his power to do it

avere il potere di fare qc — (capacità) to have the power o ability to do sth, (autorità) to have the authority o power to do sth

il quarto potere — (stampa) the fourth estate

non ho nessun potere su di lui — I have no power o influence over him

essere al potere Pol — to be in power o in office

non ho potuto farlo — I couldn't o wasn't able o was unable to do it

a più non posso — (correre) as fast as one can, (urlare) as loud as one can

posso entrare? — can o may I come in?

può darsi che non venga — he may not o might not come

può essere che non voglia — he may not o might not want to

avresti potuto dirmelo! — you could o might have told me!

potrebbe essere Andy — it may be Andy; (meno probabile) it might be Andy

potrebbe capitare che io parta — I could o might leave

può darsi che i prezzi aumentino — prices may o might rise

gli studenti non possono uscire dall'edificio senza autorizzazione — pupils can't o may not leave o are not allowed to leave the school without permission

non può non o che accettare he has no option but to accept; (per esprimere rimprovero) come hai potuto! how could you! avrebbero potuto o potevano avvertirci they could have warned us; non potevi dirmelo subito? why couldn't you have told me that right away? why didn't you tell me that right away? (per esprimere sorpresa) che può mai volere da me? — what can she possibly want from me?

una persona che può — (che ha denaro) a person of means; (che ha potere) a very influential person

lui può — iron. he's got a lot of pull

volere è potere — prov. where there's a will, there's a way

non avere nessun potere su qcn. — to have no power o influence over sb.

potere d'acquisto — purchasing o spending power

• votar a mano [alzada] — to vote by a show of hands

• [dar] la mano a algn — [para saludar] to shake hands with sb; [para andar, apoyarse] to take sb by the hand

• [darse] la mano {o} las manos — to shake hands

• recibir algo [de] manos de algn — to receive sth from sb

• los dos iban [de la] mano — the two were walking hand-in-hand, the two were walking along holding hands

• ¡manos a la [obra]! — [como orden] to work!; [para darse ánimo] let's get on with it!, (let's) get down to work!

• ¡las manos [quietas]! — hands off!, keep your hands to yourself!

• ¡[venga] esa mano! — shake!, put it there!

la tienda me queda {o} me pilla * muy a mano — the shop is very handy for me, the shop is very close {o} nearby

piso disponible, llave en mano — [para alquilar] flat available for immediate occupancy; [para comprar] flat available for immediate possession

tengo que meterle mano a las matemáticas — I need to get stuck into my maths *

mano dura — harsh treatment; (Pol) firm hand

• [cambiar] de manos — to change hands

• de [primera] mano — (at) first-hand

• de [segunda] mano — second-hand

• [de buena] mano — on good authority

• [en buenas] manos — in good hands

• tener [buena] mano, tiene buena mano para aparcar — she's good at parking

• tener [mala] mano — to be clumsy, be awkward

mano de obra — labour, labor (EEUU), manpower

manos de cerdo — (Culin) pig's trotters

una mano de papel — a quire of paper ( 24 or 25 sheets)

le dijo or hizo adiós con la mano — he waved goodbye to her

en su mano — (Corresp) by hand

salió con las manos en alto — he came out with his hands in the air o up

manos arriba! or arriba las manos! — hands up!

darle la mano a alguien — ( para saludar) to shake hands with somebody, to shake somebody's hand; (para ayudar, ser ayudado) to give somebody one's hand

dame la manito or (Esp, Méx) manita — hold my hand

me tendió or me ofreció la mano — he held out his hand to me

manos — hands (pl)

haré todo lo que esté en mis manos or (RPl) de mi mano — I will do everything in my power

tener la mano — (Andes) to lead

ganarle por la mano or (RPl) de mano a alguien (fam): César me ganó por la mano — César just beat me to it (colloq)

a mano — ( no a máquina) by hand; ( cerca) at hand (AmE), to hand (BrE)

las tiendas me quedan muy a mano — the shops are very close by o near o handy

siempre tengo un diccionario a mano — I always keep a dictionary by me o at hand o to hand

a mano — (AmL) ( en paz) all square, quits

a la mano — (AmL) close at hand

de mano — hand (before n)

en mano — <lápiz/copa> in hand

agarrar or (esp Esp) coger a alguien con las manos en la masa — to catch somebody red-handed

agarrarle or tomarle la mano a algo — (CS fam) to get the hang of something (colloq)

a mano alzada — < votación> by a show of hands; < dibujo> freehand; < dibujar> freehand

a manos llenas — < dar> generously; < gastar> lavishly

pedir/conceder la mano de alguien — to ask for/give somebody's hand in marriage

bajo mano — on the quiet, on the sly (colloq)

