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their marriage is breaking down

Толкование Перевод

1 ■ break down

■ break down
A v. t. + avv.

1 abbattere: to break down a door, abbattere una porta

2 demolire; smantellare: to break down old cars, demolire auto vecchie

3 abbattere; spezzare: to break down class barriers, abbattere le barriere tra le classi; We broke down the enemy's resistance, abbiamo spezzato la resistenza del nemico

4 suddividere; scomporre; articolare: Profits can be broken down under three headings, gli utili si possono suddividere in tre voci; The report is broken down into five chapters, il rapporto si articola in cinque capitoli

5 analizzare in dettaglio

6 (chim.) decomporre; scomporre

B v. i. + avv.

1 (mecc.) rompersi; guastarsi; avere un guasto; fermarsi per un guasto; andare in panne: The lorry broke down after a few miles, dopo poche miglia, il camion ha avuto un guasto

2 (autom.) avere una panne: I broke down on a country lane, la mia macchina è andata in panne in una stradina di campagna

3 venir meno; interrompersi; spezzarsi; saltare; fallire: All communication had broken down, ogni comunicazione era saltata; The peace talks broke down, la conferenza di pace è fallita; There's a risk of their marriage breaking down, c'è il rischio che il loro matrimonio finisca

4 crollare; subire un tracollo: His resistance broke down, la sua resistenza è crollata; His health broke down, la sua salute ha subito un tracollo

5 ( di persona) perdere il controllo di sé; crollare; ( anche) commuoversi, non riuscire a trattenere le lacrime: He broke down and cried ( o broke down in tears), è scoppiato a piangere; è scoppiato in lacrime

6 suddividersi; articolarsi: essere classificabile

7 sgretolarsi; sfaldarsi

8 (chim.) decomporsi; scomporsi: Inside our body, food breaks down into various substances, dentro il nostro corpo, il cibo si scompone in varie sostanze.

English-Italian dictionary > ■ break down
2 break

break [breɪk]

casser ⇒ 1 (a), 1 (c) briser ⇒ 1 (a), 1 (i), 1 (j) fracturer ⇒ 1 (b) enfoncer ⇒ 1 (e) violer, enfreindre ⇒ 1 (f) rompre ⇒ 1 (h) couper ⇒ 1 (h) ruiner ⇒ 1 (k) amortir ⇒ 1 (l) se casser ⇒ 2 (a) se briser ⇒ 2 (a) se fracturer ⇒ 2 (b) cassure, brisure ⇒ 3 (a) fissure, fente ⇒ 3 (b) ouverture ⇒ 3 (c) interruption ⇒ 3 (d) pause ⇒ 3 (e) évasion ⇒ 3 (f) chance ⇒ 3 (g) changement ⇒ 3 (h)

(pt broke [brəʊk], pp broken ['brəʊkn])

1 transitive verb

(a) (split into pieces → glass, furniture) casser, briser; (→ branch, lace, string, egg, toy) casser;

∎ break the stick in two cassez le bâton en deux;

∎ to break sth into pieces mettre qch en morceaux;

∎ to get broken se casser;

∎ to break a safe forcer un coffre-fort;

∎ Religion to break bread (priest) administrer la communion; (congregation) recevoir la communion;

∎ figurative to break bread with sb partager le repas de qn;

∎ figurative to break sb's heart briser le cœur à qn;

∎ Ross broke her heart Ross lui a brisé le cœur;

∎ it breaks my heart to see her unhappy ça me brise le cœur de la voir malheureuse;

∎ figurative to break the ice rompre ou briser la glace

(b) Medicine (fracture) casser, fracturer;

∎ to break one's leg se casser ou se fracturer la jambe;

∎ to break one's neck se casser ou se rompre le cou;

∎ the fall broke his back la chute lui a brisé les reins;

∎ familiar figurative to break one's back s'échiner;

∎ familiar figurative they broke their backs trying to get the job done ils se sont éreintés à finir le travail;

∎ familiar we've broken the back of the job nous avons fait le plus gros du travail;

∎ familiar I'll break his neck if I catch him doing it again! je lui tords le cou si je le reprends à faire ça!;

∎ familiar figurative break a leg! merde! (pour souhaiter bonne chance)

(c) (render inoperable → appliance, machine) casser;

∎ you've broken the TV tu as cassé la télé

(d) (cut surface of → ground) entamer; (→ skin) écorcher; Law (seals → illegally) briser; (legally) lever;

∎ the seal on the coffee jar was broken le pot de café avait été ouvert;

∎ the skin isn't broken la peau n'est pas écorchée;

∎ to break new or fresh ground innover, faire œuvre de pionnier;

∎ scientists are breaking new or fresh ground in cancer research les savants font une percée dans la recherche contre le cancer

(e) (force a way through) enfoncer;

∎ the river broke its banks la rivière est sortie de son lit;

∎ to break the sound barrier franchir le mur du son;

∎ to break surface (diver, whale) remonter à la surface; Nautical (submarine) faire surface

(f) Law (violate → law, rule) violer, enfreindre; (→ speed limit) dépasser; (→ agreement, treaty) violer; (→ contract) rompre; (→ promise) manquer à; Religion (→ commandment) désobéir à; (→ Sabbath) ne pas respecter;

∎ she broke her appointment with them elle a annulé son rendez-vous avec eux;

∎ he broke his word to her il a manqué à la parole qu'il lui avait donnée;

∎ Law to break parole = commettre un délit qui entraîne la révocation de la mise en liberté conditionnelle;

∎ Military to break bounds violer la consigne

(g) (escape from, leave suddenly) Law

∎ to break jail s'évader (de prison);

∎ to break camp lever le camp;

∎ to break cover (animal) être débusqué; (person) sortir à découvert

(h) (interrupt → fast, monotony, spell) rompre; Electricity (→ circuit, current) couper; Typography (→ word, page) couper;

∎ we broke our journey at Brussels nous avons fait une étape à Bruxelles;

∎ a cry broke the silence un cri a déchiré ou percé le silence;

∎ the plain was broken only by an occasional small settlement la plaine n'était interrompue que par de rares petits hameaux;

∎ Military to break step rompre le pas

(i) (put an end to → strike) briser; (→ uprising) mater;

∎ the new offer broke the deadlock la nouvelle proposition a permis de sortir de l'impasse;

∎ he's tried to stop smoking but he can't break the habit il a essayé d'arrêter de fumer mais il n'arrive pas à se débarrasser ou se défaire de l'habitude;

∎ to break sb of a habit corriger ou guérir qn d'une habitude;

∎ to break oneself of a habit se corriger ou se défaire d'une habitude

(j) (wear down, destroy → enemy) détruire; (→ person, will, courage, resistance) briser; (→ witness) réfuter; (→ health) abîmer; (→ alibi) écarter;

∎ torture did not break him or his spirit il a résisté à la torture;

∎ this scandal could break them ce scandale pourrait signer leur perte;

∎ the experience will either make or break him l'expérience lui sera ou salutaire ou fatale

(k) (bankrupt) ruiner;

∎ her new business will either make or break her sa nouvelle affaire la rendra riche ou la ruinera;

∎ to break the bank (exhaust funds) faire sauter la banque;

∎ humorous buying a book won't break the bank! acheter un livre ne te/nous/ etc ruinera pas!

(l) (soften → fall) amortir, adoucir;

∎ we planted a row of trees to break the wind nous avons planté une rangée d'arbres pour couper le vent

(m) (reveal, tell) annoncer, révéler;

∎ break it to her gently annonce-le lui avec ménagement

(n) (beat, improve on) battre;

∎ to break a record battre un record;

∎ the golfer broke 90 le golfeur a dépassé le score de 90

(o) (solve → code) déchiffrer

(p) Sport

∎ to break sb's service (in tennis) prendre le service de qn;

∎ Hingis was broken in the fifth game Hingis a perdu son service dans le cinquième jeu

(q) (divide into parts → collection) dépareiller; (→ bank note) entamer;

∎ can you break a £10 note? pouvez-vous faire de la monnaie sur un billet de 10 livres?

(r) (horse) dresser

(s) Military (demote) casser

(t) Nautical (flag) déferler

(u) euphemism

∎ to break wind lâcher un vent

2 intransitive verb

(a) (split into pieces → glass, furniture) se casser, se briser; (→ branch, stick) se casser, se rompre; (→ lace, string, egg, toy) se casser;

∎ to break apart se casser ou se briser (en morceaux);

∎ the plate broke in two l'assiette s'est cassée en deux;

∎ to break into pieces se casser en morceaux;

∎ figurative her heart broke elle a eu le cœur brisé

(b) Medicine (fracture → bone, limb) se fracturer;

∎ is the bone broken? y a-t-il une fracture?;

∎ humorous any bones broken? rien de cassé?

(c) (become inoperable → lock, tool) casser; (→ machine) tomber en panne;

∎ the dishwasher broke last week le lave-vaisselle est tombé en panne la semaine dernière

(d) (disperse → clouds) se disperser, se dissiper; Military (→ troops) rompre les rangs; (→ ranks) se rompre

(e) (escape)

∎ to break free se libérer;

∎ the ship broke loose from its moorings le bateau a rompu ses amarres

(f) (fail → health, person, spirit) se détériorer;

∎ the witness broke under questioning le témoin a craqué au cours de l'interrogatoire;

∎ she or her spirit did not break elle ne s'est pas laissée abattre;

∎ their courage finally broke leur courage a fini par les abandonner

(g) (take a break) faire une pause;

∎ let's break for coffee arrêtons-nous pour prendre un café

(h) (arise suddenly → day) se lever, poindre; (→ dawn) poindre; Press & Television (→ news) être annoncé; (→ scandal, war) éclater

(i) (move suddenly) se précipiter, foncer

(j) (weather) changer; (storm) éclater

(k) (voice → of boy) muer; (→ with emotion) se briser;

∎ she was so upset that her voice kept breaking elle était tellement bouleversée que sa voix se brisait

(l) (wave) déferler;

∎ the sea was breaking against the rocks les vagues se brisaient sur les rochers

(m) Obstetrics

∎ her waters have broken elle a perdu les eaux

(n) American familiar (happen) se passer^□, arriver^□ ;

∎ to break right/badly bien/mal se passer

(o) Linguistics (vowel) se diphtonguer

(p) Sport (boxers) se dégager;

∎ break! break!, stop!

(q) Sport (ball) dévier

(r) Sport (in billiards, snooker, pool) donner l'acquit

(s) (idiom)

∎ to break even (gen) s'y retrouver; Finance rentrer dans ses frais

3 noun

(a) (in china, glass) cassure f, brisure f; (in wood) cassure f, rupture f; Medicine (in bone, limb) fracture f; figurative (with friend, group) rupture f; (in marriage) séparation f;

∎ a clean break (in object) une cassure nette; Medicine (in bone) une fracture simple;

∎ the break with her husband was a painful experience ça a été très pénible pour elle quand elle s'est séparée de son mari;

∎ her break with the party in 1968 sa rupture avec le parti en 1968;

∎ to make a clean break with the past rompre avec le passé

(b) (crack) fissure f, fente f

(c) (gap → in hedge, wall) trouée f, ouverture f; Geology (→ in rock) faille f; (→ in line) interruption f, rupture f; Typography (→ in word) césure f; (→ in pagination) fin f de page;

∎ a break in the clouds une éclaircie

(d) (interruption → in conversation) interruption f, pause f; (→ in payment) interruption f, suspension f; (→ in trip) arrêt m; (→ in production) suspension f, rupture f; (→ in series) interruption f; Literature & Music pause f; (in jazz) break m;

∎ guitar break (in rock) (courte) improvisation f de guitare;

∎ Electricity a break in the circuit une coupure de courant;

∎ Radio a break for commercials, a (commercial) break un intermède de publicité; Television un écran publicitaire, une page de publicité;

∎ Television a break in transmission une interruption des programmes (due à un incident technique)

(e) (rest) pause f; (holiday) vacances fpl; British School récréation f;

∎ let's take a break on fait une pause?;

∎ we worked all morning without a break nous avons travaillé toute la matinée sans nous arrêter;

∎ he drove for three hours without a break il a conduit trois heures de suite;

∎ you need a break (short rest) tu as besoin de faire une pause; (holiday) tu as besoin de vacances;

∎ an hour's break for lunch une heure de pause pour le déjeuner;

∎ lunch break pause f de midi;

∎ do you get a lunch break? tu as une pause à midi?;

∎ a weekend in the country makes a pleasant break un week-end à la campagne fait du bien;

∎ familiar give me a break! (don't talk nonsense) dis pas n'importe quoi!; (stop nagging) fiche-moi la paix!

