it is not uncommon for this to happen

[ʌn'kɒmən]

[ʌn'kɒmən]

Ex: Then the conscientious manager can help solve his problems without engaging in original laborious research or the risky practice of trial and error.

Ex: This may seem a hazardous assumption, but the results are worth considering.

Ex: As we have seen, authorship and publishing are extremely chancy occupations and, whilst it is very common for books to fall below expectations in both sales and critical acclaim, it is also not uncommon for books to exceed their expectations and this can happen with general books in the middle range.

Ex: Yet it is argued that these fluctuations do not justify either precipitous journal cancellations or free-wheeling additions to the collection.

Ex: The author characterizes librarians as flexible, collaborative, high energy, risk-taking visionaries.

Ex: However, the Internet is perceived as an unsafe medium for the valuable and sensitive information in business transactions.

Ex: Predicting the future is dicey.

Ex: He was a dauntless adventurer, a sleuthhound, a research scholar of exceptional acuity.

Ex: But whatever we make of their buccaneering spirit, the apostolic passion firing their hearts is surely beyond contention.

* llevar una vida arriesgada = live + dangerously, live + dangerously close to the edge.

Del verbo arriesgar: ( conjugate arriesgar)

arriesgado es:


Multiple Entries:
arriesgado    
arriesgar
arriesgado


‹ persona› brave, daring
arriesgar ( conjugate arriesgar) verbo transitivo


arriesgarse verbo pronominal:

arriesgadose a hacer algo to risk doing sth
arriesgado,-a adjetivo
1 (que entraña peligro) risky
2 (temerario) fearless, daring
arriesgar verbo transitivo to risk

' arriesgado' also found in these entries:
Spanish:
arriesgada
- embarcarse
- expuesta
- expuesto
English:
chancy
- dangerous
- dodgy
- hazardous
- perilous
- risky
- low

Ex: Many books bought at railway stations for a long journey frequently turn out to be below par for the author.

•• * Существование в английском языке двух слов – historic и historical – имеет два противоречащих друг другу следствия. Во-первых, в устной речи нередко смешение этих слов. Мне приходилось слышать, как о событии, еще не «ушедшем в историю» и даже еще не состоявшемся, говорили It is/ will be a/ an historical event. Конечно, правильнее в данном случае historic или history-making. Но и historical event тоже правильно в определенных контекстах:
•• What historical event do you wish you could stop? If you could go back in time and prevent anything in history from having happened ( as opposed to just passively watching it happen), what particular incident in history would you most want to stop from happening and is there any reason why? (c сайта http://uplink.space.com).
•• С другой стороны, иногда различие между этими словами существенно и должно учитываться переводчиком. Слово historical, как мне кажется, шире русского исторический, так как охватывает все, что имеет отношение к прошлому, а русское слово – только то, что говорящий интуитивно относит к «истории», т.е. к историческому процессу, «историческим судьбам» и т.п. Русское слово часто, хотя и не всегда, «возвышенней». Среди исключений – например, словосочетание историческая справка. И все же более «бытовой» характер английского слова позволяет употреблять его в тех ситуациях, где говорящий по-русски скорее всего скажет иначе.
•• В выступлении Кондолисы Райс перед комиссией по расследованию событий 11 сентября это слово встретилось пять раз, плюс historically в значении, о котором будет сказано ниже:
•• Historically, democratic societies have been slow to react to gathering threats, tending instead to wait to confront threats until they are too dangerous to ignore or until it is too late. – Исторический опыт (или просто опыт) свидетельствует о том, что...
•• Далее Райс трижды употребляет это слово в отношении документа, представленного президенту Бушу 6 августа 2001 года (о возможных действиях «Аль-Каиды»):
•• I was in a press conference to try and describe the Aug. 6 memo, which I’ve talked about here in the – my opening remarks and which I talked about with you in the private session. And I said at one point that this was a historical memo, that it was not based on new threat information. <...>
•• It was not a particular threat report. And there was historical information in there about – about various aspects of al Qaeda’s operations. <...> It did not warn of attacks inside the United States. It was historical information based on old reporting. There was no new threat information. And it did not, in fact, warn of any coming attacks inside the United States.
•• Один из членов комиссии (демократ) ухватился за эту формулировку:
•• Well, did you not – you have indicated here that this was some historical document. And I am asking you whether it is not the case that you learned in the P.D.B. memo of Aug. 6 that the F.B.I. was saying that it had information suggesting that preparations, not historically, but ongoing, along with these numerous full field investigations against al Qaeda cells, that preparations were being made consistent with hijackings within the United States.
•• Конечно, по-русски в данном случае просто невозможно сказать исторический документ, хотя можно – историческая справка, но предпочтительно все же, по-моему, справочный материал, справочная информация. В вопросе – not historically, but ongoing – возможен вариант не в историческом разрезе, а в текущем плане.
•• Далее у Райс интересная оговорка, тут же исправленная:
•• This was a historic memo – historical memo prepared by the agency because the president was asking questions about what we knew about the inside.
•• Исправление оговорки – признак существенного различия двух слов. (Кстати, в качестве антонима historical появляется слово, неоднократно всплывавшее в ходе слушаний и не поддающееся однословному переводу, – actionable:
•• The president was told this is historical information. I am told he was told this is historical information. And there was nothing actionable in this. The president knew that the F.B.I. was pursuing this issue. The president knew that the director of central intelligence was pursuing this issue. And there was no new threat information in this document to pursue.
•• Actionable information – пока не могу предложить ничего кроме информация, требующая/ дающая основания для конкретных действий. Длинно.)
•• Конечно, «оппозиция Его Величества» не замедлила поиграть со словом historical. Из редакционной статьи New York Times:
•• The administration argument that it had only gotten intelligence about potential terrorist attacks abroad in the summer of 2001 was rather drastically undermined when Ms. Rice revealed, under questioning, that the briefing given Mr. Bush by the C.I.A. on Aug. 6, 2001, was titled “Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States.” Ms. Rice continues to insist that the information was “ historical” rather than a warning of something likely to occur.
•• Еще более хлестко (но абсолютно неизбежно, удержаться от игры слов невозможно):
•• What should have made Condi hysterical, she deemed “historical.” (Maureen Dowd)
•• Последний пример, кстати, заставляет все-таки выбрать в переводе вариант историческая справка, чтобы попробовать передать игру слов, но все равно сделать это непросто:
•• Информация, способная вызвать истерическую реакцию, для Конди – не более чем историческая справка.
•• А теперь о наречии historically. Словари – как толковые, так и переводные, – как правило, не дают отдельного определения или перевода наречий с - ly, считая, что все и так ясно – их смысл и перевод вытекают из соответствующего прилагательного. Но это далеко не всегда так. В статье из New York Times, попавшей в обзор зарубежной прессы на радио «Эхо Москвы», встретилось: Iran has historically denied that it is pursuing a nuclear weapons program. Ведущая так и сказала: Иран исторически отрицал (и т.д.). Здесь, конечно, нужно просто всегда или неизменно. В некоторых случаях хорошо подойдет русское наречие традиционно: historically black colleges – традиционно негритянские колледжи (здесь это прилагательное, по-моему, вполне приемлемо), historically underutilized businesses – компании, традиционно недопредставленные среди подрядчиков, historically disadvantaged – традиционно находящиеся в тяжелом положении. Иногда подходящее русское соответствие – по многолетним наблюдениям ( This is not uncommon historically for the month of April). Наконец, контекст может подсказать и такой вариант, как беспрецедентно: Historically high growth in employment.
•• Интересный пример из статьи У. Пфаффа в International Herald Tribune:
•• Historically, in joint ventures with U.S. government and industry, U.S. security and proprietary restraints nearly always have forced the European partners into subordinate roles.
•• Здесь самый лучший перевод – просто раньше, прежде.
•• Слово historically, на мой взгляд, не является многозначным, у него одно довольно широкое и несколько расплывчатое значение, но в переводе оно начинает играть своими различными гранями. Разумеется, в приведенном выше примере возможен и перевод Исторически сложилось так, что...
•• В отличие от historically наречие indefinitely дается в большинстве словарей (например, в БАРСе и ABBYY Lingvo) как отдельная словарная статья. Но упущено довольно частое употребление indefinitely в значении, близком к until further notice. Пример из New York Times:
•• Thomas Krens, the foundation director, acknowledged as unrealistic the prospect of financing the $950 million project at a time when the museum is cutting budget, staff and programs. Beginning Sunday, for example, the Guggenheim Las Vegas is to go dark indefinitely.
•• Перевод напрашивается: на неопределенный срок. Кстати, to go dark – есть ли это в словарях? Обычно так говорят, когда, скажем, музей, театр или web-сайт прерывают работу на некоторое время – с возможностью ее возобновления.
•• Еще один пример интересного с точки зрения перевода и лексикографии употребления наречия (для контекста даю несколько предшествующих фраз):
•• After months of inaction, I finally turned to former President Bush, who immediately interceded with Crown Prince Abdallah on the FBI’s behalf. <...> The Saudis immediately acceded. <...> Mr. Bush typically disclaimed any credit for his critical intervention, but he earned the gratitude of many FBI agents and the Khobar families. (American Justice for Khobar Heroes. By Louis J. Freeh. Wall Street Journal)
•• Typically здесь нельзя переводить как типично или даже что для него типично. В каких-то случаях может подойти разговорное что характерно. Но лучше, конечно, в свойственной ему манере или как обычно. Думаю, в двуязычном словаре для такого примера должно найтись место. Во-первых, он показывает идиоматичное употребление английского наречия. Во-вторых, подсказывает перевод.
•• Наречия типа confusingly обычно не включаются в словари в качестве отдельной статьи. Считается, что перевод таких слов, как amazingly или startlingly, не должен вызывать трудностей, но это не всегда так. На конференции по товарным знакам встретилось выражение confusingly similar. В юридическом словаре есть confusion in trademarks – смешение товарных знаков. Соответственно confusingly similar – схожий/ аналогичный до степени смешения (принятый практиками перевод). Пожалуй, это стоит включить не только в специальный словарь.

