could go.) potere2) (used to express a possibility: I could go but I'm not going to; I could do it next week if you helped me.) potere•* * *[ forma debole kəd] [ forma forte kʊd]it could be that... — potrebbe essere che
could be — colloq. forse
"did she know?" - "no, how could she?" — "lo sapeva?" - "no, come avrebbe potuto?"
you couldn't come earlier, could you? — non potresti arrivare prima, vero?
6) (expressing likelihood, assumption)he couldn't be more than 10 years old — non dovrebbe avere o non avrà più di 10 anni
••I could murder him! — colloq. l'ammazzerei!
Note:Could is formally the past tense and the conditional of can. As the past tense of can, could is translated by the appropriate past tense in the indicative: I couldn't leave the children = non potevo lasciare i bambini / non potei lasciare i bambini; few people could read or write = poche persone sapevano leggere o scrivere; he couldn't sleep for weeks = non è riuscito a dormire per settimane; we could hear them laughing = li sentivamo ridere. When preceded by and dependent on a verb in the past tense, could + verb is translated by the past conditional of the appropriate Italian verb: I was sure you could do it = ero sicuro che saresti riuscito a farlo. In reported speech, could is translated by the appropriate past tense, according to the rules of Italian grammar (see the note 1.dire): she never told us she could speak Chinese = non ci ha mai detto che sapeva parlare il cinese. - For more examples, particular usages and all other uses of could see the entry below -
2 can
I [ forma debole kən] [ forma forte kæn]6) (have skill, knowledge to)7) (have ability, power to)I cannot understand why — non capisco o non riesco a capire perché
8) (have ability, using senses, to)9) (indicating capability, tendency)10) (expressing likelihood, assumption)if you want to chat, you can leave — se volete chiacchierare, potete farlo fuori
you can get lost! — colloq. va' al diavolo! va' a quel paese!
"can we borrow it?" - "you can" — "possiamo prenderlo in prestito?" - "certo"
"can anyone give me a lift home?" - "we can" — "qualcuno può darmi un passaggio a casa?" - "sì, noi"
••II [kæn]no can do — colloq. non posso
1) (of food) barattolo m., scatola f.; (aerosol) bomboletta f.; (for petrol) fusto m., bidone m., latta f.; (of drink) lattina f.2) pop. (lavatory) cesso m., latrina f.3) colloq. (prison) galera f., gattabuia f.••a can of worms — un imbroglio, un bel po' di marcio
to be in the can — colloq. [ film] essere pronto per la distribuzione; [ negotiations] essere cosa fatta
III [kæn]to carry the can for sb. — colloq. prendersi la colpa al posto di qcn
1) gastr. inscatolare, mettere in scatola [fruit, vegetables]2) colloq.* * *[kæn] I negative - can't; verb1) (to be able to: You can do it if you try hard.)2) (to know how to: Can you drive a car?)3) ((usually may) to have permission to: You can go if you behave yourself.)4) (used in questions to indicate surprise, disbelief etc: What can he be doing all this time?)II 1. noun(a metal container for liquids and many types of food: oil-can; beer-can; six cans of beer.)2. verb(to put (especially food) into cans, usually to preserve it: a factory for canning raspberries.)- canned- cannery* * *I [ forma debole kən] [ forma forte kæn]6) (have skill, knowledge to)7) (have ability, power to)I cannot understand why — non capisco o non riesco a capire perché
8) (have ability, using senses, to)9) (indicating capability, tendency)10) (expressing likelihood, assumption)if you want to chat, you can leave — se volete chiacchierare, potete farlo fuori
you can get lost! — colloq. va' al diavolo! va' a quel paese!
"can we borrow it?" - "you can" — "possiamo prenderlo in prestito?" - "certo"
"can anyone give me a lift home?" - "we can" — "qualcuno può darmi un passaggio a casa?" - "sì, noi"
••II [kæn]no can do — colloq. non posso
1) (of food) barattolo m., scatola f.; (aerosol) bomboletta f.; (for petrol) fusto m., bidone m., latta f.; (of drink) lattina f.2) pop. (lavatory) cesso m., latrina f.3) colloq. (prison) galera f., gattabuia f.••a can of worms — un imbroglio, un bel po' di marcio
to be in the can — colloq. [ film] essere pronto per la distribuzione; [ negotiations] essere cosa fatta
III [kæn]to carry the can for sb. — colloq. prendersi la colpa al posto di qcn
1) gastr. inscatolare, mettere in scatola [fruit, vegetables]2) colloq. -
3 can *****
I [kæn]1) (be able to) potereI'll tell you all I can — ti dirò tutto quello che posso
she was as happy as could be — più felice di così non poteva essere
she can be very annoying — lei a volte è molto fastidiosa, lei riesce ad essere molto fastidiosa
he can do it if he tries hard — è capace di farlo se si sforza
they couldn't help it — non potevano farci niente
I can't or cannot go any further — non posso andare oltre
2) (know how to) essere capace di, sapereI can swim/drive — so nuotare/guidare
he can't swim/drive — non sa nuotare/guidare
3) (may) potere4)(expressing disbelief, puzzlement)
how could you lie to me! — come hai potuto dirmi una bugia!she can't possibly marry that creep! fam — non è possibile che sposi quell'essere!
you can't be serious! — scherzi?
this can't be true! — non può essere vero!
what can he want? — cosa può mai volere?