(f) (escape) évasion f, fuite f;

∎ Law jail break évasion f (de prison);

∎ she made a break for the woods elle s'est élancée vers le bois;

∎ to make a break for it prendre la fuite

(g) familiar (opportunity) chance^□ f; (luck) (coup m de) veine f;

∎ you get all the breaks! tu en as du pot!;

∎ to have a lucky break avoir de la veine;

∎ to have a bad break manquer de veine;

∎ this could be your big break ça pourrait être la chance de ta vie;

∎ she's never had an even break in her life rien n'a jamais été facile dans sa vie;

∎ give him a break donne-lui une chance; (he won't do it again) donne-lui une seconde chance

(h) (change) changement m;

∎ a break in the weather un changement de temps;

∎ the decision signalled a break with tradition la décision marquait une rupture avec la tradition

(i) (carriage) break m

(j) literary

∎ at break of day au point du jour, à l'aube

(k) Sport

∎ to have a service break or a break (of serve) (in tennis) avoir une rupture de service (de l'adversaire);

∎ to have two break points (in tennis) avoir deux balles de break;

∎ he made a 70 break (in snooker, pool etc) il a fait une série de 70

►► Computing break character caractère m d'interruption;

Computing break key touche f d'interruption

➲ break away

1 intransitive verb

(a) (move away) se détacher; (escape) s'évader;

∎ I broke away from the crowd je me suis éloigné de la foule;

∎ he broke away from her grasp il s'est dégagé de son étreinte

(b) (end association with) rompre; (province → from State) se séparer;

∎ a group of MPs broke away from the party un groupe de députés a quitté le parti;

∎ as a band they have broken away from traditional jazz leur groupe a (complètement) rompu avec le jazz traditionnel

(c) Sport (in racing, cycling) s'échapper, se détacher du peloton

2 separable transitive verb

détacher;

∎ they broke all the fittings away from the walls ils ont décroché toutes les appliques des murs

➲ break back intransitive verb

(in tennis) = gagner le service de son adversaire après avoir perdu son propre service

➲ break down

1 intransitive verb

(a) (vehicle, machine) tomber en panne;

∎ the car has broken down la voiture est en panne

(b) (fail → health) se détériorer; (→ authority) disparaître; (→ argument, system, resistance) s'effondrer; (→ negotiations, relations, plan) échouer;

∎ radio communications broke down le contact radio a été coupé;

∎ their marriage is breaking down leur mariage se désagrège

(c) (lose one's composure) s'effondrer;

∎ to break down in tears fondre en larmes

(d) (divide) se diviser;

∎ the report breaks down into three parts le rapport comprend ou est composé de trois parties

(e) Chemistry se décomposer;

∎ to break down into sth se décomposer en qch

2 separable transitive verb

(a) (destroy → barrier) démolir, abattre; (→ door) enfoncer; figurative (→ resistance) briser;

∎ we must break down old prejudices il faut mettre fin aux vieux préjugés

(b) (analyse → idea, statistics) analyser; (→ reasons) décomposer; (→ account, figures, expenses) décomposer, ventiler; (→ bill, estimate) détailler; (→ substance) décomposer;

∎ the problem can be broken down into three parts le problème peut se décomposer en trois parties

➲ break forth intransitive verb

literary (light) jaillir; (storm, buds) éclater; (blossom) s'épanouir subitement

➲ break in

1 separable transitive verb

(a) (train → person) former; (→ horse) dresser;

∎ a month should be enough to break you in to the job un mois devrait suffire pour vous faire ou vous habituer au métier

(b) (clothing) porter (pour user);

∎ I want to break these shoes in je veux que ces chaussures se fassent

(c) (knock down → door) enfoncer

2 intransitive verb

(a) Law (burglar) entrer par effraction

(b) (speaker) interrompre;

∎ to break in on sb/sth interrompre qn/qch

➲ break into inseparable transitive verb

(a) (of burglar) entrer par effraction dans; (drawer) forcer;

∎ they broke into the safe ils ont fracturé ou forcé le coffre-fort;

∎ they've been broken into three times ils se sont fait cambrioler trois fois

(b) (begin suddenly)

∎ the audience broke into applause le public s'est mis à applaudir;

∎ to break into a run/sprint se mettre à courir/à sprinter;

∎ the horse broke into a gallop le cheval a pris le galop

(c) (conversation) interrompre

(d) (start to spend → savings) entamer;

∎ I don't want to break into a £20 note je ne veux pas entamer un billet de 20 livres

(e) Commerce (market) percer sur;

∎ the firm has broken into the Japanese market l'entreprise a percé sur le marché japonais

➲ break off

1 intransitive verb

(a) (separate) se détacher, se casser;

∎ a branch has broken off une branche s'est détachée (de l'arbre)

(b) (stop) s'arrêter brusquement;

∎ he broke off in mid-sentence il s'est arrêté au milieu d'une phrase;

∎ they broke off from work (for rest) ils ont fait une pause; (for day) ils ont cessé le travail;

∎ to break off for ten minutes prendre dix minutes de pause;

∎ to break off for lunch s'arrêter pour déjeuner

(c) (end relationship) rompre;

∎ she's broken off with him elle a rompu avec lui

2 separable transitive verb

(a) (separate) détacher, casser;

∎ to break sth off sth casser ou détacher qch de qch

(b) (end → agreement, relationship) rompre;

∎ they've broken off their engagement ils ont rompu leurs fiançailles;

∎ to break it off (with sb) rompre (avec qn);

∎ Italy had broken off diplomatic relations with Libya l'Italie avait rompu ses relations diplomatiques avec la Libye

➲ break open separable transitive verb

(door) enfoncer; (lock, safe, till) forcer; familiar (bottle of wine etc) ouvrir^□, déboucher^□ ;

∎ to break a desk open ouvrir un bureau en forçant la serrure

➲ break out

1 intransitive verb

(a) (begin → war, storm) éclater; (→ disease, fire) se déclarer; (→ fight) se déclencher

(b) (become covered)

∎ to break out in spots or in a rash avoir une éruption de boutons;

∎ to break out in a sweat se mettre à transpirer;

∎ she broke out in a cold sweat elle s'est mise à avoir des sueurs froides

(c) (escape) s'échapper;

∎ to break out from or of prison s'évader (de prison);

∎ we have to break out of this vicious circle il faut que nous sortions de ce cercle vicieux

2 separable transitive verb

(bottle, champagne) ouvrir

➲ break through

1 inseparable transitive verb

(sun) percer;

∎ I broke through the crowd je me suis frayé un chemin à travers la foule;

∎ the troops broke through enemy lines les troupes ont enfoncé les lignes ennemies;

∎ she eventually broke through his reserve elle a fini par le faire sortir de sa réserve

2 intransitive verb

percer; figurative & Military faire une percée;

∎ figurative his hidden feelings tend to break through in his writing ses sentiments cachés tendent à transparaître ou percer dans ses écrits

➲ break up

1 separable transitive verb

(a) (divide up → rocks) briser, morceler; Law (→ property) morceler; (→ soil) ameublir; (→ bread, cake) partager;

∎ she broke the loaf up into four pieces elle a rompu ou partagé la miche en quatre;

∎ illustrations break up the text le texte est aéré par des illustrations

(b) (destroy → house) démolir; (→ road) défoncer

(c) (end → fight, party) mettre fin à, arrêter; Commerce & Law (→ conglomerate, trust) scinder, diviser; Commerce (→ company) scinder; Politics (→ coalition) briser, rompre; Administration (→ organization) dissoudre; (→ empire) démembrer; (→ family) séparer;

∎ his drinking broke up their marriage le fait qu'il buvait a brisé ou détruit leur mariage

(d) (disperse → crowd) disperser;

∎ break it up! (people fighting or arguing) arrêtez!; (said by policeman) circulez!

(e) familiar (distress) bouleverser, retourner;

∎ the news really broke her up la nouvelle l'a complètement bouleversée

(f) American familiar (amuse)

∎ her stories really break me up! ses histoires me font bien marrer!

2 intransitive verb

(a) (split into pieces → road, system) se désagréger; (→ ice) craquer, se fissurer; (→ ship) se disloquer;

∎ the ship broke up on the rocks le navire s'est disloqué sur les rochers

(b) (come to an end → meeting, party) se terminer, prendre fin; (→ partnership) cesser, prendre fin; (→ talks, negotiations) cesser;

∎ when the meeting broke up à l'issue ou à la fin de la réunion;

∎ their marriage broke up leur mariage n'a pas marché

(c) (boyfriend, girlfriend) rompre;

∎ she broke up with her boyfriend elle a rompu avec son petit ami;

∎ they've broken up ils se sont séparés

(d) (disperse → clouds) se disperser; (→ group) se disperser; (→ friends) se quitter, se séparer

(e) British School

∎ we break up for Christmas on the 22nd les vacances de Noël commencent le 22;

∎ when do we break up? quand est-ce qu'on est en vacances?

(f) (lose one's composure) s'effondrer

(g) American familiar (laugh) se tordre de rire

➲ break with inseparable transitive verb

(a) (end association with → person, organization) rompre avec;

∎ the defeat caused many people to break with the party la défaite a poussé beaucoup de gens à rompre avec le parti

(b) (depart from → belief, values) rompre avec;

∎ she broke with tradition by getting married away from her village elle a rompu avec la tradition en ne se mariant pas dans son village

Un panorama unique de l'anglais et du français > break
3 Zerrüttung

f; nur Sg.

1. Vorgang: destruction, wrecking; einer Ehe: breakdown; der Gesundheit, Nerven etc.: ruining; die unheilbare Zerrüttung einer Ehe the irretrievable breakdown of a marriage

2. Zustand: collapse, breakdown

* * *

die Zerrüttung

subversion; breakup; disruption

* * *
Zer|rụ̈t|tung
f -, -en
destruction; (von Ehe) breakdown; (von Nerven) shattering; (Zustand) shattered state
der Staat befindet sich im Zustand der Zerrüttung — the state is in a bad way or in terrible shape

ihre Ehe befindet sich im Zustand der Zerrüttung — their marriage is breaking down

* * *

die; Zerrüttung, Zerrüttungen (der Gesundheit) ruining; (der Nerven) shattering; (einer Ehe) [irretrievable] breakdown

* * *

Zerrüttung f; nur sg

1. Vorgang: destruction, wrecking; einer Ehe: breakdown; der Gesundheit, Nerven etc: ruining;

die unheilbare Zerrüttung einer Ehe the irretrievable breakdown of a marriage

2. Zustand: collapse, breakdown

* * *

die; Zerrüttung, Zerrüttungen (der Gesundheit) ruining; (der Nerven) shattering; (einer Ehe) [irretrievable] breakdown

* * *

f.

disruption n.