caérsele la mano a alguien — (Méx fam & pey) to be a fairy (colloq & pej)

cargar la mano — (fam) to overdo

cargarle la mano a alguien — ( en el precio) to overcharge somebody; ( pegar) to hit somebody

con una mano atrás y otra delante — without a penny to one's name

dar la mano derecha por algo — to give one's right arm for something

darse la mano — ( para saludar) to shake hands; (para cruzar, jugar, etc) to hold hands; (reunirse, fundirse) to come together

de la mano: me tomó de la mano she took me by the hand; iban (tomados) de la mano they walked hand in hand; de manos a boca suddenly, unexpectedly; de primera mano (at) first hand; de segunda mano < ropa> secondhand; < coche> used, secondhand; < información> secondhand; echar or dar una mano to give o lend a hand; echarle mano a alguien (fam) to lay o get one's hands on somebody (colloq); echar mano a algo (fam) to grab something; echar mano de algo to resort to something; echamos mano de nuestros ahorros we dipped into our savings; echarse or llevarse las manos a la cabeza ( literal) to put one's hands on one's head; ( horrorizarse) to throw up one's hands in horror; embarrarle la mano a alguien (Méx fam) to grease somebody's palm (colloq); ensuciarse las manos ( literal) to get one's hands dirty; (en un robo, crimen) to dirty one's hands; estar atado de manos or tener las manos atadas ( literal) to have one's hands tied; ( no poder actuar): la decisión es de ellos, yo tengo las manos atadas it's up to them, my hands are tied; estar/quedar a mano (AmL fam) to be even o quits (colloq); frotarse las manos ( literal) to rub one's hands together; ( regodearse) to rub one's hands with glee; írsele la mano a alguien: se te fue la mano con la sal you overdid the salt o put too much salt in; le cobré $1.000 - se te fue un poco la mano ¿no? I charged him $1,000 - that was a bit steep, wasn't it? (colloq); se te fue la mano al contestarle así you went too far answering her back like that; lavarse las manos to wash one's hands; les das la/una mano y se toman el brazo give them an inch and they'll take a mile; levantarle la mano a alguien to raise one's hand to somebody; llegar or irse or pasar a las manos to come to blows; meter la mano en la caja or lata to dip one's fingers in the till; meterle mano a alguien (fam) (magrear, tocar) to touch o feel somebody up (colloq); ( por un delito) to collar somebody (colloq); meterle mano a algo (fam) to get to work on something; poner la(s) mano(s) en el fuego por alguien to stick one's neck out for somebody; ponerle la mano encima a alguien to lay a hand o finger on somebody; ponerse manos a la obra to get down to work; por mi/tu/su mano: tomó la justicia or las cosas por su mano he took the law o he took things into his own hands; quitarle algo de las manos a alguien: me lo quitó de las manos she took it right out of my hands; tuvieron mucho éxito, nos las quitaron de las manos they were a great success, they sold like hotcakes (colloq); saber alguien dónde tiene la mano derecha to know what one is about; ser mano ancha (Arg) to be generous; ser mano de santo to work wonders; ser mano larga ( para pegar) to be free with one's hands; ( para robar) to be light-fingered; tenderle una mano a alguien to offer somebody a (helping) hand; tener algo entre manos to be dealing with o working on something; tener (la) mano larga or las manos largas (fam) ( para pegar) to be free with one's hands; ( para robar) to be light-fingered; tener la mano pesada to be heavy-handed; tener mano de seda to have a light touch; tener mano para algo to be good at something; traerse algo entre manos to be up to something (colloq); untarle la mano a alguien (fam) to grease somebody's palm (colloq); muchas manos en un plato hacen mucho garabato — too many cooks spoil the broth

le dijo or hizo adiós con la mano — he waved goodbye to her

en su mano — (Corresp) by hand

salió con las manos en alto — he came out with his hands in the air o up

manos arriba! or arriba las manos! — hands up!

darle la mano a alguien — ( para saludar) to shake hands with somebody, to shake somebody's hand; (para ayudar, ser ayudado) to give somebody one's hand

dame la manito or (Esp, Méx) manita — hold my hand

me tendió or me ofreció la mano — he held out his hand to me

manos — hands (pl)

haré todo lo que esté en mis manos or (RPl) de mi mano — I will do everything in my power

tener la mano — (Andes) to lead

ganarle por la mano or (RPl) de mano a alguien (fam): César me ganó por la mano — César just beat me to it (colloq)

a mano — ( no a máquina) by hand; ( cerca) at hand (AmE), to hand (BrE)

las tiendas me quedan muy a mano — the shops are very close by o near o handy

siempre tengo un diccionario a mano — I always keep a dictionary by me o at hand o to hand