5)(expressing possibility, suggestion
etc) they could have forgotten — potrebbero essersene dimenticatihe could be in the library — può darsi che sia in biblioteca, potrebbe essere in biblioteca
I could have cried/screamed! — mi sarei messo a piangere/urlare!
6)can you hear me? — mi senti?II [kæn]1. nto carry the can Brit fam — prendere la colpa
2. vt(food) inscatolare -
4 might
I [maɪt]"will you come?" - "I might" — "vieni?" - "può darsi"
try as I might, I can't do it — per quanto ci provi, non riesco a farlo
3) (in sequence of tenses, in reported speech)4) form. (when making requests)if I might — se possibile, se posso
might I ask who's calling? — con chi sto parlando, per favore?
and who, might I ask, are you? o and who might you be? — (aggressive) e potrei sapere chi è lei?
6) (when making statement, argument)one might argue o it might be argued that si potrebbe sostenere che; as you o one might expect come ci si potrebbe aspettare; as you might imagine — come puoi immaginare
7) (expressing reproach, irritation)II [maɪt]I might have known o guessed! avrei dovuto aspettarmelo o immaginarlo! he might at least apologize! potrebbe almeno scusarsi! you might have warned me! — avresti potuto avvisarmi!
1) (power) potere m., potenza f.2) (physical strength) forza f., potenza f.* * *I(-)1) (past tense of may: I thought I might find you here; He might come if you offered him a meal.)2) (used instead of `may', eg to make a possibility seem less likely, or a request for permission more polite: He might win if he tries hard; Might I speak to you for a few minutes, please?)3) (used in suggesting that a person is not doing what he should: You might help me clean the car!)•- might have
- I might have known II(power or strength: The might of the opposing army was too great for us.)- mighty- mightily
- mightiness* * *I [maɪt]"will you come?" - "I might" — "vieni?" - "può darsi"
try as I might, I can't do it — per quanto ci provi, non riesco a farlo
3) (in sequence of tenses, in reported speech)4) form. (when making requests)if I might — se possibile, se posso
might I ask who's calling? — con chi sto parlando, per favore?
and who, might I ask, are you? o and who might you be? — (aggressive) e potrei sapere chi è lei?
6) (when making statement, argument)one might argue o it might be argued that si potrebbe sostenere che; as you o one might expect come ci si potrebbe aspettare; as you might imagine — come puoi immaginare
7) (expressing reproach, irritation)II [maɪt]I might have known o guessed! avrei dovuto aspettarmelo o immaginarlo! he might at least apologize! potrebbe almeno scusarsi! you might have warned me! — avresti potuto avvisarmi!
1) (power) potere m., potenza f.2) (physical strength) forza f., potenza f. -
5 frightful
['fraɪtfl]1) (inducing horror) [scene, sight] spaventoso2) colloq. (terrible, bad) [prospect, possibility, mistake] spaventoso, terribile; [ headache] terribile3) colloq. (expressing disgust) [person, decor] spaventoso, orribile* * *1) (terrible or frightening: I had a frightful experience.) spaventoso2) (very bad: He is a frightful liar.)* * *frightful /ˈfraɪtfl/a.1 spaventoso; spaventevole; terribile2 (fam., enfat.) orribile; tremendo; atroce: frightful weather, tempo orribile; a frightful bore, un tremendo seccatore; frightful manners, maniere atrocifrightfullyavv.2 (fam., enfat.) molto: frightfully nice, simpaticissimo; I'm frightfully sorry, sono davvero spiacente; sono desolatofrightfulnessn. [u]spaventosità.* * *['fraɪtfl]1) (inducing horror) [scene, sight] spaventoso2) colloq. (terrible, bad) [prospect, possibility, mistake] spaventoso, terribile; [ headache] terribile3) colloq. (expressing disgust) [person, decor] spaventoso, orribile
См. также в других словарях:
might — 1. past of MAY, used esp.: 1 in reported speech, expressing possibility (said he might come) or permission (asked if I might leave) (cf. MAY 1, 2). 2 (foll. by perfect infin.) expressing a possibility based on a condition not fulfilled (if you d… … Useful english dictionary
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potential — I. adjective Etymology: Middle English potencial, from Late Latin potentialis, from potentia potentiality, from Latin, power, from potent , potens Date: 14th century 1. existing in possibility ; capable of development into actuality < potential… … New Collegiate Dictionary
may — ► MODAL VERB (3rd sing. present may; past might) 1) expressing possibility. 2) expressing permission. 3) expressing a wish or hope. ● be that as it may Cf. ↑be that as it may … English terms dictionary
potential — /peuh ten sheuhl/, adj. 1. possible, as opposed to actual: the potential uses of nuclear energy. 2. capable of being or becoming: a potential danger to safety. 3. Gram. expressing possibility: the potential subjunctive in Latin; the potential use … Universalium
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anything — pronoun / eniTIN/ 1 any thing, event, situation etc, when it does not matter exactly which: Anything will do to wedge the door open. | If you believe that, you ll believe anything! | OK, you can borrow the car anything for a quiet life. |… … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
anywhere — adverb also anyplace Ame 1 in or to any place: Sit anywhere, there are plenty of seats. | Tropical fruit used to be hard to find in Britain but now you can buy it anywhere. (+ in): Apparently that restaurant does the best curry anywhere in London … Longman dictionary of contemporary English