Deutsch-Englisch Wörterbuch > Zerrüttung
4 zepsu|ć

pf Ⅰ vt 1. (uszkodzić) to break [samochód, maszynę, urządzenie]
- zepsuła im komputer she broke their computer ⇒ psuć
2. (pogorszyć) to spoil [nastrój, humor]
- zepsuł wszystko niepotrzebnym gadaniem he spoilt everything by talking too much

- zepsuć sobie zdrowie/oczy to ruin one’s health/eyes ⇒ psuć
3. (rozpieścić) to spoil [dziecko]
- powodzenie kompletnie go zepsuło his success spoilt him completely

- zepsuć kogoś pochlebstwami to spoil sb with one’s adulation ⇒ psuć
Ⅱ zepsuć się 1. (uszkodzić się) [maszyna, samochód, zegar] to break down ⇒ psuć się 2. (zgnić) to spoil, to go bad
- mięso się zepsuło the meat has spoilt ⇒ psuć się
3. (pogorszyć się) [pogoda, nastrój] to get worse; [stosunki, wzrok, zdrowie] to deteriorate
- w ich małżeństwie coś się zepsuło their marriage is breaking down

- z wiekiem pamięć mu się zepsuła his memory deteriorated a. got worse as he grew old

■ być zepsutym do szpiku kości to be rotten to the core

- zepsuć powietrze to break wind

The New English-Polish, Polish-English Kościuszko foundation dictionary > zepsu|ć
5 break

break

A n

1 ( fracture) fracture f ;

2 ( crack) (in plate, plank, surface) fêlure f ;

3 ( gap) (in fence, wall) brèche f ; (in row, line) espace m ; (in circuit, chain, sequence) rupture f ; (in conversation, match) pause f ; ( in performance) entracte m ; (in traffic, procession) trou m, espace m ; a break in the clouds une éclaircie ; a break in transmission une interruption dans la retransmission ;

4 Radio, TV ( also commercial break) page f de publicité ; we're going to take a break now tout de suite, une page de publicité ;

5 ( pause) gen pause f ; Sch récréation f ; to take a break faire une pause ; I walked/worked for six hours without a break j'ai marché/travaillé pendant six heures sans m'arrêter ; to have a break from work arrêter de travailler ; to take ou have a break from working/driving ne plus travailler/conduire pendant un temps ; to take ou have a break from nursing/teaching arrêter le métier d'infirmière/d'enseignant pendant un temps ; I often give her a break from looking after the kids je m'occupe souvent des enfants pour qu'elle se repose ; give us a break ○ ! fiche-nous la paix ○ ! ;

6 ( holiday) vacances fpl ; the Christmas break les vacances de Noël ; a weekend break in Milan un week-end à Milan ;

7 fig ( departure) rupture f (with avec) ; a break with tradition/the past une rupture avec la tradition/le passé ; it's time to make a ou the break ( from family) il est temps de voler de ses propres ailes ; ( from job) il est temps de passer à autre chose ;

8 ○ ( opportunity) chance f ; her big break came in 1973 1973 a été l'année de sa veine ○ ; he gave me a break il m'a donné ma chance ; a lucky break un coup de veine ○ ; a bad break des déboires mpl ; to give sb an even break donner sa chance à qn ;

9 ( dawn) at the break of day au lever du jour, à l'aube f ;

10 ( escape bid) to make a break for it ○ ( from prison) se faire la belle ○ ; to make a break for the door/the trees se précipiter vers la porte/les arbres ;

11 Print line break fin f d'alinéa ; page break changement m de page ; paragraph break fin f de paragraphe ;

12 ( in tennis) ( also service break) break m ;

13 (in snooker, pool) ( first shot) it's your break c'est à toi de casser ; ( series of shots) to make a 50 point break marquer une série de 50 points ;

14 Mus ( in jazz) break m.

B vtr ( prét broke ; pp broken)

1 ( damage) casser [chair, eggs, rope, stick, toy] ; casser, briser [glass, plate, window] ; casser [machine] ; to break a tooth/a nail/a bone se casser une dent/un ongle/un os ; to break one's leg/arm se casser la jambe/le bras ; to break one's back lit se casser la colonne vertébrale ; I nearly broke my back moving the piano fig j'ai failli me briser les reins en déplaçant le piano ; to break one's neck lit avoir une rupture des vertèbres cervicales ; somebody is going to break their neck on those steps fig quelqu'un va se casser la figure sur ces marches ○ ; she broke the bottle over his head elle lui a cassé la bouteille sur la tête ;

2 (split, rupture) briser [seal] ; couper [sentence, word] ; the skin is not broken il n'y a pas de plaie ; not a ripple broke the surface of the water pas une ride ne troublait la surface de l'eau ; to break surface [diver, submarine] remonter à la surface ; the river broke its banks la rivière a débordé ;

3 ( interrupt) [person] rompre [silence] ; [shout, siren] déchirer [silence] ; couper [circuit, current] ; rompre [monotony, spell] ; rompre [ties, links] (with avec) ; to break one's silence sortir de son silence (on à propos de) ; to break sb's concentration déconcentrer qn ; we broke our journey in Milan nous avons fait un arrêt à Milan ; the tower breaks the line of the roof/of the horizon la tour rompt la ligne du toit/de l'horizon ; to break step rompre le pas ;

4 ( disobey) enfreindre [law] ; ne pas respecter [embargo, blockade, conditions, terms] ; violer [treaty] ; désobéir à [commandment, rule] ; briser [strike] ; rompre [vow] ; manquer [appointment] ; he broke his word/promise il a manqué à sa parole/promesse ;

5 (exceed, surpass) dépasser [speed limit, bounds] ; battre [record, opponent] ; franchir [speed barrier] ; briser [class barrier] ;

6 ( lessen the impact of) couper [wind] ; [branches] freiner [fall] ; [hay] amortir [fall] ;

7 fig ( destroy) [troops] briser [rebellion] ; briser [person, resistance, determination, will] ; to break sb's spirit saper le moral de qn ; to break sb's hold over sb débarrasser qn de l'emprise de qn ; discussions which aim to break this deadlock des discussions qui visent à nous sortir de cette impasse ; to break a habit se défaire d'une habitude ;

8 ( ruin) ruiner [person] ; this contract will make or break the company ( financially) ce contrat fera la fortune ou la ruine de l'entreprise ; this decision will make or break me ( personally) cette décision sera mon salut ou ma perte ;

9 Equit débourrer [young horse] ;

10 ( in tennis) to break sb's serve faire le break ;

11 Mil casser [officer] ;

12 ( decipher) déchiffrer [cipher, code] ;

13 ( leave) to break camp lever le camp ;

14 ( announce) annoncer [news] ; révéler [truth] ; to break the news to sb apprendre la nouvelle à qn ; break it to her gently annonce-lui la nouvelle avec douceur.

C vi ( prét broke ; pp broken)

1 ( be damaged) [branch, chair, egg, handle, tooth, string] se casser ; [plate, glass, window] se briser ; [arm, bone, leg] se fracturer ; [bag] se déchirer ; china breaks easily la porcelaine se casse facilement ; the vase broke in two/into a thousand pieces le vase s'est brisé en deux/en mille morceaux ; the sound of breaking glass le bruit de verre brisé ;

2 ( separate) [clouds] se disperser ; [waves] se briser (against contre ; on, over sur) ;

3 Sport [boxers] se séparer ; ‘break! ’ ( referee 's command) ‘break!’ ;

4 ( stop for a rest) faire une pause ;

5 ( change) [good weather] se gâter ; [drought, heatwave] cesser ; [luck] tourner ;

6 ( begin) [day] se lever ; [storm] éclater ; [scandal, news story] éclater ;

7 ( discontinue) to break with sb rompre les relations avec qn ; to break with a party/the church quitter un parti/l'église ; to break with tradition/convention rompre avec la tradition/les conventions ;

8 ( weaken) their spirit never broke leur moral n'a jamais faibli ; to break under torture/interrogation céder sous la torture/l'interrogation ;

9 ( change tone) [boy's voice] muer ; her voice breaks on the high notes sa voix s'éraille dans les aigus ; in a voice breaking with emotion d 'une voix brisée par l'émotion ;

10 (in snooker, pool) casser.

Phrasal verbs

■ break away:

▶ break away

1 ( become detached) [island, shell] se détacher (from de) ; to break away from [group, person] rompre avec [family, party, organization] ; [state] se séparer de [union] ; [animal] se détacher de [herd] ; [boat] rompre [moorings] ;

2 ( escape) échapper (from à) ;

3 Sport [runner, cyclist] se détacher (from de) ;

▶ break away [sth], break [sth] away enlever [outer shell, casing].

■ break down:

▶ break down

1 ( stop functioning) [car, elevator, machine] tomber en panne ; we broke down on the main street nous sommes tombés en panne sur la grand-rue ;

2 ( collapse) fig [alliance, coalition] éclater ; [negotiations] échouer ; [contact, communication] cesser ; [law and order] se dégrader ; [argument] ne pas tenir debout ; [system] s'effondrer ; [person] s'effondrer, craquer ; he broke down under the strain il a craqué sous la pression ;

3 ( cry) fondre en larmes ;

4 ( be classified) [cost findings, statistics] se décomposer (into en) ; the cost of the repair breaks down as follows le prix de la réparation se décompose ainsi ;

5 ( decompose) [compound] se décomposer (en into) ;

6 ( confess) ( under interrogation) céder ;

▶ break [sth] down, break down [sth]

1 ( demolish) lit enfoncer [door] ; démolir [fence, wall] ; fig faire tomber [barriers] ; vaincre [opposition, resistance, shyness] ;

2 ( analyse) ventiler [budget, cost, expenses, statistics] ; décomposer [word] (into en) ; décomposer [data, findings] (into par) ; décomposer [argument] ;

3 ( cause to decompose) décomposer [compound, gas] (into en) ; [enzyme, catalyst] dissoudre [protein, starch] ; [gastric juices] dissoudre [food].

■ break even Fin rentrer dans ses frais.

■ break forth littér [sun, water] jaillir (from de).

■ break free:

▶ break free [prisoner] s'évader ; to break free of se couper de [family] ; échapper à [captor].

■ break in

1 ( enter forcibly) [thief] entrer (par effraction) ; [police] entrer de force ; the burglar broke in through a window le cambrioleur est entré par une fenêtre ;

2 ( interrupt) interrompre ; ‘I don't want to go,’ he broke in ‘je ne veux pas y aller,’ a-t-il interrompu ; to break in on sb/sth interrompre qn/qch ;

▶ break [sth] in débourrer [young horse] ; assouplir [shoe] ; to break in one's glasses s'habituer à ses lunettes ;

▶ break [sb] in accoutumer [qn] au travail [recruit, newcomer] ; to break sb in gently donner le temps à qn de s'accoutumer au travail.

■ break into:

▶ break into [sth]

1 ( enter by force) entrer dans [qch] (par effraction) [building] ; forcer la portière de [car] ; forcer [safe, till] ; her car was broken into sa voiture a été cambriolée ;

2 ( start to use) entamer [new packet, new bottle, banknote, savings] ;

3 ( encroach on) empiéter sur [leisure time, working day] ; couper [morning, day] ;

4 ( begin to do) to break into song/cheers se mettre à chanter/acclamer ; to break into peals of laughter éclater de rire ; to break into a run/gallop se mettre à courir/au galop ;

5 ( make headway) [company] s'implanter sur [market] ; [person] s'introduire dans [job market] ; [person] percer dans [show business].

■ break loose [dog, horse] s'échapper (from de).

■ break off:

▶ break off

1 ( snap off) [end, mast, tip] se casser ; [handle, piece] se détacher ;

2 ( stop speaking) s'interrompre ; she broke off to answer the phone elle s'est interrompue pour répondre au téléphone ;

3 ( pause) faire une pause, s'arrêter ;

▶ break off [sth], break [sth] off

1 ( snap) casser [branch, piece, segment, mast] ;

2 ( terminate) rompre [engagement, relationship, contact, negotiations, ties] ; interrompre [conversation] ; they decided to break it off (relationship, engagement) ils ont décidé de rompre ; to break off doing arrêter de faire.

■ break out:

▶ break out

1 ( erupt) [epidemic, fire] se déclarer ; [fight, panic, riot, storm] éclater ; [rash] apparaître ; to break out in a rash ou in spots [person] avoir une éruption de boutons ; [face] se couvrir de boutons ; to break out in a sweat se mettre à transpirer ;

2 ( escape) [prisoner] s'évader ; to break out of s'échapper de [cage, prison] ; sortir de [routine, vicious circle] ; se libérer de [chains, straitjacket].

■ break through:

▶ break through [army] faire une percée ;

▶ break through [sth] percer [defences, reserve] ; franchir [barrier, cordon] ; se frayer un passage à travers [crowd] ; traverser [mur] ; [sun] percer [clouds].