•• * Существование в английском языке двух слов – historic и historical – имеет два противоречащих друг другу следствия. Во-первых, в устной речи нередко смешение этих слов. Мне приходилось слышать, как о событии, еще не «ушедшем в историю» и даже еще не состоявшемся, говорили It is/ will be a/ an historical event. Конечно, правильнее в данном случае historic или history-making. Но и historical event тоже правильно в определенных контекстах:
•• What historical event do you wish you could stop? If you could go back in time and prevent anything in history from having happened ( as opposed to just passively watching it happen), what particular incident in history would you most want to stop from happening and is there any reason why? (c сайта http://uplink.space.com).
•• С другой стороны, иногда различие между этими словами существенно и должно учитываться переводчиком. Слово historical, как мне кажется, шире русского исторический, так как охватывает все, что имеет отношение к прошлому, а русское слово – только то, что говорящий интуитивно относит к «истории», т.е. к историческому процессу, «историческим судьбам» и т.п. Русское слово часто, хотя и не всегда, «возвышенней». Среди исключений – например, словосочетание историческая справка. И все же более «бытовой» характер английского слова позволяет употреблять его в тех ситуациях, где говорящий по-русски скорее всего скажет иначе.
•• В выступлении Кондолисы Райс перед комиссией по расследованию событий 11 сентября это слово встретилось пять раз, плюс historically в значении, о котором будет сказано ниже:
•• Historically, democratic societies have been slow to react to gathering threats, tending instead to wait to confront threats until they are too dangerous to ignore or until it is too late. – Исторический опыт (или просто опыт) свидетельствует о том, что...
•• Далее Райс трижды употребляет это слово в отношении документа, представленного президенту Бушу 6 августа 2001 года (о возможных действиях «Аль-Каиды»):
•• I was in a press conference to try and describe the Aug. 6 memo, which I’ve talked about here in the – my opening remarks and which I talked about with you in the private session. And I said at one point that this was a historical memo, that it was not based on new threat information. <...>
•• It was not a particular threat report. And there was historical information in there about – about various aspects of al Qaeda’s operations. <...> It did not warn of attacks inside the United States. It was historical information based on old reporting. There was no new threat information. And it did not, in fact, warn of any coming attacks inside the United States.
•• Один из членов комиссии (демократ) ухватился за эту формулировку:
•• Well, did you not – you have indicated here that this was some historical document. And I am asking you whether it is not the case that you learned in the P.D.B. memo of Aug. 6 that the F.B.I. was saying that it had information suggesting that preparations, not historically, but ongoing, along with these numerous full field investigations against al Qaeda cells, that preparations were being made consistent with hijackings within the United States.
•• Конечно, по-русски в данном случае просто невозможно сказать исторический документ, хотя можно – историческая справка, но предпочтительно все же, по-моему, справочный материал, справочная информация. В вопросе – not historically, but ongoing – возможен вариант не в историческом разрезе, а в текущем плане.
•• Далее у Райс интересная оговорка, тут же исправленная:
•• This was a historic memo – historical memo prepared by the agency because the president was asking questions about what we knew about the inside.
•• Исправление оговорки – признак существенного различия двух слов. (Кстати, в качестве антонима historical появляется слово, неоднократно всплывавшее в ходе слушаний и не поддающееся однословному переводу, – actionable:
•• The president was told this is historical information. I am told he was told this is historical information. And there was nothing actionable in this. The president knew that the F.B.I. was pursuing this issue. The president knew that the director of central intelligence was pursuing this issue. And there was no new threat information in this document to pursue.
•• Actionable information – пока не могу предложить ничего кроме информация, требующая/ дающая основания для конкретных действий. Длинно.)
•• Конечно, «оппозиция Его Величества» не замедлила поиграть со словом historical. Из редакционной статьи New York Times:
•• The administration argument that it had only gotten intelligence about potential terrorist attacks abroad in the summer of 2001 was rather drastically undermined when Ms. Rice revealed, under questioning, that the briefing given Mr. Bush by the C.I.A. on Aug. 6, 2001, was titled “Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States.” Ms. Rice continues to insist that the information was “ historical” rather than a warning of something likely to occur.
•• Еще более хлестко (но абсолютно неизбежно, удержаться от игры слов невозможно):
•• What should have made Condi hysterical, she deemed “historical.” (Maureen Dowd)
•• Последний пример, кстати, заставляет все-таки выбрать в переводе вариант историческая справка, чтобы попробовать передать игру слов, но все равно сделать это непросто:
•• Информация, способная вызвать истерическую реакцию, для Конди – не более чем историческая справка.
•• А теперь о наречии historically. Словари – как толковые, так и переводные, – как правило, не дают отдельного определения или перевода наречий с - ly, считая, что все и так ясно – их смысл и перевод вытекают из соответствующего прилагательного. Но это далеко не всегда так. В статье из New York Times, попавшей в обзор зарубежной прессы на радио «Эхо Москвы», встретилось: Iran has historically denied that it is pursuing a nuclear weapons program. Ведущая так и сказала: Иран исторически отрицал (и т.д.). Здесь, конечно, нужно просто всегда или неизменно. В некоторых случаях хорошо подойдет русское наречие традиционно: historically black colleges – традиционно негритянские колледжи (здесь это прилагательное, по-моему, вполне приемлемо), historically underutilized businesses – компании, традиционно недопредставленные среди подрядчиков, historically disadvantaged – традиционно находящиеся в тяжелом положении. Иногда подходящее русское соответствие – по многолетним наблюдениям ( This is not uncommon historically for the month of April). Наконец, контекст может подсказать и такой вариант, как беспрецедентно: Historically high growth in employment.
•• Интересный пример из статьи У. Пфаффа в International Herald Tribune:
•• Historically, in joint ventures with U.S. government and industry, U.S. security and proprietary restraints nearly always have forced the European partners into subordinate roles.
•• Здесь самый лучший перевод – просто раньше, прежде.
•• Слово historically, на мой взгляд, не является многозначным, у него одно довольно широкое и несколько расплывчатое значение, но в переводе оно начинает играть своими различными гранями. Разумеется, в приведенном выше примере возможен и перевод Исторически сложилось так, что...
•• В отличие от historically наречие indefinitely дается в большинстве словарей (например, в БАРСе и ABBYY Lingvo) как отдельная словарная статья. Но упущено довольно частое употребление indefinitely в значении, близком к until further notice. Пример из New York Times:
•• Thomas Krens, the foundation director, acknowledged as unrealistic the prospect of financing the $950 million project at a time when the museum is cutting budget, staff and programs. Beginning Sunday, for example, the Guggenheim Las Vegas is to go dark indefinitely.
•• Перевод напрашивается: на неопределенный срок. Кстати, to go dark – есть ли это в словарях? Обычно так говорят, когда, скажем, музей, театр или web-сайт прерывают работу на некоторое время – с возможностью ее возобновления.
•• Еще один пример интересного с точки зрения перевода и лексикографии употребления наречия (для контекста даю несколько предшествующих фраз):
•• After months of inaction, I finally turned to former President Bush, who immediately interceded with Crown Prince Abdallah on the FBI’s behalf. <...> The Saudis immediately acceded. <...> Mr. Bush typically disclaimed any credit for his critical intervention, but he earned the gratitude of many FBI agents and the Khobar families. (American Justice for Khobar Heroes. By Louis J. Freeh. Wall Street Journal)
•• Typically здесь нельзя переводить как типично или даже что для него типично. В каких-то случаях может подойти разговорное что характерно. Но лучше, конечно, в свойственной ему манере или как обычно. Думаю, в двуязычном словаре для такого примера должно найтись место. Во-первых, он показывает идиоматичное употребление английского наречия. Во-вторых, подсказывает перевод.
•• Наречия типа confusingly обычно не включаются в словари в качестве отдельной статьи. Считается, что перевод таких слов, как amazingly или startlingly, не должен вызывать трудностей, но это не всегда так. На конференции по товарным знакам встретилось выражение confusingly similar. В юридическом словаре есть confusion in trademarks – смешение товарных знаков. Соответственно confusingly similar – схожий/ аналогичный до степени смешения (принятый практиками перевод). Пожалуй, это стоит включить не только в специальный словарь.