a mano — (AmL) ( en paz) all square, quits

a la mano — (AmL) close at hand

de mano — hand (before n)

en mano — <lápiz/copa> in hand

agarrar or (esp Esp) coger a alguien con las manos en la masa — to catch somebody red-handed

agarrarle or tomarle la mano a algo — (CS fam) to get the hang of something (colloq)

a mano alzada — < votación> by a show of hands; < dibujo> freehand; < dibujar> freehand

a manos llenas — < dar> generously; < gastar> lavishly

pedir/conceder la mano de alguien — to ask for/give somebody's hand in marriage

bajo mano — on the quiet, on the sly (colloq)

caérsele la mano a alguien — (Méx fam & pey) to be a fairy (colloq & pej)

cargar la mano — (fam) to overdo

cargarle la mano a alguien — ( en el precio) to overcharge somebody; ( pegar) to hit somebody

con una mano atrás y otra delante — without a penny to one's name

dar la mano derecha por algo — to give one's right arm for something

darse la mano — ( para saludar) to shake hands; (para cruzar, jugar, etc) to hold hands; (reunirse, fundirse) to come together

de la mano: me tomó de la mano she took me by the hand; iban (tomados) de la mano they walked hand in hand; de manos a boca suddenly, unexpectedly; de primera mano (at) first hand; de segunda mano < ropa> secondhand; < coche> used, secondhand; < información> secondhand; echar or dar una mano to give o lend a hand; echarle mano a alguien (fam) to lay o get one's hands on somebody (colloq); echar mano a algo (fam) to grab something; echar mano de algo to resort to something; echamos mano de nuestros ahorros we dipped into our savings; echarse or llevarse las manos a la cabeza ( literal) to put one's hands on one's head; ( horrorizarse) to throw up one's hands in horror; embarrarle la mano a alguien (Méx fam) to grease somebody's palm (colloq); ensuciarse las manos ( literal) to get one's hands dirty; (en un robo, crimen) to dirty one's hands; estar atado de manos or tener las manos atadas ( literal) to have one's hands tied; ( no poder actuar): la decisión es de ellos, yo tengo las manos atadas it's up to them, my hands are tied; estar/quedar a mano (AmL fam) to be even o quits (colloq); frotarse las manos ( literal) to rub one's hands together; ( regodearse) to rub one's hands with glee; írsele la mano a alguien: se te fue la mano con la sal you overdid the salt o put too much salt in; le cobré $1.000 - se te fue un poco la mano ¿no? I charged him $1,000 - that was a bit steep, wasn't it? (colloq); se te fue la mano al contestarle así you went too far answering her back like that; lavarse las manos to wash one's hands; les das la/una mano y se toman el brazo give them an inch and they'll take a mile; levantarle la mano a alguien to raise one's hand to somebody; llegar or irse or pasar a las manos to come to blows; meter la mano en la caja or lata to dip one's fingers in the till; meterle mano a alguien (fam) (magrear, tocar) to touch o feel somebody up (colloq); ( por un delito) to collar somebody (colloq); meterle mano a algo (fam) to get to work on something; poner la(s) mano(s) en el fuego por alguien to stick one's neck out for somebody; ponerle la mano encima a alguien to lay a hand o finger on somebody; ponerse manos a la obra to get down to work; por mi/tu/su mano: tomó la justicia or las cosas por su mano he took the law o he took things into his own hands; quitarle algo de las manos a alguien: me lo quitó de las manos she took it right out of my hands; tuvieron mucho éxito, nos las quitaron de las manos they were a great success, they sold like hotcakes (colloq); saber alguien dónde tiene la mano derecha to know what one is about; ser mano ancha (Arg) to be generous; ser mano de santo to work wonders; ser mano larga ( para pegar) to be free with one's hands; ( para robar) to be light-fingered; tenderle una mano a alguien to offer somebody a (helping) hand; tener algo entre manos to be dealing with o working on something; tener (la) mano larga or las manos largas (fam) ( para pegar) to be free with one's hands; ( para robar) to be light-fingered; tener la mano pesada to be heavy-handed; tener mano de seda to have a light touch; tener mano para algo to be good at something; traerse algo entre manos to be up to something (colloq); untarle la mano a alguien (fam) to grease somebody's palm (colloq); muchas manos en un plato hacen mucho garabato — too many cooks spoil the broth

Ex: Even with such a limitation and many later supplementations by various hands, by way of addition, correction and amplification, it falls far short of completeness.

Ex: We will not accomplish that by being timid or by giving our profession a fresh coat of paint.

Ex: The finished paper was sorted for imperfections and told out into quires and reams for sale.