■ break up:

▶ break up

1 ( disintegrate) lit [wreck] se désagréger ; fig [empire] s'effondrer ; [alliance] éclater ; [group, family, couple] se séparer ; their marriage/relationship is breaking up leur mariage/relation va mal ;

2 ( disperse) [crowd] se disperser ; [cloud, slick] se disperser ; [meeting] se terminer ;

3 GB Sch schools break up on Friday les cours finissent vendredi ; we break up for Christmas on Tuesday pour Noël, nous finissons mardi ;

▶ break [sth] up, break up [sth] ( split up) disperser [demonstrators] ; démanteler [spy ring, drugs ring] ; séparer [team, couple] ; désunir [family] ; briser [alliance, marriage] ; démembrer [empire] ; diviser [sentence, word] (into en) ; morceler [land] ; [diagrams] aérer [text] ; mettre fin à [party, fight, demonstration] ; break it up! ( stop fighting) ça suffit maintenant!

Big English-French dictionary > break
6 break

break [breɪk]

(verb: preterite broke, past participle broken)

1. noun

   a. (in conversation, programme, line) interruption f ; (in journey) arrêt m ; (at work) pause f ; (at school) pause f, récréation f

• to take a break ( = few minutes) faire une pause ; ( = holiday) prendre des vacances ; ( = change) se changer les idées

• six hours without a break six heures d'affilée

• after the break ( = advertisements) après la pause (publicitaire)

• a break in the clouds une éclaircie

• a break in the weather un changement de temps

• he spoke of the need for a break with the past il a dit qu'il fallait rompre avec le passé

► to make a break

• to make a break for it prendre la fuite

• he made a break for the door il s'est élancé vers la porte

   b. [of bone] fracture f

   c. (literary) at break of day au point du jour

   d. ( = luck, opportunity) (inf) chance f

• he's had all the breaks il a eu toutes les veines (inf)

• she got her first big break in "Sarafina" elle a percé dans « Sarafina »

• give me a break! (inf) ( = leave me alone) fichez-moi la paix ! (inf)

   e. (Snooker) série f

• to have a break of serve (Tennis) faire le break

2. transitive verb

   a. casser ; [+ skin] écorcher

• to break sth in two casser qch en deux

• to break one's leg/one's neck se casser la jambe/le cou

• the bone is not broken il n'y a pas de fracture

• to break open [+ door] enfoncer ; [+ lock, safe] fracturer

• to break ground on a new building (US) commencer à construire un nouveau bâtiment

• to break new or fresh ground innover

• to break one's back se casser la colonne vertébrale

• to break the back of a task (British) faire le plus dur d'une tâche

• to break sb's heart briser le cœur de qn

• to break one's heart over sth avoir le cœur brisé par qch

• to break a record battre un record

   b. [+ promise] manquer à ; [+ treaty] violer

• to break the law enfreindre la loi

• to break a vow rompre un serment

   c. [+ courage, spirit, strike] briser

• to break sb ( = demoralize) briser qn ; ( = ruin) ruiner qn

• television can make you or break you la télévision peut soit vous apporter la gloire soit vous briser

• to break sb of a habit faire perdre une habitude à qn

• to break a habit se débarrasser d'une habitude

• it won't break the bank (inf) cela ne va pas te (or nous or les etc) ruiner

   d. [+ silence, spell] rompre

• to break sb's serve prendre le service de qn

• to break one's journey faire une étape (or des étapes)

   e. [+ fall] amortir

   f. [+ news] annoncer

• try to break it to her gently essayez de le lui annoncer avec ménagement

3. intransitive verb

   a. (se) casser ; [bone] se fracturer

• to break in two se casser en deux

   b. [clouds] se dissiper

   c. [storm] éclater ; [wave] déferler

   d. [news, story] éclater

   e. ( = weaken, change) [health] se détériorer ; [voice] (boy's) muer ; (in emotion) se briser ( with sous le coup de ) ; [weather] se gâter

• he broke under torture il a craqué sous la torture

• his spirit broke son courage l'a abandonné

   f. [dawn] poindre ; [day] se lever

   g. ( = pause) faire une pause

• we broke for lunch nous avons fait une pause pour le déjeuner

   h. (set structures)

► to break even rentrer dans ses fonds

► to break free se libérer

► to break loose [person, animal] s'échapper ; [boat] rompre ses amarres

► to break with sb rompre avec qn

4. compounds

► break-even point noun seuil m de rentabilité

► break-in noun cambriolage m

► break-up noun [of friendship] rupture f ; [of empire, group of states] démantèlement m ; [of political party] scission f

• since the break-up of his marriage depuis qu'il est séparé de sa femme

► break away intransitive verb

(from captor) s'échapper

• to break away from a group se séparer d'un groupe► break down

1. intransitive verb

   a. [vehicle] tomber en panne ; [argument] s'effondrer ; [resistance] céder ; [negotiations] échouer

• after negotiations broke down... après l'échec m des négociations...

   b. ( = decompose) se décomposer ( into en)

   c. ( = weep) fondre en larmes

2. separable transitive verb

   a. ( = demolish) démolir ; [+ door] enfoncer ; [+ opposition] briser

   b. [+ accounts] détailler ; [+ sales figures, costs] ventiler ; [+ substance] décomposer

► break in

1. intransitive verb

   a. ( = interrupt) interrompre

   b. ( = enter illegally) entrer par effraction

2. separable transitive verb

   a. [+ door] enfoncer

   b. [+ engine, car] roder

• it took a month to break in my new shoes cela a pris un mois avant que mes nouvelles chaussures se fassent

► break into inseparable transitive verb

   a. ( = enter illegally) [+ house] entrer par effraction dans

• to break into a safe fracturer un coffre-fort

   b. [+ savings] entamer

   c. [company] to break into a new market percer sur un nouveau marché

   d. to break into song se mettre à chanter

• to break into a run se mettre à courir

► break off

1. intransitive verb

   a. [piece, twig] se casser net

   b. ( = stop) s'arrêter ( doing sth de faire qch)

• he broke off in mid-sentence il s'est arrêté au milieu d'une phrase

2. separable transitive verb

   a. ( = snap off) casser

   b. ( = end) [+ relationship, negotiations] rompre

► break out intransitive verb

   a. [war, fire] éclater

• to break out into a sweat suer ; (from fear) commencer à avoir des sueurs froides

   b. ( = escape) s'échapper (of de)

► break through

1. intransitive verb

( = succeed) percer

2. inseparable transitive verb

[+ defences, obstacles] faire tomber

► break up

1. intransitive verb

   a. [ice] craquer ; [ship in storm] se disloquer ; [partnership] cesser ; [empire] effondrer

• their marriage broke up ils se sont séparés

• to break up with sb rompre avec qn

   b. [crowd] se disperser ; [meeting] prendre fin

• the schools break up tomorrow (British) les cours se terminent demain

   c. [phone line] couper

• you're breaking up je ne te capte plus

   d. (US = laugh) (inf!) se tordre de rire

2. separable transitive verb

   a. [+ chocolate] casser en morceaux

• to break up the soil casser les mottes de terre

   b. [+ coalition] briser ; [+ empire] démembrer

• to break up a marriage briser un couple

• to do sth to break up one's day faire qch pour faire une coupure dans la journée

   c. [+ crowd, demonstration] disperser

• police used tear gas to break up the demonstration la police a utilisé du gaz lacrymogène pour disperser les manifestants

   d. (US = make laugh) (inf!) donner le fou rire à

* * *
[breɪk] 1.
noun

1) ( fracture) fracture f

2) ( crack) fêlure f

3) ( gap) ( in wall) brèche f; (in row, line) espace m; (in circuit, chain) rupture f; (in conversation, match) pause f; ( in performance) entracte m; ( in traffic) trou m, espace m

a break in the clouds — une éclaircie

a break in transmission — une interruption dans la retransmission

4) Radio, Television page f de publicité

5) ( pause) gen pause f; School récréation f

to take a break — faire une pause

to work for six hours without a break — travailler pendant six heures sans s'arrêter

to take ou have a break from working — ne plus travailler pendant un temps

I often give her a break from looking after the kids — je m'occupe souvent des enfants pour qu'elle se repose

6) ( holiday) vacances fpl

the Christmas break — les vacances de Noël

7) fig ( departure) rupture f ( with avec)

a break with tradition — une rupture avec la tradition

it's time to make a ou the break — ( from family) il est temps de voler de ses propres ailes; ( from job) il est temps de passer à autre chose

8) (colloq) ( opportunity) chance f

her big break came in 1973 — 1973 a été l'année de sa veine (colloq)

he gave me a break — il m'a donné ma chance

9) ( dawn)

at the break of day — au lever du jour, à l'aube f

10) ( escape bid)

to make a break for it — (colloq) ( from prison) se faire la belle (colloq)

to make a break for the door — se précipiter vers la porte

11) Sport ( in tennis) break m; (in snooker, pool)

it's your break — c'est à toi de casser

to make a 50 point break — marquer une série de 50 points
2.
transitive verb (prét broke; pp broken)

1) ( damage) casser [chair, eggs, rope, stick, toy]; casser [plate, window]

to break a tooth/a bone — se casser une dent/un os

to break one's leg — se casser la jambe

to break one's neck — lit avoir une rupture des vertèbres cervicales; fig se casser la figure

2) ( rupture) briser [seal]

the skin is not broken — il n'y a pas de plaie

the river broke its banks — la rivière a débordé

3) ( interrupt) [person] rompre [silence]; [shout, siren] déchirer [silence]; couper [circuit]; rompre [monotony, spell, ties, links] ( with avec)

to break one's silence — sortir de son silence (on à propos de)

we broke our journey in Milan — nous avons fait un arrêt à Milan

4) ( disobey) enfreindre [law]; ne pas respecter [embargo, terms]; violer [treaty]; désobéir à [rule]; briser [strike]; rompre [vow]; manquer [appointment]

to break one's word/promise — manquer à sa parole/promesse

5) (exceed, surpass) dépasser [speed limit, bounds]; battre [record]; franchir [speed barrier]

6) ( lessen the impact of) couper [wind]; [branches] freiner [fall]; [hay] amortir [fall]

7) fig ( destroy) [troops] briser [rebellion]; briser [person, resistance, will]

to break somebody's spirit — saper le moral de quelqu'un

to break a habit — se défaire d'une habitude

8) ( ruin) ruiner [person]

9) ( tame) débourrer [young horse]

10) ( in tennis)

to break somebody's serve — faire le break

11) ( decipher) déchiffrer [code]

12) ( leave)

to break camp — lever le camp

13) ( announce) annoncer [news]; révéler [truth]

to break the news to somebody — apprendre la nouvelle à quelqu'un
3.
intransitive verb (prét broke; pp broken)

1) ( be damaged) [branch, chair, egg, string] se casser; [plate, window] se casser; [arm, bone, leg] se fracturer; [bag] se déchirer

to break in two — se casser en deux

the sound of breaking glass — le bruit de verre brisé

2) ( separate) [clouds] se disperser; [waves] se briser

3) ( stop for a rest) faire une pause

4) ( change) [good weather] se gâter; [heatwave] cesser

5) ( begin) [day] se lever; [storm] éclater; [scandal, story] éclater

6) ( discontinue)

to break with somebody — rompre les relations avec quelqu'un

to break with tradition — rompre avec la tradition

7) ( weaken)

their spirit never broke — leur moral n'a jamais faibli

to break under torture — céder sous la torture

8) ( change tone) [boy's voice] muer

in a voice breaking with emotion — d'une voix brisée par l'émotion

•

Phrasal Verbs:

- break away

- break down

- break even

- break free

- break in

- break into

- break off

- break out

- break through

- break up

English-French dictionary > break
7 Historical Portugal

   Before Romans described western Iberia or Hispania as "Lusitania," ancient Iberians inhabited the land. Phoenician and Greek trading settlements grew up in the Tagus estuary area and nearby coasts. Beginning around 202 BCE, Romans invaded what is today southern Portugal. With Rome's defeat of Carthage, Romans proceeded to conquer and rule the western region north of the Tagus, which they named Roman "Lusitania." In the fourth century CE, as Rome's rule weakened, the area experienced yet another invasion—Germanic tribes, principally the Suevi, who eventually were Christianized. During the sixth century CE, the Suevi kingdom was superseded by yet another Germanic tribe—the Christian Visigoths.