•• * Существование в английском языке двух слов – historic и historical – имеет два противоречащих друг другу следствия. Во-первых, в устной речи нередко смешение этих слов. Мне приходилось слышать, как о событии, еще не «ушедшем в историю» и даже еще не состоявшемся, говорили It is/ will be a/ an historical event. Конечно, правильнее в данном случае historic или history-making. Но и historical event тоже правильно в определенных контекстах:
•• What historical event do you wish you could stop? If you could go back in time and prevent anything in history from having happened ( as opposed to just passively watching it happen), what particular incident in history would you most want to stop from happening and is there any reason why? (c сайта http://uplink.space.com).
•• С другой стороны, иногда различие между этими словами существенно и должно учитываться переводчиком. Слово historical, как мне кажется, шире русского исторический, так как охватывает все, что имеет отношение к прошлому, а русское слово – только то, что говорящий интуитивно относит к «истории», т.е. к историческому процессу, «историческим судьбам» и т.п. Русское слово часто, хотя и не всегда, «возвышенней». Среди исключений – например, словосочетание историческая справка. И все же более «бытовой» характер английского слова позволяет употреблять его в тех ситуациях, где говорящий по-русски скорее всего скажет иначе.
•• В выступлении Кондолисы Райс перед комиссией по расследованию событий 11 сентября это слово встретилось пять раз, плюс historically в значении, о котором будет сказано ниже:
•• Historically, democratic societies have been slow to react to gathering threats, tending instead to wait to confront threats until they are too dangerous to ignore or until it is too late. – Исторический опыт (или просто опыт) свидетельствует о том, что...
•• Далее Райс трижды употребляет это слово в отношении документа, представленного президенту Бушу 6 августа 2001 года (о возможных действиях «Аль-Каиды»):
•• I was in a press conference to try and describe the Aug. 6 memo, which I’ve talked about here in the – my opening remarks and which I talked about with you in the private session. And I said at one point that this was a historical memo, that it was not based on new threat information. <...>
•• It was not a particular threat report. And there was historical information in there about – about various aspects of al Qaeda’s operations. <...> It did not warn of attacks inside the United States. It was historical information based on old reporting. There was no new threat information. And it did not, in fact, warn of any coming attacks inside the United States.
•• Один из членов комиссии (демократ) ухватился за эту формулировку:
•• Well, did you not – you have indicated here that this was some historical document. And I am asking you whether it is not the case that you learned in the P.D.B. memo of Aug. 6 that the F.B.I. was saying that it had information suggesting that preparations, not historically, but ongoing, along with these numerous full field investigations against al Qaeda cells, that preparations were being made consistent with hijackings within the United States.
•• Конечно, по-русски в данном случае просто невозможно сказать исторический документ, хотя можно – историческая справка, но предпочтительно все же, по-моему, справочный материал, справочная информация. В вопросе – not historically, but ongoing – возможен вариант не в историческом разрезе, а в текущем плане.
•• Далее у Райс интересная оговорка, тут же исправленная:
•• This was a historic memo – historical memo prepared by the agency because the president was asking questions about what we knew about the inside.
•• Исправление оговорки – признак существенного различия двух слов. (Кстати, в качестве антонима historical появляется слово, неоднократно всплывавшее в ходе слушаний и не поддающееся однословному переводу, – actionable:
•• The president was told this is historical information. I am told he was told this is historical information. And there was nothing actionable in this. The president knew that the F.B.I. was pursuing this issue. The president knew that the director of central intelligence was pursuing this issue. And there was no new threat information in this document to pursue.
•• Actionable information – пока не могу предложить ничего кроме информация, требующая/ дающая основания для конкретных действий. Длинно.)
•• Конечно, «оппозиция Его Величества» не замедлила поиграть со словом historical. Из редакционной статьи New York Times:
•• The administration argument that it had only gotten intelligence about potential terrorist attacks abroad in the summer of 2001 was rather drastically undermined when Ms. Rice revealed, under questioning, that the briefing given Mr. Bush by the C.I.A. on Aug. 6, 2001, was titled “Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States.” Ms. Rice continues to insist that the information was “ historical” rather than a warning of something likely to occur.
•• Еще более хлестко (но абсолютно неизбежно, удержаться от игры слов невозможно):
•• What should have made Condi hysterical, she deemed “historical.” (Maureen Dowd)
•• Последний пример, кстати, заставляет все-таки выбрать в переводе вариант историческая справка, чтобы попробовать передать игру слов, но все равно сделать это непросто:
•• Информация, способная вызвать истерическую реакцию, для Конди – не более чем историческая справка.
•• А теперь о наречии historically. Словари – как толковые, так и переводные, – как правило, не дают отдельного определения или перевода наречий с - ly, считая, что все и так ясно – их смысл и перевод вытекают из соответствующего прилагательного. Но это далеко не всегда так. В статье из New York Times, попавшей в обзор зарубежной прессы на радио «Эхо Москвы», встретилось: Iran has historically denied that it is pursuing a nuclear weapons program. Ведущая так и сказала: Иран исторически отрицал (и т.д.). Здесь, конечно, нужно просто всегда или неизменно. В некоторых случаях хорошо подойдет русское наречие традиционно: historically black colleges – традиционно негритянские колледжи (здесь это прилагательное, по-моему, вполне приемлемо), historically underutilized businesses – компании, традиционно недопредставленные среди подрядчиков, historically disadvantaged – традиционно находящиеся в тяжелом положении. Иногда подходящее русское соответствие – по многолетним наблюдениям ( This is not uncommon historically for the month of April). Наконец, контекст может подсказать и такой вариант, как беспрецедентно: Historically high growth in employment.
•• Интересный пример из статьи У. Пфаффа в International Herald Tribune:
•• Historically, in joint ventures with U.S. government and industry, U.S. security and proprietary restraints nearly always have forced the European partners into subordinate roles.
•• Здесь самый лучший перевод – просто раньше, прежде.
•• Слово historically, на мой взгляд, не является многозначным, у него одно довольно широкое и несколько расплывчатое значение, но в переводе оно начинает играть своими различными гранями. Разумеется, в приведенном выше примере возможен и перевод Исторически сложилось так, что...
•• В отличие от historically наречие indefinitely дается в большинстве словарей (например, в БАРСе и ABBYY Lingvo) как отдельная словарная статья. Но упущено довольно частое употребление indefinitely в значении, близком к until further notice. Пример из New York Times:
•• Thomas Krens, the foundation director, acknowledged as unrealistic the prospect of financing the $950 million project at a time when the museum is cutting budget, staff and programs. Beginning Sunday, for example, the Guggenheim Las Vegas is to go dark indefinitely.
•• Перевод напрашивается: на неопределенный срок. Кстати, to go dark – есть ли это в словарях? Обычно так говорят, когда, скажем, музей, театр или web-сайт прерывают работу на некоторое время – с возможностью ее возобновления.
•• Еще один пример интересного с точки зрения перевода и лексикографии употребления наречия (для контекста даю несколько предшествующих фраз):
•• After months of inaction, I finally turned to former President Bush, who immediately interceded with Crown Prince Abdallah on the FBI’s behalf. <...> The Saudis immediately acceded. <...> Mr. Bush typically disclaimed any credit for his critical intervention, but he earned the gratitude of many FBI agents and the Khobar families. (American Justice for Khobar Heroes. By Louis J. Freeh. Wall Street Journal)
•• Typically здесь нельзя переводить как типично или даже что для него типично. В каких-то случаях может подойти разговорное что характерно. Но лучше, конечно, в свойственной ему манере или как обычно. Думаю, в двуязычном словаре для такого примера должно найтись место. Во-первых, он показывает идиоматичное употребление английского наречия. Во-вторых, подсказывает перевод.
•• Наречия типа confusingly обычно не включаются в словари в качестве отдельной статьи. Считается, что перевод таких слов, как amazingly или startlingly, не должен вызывать трудностей, но это не всегда так. На конференции по товарным знакам встретилось выражение confusingly similar. В юридическом словаре есть confusion in trademarks – смешение товарных знаков. Соответственно confusingly similar – схожий/ аналогичный до степени смешения (принятый практиками перевод). Пожалуй, это стоит включить не только в специальный словарь.

1. adv. - por poco 2. (f. - poca)

pron.

little, few

3. (f. - poca)

adj.

little, few, not much

* * *

1. ADJ

1) [en singular] little, not much

tenemos poco tiempo — we have little time, we don't have much time

hay muy poco queso — there's very little cheese, there's hardly any cheese

de poco interés — of little interest

con poco respeto — with little respect, with scant respect

el provecho es poco — the gain is small, there isn't much to gain

• poca cosa, no te preocupes por tan poca cosa — don't worry about such a little thing

poca cosa se podría haber hecho — there wasn't much we could have done

comemos, jugamos a cartas, leemos y poca cosa más — we eat, play cards, read and do little else o and that's about it

es poca cosa — (=no mucho) it's not much; (=no importante) it's nothing much

somos tan poca cosa — we're so insignificant

es muy guapa pero poca cosa — she's very pretty, but there isn't much to her

• y por si fuera poco — and as if that weren't enough, and to cap it all

2) [en plural] few, not many

pocos niños saben que... — few o not many children know that...

tiene pocos amigos — he has few friends, he hasn't got many friends

pocos días después — a few days later

compré unos pocos libros — I bought a few books

me quedan pocas probabilidades — I don't have much chance

todas las medidas son pocas — no measure will be enough

2. PRON

1) [en singular]

a) (=poca cosa)

la reforma servirá para poco — the reform won't do much good o won't be much use

una hora da para poco — you can't get much done in an hour

con lo poco que me quedaba — with what little I had left

ya sabes lo poco que me interesa — you know how little it interests me

b)

• un poco — a bit, a little

-¿tienes frío? -un poco — "are you cold?" - "a bit o a little"

he bebido un poco, pero no estoy borracho — I've had a bit to drink, but I'm not drunk

voy a dormir un poco — I am going to have a little sleep

le conocía un poco — I knew him a bit o slightly

necesito descansar un poco — I need to rest for a while

espera un poco — wait a minute o moment

estoy un poco triste — I am rather o a little sad

es un poco lo que yo comentaba — that's more or less what I was saying

• un poco como, es un poco como su padre — he's rather o a bit like his father

lo hice un poco como protesta — I did it partly as a protest

• un poco de, un poco de dinero — a little money

dame un poco de vino — can I have some wine?

¡un poco de silencio! — let's have some quiet here!

c) [referido a tiempo] not long

tardaron poco en hacerlo — it didn't take them long to do it, they didn't take long to do it

lleva poco trabajando aquí — he hasn't been working here long

• a poco de — shortly after

a poco de haberlo firmado — shortly after signing it

• cada poco — every so often

• dentro de poco — shortly, soon

• poco después — shortly after

• hace poco — not long ago

fuimos a verla hace poco — we visited her not long ago, we visited her quite recently

tu hermana ha llamado hace poco — your sister called a short while ago

la conozco desde hace poco — I haven't known her long, I've only known her for a short while

hasta hace poco — until recently

2) [en plural] few

pocos son los que... — there are few who...

ya somos pocos los que nos sentimos así — there are now very few of us who feel this way

pocos de entre ellos — few of them

como hay pocos —

es tonto como hay pocos — he's as stupid as they come

3. ADV

1) [con verbos] not much, little

cuesta poco — it doesn't cost much, it costs very little

habla poco — he doesn't say much

ahora trabaja poco — he doesn't work much now

vamos poco a Madrid — we don't go to Madrid much, we hardly ever go to Madrid

lo estiman poco — they hardly value it at all, they value it very little

2) [con adjetivos: se traduce a menudo por medio de un prefijo]

poco dispuesto a ayudar — disinclined to help

poco amable — unkind

poco probable — unlikely

poco inteligente — unintelligent, not very intelligent

sus libros son poco conocidos aquí — his books are not very well known here

3) [otras locuciones]

poco a poco — little by little

¡poco a poco! — steady on!, easy does it!

a poco Méx —

*

¿a poco? — never!, you don't say!

¡a poco no! — not much! *

¿a poco no? — (well) isn't it?

¿a poco crees que...? — do you really imagine that...?