   A major turning point in Portugal's history came in 711, as Muslim armies from North Africa, consisting of both Arab and Berber elements, invaded the Iberian Peninsula from across the Straits of Gibraltar. They entered what is now Portugal in 714, and proceeded to conquer most of the country except for the far north. For the next half a millennium, Islam and Muslim presence in Portugal left a significant mark upon the politics, government, language, and culture of the country.

   Islam, Reconquest, and Portugal Created, 714-1140

   The long frontier struggle between Muslim invaders and Christian communities in the north of the Iberian peninsula was called the Reconquista (Reconquest). It was during this struggle that the first dynasty of Portuguese kings (Burgundian) emerged and the independent monarchy of Portugal was established. Christian forces moved south from what is now the extreme north of Portugal and gradually defeated Muslim forces, besieging and capturing towns under Muslim sway. In the ninth century, as Christian forces slowly made their way southward, Christian elements were dominant only in the area between Minho province and the Douro River; this region became known as "territorium Portu-calense."

   In the 11th century, the advance of the Reconquest quickened as local Christian armies were reinforced by crusading knights from what is now France and England. Christian forces took Montemor (1034), at the Mondego River; Lamego (1058); Viseu (1058); and Coimbra (1064). In 1095, the king of Castile and Léon granted the country of "Portu-cale," what became northern Portugal, to a Burgundian count who had emigrated from France. This was the foundation of Portugal. In 1139, a descendant of this count, Afonso Henriques, proclaimed himself "King of Portugal." He was Portugal's first monarch, the "Founder," and the first of the Burgundian dynasty, which ruled until 1385.

   The emergence of Portugal in the 12th century as a separate monarchy in Iberia occurred before the Christian Reconquest of the peninsula. In the 1140s, the pope in Rome recognized Afonso Henriques as king of Portugal. In 1147, after a long, bloody siege, Muslim-occupied Lisbon fell to Afonso Henriques's army. Lisbon was the greatest prize of the 500-year war. Assisting this effort were English crusaders on their way to the Holy Land; the first bishop of Lisbon was an Englishman. When the Portuguese captured Faro and Silves in the Algarve province in 1248-50, the Reconquest of the extreme western portion of the Iberian peninsula was complete—significantly, more than two centuries before the Spanish crown completed the Reconquest of the eastern portion by capturing Granada in 1492.

   Consolidation and Independence of Burgundian Portugal, 1140-1385

   Two main themes of Portugal's early existence as a monarchy are the consolidation of control over the realm and the defeat of a Castil-ian threat from the east to its independence. At the end of this period came the birth of a new royal dynasty (Aviz), which prepared to carry the Christian Reconquest beyond continental Portugal across the straits of Gibraltar to North Africa. There was a variety of motives behind these developments. Portugal's independent existence was imperiled by threats from neighboring Iberian kingdoms to the north and east. Politics were dominated not only by efforts against the Muslims in

   Portugal (until 1250) and in nearby southern Spain (until 1492), but also by internecine warfare among the kingdoms of Castile, Léon, Aragon, and Portugal. A final comeback of Muslim forces was defeated at the battle of Salado (1340) by allied Castilian and Portuguese forces. In the emerging Kingdom of Portugal, the monarch gradually gained power over and neutralized the nobility and the Church.

   The historic and commonplace Portuguese saying "From Spain, neither a good wind nor a good marriage" was literally played out in diplomacy and war in the late 14th-century struggles for mastery in the peninsula. Larger, more populous Castile was pitted against smaller Portugal. Castile's Juan I intended to force a union between Castile and Portugal during this era of confusion and conflict. In late 1383, Portugal's King Fernando, the last king of the Burgundian dynasty, suddenly died prematurely at age 38, and the Master of Aviz, Portugal's most powerful nobleman, took up the cause of independence and resistance against Castile's invasion. The Master of Aviz, who became King João I of Portugal, was able to obtain foreign assistance. With the aid of English archers, Joao's armies defeated the Castilians in the crucial battle of Aljubarrota, on 14 August 1385, a victory that assured the independence of the Portuguese monarchy from its Castilian nemesis for several centuries.

   Aviz Dynasty and Portugal's First Overseas Empire, 1385-1580

   The results of the victory at Aljubarrota, much celebrated in Portugal's art and monuments, and the rise of the Aviz dynasty also helped to establish a new merchant class in Lisbon and Oporto, Portugal's second city. This group supported King João I's program of carrying the Reconquest to North Africa, since it was interested in expanding Portugal's foreign commerce and tapping into Muslim trade routes and resources in Africa. With the Reconquest against the Muslims completed in Portugal and the threat from Castile thwarted for the moment, the Aviz dynasty launched an era of overseas conquest, exploration, and trade. These efforts dominated Portugal's 15th and 16th centuries.

   The overseas empire and age of Discoveries began with Portugal's bold conquest in 1415 of the Moroccan city of Ceuta. One royal member of the 1415 expedition was young, 21-year-old Prince Henry, later known in history as "Prince Henry the Navigator." His part in the capture of Ceuta won Henry his knighthood and began Portugal's "Marvelous Century," during which the small kingdom was counted as a European and world power of consequence. Henry was the son of King João I and his English queen, Philippa of Lancaster, but he did not inherit the throne. Instead, he spent most of his life and his fortune, and that of the wealthy military Order of Christ, on various imperial ventures and on voyages of exploration down the African coast and into the Atlantic. While mythology has surrounded Henry's controversial role in the Discoveries, and this role has been exaggerated, there is no doubt that he played a vital part in the initiation of Portugal's first overseas empire and in encouraging exploration. He was naturally curious, had a sense of mission for Portugal, and was a strong leader. He also had wealth to expend; at least a third of the African voyages of the time were under his sponsorship. If Prince Henry himself knew little science, significant scientific advances in navigation were made in his day.

   What were Portugal's motives for this new imperial effort? The well-worn historical cliche of "God, Glory, and Gold" can only partly explain the motivation of a small kingdom with few natural resources and barely 1 million people, which was greatly outnumbered by the other powers it confronted. Among Portuguese objectives were the desire to exploit known North African trade routes and resources (gold, wheat, leather, weaponry, and other goods that were scarce in Iberia); the need to outflank the Muslim world in the Mediterranean by sailing around Africa, attacking Muslims en route; and the wish to ally with Christian kingdoms beyond Africa. This enterprise also involved a strategy of breaking the Venetian spice monopoly by trading directly with the East by means of discovering and exploiting a sea route around Africa to Asia. Besides the commercial motives, Portugal nurtured a strong crusading sense of Christian mission, and various classes in the kingdom saw an opportunity for fame and gain.

   By the time of Prince Henry's death in 1460, Portugal had gained control of the Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and Madeiras, begun to colonize the Cape Verde Islands, failed to conquer the Canary Islands from Castile, captured various cities on Morocco's coast, and explored as far as Senegal, West Africa, down the African coast. By 1488, Bar-tolomeu Dias had rounded the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa and thereby discovered the way to the Indian Ocean.

   Portugal's largely coastal African empire and later its fragile Asian empire brought unexpected wealth but were purchased at a high price. Costs included wars of conquest and defense against rival powers, manning the far-flung navel and trade fleets and scattered castle-fortresses, and staffing its small but fierce armies, all of which entailed a loss of skills and population to maintain a scattered empire. Always short of capital, the monarchy became indebted to bankers. There were many defeats beginning in the 16th century at the hands of the larger imperial European monarchies (Spain, France, England, and Holland) and many attacks on Portugal and its strung-out empire. Typically, there was also the conflict that arose when a tenuously held world empire that rarely if ever paid its way demanded finance and manpower Portugal itself lacked.

   The first 80 years of the glorious imperial era, the golden age of Portugal's imperial power and world influence, was an African phase. During 1415-88, Portuguese navigators and explorers in small ships, some of them caravelas (caravels), explored the treacherous, disease-ridden coasts of Africa from Morocco to South Africa beyond the Cape of Good Hope. By the 1470s, the Portuguese had reached the Gulf of Guinea and, in the early 1480s, what is now Angola. Bartolomeu Dias's extraordinary voyage of 1487-88 to South Africa's coast and the edge of the Indian Ocean convinced Portugal that the best route to Asia's spices and Christians lay south, around the tip of southern Africa. Between 1488 and 1495, there was a hiatus caused in part by domestic conflict in Portugal, discussion of resources available for further conquests beyond Africa in Asia, and serious questions as to Portugal's capacity to reach beyond Africa. In 1495, King Manuel and his council decided to strike for Asia, whatever the consequences. In 1497-99, Vasco da Gama, under royal orders, made the epic two-year voyage that discovered the sea route to western India (Asia), outflanked Islam and Venice, and began Portugal's Asian empire. Within 50 years, Portugal had discovered and begun the exploitation of its largest colony, Brazil, and set up forts and trading posts from the Middle East (Aden and Ormuz), India (Calicut, Goa, etc.), Malacca, and Indonesia to Macau in China.

   By the 1550s, parts of its largely coastal, maritime trading post empire from Morocco to the Moluccas were under siege from various hostile forces, including Muslims, Christians, and Hindi. Although Moroccan forces expelled the Portuguese from the major coastal cities by 1550, the rival European monarchies of Castile (Spain), England, France, and later Holland began to seize portions of her undermanned, outgunned maritime empire.

   In 1580, Phillip II of Spain, whose mother was a Portuguese princess and who had a strong claim to the Portuguese throne, invaded Portugal, claimed the throne, and assumed control over the realm and, by extension, its African, Asian, and American empires. Phillip II filled the power vacuum that appeared in Portugal following the loss of most of Portugal's army and its young, headstrong King Sebastião in a disastrous war in Morocco. Sebastiao's death in battle (1578) and the lack of a natural heir to succeed him, as well as the weak leadership of the cardinal who briefly assumed control in Lisbon, led to a crisis that Spain's strong monarch exploited. As a result, Portugal lost its independence to Spain for a period of 60 years.

   Portugal under Spanish Rule, 1580-1640

   Despite the disastrous nature of Portugal's experience under Spanish rule, "The Babylonian Captivity" gave birth to modern Portuguese nationalism, its second overseas empire, and its modern alliance system with England. Although Spain allowed Portugal's weakened empire some autonomy, Spanish rule in Portugal became increasingly burdensome and unacceptable. Spain's ambitious imperial efforts in Europe and overseas had an impact on the Portuguese as Spain made greater and greater demands on its smaller neighbor for manpower and money. Portugal's culture underwent a controversial Castilianization, while its empire became hostage to Spain's fortunes. New rival powers England, France, and Holland attacked and took parts of Spain's empire and at the same time attacked Portugal's empire, as well as the mother country.

   Portugal's empire bore the consequences of being attacked by Spain's bitter enemies in what was a form of world war. Portuguese losses were heavy. By 1640, Portugal had lost most of its Moroccan cities as well as Ceylon, the Moluccas, and sections of India. With this, Portugal's Asian empire was gravely weakened. Only Goa, Damão, Diu, Bombay, Timor, and Macau remained and, in Brazil, Dutch forces occupied the northeast.

   On 1 December 1640, long commemorated as a national holiday, Portuguese rebels led by the duke of Braganza overthrew Spanish domination and took advantage of Spanish weakness following a more serious rebellion in Catalonia. Portugal regained independence from Spain, but at a price: dependence on foreign assistance to maintain its independence in the form of the renewal of the alliance with England.

   Restoration and Second Empire, 1640-1822

   Foreign affairs and empire dominated the restoration era and aftermath, and Portugal again briefly enjoyed greater European power and prestige. The Anglo-Portuguese Alliance was renewed and strengthened in treaties of 1642, 1654, and 1661, and Portugal's independence from Spain was underwritten by English pledges and armed assistance. In a Luso-Spanish treaty of 1668, Spain recognized Portugal's independence. Portugal's alliance with England was a marriage of convenience and necessity between two monarchies with important religious, cultural, and social differences. In return for legal, diplomatic, and trade privileges, as well as the use during war and peace of Portugal's great Lisbon harbor and colonial ports for England's navy, England pledged to protect Portugal and its scattered empire from any attack. The previously cited 17th-century alliance treaties were renewed later in the Treaty of Windsor, signed in London in 1899. On at least 10 different occasions after 1640, and during the next two centuries, England was central in helping prevent or repel foreign invasions of its ally, Portugal.

   Portugal's second empire (1640-1822) was largely Brazil-oriented. Portuguese colonization, exploitation of wealth, and emigration focused on Portuguese America, and imperial revenues came chiefly from Brazil. Between 1670 and 1740, Portugal's royalty and nobility grew wealthier on funds derived from Brazilian gold, diamonds, sugar, tobacco, and other crops, an enterprise supported by the Atlantic slave trade and the supply of African slave labor from West Africa and Angola. Visitors today can see where much of that wealth was invested: Portugal's rich legacy of monumental architecture. Meanwhile, the African slave trade took a toll in Angola and West Africa.

   In continental Portugal, absolutist monarchy dominated politics and government, and there was a struggle for position and power between the monarchy and other institutions, such as the Church and nobility. King José I's chief minister, usually known in history as the marquis of Pombal (ruled 1750-77), sharply suppressed the nobility and the

   Church (including the Inquisition, now a weak institution) and expelled the Jesuits. Pombal also made an effort to reduce economic dependence on England, Portugal's oldest ally. But his successes did not last much beyond his disputed time in office.

   Beginning in the late 18th century, the European-wide impact of the French Revolution and the rise of Napoleon placed Portugal in a vulnerable position. With the monarchy ineffectively led by an insane queen (Maria I) and her indecisive regent son (João VI), Portugal again became the focus of foreign ambition and aggression. With England unable to provide decisive assistance in time, France—with Spain's consent—invaded Portugal in 1807. As Napoleon's army under General Junot entered Lisbon meeting no resistance, Portugal's royal family fled on a British fleet to Brazil, where it remained in exile until 1821. In the meantime, Portugal's overseas empire was again under threat. There was a power vacuum as the monarch was absent, foreign armies were present, and new political notions of liberalism and constitutional monarchy were exciting various groups of citizens.

   Again England came to the rescue, this time in the form of the armies of the duke of Wellington. Three successive French invasions of Portugal were defeated and expelled, and Wellington succeeded in carrying the war against Napoleon across the Portuguese frontier into Spain. The presence of the English army, the new French-born liberal ideas, and the political vacuum combined to create revolutionary conditions. The French invasions and the peninsular wars, where Portuguese armed forces played a key role, marked the beginning of a new era in politics.

   Liberalism and Constitutional Monarchy, 1822-1910

   During 1807-22, foreign invasions, war, and civil strife over conflicting political ideas gravely damaged Portugal's commerce, economy, and novice industry. The next terrible blow was the loss of Brazil in 1822, the jewel in the imperial crown. Portugal's very independence seemed to be at risk. In vain, Portugal sought to resist Brazilian independence by force, but in 1825 it formally acknowledged Brazilian independence by treaty.

   Portugal's slow recovery from the destructive French invasions and the "war of independence" was complicated by civil strife over the form of constitutional monarchy that best suited Portugal. After struggles over these issues between 1820 and 1834, Portugal settled somewhat uncertainly into a moderate constitutional monarchy whose constitution (Charter of 1826) lent it strong political powers to exert a moderating influence between the executive and legislative branches of the government. It also featured a new upper middle class based on land ownership and commerce; a Catholic Church that, although still important, lived with reduced privileges and property; a largely African (third) empire to which Lisbon and Oporto devoted increasing spiritual and material resources, starting with the liberal imperial plans of 1836 and 1851, and continuing with the work of institutions like the Lisbon Society of Geography (established 1875); and a mass of rural peasants whose bonds to the land weakened after 1850 and who began to immigrate in increasing numbers to Brazil and North America.

   Chronic military intervention in national politics began in 19th-century Portugal. Such intervention, usually commencing with coups or pronunciamentos (military revolts), was a shortcut to the spoils of political office and could reflect popular discontent as well as the power of personalities. An early example of this was the 1817 golpe (coup) attempt of General Gomes Freire against British military rule in Portugal before the return of King João VI from Brazil. Except for a more stable period from 1851 to 1880, military intervention in politics, or the threat thereof, became a feature of the constitutional monarchy's political life, and it continued into the First Republic and the subsequent Estado Novo.

   Beginning with the Regeneration period (1851-80), Portugal experienced greater political stability and economic progress. Military intervention in politics virtually ceased; industrialization and construction of railroads, roads, and bridges proceeded; two political parties (Regenerators and Historicals) worked out a system of rotation in power; and leading intellectuals sparked a cultural revival in several fields. In 19th-century literature, there was a new golden age led by such figures as Alexandre Herculano (historian), Eça de Queirós (novelist), Almeida Garrett (playwright and essayist), Antero de Quental (poet), and Joaquim Oliveira Martins (historian and social scientist). In its third overseas empire, Portugal attempted to replace the slave trade and slavery with legitimate economic activities; to reform the administration; and to expand Portuguese holdings beyond coastal footholds deep into the African hinterlands in West, West Central, and East Africa. After 1841, to some extent, and especially after 1870, colonial affairs, combined with intense nationalism, pressures for economic profit in Africa, sentiment for national revival, and the drift of European affairs would make or break Lisbon governments.

   Beginning with the political crisis that arose out of the "English Ultimatum" affair of January 1890, the monarchy became discredtted and identified with the poorly functioning government, political parties splintered, and republicanism found more supporters. Portugal participated in the "Scramble for Africa," expanding its African holdings, but failed to annex territory connecting Angola and Mozambique. A growing foreign debt and state bankruptcy as of the early 1890s damaged the constitutional monarchy's reputation, despite the efforts of King Carlos in diplomacy, the renewal of the alliance in the Windsor Treaty of 1899, and the successful if bloody colonial wars in the empire (1880-97). Republicanism proclaimed that Portugal's weak economy and poor society were due to two historic institutions: the monarchy and the Catholic Church. A republic, its stalwarts claimed, would bring greater individual liberty; efficient, if more decentralized government; and a stronger colonial program while stripping the Church of its role in both society and education.

   As the monarchy lost support and republicans became more aggressive, violence increased in politics. King Carlos I and his heir Luís were murdered in Lisbon by anarchist-republicans on 1 February 1908. Following a military and civil insurrection and fighting between monarchist and republican forces, on 5 October 1910, King Manuel II fled Portugal and a republic was proclaimed.

   First Parliamentary Republic, 1910-26

   Portugal's first attempt at republican government was the most unstable, turbulent parliamentary republic in the history of 20th-century Western Europe. During a little under 16 years of the republic, there were 45 governments, a number of legislatures that did not complete normal terms, military coups, and only one president who completed his four-year term in office. Portuguese society was poorly prepared for this political experiment. Among the deadly legacies of the monarchy were a huge public debt; a largely rural, apolitical, and illiterate peasant population; conflict over the causes of the country's misfortunes; and lack of experience with a pluralist, democratic system.

   The republic had some talented leadership but lacked popular, institutional, and economic support. The 1911 republican constitution established only a limited democracy, as only a small portion of the adult male citizenry was eligible to vote. In a country where the majority was Catholic, the republic passed harshly anticlerical laws, and its institutions and supporters persecuted both the Church and its adherents. During its brief disjointed life, the First Republic drafted important reform plans in economic, social, and educational affairs; actively promoted development in the empire; and pursued a liberal, generous foreign policy. Following British requests for Portugal's assistance in World War I, Portugal entered the war on the Allied side in March 1916 and sent armies to Flanders and Portuguese Africa. Portugal's intervention in that conflict, however, was too costly in many respects, and the ultimate failure of the republic in part may be ascribed to Portugal's World War I activities.

   Unfortunately for the republic, its time coincided with new threats to Portugal's African possessions: World War I, social and political demands from various classes that could not be reconciled, excessive military intervention in politics, and, in particular, the worst economic and financial crisis Portugal had experienced since the 16th and 17th centuries. After the original Portuguese Republican Party (PRP, also known as the "Democrats") splintered into three warring groups in 1912, no true multiparty system emerged. The Democrats, except for only one or two elections, held an iron monopoly of electoral power, and political corruption became a major issue. As extreme right-wing dictatorships elsewhere in Europe began to take power in Italy (1922), neighboring Spain (1923), and Greece (1925), what scant popular support remained for the republic collapsed. Backed by a right-wing coalition of landowners from Alentejo, clergy, Coimbra University faculty and students, Catholic organizations, and big business, career military officers led by General Gomes da Costa executed a coup on 28 May 1926, turned out the last republican government, and established a military government.

   The Estado Novo (New State), 1926-74

   During the military phase (1926-32) of the Estado Novo, professional military officers, largely from the army, governed and administered Portugal and held key cabinet posts, but soon discovered that the military possessed no magic formula that could readily solve the problems inherited from the First Republic. Especially during the years 1926-31, the military dictatorship, even with its political repression of republican activities and institutions (military censorship of the press, political police action, and closure of the republic's rowdy parliament), was characterized by similar weaknesses: personalism and factionalism; military coups and political instability, including civil strife and loss of life; state debt and bankruptcy; and a weak economy. "Barracks parliamentarism" was not an acceptable alternative even to the "Nightmare Republic."

   Led by General Óscar Carmona, who had replaced and sent into exile General Gomes da Costa, the military dictatorship turned to a civilian expert in finance and economics to break the budget impasse and bring coherence to the disorganized system. Appointed minister of finance on 27 April 1928, the Coimbra University Law School professor of economics Antônio de Oliveira Salazar (1889-1970) first reformed finance, helped balance the budget, and then turned to other concerns as he garnered extraordinary governing powers. In 1930, he was appointed interim head of another key ministry (Colonies) and within a few years had become, in effect, a civilian dictator who, with the military hierarchy's support, provided the government with coherence, a program, and a set of policies.

   For nearly 40 years after he was appointed the first civilian prime minister in 1932, Salazar's personality dominated the government. Unlike extreme right-wing dictators elsewhere in Europe, Salazar was directly appointed by the army but was never endorsed by a popular political party, street militia, or voter base. The scholarly, reclusive former Coimbra University professor built up what became known after 1932 as the Estado Novo ("New State"), which at the time of its overthrow by another military coup in 1974, was the longest surviving authoritarian regime in Western Europe. The system of Salazar and the largely academic and technocratic ruling group he gathered in his cabinets was based on the central bureaucracy of the state, which was supported by the president of the republic—always a senior career military officer, General Óscar Carmona (1928-51), General Craveiro Lopes (1951-58), and Admiral Américo Tómaz (1958-74)—and the complicity of various institutions. These included a rubber-stamp legislature called the National Assembly (1935-74) and a political police known under various names: PVDE (1932-45), PIDE (1945-69),

   and DGS (1969-74). Other defenders of the Estado Novo security were paramilitary organizations such as the National Republican Guard (GNR); the Portuguese Legion (PL); and the Portuguese Youth [Movement]. In addition to censorship of the media, theater, and books, there was political repression and a deliberate policy of depoliticization. All political parties except for the approved movement of regime loyalists, the União Nacional or (National Union), were banned.

   The most vigorous and more popular period of the New State was 1932-44, when the basic structures were established. Never monolithic or entirely the work of one person (Salazar), the New State was constructed with the assistance of several dozen top associates who were mainly academics from law schools, some technocrats with specialized skills, and a handful of trusted career military officers. The 1933 Constitution declared Portugal to be a "unitary, corporative Republic," and pressures to restore the monarchy were resisted. Although some of the regime's followers were fascists and pseudofascists, many more were conservative Catholics, integralists, nationalists, and monarchists of different varieties, and even some reactionary republicans. If the New State was authoritarian, it was not totalitarian and, unlike fascism in Benito Mussolini's Italy or Adolf Hitler's Germany, it usually employed the minimum of violence necessary to defeat what remained a largely fractious, incoherent opposition.