• de a poco — LAm gradually

• tener en poco, tiene en poco a su jefe — she doesn't think much of her boss

tiene la vida en poco — he doesn't value his life

• poco más o menos — more or less

• por poco — almost, nearly

por poco me ahogo — I almost o nearly drowned

• a poco que, a poco que pueda — if at all possible

a poco que corras, lo alcanzas — if you run now you'll catch it

* * *

I

adverbio

es muy poco agradecido — he is very ungrateful

un autor muy poco conocido — a very little-known author

me resultó poco interesante — I didn't find it very interesting

habla poco — he doesn't say much o a lot

viene muy poco por aquí — he hardly ever comes around

... con lo poco que le gusta el arroz —... and he doesn't even like rice; para locs ver poco III 4)

II

- ca adjetivo ( con sustantivos no numerables) little; ( en plural) few

muy poco vino — very little wine

muy pocos niños — very few children

qué poco sentido común tienes! — you don't have much common sense, do you?

tengo muy poca ropa — I have very few clothes

éramos demasiado pocos — there were too few of us

fue asombroso, todo lo que te pueda decir es poco — it was amazing, I can't (even) begin to tell you

todo le parece poco — she is never satisfied

III

- ca pronombre

1) (poca cantidad, poca cosa)

le serví sopa pero comió poca — I gave her some soup but she didn't eat much

por poco que gane... — no matter how little o however little she earns...

se conforma con poco — he's easily satisfied

poco faltó para que me pegara — he nearly hit me

lo poco que gana se lo gasta en vino — he spends the little o what little he earns on wine

compra más lentejas, nos quedan muy pocas — buy some more lentils, we've hardly any left

es un profesor como pocos — there aren't many teachers like him

pocos pueden permitirse ese lujo — not many people can afford to do that

2) poco ( refiriéndose a tiempo)

lo vi hace poco — I saw him recently o not long ago

hace muy poco que lo conoce — she hasn't known him for very long

tardó poco en hacerlo — it didn't take him long to do it

falta poco para las navidades — it's not long till Christmas

a poco de venir él — soon o shortly after he came

dentro de poco — soon

poco antes de que... — a short while o shortly before...

3) un poco

a) ( refiriéndose a cantidades) a little; ( refiriéndose a tiempo) a while

espera un poquito — wait a little while

todavía le duele un poco — it still hurts him a little o a bit

es un poco lo que está pasando en Japón — it's rather like what's happening in Japan

un poco porque me dio lástima — partly because I felt sorry for him

b)

un poco de: un poco de pimienta/vino a little (bit of) pepper/wine; come un poco de jamón — have a bit of ham

c)

un poco + adj/adv: un poco caro/tarde — a bit o a little expensive/late

4) (en locs)

a poco — (Méx)

¿a poco no lees los periódicos? — don't you read the newspapers?

a poco no está fabuloso Acapulco! — isn't Acapulco just fantastic!

a poco ganaron! — don't tell me they won!

de a poco — (AmL) gradually

agrégale la leche de a poquito — add the milk gradually o a little at a time

de a poquito se lo fue comiendo — little by little she ate it all up

en poco: en poco estuvo que no viniéramos we almost didn't come; tienen en poco la vida ajena they set little value on other people's lives; me tienes bien en poco si crees que... you can't think very highly o much of me if you think...; poco a poco gradually; poco más o menos approximately, roughly; poco menos que nearly; poco menos que la mata (fam) he almost killed her; poco menos que los echan a patadas (fam) they practically kicked them out; por poco — nearly

* * *

= little [less -comp., least -sup.], low [lower -comp., lowest -sup.], scant, trifle, tad, little in the way of.

Ex. Explanatory references give a little more explanation as to why the link between two names is being made in the catalogue or index.

Ex. Carlton Duncan discussed the difficulties built into the educational processes which led to under-performance at school and the resulting low representation in higher education and low entry into the professions.

Ex. Scant attention is paid to evaluation and the needs of users.

Ex. She had been a trifle nervous until it was formally announced that the position was hers.

Ex. Williams is one of those rare poets who satisfies the yearning that many of us have for the memorable phrase we wish we had said were our perceptions a tad keener.

Ex. Without any significant restructuring, the LIS programme in Iran will provide little in the way of riding out the rapid transition that the field is currently experiencing.

----

* abultar poco = be skimpy.

* acercarse poco a poco (a) = edge (toward(s)).

* actuar con poca consideración hacia = play + fast and loose with.

* agua poco profunda = shallow water.

* aguas poco profundas = shallows.

* alimentos poco saludables = unhealthy foods.

* a poca distancia = not far behind.

* a poca distancia andando = within walking distance, within an easy walk.

* a poca distancia a pie = within an easy walk, within walking distance.

* a pocos minutos andando = within walking distance, within easy walking distance, within an easy walk.

* a pocos minutos a pie = within walking distance, within easy walking distance, within an easy walk.

* avanzar poco a poco (hacia) = edge (toward(s)).

* cada pocos años = every few years.

* comida poco saludable = unhealthy foods.

* comportamiento poco cívico = uncivic behaviour.

* con muchos huesos y poca carne = bony [bonier -comp., boniest -sup.].

* con muy poca antelación = at (a) very short notice.

* con muy poca anticipación = at (a) very short notice.

* con muy poca frecuencia = all too seldom.

* con muy pocas excepciones = with few exceptions.

* con muy pocos medios = on a shoestring (budget).

* con poca claridad = indistinctly.

* con poca exactitud = loosely.

* con poca experiencia = inexperienced.

* con poca iluminación = dimly illuminated.

* con poca imaginación = unimaginatively.

* con poca naturalidad = stiltedly.

* con poca población = thinly populated.

* con pocas habilidades = poor-ability.

* con poca visión de futuro = short-sighted [shortsighted].

* con poco dinero = on the cheap.

* con poco entusiasmo = half-heartedly.

* con pocos recursos = under-resourced.

* con pocos recursos económicos = low-budget.

* consumir poco a poco = eat away at.

* con tan poca antelación = at such short notice.

* con tan poca anticipación = at such short notice.

* correr poco a poco = eat away at.

* cuestiones poco claras = grey area [gray area].

* de forma poco ética = unethically.

* de forma poco imaginativa = unimaginatively.

* de forma poco profesional = unprofessionally.

= petty criminal.

Ex. When the security services carry out acts of terror, they employ patsies who often are petty criminals or people who are mentally backward or mentally unstable.

----

* de manera poco ética = unethically.

* de manera poco profesional = unprofessionally.

* demasiado poco común = all too rare.

* de modo poco imaginativo = unimaginatively.

* dentro de poco = before long.

* de población poco densa = sparsely populated.

* de poca importancia = menial, small-time.

* de poca monta = hack, small-time.

* de pocas luces = dim [dimmer -comp., dimmest -sup.], dim-witted [dimwitted].

* de poco impacto = low impact [low-impact].

* de poco peso = pat, feeble.

* de poco provecho = fruitless.

* de poco uso = low-use.

* de poco valor = a dime a dozen.

* desaparecer poco a poco = fade into + the sunset.

* de todo un poco = about this and that and everything else, about this and that.

* de un modo poco constructivo = unconstructively.

* de un modo poco económico = wastefully.

* de un modo poco natural = unnaturally.

* donde cabe mucho también cabe poco = what holds a lot will hold a little.

* durar poco = be short term.

* echar poco a poco = dribble.

* el que mucho abarca poco aprieta = jack of all trades, master of none.

* en el caso poco probable de que = in the unlikely case (that).

* en muy poco tiempo = before long.

* en pocas palabras = simply put, in brief, to say the least, to put it (quite) simply, in short, to cut a long story short, bottom line, the, put simply, to make a long story short, the short story + be, simply stated.

* en poco tiempo = before very long, in quite a short time, in a short time, in a short span of time.

* en unos pocos años = within a few years.

* estar poco dispuesto = be reluctant.

* estar poco representado = underrepresent [under-represent].

* estar un poco anticuado = be some years old.

* excusa poco convincente = lame excuse.

* faltar poco (para) = have + a short way to go (before).

* faltar un poco = be some way off.

* gente de poca importancia = small fry, the.

* haber poca duda de que = there + be + little doubt that.

* hace muy poco tiempo = a short time ago.

* hace poco tiempo = a short time ago.

* hacer poca distinción entre... y... = make + little distinction between... and....

* hacer poco = do + little.

* hacer que sea poco probable = render + unlikely.

* hace unos pocos años = a few years ago.

* hace unos pocos días = a few days ago.

* hasta hace muy poco = until recently, up until recently.

* hasta hace relativamente poco tiempo = until relatively recently.

* horas de poca actividad = slack hours.

* horas de poco movimiento = slack hours.

* introducirse poco a poco = ease + Reflexivo + in.

* ir poco más allá de + Infinitivo = go little further than + Gerundio.

* llegar poco a poco = dribble in.

* lo poco común = rarity, rareness.

* mucho ruido para pocas nueces = much ado about nothing.

* mucho ruido y pocas nueces = storm in a teacup, Posesivo + bark is worse than + Posesivo + bite.

* muchos jefes y pocos trabajadores = too many chiefs and not enough Indians.

* muy poco = minimally.

* ofrecer poco = low-ball.

* operación de poca monta = one-room, one-person operation.

* pagando un poco más = at additional cost.

* parece tener poco sentido que = there + seem + little point in.

* pasar poco a poco = slide into.

* período de poca actividad = slack time.

* perro ladrador, poco mordedor = barking dogs seldom bite, Posesivo + bark is worse than + Posesivo + bite.

* poca cantidad = trickle.

* poca cosa = small fry, the.

* poca iluminación = poor lighting.

* poca importancia = unimportance, low profile.

* poca notoriedad = low profile.

* poca probabilidad = slim chance.

* poca severidad = lenience, leniency.

* pocas expectativas = low expectation.

* poca utilidad = unhelpfulness.

* poco abundante = light [lighter -comp., lightest -sup.].

* poco accesible = unapproachable.

* poco acertado = clumsy [clumsier -comp., clumsiest -sup.], injudicious.

* poco acogedor = inhospitable.

* poco aconsejable = unwise, inadvisable.

* poco adecuado = unsuited, unsuitable, inapt.

* poco + Adjetivo = slightly + Adjetivo, less than + Adjetivo.

* poco afortunado = unhappy, ill-favoured [ill-favored, -USA].

* poco agraciado = ill-favoured [ill-favored, -USA].

* poco amable = off-putting, surly [surlier -comp., surliest -sup.], crusty [crustier -comp., crustiest -sup.], unkind.

* poco americano = un-American.

* poco amistoso = off-putting, unfriendly.

* poco antes de + Fecha = shortly before + Fecha.

* poco a poco = gradually, piecemeal, slowly, incrementally, at a snail's pace, little by little, bit by bit.

* poco apreciado = unappreciated.

* poco apropiado = unsuited, unsuitable, inapt.

* poco apto = inapt.

* poco arriesgado = low-risk.

* poco asequible = unapproachable.

* poco atractivo = off-putting, unattractive, unglamorous, uninviting, unappealing.

* poco atrevido = unadventurous.

* poco audaz = unadventurous.

* poco aventurero = unadventurous.

* poco cabelleroso = ungentlemanlike.

* poco cálido = lukewarm.

* poco científico = hit-or-miss, unscientific.

* poco cívico = uncivic.

* poco claro = confusing, fuzzy [fuzzier - comp., fuzziest -sup.], indistinct, obscure, unclear, untidy, hazy, inconclusive, slurred, clouded, blurry [blurrier -comp., blurriest -sup.], undistinguished, uncleared, indistinctive, bleary [blearier -comp., bleariest -sup.].

* poco colaborador = unresponsive.

* poco comercial = uncommercial.

* poco competitivo = uncompetitive.

* poco complicado = uncomplicated, uncomplicatedly.

* poco comprensivo = unsympathetic.

* poco común = rare, unfamiliar, unusual, uncommon, unordinary, out of the ordinary.

* poco comunicativo = uncommunicative, reserved.

* poco confortable = uncomfortable.

* poco conocido = obscure, little known.

* poco convencido = unconvinced.

* poco convencional = unconventional.

* poco convincente = unconvincing, inconclusive, pat, feeble.

* poco convincentemente = unconvincingly.

* poco correcto = ungentlemanlike.

* poco cortés = impolite, ungentlemanlike.

* poco culto = unenlightened.

* poco decidido = half-hearted [halfhearted].

* poco definido = blurry [blurrier -comp., blurriest -sup.], bleary [blearier -comp., bleariest -sup.].

* poco denso = rarefied.

* poco deportivo = unsportsmanlike.

* poco después = soon afterwards, shortly afterwards, shortly after, not long after.

* poco después de = soon after (that), shortly after.

* poco después de que = shortly after.

* poco diestro = poor-ability.

* poco diplomático = indiscreet.

* poco dispuesto = disinclined.

* poco dispuesto a colaborar = uncooperative.

* poco ducho en las nuevas tecnologías = technologically challenged.

* poco económico = uneconomical.

* poco efectivo = ineffectual.

* poco eficaz = non-efficient.

* poco elegante = inelegant, awkward, dowdy [dowdier -comp., dowdiest -sup.].

* poco embarazoso = unembarrassing.

* poco entusiasta = half-hearted [halfhearted], lukewarm.

* poco envidiable = unenviable.

* poco estable = unsettled.

* poco estético = unaesthetic.

* poco estimulador = unchallenging.

* poco estimulante = unexciting, uninspiring, unmoving.

* poco estricto = lax.

* poco ético = unethical.

* poco evidente = unnoticed, unnoted.

* poco exigente = untaxing, undemanding.

* poco favorable = unpromising.

* poco favorecedor = unflattering.

* poco fiable = unreliable, undependable, flaky [flakey].

* poco firme = tenuous, rocky [rockier -comp., rockiest -sup.].

* poco flexible = monolithic, inelastic.

* poco frecuente = infrequent.

* poco fructífero = unfruitful.

* poco gratificante = unrewarding, unsatisfying.

* poco grato = unwelcome.

* poco hábil = poor-ability.

* poco habitual = unaccustomed.

* poco halagador = unflattering.

* poco halagüeño = unflattering.

* poco hospitalario = inhospitable.

* poco idóneo = unsuited, unsuitable, inapt.

* poco iluminado = dimly illuminated.

* poco imaginativo = unimaginative.

* poco importante = menial, small-time.

* poco impresionado = unimpressed.

* poco informativo = uninformative.

* poco intelectual = lowbrow [low-brow].

* poco inteligente = unintelligent.

* poco intenso = light [lighter -comp., lightest -sup.].

* poco interesante = dull, jackdaw, uninteresting, uninspiring, unremarkable.

* poco juicioso = injudicious.

* poco justificado = ill-justified.

* poco listo = underprepared.

* poco maduro = underripe.

* poco más = little else.

* poco materialista = unworldly.

* poco memorable = forgettable.

* poco mundano = unwordly.

* poco natural = unnatural, stilted.

* poco nítido = untidy.

* poco normal = unnatural, unordinary, out of the ordinary.

* poco novedoso = trite.

* poco original = unoriginal.

* poco ortodoxo = unorthodox.

* poco poblado = thinly populated.

* poco práctico = impractical, awkward.

* poco preparado = underprepared.

* poco probable = unlikely, far-fetched [farfetched].

* poco productivo = unproductive.

* poco profesional = amateurish, unprofessional.

* poco profundo = shallow [shallower -comp., shallowest -sup.].

* poco prometedor = bleak, unpromising.

* poco propicio = unpromising, unpromising.

* poco provechoso = fruitless, unrewarding.

* poco prudente = ill-advised, ill-judged.

* poco pulido = unpolished.

* poco razonable = unreasonable.

* poco realista = unrealistic, unreal, unwordly, way out in left field, airy-fairy.

* poco recomendable = inadvisable.

* poco refinado = unrefined, unpolished.

* poco rentable = uneconomical.

* poco representativo = unrepresentative.

* poco romántico = unromantic.

* poco sabido = little known.

* poco saludable = unwholesome, insalubrious.

* poco sano = unwholesome, insalubrious.

* poco seguro = dicey [dicier -comp., diciest -sup.].

* poco sensato = ill-advised, injudicious, ill-judged.

* poco sentimental = unsentimental.

* poco serio = flippant.

* poco sincero = insincere.

* poco sistemático = sloppy [sloppier -comp., sloppiest -sup.].

* poco social = unsocial.

* poco sofisticado = elementary, unsophisticated, corn-fed.

* poco sólido = insubstantial.

* poco tiempo = short while, short time.

* poco tiempo después = shortly afterwards.

* poco tradicional = untraditional.

* poco unido = loosely knit.

* poco uniforme = patchy [patchier -comp., patchiest -sup.].

* poco usado = little-used.

* poco usual = unusual.

* poco útil = clumsy [clumsier -comp., clumsiest -sup.], unhelpful.

* poquito a poco = little by little.

* por mencionar sólo unos pocos = to name but a few.

* por mencionar uno pocos = just to name a few.

* por nombrar sólo unos pocos = to name but a few.

* por nombrar unos pocos = to name a few.

* por poco dinero = cheaply.

* por poco o nada = at little or no extra cost.

* por si era poco = for good measure.

* por si fuera poco = to boot, for good measure, to add insult to injury, to add salt to injury, to rub salt in the wound.

* prestar poca atención a = give + little thought to.

* pretexto poco convincente = lame excuse.

* quedar poco (para) = have + a short way to go (before).

* quedar un poco = be some way off.

* quedar un poco perjudicado = be a little worse prepared, be a little worse off.

* que ocupa poco espacio = space-saving.

* qué poco común = how odd.

* quien mucho abarca poco aprieta = bite off more than + Pronombre + can chew.

* reducirse poco a poco = dribble off.

* resultar poco fructífero = prove + unfruitful.

* roer poco a poco = eat away at.

* saber un poco de todo y mucho de nada = jack of all trades, master of none.

* sacar poco a poco = tease out.

* salir un poco perjudicado = be a little worse prepared, be a little worse off.

* sangre poco espesa = thin blood.

* ser algo muy poco frecuente = be a rare occurrence.

* ser algo poco común = be the exception rather than the rule.

* ser algo poco conocido que = it + be + a little known fact that.

* ser algo poco frecuente = be a rare occurrence.

* ser algo poco sabido que = it + be + a little known fact that.

* ser de poco valor = be of little use, be of little value.

* ser muy poco probable = be remote.

* ser poco = be under-provided.

* ser poco agradecido = be thankless.

* ser poco eficaz = do + little.

* ser poco reconocido = be thankless.

* ser pocos = be few in number, be small in number.

* ser un hecho poco conocido que = it + be + a little known fact that.

* ser un hecho poco sabido que = it + be + a little known fact that.

* servir de poco = be of little use.

* servir de poco o nada = be of little or no avail.

* solución poco real = pie in the sky solution.

* tener poca información = be information poor.

* tener pocas luces = as thick as a brick, as thick as two (short) planks, as daft as a brush, knucklehead.

* tener pocas posibilidades de = have + little recourse.

* tener poco que ver = have + little to do.

* tener poco valor = be of little value.

* trabajo de poca monta = odd-job.

* un hombre de pocas palabras = a man of few words.

* unos pocos elegidos = a select few.

* un poco = a bit, somewhat, slightly, something of, a little bit, kinda [kind of].

* un poco áspero = roughish.

* un poco como = kind of like.

* un poco de = a measure of, a touch (of), a bit of, a piece of, a spot of, a splash of, a hint of.

* un poco + Nombre = a shade + Nombre.

* un poco obscuro = dusky.

* un poco perdido = a bit at sea.

* un poco rugoso = roughish.

* usado con poca frecuencia = seldom used [seldom-used].

* usuario que hace poco uso del préstamo = light borrower.

* utilizar poco = underutilise/under-utilise [underutilize/under-utilize, -USA].

* vivienda poco digna = poor housing.

* y poco más = and little more.

* * *

I

adverbio

es muy poco agradecido — he is very ungrateful

un autor muy poco conocido — a very little-known author

me resultó poco interesante — I didn't find it very interesting

habla poco — he doesn't say much o a lot

viene muy poco por aquí — he hardly ever comes around

... con lo poco que le gusta el arroz —... and he doesn't even like rice; para locs ver poco III 4)

II

- ca adjetivo ( con sustantivos no numerables) little; ( en plural) few

muy poco vino — very little wine

muy pocos niños — very few children

qué poco sentido común tienes! — you don't have much common sense, do you?

tengo muy poca ropa — I have very few clothes

éramos demasiado pocos — there were too few of us

fue asombroso, todo lo que te pueda decir es poco — it was amazing, I can't (even) begin to tell you

todo le parece poco — she is never satisfied

III

- ca pronombre

1) (poca cantidad, poca cosa)

le serví sopa pero comió poca — I gave her some soup but she didn't eat much

por poco que gane... — no matter how little o however little she earns...

se conforma con poco — he's easily satisfied

poco faltó para que me pegara — he nearly hit me

lo poco que gana se lo gasta en vino — he spends the little o what little he earns on wine

compra más lentejas, nos quedan muy pocas — buy some more lentils, we've hardly any left

es un profesor como pocos — there aren't many teachers like him

pocos pueden permitirse ese lujo — not many people can afford to do that

2) poco ( refiriéndose a tiempo)

lo vi hace poco — I saw him recently o not long ago

hace muy poco que lo conoce — she hasn't known him for very long

tardó poco en hacerlo — it didn't take him long to do it

falta poco para las navidades — it's not long till Christmas

a poco de venir él — soon o shortly after he came

dentro de poco — soon

poco antes de que... — a short while o shortly before...