   With the tumultuous Second Republic and the subsequent civil war in nearby Spain, the regime felt threatened and reinforced its defenses. During what Salazar rightly perceived as a time of foreign policy crisis for Portugal (1936-45), he assumed control of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From there, he pursued four basic foreign policy objectives: supporting the Nationalist rebels of General Francisco Franco in the Spanish Civil War (1936-39) and concluding defense treaties with a triumphant Franco; ensuring that General Franco in an exhausted Spain did not enter World War II on the Axis side; maintaining Portuguese neutrality in World War II with a post-1942 tilt toward the Allies, including granting Britain and the United States use of bases in the Azores Islands; and preserving and protecting Portugal's Atlantic Islands and its extensive, if poor, overseas empire in Africa and Asia.

   During the middle years of the New State (1944-58), many key Salazar associates in government either died or resigned, and there was greater social unrest in the form of unprecedented strikes and clandestine Communist activities, intensified opposition, and new threatening international pressures on Portugal's overseas empire. During the earlier phase of the Cold War (1947-60), Portugal became a steadfast, if weak, member of the US-dominated North Atlantic Treaty Organization alliance and, in 1955, with American support, Portugal joined the United Nations (UN). Colonial affairs remained a central concern of the regime. As of 1939, Portugal was the third largest colonial power in the world and possessed territories in tropical Africa (Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, and São Tomé and Príncipe Islands) and the remnants of its 16th-century empire in Asia (Goa, Damão, Diu, East Timor, and Macau). Beginning in the early 1950s, following the independence of India in 1947, Portugal resisted Indian pressures to decolonize Portuguese India and used police forces to discourage internal opposition in its Asian and African colonies.

   The later years of the New State (1958-68) witnessed the aging of the increasingly isolated but feared Salazar and new threats both at home and overseas. Although the regime easily overcame the brief oppositionist threat from rival presidential candidate General Humberto Delgado in the spring of 1958, new developments in the African and Asian empires imperiled the authoritarian system. In February 1961, oppositionists hijacked the Portuguese ocean liner Santa Maria and, in following weeks, African insurgents in northern Angola, although they failed to expel the Portuguese, gained worldwide media attention, discredited the New State, and began the 13-year colonial war. After thwarting a dissident military coup against his continued leadership, Salazar and his ruling group mobilized military repression in Angola and attempted to develop the African colonies at a faster pace in order to ensure Portuguese control. Meanwhile, the other European colonial powers (Britain, France, Belgium, and Spain) rapidly granted political independence to their African territories.

   At the time of Salazar's removal from power in September 1968, following a stroke, Portugal's efforts to maintain control over its colonies appeared to be successful. President Americo Tomás appointed Dr. Marcello Caetano as Salazar's successor as prime minister. While maintaining the New State's basic structures, and continuing the regime's essential colonial policy, Caetano attempted wider reforms in colonial administration and some devolution of power from Lisbon, as well as more freedom of expression in Lisbon. Still, a great deal of the budget was devoted to supporting the wars against the insurgencies in Africa. Meanwhile in Asia, Portuguese India had fallen when the Indian army invaded in December 1961. The loss of Goa was a psychological blow to the leadership of the New State, and of the Asian empire only East Timor and Macau remained.

   The Caetano years (1968-74) were but a hiatus between the waning Salazar era and a new regime. There was greater political freedom and rapid economic growth (5-6 percent annually to late 1973), but Caetano's government was unable to reform the old system thoroughly and refused to consider new methods either at home or in the empire. In the end, regime change came from junior officers of the professional military who organized the Armed Forces Movement (MFA) against the Caetano government. It was this group of several hundred officers, mainly in the army and navy, which engineered a largely bloodless coup in Lisbon on 25 April 1974. Their unexpected action brought down the 48-year-old New State and made possible the eventual establishment and consolidation of democratic governance in Portugal, as well as a reorientation of the country away from the Atlantic toward Europe.

   Revolution of Carnations, 1974-76

   Following successful military operations of the Armed Forces Movement against the Caetano government, Portugal experienced what became known as the "Revolution of Carnations." It so happened that during the rainy week of the military golpe, Lisbon flower shops were featuring carnations, and the revolutionaries and their supporters adopted the red carnation as the common symbol of the event, as well as of the new freedom from dictatorship. The MFA, whose leaders at first were mostly little-known majors and captains, proclaimed a three-fold program of change for the new Portugal: democracy; decolonization of the overseas empire, after ending the colonial wars; and developing a backward economy in the spirit of opportunity and equality. During the first 24 months after the coup, there was civil strife, some anarchy, and a power struggle. With the passing of the Estado Novo, public euphoria burst forth as the new provisional military government proclaimed the freedoms of speech, press, and assembly, and abolished censorship, the political police, the Portuguese Legion, Portuguese Youth, and other New State organizations, including the National Union. Scores of political parties were born and joined the senior political party, the Portuguese Community Party (PCP), and the Socialist Party (PS), founded shortly before the coup.

   Portugal's Revolution of Carnations went through several phases. There was an attempt to take control by radical leftists, including the PCP and its allies. This was thwarted by moderate officers in the army, as well as by the efforts of two political parties: the PS and the Social Democrats (PPD, later PSD). The first phase was from April to September 1974. Provisional president General Antonio Spínola, whose 1974 book Portugal and the Future had helped prepare public opinion for the coup, met irresistible leftist pressures. After Spinola's efforts to avoid rapid decolonization of the African empire failed, he resigned in September 1974. During the second phase, from September 1974 to March 1975, radical military officers gained control, but a coup attempt by General Spínola and his supporters in Lisbon in March 1975 failed and Spínola fled to Spain.

   In the third phase of the Revolution, March-November 1975, a strong leftist reaction followed. Farm workers occupied and "nationalized" 1.1 million hectares of farmland in the Alentejo province, and radical military officers in the provisional government ordered the nationalization of Portuguese banks (foreign banks were exempted), utilities, and major industries, or about 60 percent of the economic system. There were power struggles among various political parties — a total of 50 emerged—and in the streets there was civil strife among labor, military, and law enforcement groups. A constituent assembly, elected on 25 April 1975, in Portugal's first free elections since 1926, drafted a democratic constitution. The Council of the Revolution (CR), briefly a revolutionary military watchdog committee, was entrenched as part of the government under the constitution, until a later revision. During the chaotic year of 1975, about 30 persons were killed in political frays while unstable provisional governments came and went. On 25 November 1975, moderate military forces led by Colonel Ramalho Eanes, who later was twice elected president of the republic (1976 and 1981), defeated radical, leftist military groups' revolutionary conspiracies.

   In the meantime, Portugal's scattered overseas empire experienced a precipitous and unprepared decolonization. One by one, the former colonies were granted and accepted independence—Guinea-Bissau (September 1974), Cape Verde Islands (July 1975), and Mozambique (July 1975). Portugal offered to turn over Macau to the People's Republic of China, but the offer was refused then and later negotiations led to the establishment of a formal decolonization or hand-over date of 1999. But in two former colonies, the process of decolonization had tragic results.

   In Angola, decolonization negotiations were greatly complicated by the fact that there were three rival nationalist movements in a struggle for power. The January 1975 Alvor Agreement signed by Portugal and these three parties was not effectively implemented. A bloody civil war broke out in Angola in the spring of 1975 and, when Portuguese armed forces withdrew and declared that Angola was independent on 11 November 1975, the bloodshed only increased. Meanwhile, most of the white Portuguese settlers from Angola and Mozambique fled during the course of 1975. Together with African refugees, more than 600,000 of these retornados ("returned ones") went by ship and air to Portugal and thousands more to Namibia, South Africa, Brazil, Canada, and the United States.

   The second major decolonization disaster was in Portugal's colony of East Timor in the Indonesian archipelago. Portugal's capacity to supervise and control a peaceful transition to independence in this isolated, neglected colony was limited by the strength of giant Indonesia, distance from Lisbon, and Portugal's revolutionary disorder and inability to defend Timor. In early December 1975, before Portugal granted formal independence and as one party, FRETILIN, unilaterally declared East Timor's independence, Indonesia's armed forces invaded, conquered, and annexed East Timor. Indonesian occupation encountered East Timorese resistance, and a heavy loss of life followed. The East Timor question remained a contentious international issue in the UN, as well as in Lisbon and Jakarta, for more than 20 years following Indonesia's invasion and annexation of the former colony of Portugal. Major changes occurred, beginning in 1998, after Indonesia underwent a political revolution and allowed a referendum in East Timor to decide that territory's political future in August 1999. Most East Timorese chose independence, but Indonesian forces resisted that verdict until

   UN intervention in September 1999. Following UN rule for several years, East Timor attained full independence on 20 May 2002.

   Consolidation of Democracy, 1976-2000

   After several free elections and record voter turnouts between 25 April 1975 and June 1976, civil war was averted and Portugal's second democratic republic began to stabilize. The MFA was dissolved, the military were returned to the barracks, and increasingly elected civilians took over the government of the country. The 1976 Constitution was revised several times beginning in 1982 and 1989, in order to reempha-size the principle of free enterprise in the economy while much of the large, nationalized sector was privatized. In June 1976, General Ram-alho Eanes was elected the first constitutional president of the republic (five-year term), and he appointed socialist leader Dr. Mário Soares as prime minister of the first constitutional government.

   From 1976 to 1985, Portugal's new system featured a weak economy and finances, labor unrest, and administrative and political instability. The difficult consolidation of democratic governance was eased in part by the strong currency and gold reserves inherited from the Estado Novo, but Lisbon seemed unable to cope with high unemployment, new debt, the complex impact of the refugees from Africa, world recession, and the agitation of political parties. Four major parties emerged from the maelstrom of 1974-75, except for the Communist Party, all newly founded. They were, from left to right, the Communists (PCP); the Socialists (PS), who managed to dominate governments and the legislature but not win a majority in the Assembly of the Republic; the Social Democrats (PSD); and the Christian Democrats (CDS). During this period, the annual growth rate was low (l-2 percent), and the nationalized sector of the economy stagnated.

   Enhanced economic growth, greater political stability, and more effective central government as of 1985, and especially 1987, were due to several developments. In 1977, Portugal applied for membership in the European Economic Community (EEC), now the European Union (EU) since 1993. In January 1986, with Spain, Portugal was granted membership, and economic and financial progress in the intervening years has been significantly influenced by the comparatively large investment, loans, technology, advice, and other assistance from the EEC. Low unemployment, high annual growth rates (5 percent), and moderate inflation have also been induced by the new political and administrative stability in Lisbon. Led by Prime Minister Cavaco Silva, an economist who was trained abroad, the PSD's strong organization, management, and electoral support since 1985 have assisted in encouraging economic recovery and development. In 1985, the PSD turned the PS out of office and won the general election, although they did not have an absolute majority of assembly seats. In 1986, Mário Soares was elected president of the republic, the first civilian to hold that office since the First Republic. In the elections of 1987 and 1991, however, the PSD was returned to power with clear majorities of over 50 percent of the vote.

   Although the PSD received 50.4 percent of the vote in the 1991 parliamentary elections and held a 42-seat majority in the Assembly of the Republic, the party began to lose public support following media revelations regarding corruption and complaints about Prime Minister Cavaco Silva's perceived arrogant leadership style. President Mário Soares voiced criticism of the PSD's seemingly untouchable majority and described a "tyranny of the majority." Economic growth slowed down. In the parliamentary elections of 1995 and the presidential election of 1996, the PSD's dominance ended for the time being. Prime Minister Antônio Guterres came to office when the PS won the October 1995 elections, and in the subsequent presidential contest, in January 1996, socialist Jorge Sampaio, the former mayor of Lisbon, was elected president of the republic, thus defeating Cavaco Silva's bid. Young and popular, Guterres moved the PS toward the center of the political spectrum. Under Guterres, the PS won the October 1999 parliamentary elections. The PS defeated the PSD but did not manage to win a clear, working majority of seats, and this made the PS dependent upon alliances with smaller parties, including the PCP.

   In the local elections in December 2001, the PSD's criticism of PS's heavy public spending allowed the PSD to take control of the key cities of Lisbon, Oporto, and Coimbra. Guterres resigned, and parliamentary elections were brought forward from 2004 to March 2002. The PSD won a narrow victory with 40 percent of the votes, and Jose Durão Barroso became prime minister. Having failed to win a majority of the seats in parliament forced the PSD to govern in coalition with the right-wing Popular Party (PP) led by Paulo Portas. Durão Barroso set about reducing government spending by cutting the budgets of local authorities, freezing civil service hiring, and reviving the economy by accelerating privatization of state-owned enterprises. These measures provoked a 24-hour strike by public-sector workers. Durão Barroso reacted with vows to press ahead with budget-cutting measures and imposed a wage freeze on all employees earning more than €1,000, which affected more than one-half of Portugal's work force.