3) un poco

a) ( refiriéndose a cantidades) a little; ( refiriéndose a tiempo) a while

espera un poquito — wait a little while

todavía le duele un poco — it still hurts him a little o a bit

es un poco lo que está pasando en Japón — it's rather like what's happening in Japan

un poco porque me dio lástima — partly because I felt sorry for him

b)

un poco de: un poco de pimienta/vino a little (bit of) pepper/wine; come un poco de jamón — have a bit of ham

c)

un poco + adj/adv: un poco caro/tarde — a bit o a little expensive/late

4) (en locs)

a poco — (Méx)

¿a poco no lees los periódicos? — don't you read the newspapers?

a poco no está fabuloso Acapulco! — isn't Acapulco just fantastic!

a poco ganaron! — don't tell me they won!

de a poco — (AmL) gradually

agrégale la leche de a poquito — add the milk gradually o a little at a time

de a poquito se lo fue comiendo — little by little she ate it all up

en poco: en poco estuvo que no viniéramos we almost didn't come; tienen en poco la vida ajena they set little value on other people's lives; me tienes bien en poco si crees que... you can't think very highly o much of me if you think...; poco a poco gradually; poco más o menos approximately, roughly; poco menos que nearly; poco menos que la mata (fam) he almost killed her; poco menos que los echan a patadas (fam) they practically kicked them out; por poco — nearly

* * *

= little [less -comp., least -sup.], low [lower -comp., lowest -sup.], scant, trifle, tad, little in the way of.

Ex: Explanatory references give a little more explanation as to why the link between two names is being made in the catalogue or index.

Ex: Carlton Duncan discussed the difficulties built into the educational processes which led to under-performance at school and the resulting low representation in higher education and low entry into the professions.

Ex: Scant attention is paid to evaluation and the needs of users.

Ex: She had been a trifle nervous until it was formally announced that the position was hers.

Ex: Williams is one of those rare poets who satisfies the yearning that many of us have for the memorable phrase we wish we had said were our perceptions a tad keener.

Ex: Without any significant restructuring, the LIS programme in Iran will provide little in the way of riding out the rapid transition that the field is currently experiencing.

* abultar poco = be skimpy.

* acercarse poco a poco (a) = edge (toward(s)).

* actuar con poca consideración hacia = play + fast and loose with.

* agua poco profunda = shallow water.

* aguas poco profundas = shallows.

* alimentos poco saludables = unhealthy foods.

* a poca distancia = not far behind.

* a poca distancia andando = within walking distance, within an easy walk.

* a poca distancia a pie = within an easy walk, within walking distance.

* a pocos minutos andando = within walking distance, within easy walking distance, within an easy walk.

* a pocos minutos a pie = within walking distance, within easy walking distance, within an easy walk.

* avanzar poco a poco (hacia) = edge (toward(s)).

* cada pocos años = every few years.

* comida poco saludable = unhealthy foods.

* comportamiento poco cívico = uncivic behaviour.

* con muchos huesos y poca carne = bony [bonier -comp., boniest -sup.].

* con muy poca antelación = at (a) very short notice.

* con muy poca anticipación = at (a) very short notice.

* con muy poca frecuencia = all too seldom.

* con muy pocas excepciones = with few exceptions.

* con muy pocos medios = on a shoestring (budget).

* con poca claridad = indistinctly.

* con poca exactitud = loosely.

* con poca experiencia = inexperienced.

* con poca iluminación = dimly illuminated.

* con poca imaginación = unimaginatively.

* con poca naturalidad = stiltedly.

* con poca población = thinly populated.

* con pocas habilidades = poor-ability.

* con poca visión de futuro = short-sighted [shortsighted].

* con poco dinero = on the cheap.

* con poco entusiasmo = half-heartedly.

* con pocos recursos = under-resourced.

* con pocos recursos económicos = low-budget.

* consumir poco a poco = eat away at.

* con tan poca antelación = at such short notice.

* con tan poca anticipación = at such short notice.

* correr poco a poco = eat away at.

* cuestiones poco claras = grey area [gray area].

* de forma poco ética = unethically.

* de forma poco imaginativa = unimaginatively.

* de forma poco profesional = unprofessionally.

= petty criminal.

Ex: When the security services carry out acts of terror, they employ patsies who often are petty criminals or people who are mentally backward or mentally unstable.

* de manera poco ética = unethically.

* de manera poco profesional = unprofessionally.

* demasiado poco común = all too rare.

* de modo poco imaginativo = unimaginatively.

* dentro de poco = before long.

* de población poco densa = sparsely populated.

* de poca importancia = menial, small-time.

* de poca monta = hack, small-time.

* de pocas luces = dim [dimmer -comp., dimmest -sup.], dim-witted [dimwitted].

* de poco impacto = low impact [low-impact].

* de poco peso = pat, feeble.

* de poco provecho = fruitless.

* de poco uso = low-use.

* de poco valor = a dime a dozen.

* desaparecer poco a poco = fade into + the sunset.

* de todo un poco = about this and that and everything else, about this and that.

* de un modo poco constructivo = unconstructively.

* de un modo poco económico = wastefully.

* de un modo poco natural = unnaturally.

* donde cabe mucho también cabe poco = what holds a lot will hold a little.

* durar poco = be short term.

* echar poco a poco = dribble.

* el que mucho abarca poco aprieta = jack of all trades, master of none.

* en el caso poco probable de que = in the unlikely case (that).

* en muy poco tiempo = before long.

* en pocas palabras = simply put, in brief, to say the least, to put it (quite) simply, in short, to cut a long story short, bottom line, the, put simply, to make a long story short, the short story + be, simply stated.

* en poco tiempo = before very long, in quite a short time, in a short time, in a short span of time.

* en unos pocos años = within a few years.

* estar poco dispuesto = be reluctant.

* estar poco representado = underrepresent [under-represent].

* estar un poco anticuado = be some years old.

* excusa poco convincente = lame excuse.

* faltar poco (para) = have + a short way to go (before).

* faltar un poco = be some way off.

* gente de poca importancia = small fry, the.

* haber poca duda de que = there + be + little doubt that.

* hace muy poco tiempo = a short time ago.

* hace poco tiempo = a short time ago.

* hacer poca distinción entre... y... = make + little distinction between... and....

* hacer poco = do + little.

* hacer que sea poco probable = render + unlikely.

* hace unos pocos años = a few years ago.

* hace unos pocos días = a few days ago.

* hasta hace muy poco = until recently, up until recently.

* hasta hace relativamente poco tiempo = until relatively recently.

* horas de poca actividad = slack hours.

* horas de poco movimiento = slack hours.

* introducirse poco a poco = ease + Reflexivo + in.

* ir poco más allá de + Infinitivo = go little further than + Gerundio.

* llegar poco a poco = dribble in.

* lo poco común = rarity, rareness.

* mucho ruido para pocas nueces = much ado about nothing.

* mucho ruido y pocas nueces = storm in a teacup, Posesivo + bark is worse than + Posesivo + bite.

* muchos jefes y pocos trabajadores = too many chiefs and not enough Indians.

* muy poco = minimally.

* ofrecer poco = low-ball.

* operación de poca monta = one-room, one-person operation.

* pagando un poco más = at additional cost.

* parece tener poco sentido que = there + seem + little point in.

* pasar poco a poco = slide into.

* período de poca actividad = slack time.

* perro ladrador, poco mordedor = barking dogs seldom bite, Posesivo + bark is worse than + Posesivo + bite.

* poca cantidad = trickle.

* poca cosa = small fry, the.

* poca iluminación = poor lighting.

* poca importancia = unimportance, low profile.

* poca notoriedad = low profile.

* poca probabilidad = slim chance.

* poca severidad = lenience, leniency.

* pocas expectativas = low expectation.

* poca utilidad = unhelpfulness.

* poco abundante = light [lighter -comp., lightest -sup.].

* poco accesible = unapproachable.

* poco acertado = clumsy [clumsier -comp., clumsiest -sup.], injudicious.

* poco acogedor = inhospitable.

* poco aconsejable = unwise, inadvisable.

* poco adecuado = unsuited, unsuitable, inapt.

* poco + Adjetivo = slightly + Adjetivo, less than + Adjetivo.

* poco afortunado = unhappy, ill-favoured [ill-favored, -USA].

* poco agraciado = ill-favoured [ill-favored, -USA].

* poco amable = off-putting, surly [surlier -comp., surliest -sup.], crusty [crustier -comp., crustiest -sup.], unkind.

* poco americano = un-American.

* poco amistoso = off-putting, unfriendly.

* poco antes de + Fecha = shortly before + Fecha.

* poco a poco = gradually, piecemeal, slowly, incrementally, at a snail's pace, little by little, bit by bit.

* poco apreciado = unappreciated.

* poco apropiado = unsuited, unsuitable, inapt.

* poco apto = inapt.

* poco arriesgado = low-risk.

* poco asequible = unapproachable.

* poco atractivo = off-putting, unattractive, unglamorous, uninviting, unappealing.

* poco atrevido = unadventurous.

* poco audaz = unadventurous.

* poco aventurero = unadventurous.

* poco cabelleroso = ungentlemanlike.

* poco cálido = lukewarm.

* poco científico = hit-or-miss, unscientific.

* poco cívico = uncivic.

* poco claro = confusing, fuzzy [fuzzier - comp., fuzziest -sup.], indistinct, obscure, unclear, untidy, hazy, inconclusive, slurred, clouded, blurry [blurrier -comp., blurriest -sup.], undistinguished, uncleared, indistinctive, bleary [blearier -comp., bleariest -sup.].

* poco colaborador = unresponsive.

* poco comercial = uncommercial.

* poco competitivo = uncompetitive.

* poco complicado = uncomplicated, uncomplicatedly.

* poco comprensivo = unsympathetic.

* poco común = rare, unfamiliar, unusual, uncommon, unordinary, out of the ordinary.

* poco comunicativo = uncommunicative, reserved.

* poco confortable = uncomfortable.

* poco conocido = obscure, little known.

* poco convencido = unconvinced.

* poco convencional = unconventional.

* poco convincente = unconvincing, inconclusive, pat, feeble.

* poco convincentemente = unconvincingly.

* poco correcto = ungentlemanlike.

* poco cortés = impolite, ungentlemanlike.

* poco culto = unenlightened.

* poco decidido = half-hearted [halfhearted].

* poco definido = blurry [blurrier -comp., blurriest -sup.], bleary [blearier -comp., bleariest -sup.].

* poco denso = rarefied.

* poco deportivo = unsportsmanlike.

* poco después = soon afterwards, shortly afterwards, shortly after, not long after.

* poco después de = soon after (that), shortly after.

* poco después de que = shortly after.

* poco diestro = poor-ability.

* poco diplomático = indiscreet.

* poco dispuesto = disinclined.

* poco dispuesto a colaborar = uncooperative.

* poco ducho en las nuevas tecnologías = technologically challenged.

* poco económico = uneconomical.

* poco efectivo = ineffectual.

* poco eficaz = non-efficient.

* poco elegante = inelegant, awkward, dowdy [dowdier -comp., dowdiest -sup.].

* poco embarazoso = unembarrassing.

* poco entusiasta = half-hearted [halfhearted], lukewarm.

* poco envidiable = unenviable.

* poco estable = unsettled.

* poco estético = unaesthetic.

* poco estimulador = unchallenging.

* poco estimulante = unexciting, uninspiring, unmoving.

* poco estricto = lax.

* poco ético = unethical.

* poco evidente = unnoticed, unnoted.

* poco exigente = untaxing, undemanding.

* poco favorable = unpromising.

* poco favorecedor = unflattering.

* poco fiable = unreliable, undependable, flaky [flakey].

* poco firme = tenuous, rocky [rockier -comp., rockiest -sup.].

* poco flexible = monolithic, inelastic.

* poco frecuente = infrequent.

* poco fructífero = unfruitful.

* poco gratificante = unrewarding, unsatisfying.

* poco grato = unwelcome.

* poco hábil = poor-ability.

* poco habitual = unaccustomed.

* poco halagador = unflattering.

* poco halagüeño = unflattering.

* poco hospitalario = inhospitable.

* poco idóneo = unsuited, unsuitable, inapt.

* poco iluminado = dimly illuminated.

* poco imaginativo = unimaginative.

* poco importante = menial, small-time.

* poco impresionado = unimpressed.

* poco informativo = uninformative.

* poco intelectual = lowbrow [low-brow].

* poco inteligente = unintelligent.

* poco intenso = light [lighter -comp., lightest -sup.].

* poco interesante = dull, jackdaw, uninteresting, uninspiring, unremarkable.

* poco juicioso = injudicious.

* poco justificado = ill-justified.

* poco listo = underprepared.

* poco maduro = underripe.

* poco más = little else.

* poco materialista = unworldly.

* poco memorable = forgettable.

* poco mundano = unwordly.

* poco natural = unnatural, stilted.

* poco nítido = untidy.

* poco normal = unnatural, unordinary, out of the ordinary.

* poco novedoso = trite.

* poco original = unoriginal.

* poco ortodoxo = unorthodox.

* poco poblado = thinly populated.

* poco práctico = impractical, awkward.

* poco preparado = underprepared.

* poco probable = unlikely, far-fetched [farfetched].

* poco productivo = unproductive.

* poco profesional = amateurish, unprofessional.

* poco profundo = shallow [shallower -comp., shallowest -sup.].

* poco prometedor = bleak, unpromising.

* poco propicio = unpromising, unpromising.

* poco provechoso = fruitless, unrewarding.

* poco prudente = ill-advised, ill-judged.

* poco pulido = unpolished.

* poco razonable = unreasonable.

* poco realista = unrealistic, unreal, unwordly, way out in left field, airy-fairy.

* poco recomendable = inadvisable.

* poco refinado = unrefined, unpolished.

* poco rentable = uneconomical.

* poco representativo = unrepresentative.

* poco romántico = unromantic.

* poco sabido = little known.

* poco saludable = unwholesome, insalubrious.

* poco sano = unwholesome, insalubrious.

* poco seguro = dicey [dicier -comp., diciest -sup.].

* poco sensato = ill-advised, injudicious, ill-judged.

* poco sentimental = unsentimental.

* poco serio = flippant.

* poco sincero = insincere.

* poco sistemático = sloppy [sloppier -comp., sloppiest -sup.].

* poco social = unsocial.

* poco sofisticado = elementary, unsophisticated, corn-fed.

* poco sólido = insubstantial.

* poco tiempo = short while, short time.

* poco tiempo después = shortly afterwards.

* poco tradicional = untraditional.

* poco unido = loosely knit.

* poco uniforme = patchy [patchier -comp., patchiest -sup.].

* poco usado = little-used.

* poco usual = unusual.

* poco útil = clumsy [clumsier -comp., clumsiest -sup.], unhelpful.

* poquito a poco = little by little.

* por mencionar sólo unos pocos = to name but a few.

* por mencionar uno pocos = just to name a few.

* por nombrar sólo unos pocos = to name but a few.

* por nombrar unos pocos = to name a few.

* por poco dinero = cheaply.

* por poco o nada = at little or no extra cost.

* por si era poco = for good measure.

* por si fuera poco = to boot, for good measure, to add insult to injury, to add salt to injury, to rub salt in the wound.

* prestar poca atención a = give + little thought to.

* pretexto poco convincente = lame excuse.

* quedar poco (para) = have + a short way to go (before).

* quedar un poco = be some way off.

* quedar un poco perjudicado = be a little worse prepared, be a little worse off.

* que ocupa poco espacio = space-saving.

* qué poco común = how odd.

* quien mucho abarca poco aprieta = bite off more than + Pronombre + can chew.

* reducirse poco a poco = dribble off.

* resultar poco fructífero = prove + unfruitful.

* roer poco a poco = eat away at.

* saber un poco de todo y mucho de nada = jack of all trades, master of none.

* sacar poco a poco = tease out.

* salir un poco perjudicado = be a little worse prepared, be a little worse off.

* sangre poco espesa = thin blood.

* ser algo muy poco frecuente = be a rare occurrence.

* ser algo poco común = be the exception rather than the rule.

* ser algo poco conocido que = it + be + a little known fact that.

* ser algo poco frecuente = be a rare occurrence.

* ser algo poco sabido que = it + be + a little known fact that.

* ser de poco valor = be of little use, be of little value.

* ser muy poco probable = be remote.

* ser poco = be under-provided.

* ser poco agradecido = be thankless.

* ser poco eficaz = do + little.

* ser poco reconocido = be thankless.

* ser pocos = be few in number, be small in number.

* ser un hecho poco conocido que = it + be + a little known fact that.

* ser un hecho poco sabido que = it + be + a little known fact that.

* servir de poco = be of little use.

* servir de poco o nada = be of little or no avail.

* solución poco real = pie in the sky solution.

* tener poca información = be information poor.

* tener pocas luces = as thick as a brick, as thick as two (short) planks, as daft as a brush, knucklehead.

* tener pocas posibilidades de = have + little recourse.

* tener poco que ver = have + little to do.

* tener poco valor = be of little value.

* trabajo de poca monta = odd-job.

* un hombre de pocas palabras = a man of few words.

* unos pocos elegidos = a select few.

* un poco = a bit, somewhat, slightly, something of, a little bit, kinda [kind of].

* un poco áspero = roughish.

* un poco como = kind of like.

* un poco de = a measure of, a touch (of), a bit of, a piece of, a spot of, a splash of, a hint of.

* un poco + Nombre = a shade + Nombre.

* un poco obscuro = dusky.

* un poco perdido = a bit at sea.

* un poco rugoso = roughish.

* usado con poca frecuencia = seldom used [seldom-used].

* usuario que hace poco uso del préstamo = light borrower.

* utilizar poco = underutilise/under-utilise [underutilize/under-utilize, -USA].

* vivienda poco digna = poor housing.

* y poco más = and little more.

* * *

poco¹

adverb

[ Grammar notes (Spanish) ]

es muy poco agradecido he is very ungrateful, he isn't at all grateful

es un autor muy poco conocido he is a very little-known author

me resultó poco interesante I didn't find it very interesting, I found it rather uninteresting

habla poco he doesn't say much o a lot

duerme poquísimo she sleeps very little, she doesn't sleep very much

viene muy poco por aquí he hardly ever comes around

poco y nada me ayudaron they hardly helped me at all

… con lo poco que le gusta el arroz … and he doesn't even like rice

para locs ver poco³ pron D. (↑ poco (3))

poco² -ca

adjective

[ Grammar notes (Spanish) ] (con sustantivos no numerables) little; (en plural) few

muy poco vino very little wine

muy pocos niños very few children

hemos tenido muy poca suerte we've been very unlucky, we've had very little luck

¡qué poco sentido común tienes! you don't have much common sense, do you?

tengo muy poca ropa I have hardly any clothes, I have very few clothes

a poca gente se le presenta esa oportunidad not many people get that opportunity

hay muy pocas mujeres en el gremio there are very few women in the trade

éramos demasiado pocos there were too few of us, there weren't enough of us

fue asombroso, todo lo que te pueda decir es poco it was amazing, I can't begin to tell you

a esta mujer todo le parece poco this woman is never satisfied

me he olvidado del poco francés/de las pocas palabras que sabía I've forgotten the little French/the few words I knew

le dio unos pocos pesos she gave him a few pesos

poco³ -ca

pronoun

[ Grammar notes (Spanish) ]

A

(poca cantidad, poca cosa): le serví sopa pero comió poca I gave her some soup but she only ate a little o she didn't eat much

sírvele poco, desayunó muy tarde don't give him (too) much, he had a late breakfast

por poco que gane, siempre es otro sueldo no matter how little o however little she earns o even if she doesn't earn much, it's still another salary coming in

se conforma con poco he's easily satisfied

poco faltó para que me pegara he nearly hit me

poco y nada saqué en limpio de lo que dijo what he said made little or no sense to me

lo poco que gana se lo gasta en vino he spends the little o what little he earns on wine

compra más lentejas, nos quedan muy pocas buy some more lentils, we've hardly any left o we have very few left

es un profesor como pocos there aren't many teachers like him

pocos pueden permitirse ese lujo not many people can afford to do that

B

poco (refiriéndose a tiempo): lo vi hace poco I saw him recently o not long ago

hace muy poco que lo conoce she hasn't known him for very long, she's only known him a little while

tardó poco en pintar la cocina it didn't take him long to paint the kitchen

falta poco para las navidades it's not long till Christmas, Christmas isn't far off

a poco de terminar el bombardeo soon o shortly after the bombing stopped

dentro de poco sale otro tren there'll be another train soon o shortly

poco antes de que ella se fuera a short while o shortly before she left

C

un poco

1 (refiriéndose a cantidades) a little; (refiriéndose a tiempo) a while

¿te sirvo un poco? would you like a little o some?

descansemos un poco let's rest for a while, let's have a little rest

espera un poquito wait a little while

todavía le duele un poquitín or poquitito it still hurts him a little

2

un poco de: ponle un poco de pimienta/vino add a little (bit of) pepper/wine

tiene un poco de fiebre he has a slight fever, he has a bit of a temperature o a slight temperature ( BrE)

come un poco de jamón have a bit of o some o a little ham

3

un poco (hasta cierto punto): es un poco lo que está pasando en Japón it's rather like what's happening in Japan

un poco porque me dio lástima partly because I felt sorry for him

4 un poco + ADJ/ADV:

un poco caro/tarde a bit o a little expensive/late

me queda un poco corto it's a bit short o a little short o slightly too short (for me)

habla un poco más fuerte speak up a bit o a little

D ( en locs):

a poco ( Méx): ¿a poco no lees los periódicos? don't you read the newspapers?

¡a poco no está fabuloso Acapulco! isn't Acapulco just fantastic!

¡a poco ganaron! don't tell me they won!

nos sacamos el gordo de la lotería — ¡a poco ! we won the big lottery prize — you didn't!

de a poco ( AmL); gradually

agrégale la leche de a poquito add the milk gradually o a little at a time

de a poquito se lo fue comiendo little by little o slowly she ate it all up

en poco: en poco estuvo que nos ganaran they came very close to beating us, they very nearly beat us

en poco estuvo que no viniéramos we almost didn't come

tienen en poco la vida ajena they set little value on other people's lives

me tienes bien en poco si me crees capaz de eso you can't think very highly o much of me if you think I could do such a thing

poco a poco or ( Méx) a poquito gradually

poco a poco la fueron arreglando they gradually fixed it up, they fixed it up little by little

poco más o menos approximately, roughly

habrán gastado unos dos millones, poco más o menos they must have spent in the neighborhood o ( BrE) region of two million

poco menos que nearly

es poco menos que imposible it's well-nigh o almost o very nearly impossible

le pegó una paliza que poco menos que la mata ( fam); he gave her such a beating he almost o nearly killed her

poco menos que los echan a patadas ( fam); they practically kicked them out

por poco nearly

por poco nos descubren we were nearly found out

* * *

 

poco 1 adverbio:

◊ habla poco he doesn't say much o a lot;

es muy poco agradecido he is very ungrateful;
un autor muy poco conocido a very little-known author;
viene muy poco por aquí he hardly ever comes around;
para locs ver poco 2 4
poco 2 -ca adjetivo ( con sustantivos no numerables) little;

( en plural) few;

◊ muy poco vino very little wine;

muy pocos niños very few children;
había poquísimos coches there were hardly any cars
■ pronombre
1 (poca cantidad, poca cosa):

◊ había poco que hacer there was little to do;

por poco que gane … no matter how little o however little she earns …;
se conforma con poco he's easily satisfied;
todo le parece poco she is never satisfied;
pocos quisieron ayudar few were willing to help;
pocos pueden permitirse ese lujo not many people can afford to do that
2

◊ poco ( refiriéndose a tiempo): lo vi hace poco I saw him recently o not long ago;

hace muy poco que lo conoce she hasn't known him for very long;
tardó poco en hacerlo it didn't take him long to do it;
falta poco para las navidades it's not long till Christmas;
a poco de venir él soon o shortly after he came;
dentro de poco soon;
poco antes de que … a short while o shortly before …
3

◊ un poco

a) ( refiriéndose a cantidades) a little;

( refiriéndose a tiempo) a while;

◊ dame un poco I'll have some o a little;

espera un poco wait a while

b)

◊ un poco de a little, a bit of

c) un poco + adj/adv:

◊ un poco caro/tarde a bit o a little expensive/late

4 ( en locs)

◊ a poco (Méx): ¡a poco no está fabuloso Acapulco! isn't Acapulco just fantastic!;

¡a poco ganaron! don't tell me they won!;
de a poco (AmL) gradually, little by little;
poco a poco gradually;
poco más o menos approximately, roughly;
por poco nearly
poco,-a
I adjetivo
1 (con el sustantivo en singular) not much, little: tengo poco apetito, I haven't got much appetite
2 (con el sustantivo en plural) not many, few: conozco pocos lugares de Italia, I don't know many places in Italy
II pron (singular) little, not much
(plural) (objetos) few, not many
(personas) few people, not many people ➣ Ver nota en few
III adverbio
1 (con verbo) not (very) much, little: entiendo poco del tema, I don't understand much about the issue
2 (con adjetivo) not very: está poco claro, it's not very clear
3 (de tiempo) hace poco que nos conocemos, we met a short time ago
IV sustantivo masculino
1 (acompañado de adjetivo o adverbio) lo noté un poco molesto, I thought he was a bit annoyed
tendré que hacerlo un poco después, I'll have to do it a little later
2 (acompañando a un sustantivo) dame un poco de agua, give me a little water ➣ Ver nota en little
♦ Locuciones: a poco de, shortly after
dentro de poco, soon
poco a poco, little by little, gradually
poco antes/después, shortly before/afterwards
por poco, almost
' poco' also found in these entries:
Spanish:
abreviar
- aclimatarse
- adelgazar
- aguantar
- ahora
- alcornoque
- alentador
- alentadora
- algo
- antes
- apercibirse
- bagatela
- baja
- bajo
- brusca
- brusco
- bruta
- bruto
- buscar
- calentar
- cargada
- cargado
- cascada
- cascado
- cerebral
- chapucera
- chapucero
- chispa
- clara
- claro
- común
- cruda
- crudo
- cualquiera
- de
- dentro
- descuidada
- descuidado
- descuidarse
- desigual
- desmoronada
- desmoronado
- despatarrarse
- despistada
- despistado
- despreciable
- después
- desvaído
- disipar
- dudosa
English:
accomplice
- add to
- adjust
- aerial
- after
- afterwards
- along
- aloof
- amateurish
- balding
- bark
- belly
- bit
- black
- blind
- blow up
- boot
- by
- can
- careless
- chat
- comedown
- confusing
- cowboy
- degree
- derivative
- desultory
- disagreement
- disingenuous
- diving
- do
- dodgy
- doubtful
- dowdy
- earthy
- easy-going
- edge
- effect
- element
- evasion
- exist
- expect
- fall apart
- far-fetched
- fine
- flippant
- forge
- furnish
- fuzzy
- gradually

* * *

poco, -a

♦ adj

(singular) little, not much; (plural) few, not many;

de poca importancia of little importance;

poca agua not much water;

pocas personas lo saben few o not many people know it;

hay pocos árboles there aren't many trees;

tenemos poco tiempo we don't have much time;

hace poco tiempo not long ago;

dame unos pocos días give me a few days;

esto ocurre pocas veces this rarely happens, this doesn't happen often;

tengo pocas ganas de ir I don't really o much feel like going;

poca sal me parece que le estás echando I don't think you're putting enough salt in, I think you're putting too little salt in;

con lo poco que le gusta la ópera, y la han invitado a La Traviata it's ironic, considering how she dislikes opera, that they should have invited her to see La Traviata

♦ pron

1. [escasa cantidad] (singular) little, not much;

* * *

poco

I adj sg little, not much; pl few, not many;

un poco de a little;

unos pocos a few

II adv little;

trabaja poco he doesn’t work much;

ahora se ve muy poco it’s seldom seen now;

estuvo poco por aquí he wasn’t around much;

poco conocido little known;

poco a poco little by little;

dentro de poco soon, shortly;

hace poco a short time ago, not long ago;

desde hace poco (for) a short while;

por poco nearly, almost;

¡a poco no lo hacemos! Méx don’t tell me we’re not doing it;

de a poco me fui tranquilizando Rpl little by little I calmed down;

por si fuera poco as if that weren’t o wasn’t enough

III m

:

un poco a little, a bit

* * *

poco adv

1) : little, not much

poco probable: not very likely

come poco: he doesn't eat much

2) : a short time, a while

tardaremos poco: we won't be very long

3)

poco antes : shortly before

4)

poco después : shortly after

poco, -ca adj

1) : little, not much, (a) few

tengo poco dinero: I don't have much money

en no pocas ocasiones: on more than a few occasions

poca gente: few people

2)

pocas veces : rarely

poco, -ca pron

1) : little, few

le falta poco para terminar: he's almost finished

uno de los pocos que quedan: one of the remaining few

2)

un poco : a little, a bit

un poco de vino: a little wine

un poco extraño: a bit strange

3)

a poco Mex (used to express disbelief)

¿a poco no se te hizo difícil?: you mean you didn't find it difficult?

4)

de a poco : little by little

5)

hace poco : not long ago

6)

poco a poco : little by little

7)

dentro de poco : shortly, in a little while

8)

por poco : nearly, almost

* * *

poco¹ adj

1. (singular) not much

hay poco café there's not much coffee

has comido poco arroz you haven't eaten much rice

2. (plural) few / not many

tiene pocos amigos he has few friends / he hasn't got many friends

muy poco very little

hay muy poco té there's very little tea

poco² adv

1. (con verbos) not much

trabaja poco he doesn't work much

2. (no mucho tiempo) not long

estuve con él hace poco I was with him not long ago

llegó poco después she arrived not long after

3. (con adjetivos) not very

es poco simpática she's not very friendly

poco a poco little by little

por poco nearly

por poco se cae he nearly fell

por poco pierdo el tren I nearly missed the train

poco³ n a little / a bit

un poco de pan a bit of bread

un poco de agua a little water

tengo de sobra, toma un poco I've got plenty, take a little

poco⁴ pron

1. (singular) not much

compra café, que queda muy poco buy some coffee, there's not much left

2. (plural) few / not many

¿cuántos vinieron? pocos how many came? not many