   In June 2004, Durão Barroso was invited by Romano Prodi to succeed him as president of the European Commission. Durão Barroso accepted and resigned the prime ministership in July. Pedro Santana Lopes, the leader of the PSD, became prime minister. Already unpopular at the time of Durão Barroso's resignation, the PSD-led government became increasingly unpopular under Santana Lopes. A month-long delay in the start of the school year and confusion over his plan to cut taxes and raise public-sector salaries, eroded confidence even more. By November, Santana Lopes's government was so unpopular that President Jorge Sampaio was obliged to dissolve parliament and hold new elections, two years ahead of schedule.

   Parliamentary elections were held on 20 February 2005. The PS, which had promised the electorate disciplined and transparent governance, educational reform, the alleviation of poverty, and a boost in employment, won 45 percent of the vote and the majority of the seats in parliament. The leader of the PS, José Sôcrates became prime minister on 12 March 2005. In the regularly scheduled presidential elections held on 6 January 2006, the former leader of the PSD and prime minister, Aníbal Cavaco Silva, won a narrow victory and became president on 9 March 2006. With a mass protest, public teachers' strike, and street demonstrations in March 2008, Portugal's media, educational, and social systems experienced more severe pressures. With the spreading global recession beginning in September 2008, Portugal's economic and financial systems became more troubled.

    Contemporary Portugal

   Owing to its geographic location on the southwestern most edge of continental Europe, Portugal has been historically in but not of Europe. Almost from the beginning of its existence in the 12th century as an independent monarchy, Portugal turned its back on Europe and oriented itself toward the Atlantic Ocean. After carving out a Christian kingdom on the western portion of the Iberian peninsula, Portuguese kings gradually built and maintained a vast seaborne global empire that became central to the way Portugal understood its individuality as a nation-state. While the creation of this empire allows Portugal to claim an unusual number of "firsts" or distinctions in world and Western history, it also retarded Portugal's economic, social, and political development. It can be reasonably argued that the Revolution of 25 April 1974 was the most decisive event in Portugal's long history because it finally ended Portugal's oceanic mission and view of itself as an imperial power. After the 1974 Revolution, Portugal turned away from its global mission and vigorously reoriented itself toward Europe. Contemporary Portugal is now both in and of Europe.

   The turn toward Europe began immediately after 25 April 1974. Portugal granted independence to its African colonies in 1975. It was admitted to the European Council and took the first steps toward accession to the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1976. On 28 March 1977, the Portuguese government officially applied for EEC membership. Because of Portugal's economic and social backwardness, which would require vast sums of EEC money to overcome, negotiations for membership were long and difficult. Finally, a treaty of accession was signed on 12 June 1985. Portugal officially joined the EEC (the European Union [EU] since 1993) on 1 January 1986. Since becoming a full-fledged member of the EU, Portugal has been steadily overcoming the economic and social underdevelopment caused by its imperial past and is becoming more like the rest of Europe.

   Membership in the EU has speeded up the structural transformation of Portugal's economy, which actually began during the Estado Novo. Investments made by the Estado Novo in Portugal's economy began to shift employment out of the agricultural sector, which, in 1950, accounted for 50 percent of Portugal's economically active population. Today, only 10 percent of the economically active population is employed in the agricultural sector (the highest among EU member states); 30 percent in the industrial sector (also the highest among EU member states); and 60 percent in the service sector (the lowest among EU member states). The economically active population numbers about 5,000,000 employed, 56 percent of whom are women. Women workers are the majority of the workforce in the agricultural and service sectors (the highest among the EU member states). The expansion of the service sector has been primarily in health care and education. Portugal has had the lowest unemployment rates among EU member states, with the overall rate never being more than 10 percent of the active population. Since joining the EU, the number of employers increased from 2.6 percent to 5.8 percent of the active population; self-employed from 16 to 19 percent; and employees from 65 to 70 percent. Twenty-six percent of the employers are women. Unemployment tends to hit younger workers in industry and transportation, women employed in domestic service, workers on short-term contracts, and poorly educated workers. Salaried workers earn only 63 percent of the EU average, and hourly workers only one-third to one-half of that earned by their EU counterparts. Despite having had the second highest growth of gross national product (GNP) per inhabitant (after Ireland) among EU member states, the above data suggest that while much has been accomplished in terms of modernizing the Portuguese economy, much remains to be done to bring Portugal's economy up to the level of the "average" EU member state.

   Membership in the EU has also speeded up changes in Portuguese society. Over the last 30 years, coastalization and urbanization have intensified. Fully 50 percent of Portuguese live in the coastal urban conurbations of Lisbon, Oporto, Braga, Aveiro, Coimbra, Viseu, Évora, and Faro. The Portuguese population is one of the oldest among EU member states (17.3 percent are 65 years of age or older) thanks to a considerable increase in life expectancy at birth (77.87 years for the total population, 74.6 years for men, 81.36 years for women) and one of the lowest birthrates (10.59 births/1,000) in Europe. Family size averages 2.8 persons per household, with the strict nuclear family (one or two generations) in which both parents work being typical. Common law marriages, cohabitating couples, and single-parent households are more and more common. The divorce rate has also increased. "Youth Culture" has developed. The young have their own meeting places, leisure-time activities, and nightlife (bars, clubs, and discos).

   All Portuguese citizens, whether they have contributed or not, have a right to an old-age pension, invalidity benefits, widowed persons' pension, as well as payments for disabilities, children, unemployment, and large families. There is a national minimum wage (€385 per month), which is low by EU standards. The rapid aging of Portugal's population has changed the ratio of contributors to pensioners to 1.7, the lowest in the EU. This has created deficits in Portugal's social security fund.

   The adult literacy rate is about 92 percent. Illiteracy is still found among the elderly. Although universal compulsory education up to grade 9 was achieved in 1980, only 21.2 percent of the population aged 25-64 had undergone secondary education, compared to an EU average of 65.7 percent. Portugal's higher education system currently consists of 14 state universities and 14 private universities, 15 state polytechnic institutions, one Catholic university, and one military academy. All in all, Portugal spends a greater percentage of its state budget on education than most EU member states. Despite this high level of expenditure, the troubled Portuguese education system does not perform well. Early leaving and repetition rates are among the highest among EU member states.

   After the Revolution of 25 April 1974, Portugal created a National Health Service, which today consists of 221 hospitals and 512 medical centers employing 33,751 doctors and 41,799 nurses. Like its education system, Portugal's medical system is inefficient. There are long waiting lists for appointments with specialists and for surgical procedures.

   Structural changes in Portugal's economy and society mean that social life in Portugal is not too different from that in other EU member states. A mass consumption society has been created. Televisions, telephones, refrigerators, cars, music equipment, mobile phones, and personal computers are commonplace. Sixty percent of Portuguese households possess at least one automobile, and 65 percent of Portuguese own their own home. Portuguese citizens are more aware of their legal rights than ever before. This has resulted in a trebling of the number of legal proceeding since 1960 and an eight-fold increase in the number of lawyers. In general, Portuguese society has become more permissive and secular; the Catholic Church and the armed forces are much less influential than in the past. Portugal's population is also much more culturally, religiously, and ethnically diverse, a consequence of the coming to Portugal of hundreds of thousands of immigrants, mainly from former African colonies.

   Portuguese are becoming more cosmopolitan and sophisticated through the impact of world media, the Internet, and the World Wide Web. A prime case in point came in the summer and early fall of 1999, with the extraordinary events in East Timor and the massive Portuguese popular responses. An internationally monitored referendum in East Timor, Portugal's former colony in the Indonesian archipelago and under Indonesian occupation from late 1975 to summer 1999, resulted in a vote of 78.5 percent for rejecting integration with Indonesia and for independence. When Indonesian prointegration gangs, aided by the Indonesian military, responded to the referendum with widespread brutality and threatened to reverse the verdict of the referendum, there was a spontaneous popular outpouring of protest in the cities and towns of Portugal. An avalanche of Portuguese e-mail fell on leaders and groups in the UN and in certain countries around the world as Portugal's diplomats, perhaps to compensate for the weak initial response to Indonesian armed aggression in 1975, called for the protection of East Timor as an independent state and for UN intervention to thwart Indonesian action. Using global communications networks, the Portuguese were able to mobilize UN and world public opinion against Indonesian actions and aided the eventual independence of East Timor on 20 May 2002.

   From the Revolution of 25 April 1974 until the 1990s, Portugal had a large number of political parties, one of the largest Communist parties in western Europe, frequent elections, and endemic cabinet instability. Since the 1990s, the number of political parties has been dramatically reduced and cabinet stability increased. Gradually, the Portuguese electorate has concentrated around two larger parties, the right-of-center Social Democrats (PSD) and the left-of-center Socialist (PS). In the 1980s, these two parties together garnered 65 percent of the vote and 70 percent of the seats in parliament. In 2005, these percentages had risen to 74 percent and 85 percent, respectively. In effect, Portugal is currently a two-party dominant system in which the two largest parties — PS and PSD—alternate in and out of power, not unlike the rotation of the two main political parties (the Regenerators and the Historicals) during the last decades (1850s to 1880s) of the liberal constitutional monarchy. As Portugal's democracy has consolidated, turnout rates for the eligible electorate have declined. In the 1970s, turnout was 85 percent. In Portugal's most recent parliamentary election (2005), turnout had fallen to 65 percent of the eligible electorate.

   Portugal has benefited greatly from membership in the EU, and whatever doubts remain about the price paid for membership, no Portuguese government in the near future can afford to sever this connection. The vast majority of Portuguese citizens see membership in the EU as a "good thing" and strongly believe that Portugal has benefited from membership. Only the Communist Party opposed membership because it reduces national sovereignty, serves the interests of capitalists not workers, and suffers from a democratic deficit. Despite the high level of support for the EU, Portuguese voters are increasingly not voting in elections for the European Parliament, however. Turnout for European Parliament elections fell from 40 percent of the eligible electorate in the 1999 elections to 38 percent in the 2004 elections.

   In sum, Portugal's turn toward Europe has done much to overcome its backwardness. However, despite the economic, social, and political progress made since 1986, Portugal has a long way to go before it can claim to be on a par with the level found even in Spain, much less the rest of western Europe. As Portugal struggles to move from underde-velopment, especially in the rural areas away from the coast, it must keep in mind the perils of too rapid modern development, which could damage two of its most precious assets: its scenery and environment. The growth and future prosperity of the economy will depend on the degree to which the government and the private sector will remain stewards of clean air, soil, water, and other finite resources on which the tourism industry depends and on which Portugal's world image as a unique place to visit rests. Currently, Portugal is investing heavily in renewable energy from solar, wind, and wave power in order to account for about 50 percent of its electricity needs by 2010. Portugal opened the world's largest solar power plant and the world's first commercial wave power farm in 2006.

   An American documentary film on Portugal produced in the 1970s described this little country as having "a Past in Search of a Future." In the years after the Revolution of 25 April 1974, it could be said that Portugal is now living in "a Present in Search of a Future." Increasingly, that future lies in Europe as an active and productive member of the EU.

Historical dictionary of Portugal > Historical Portugal
8 crack

I 1. [kræk]
nome

1) (in varnish) screpolatura f.; (in wall, cup, mirror, ground) crepa f., incrinatura f. (anche fig.); (in bone) incrinatura f.

2) (narrow opening) (in rock) crepa f., fenditura f.; (in door, curtains) fessura f., spiraglio m.

to open the door a crack — aprire appena la porta

3) (drug) (anche crack cocaine) crack m.

4) (noise) (of twig, bone) scricchiolio m., scrocchio m.; (of whip) schiocco m.; (of shot) schianto m., scoppio m.

5) colloq. (attempt) prova f., tentativo m.

to have a crack at doing — tentare di fare

to have a crack at — fare il tentativo di conquistare [ title]; cercare di battere [ record]

6) colloq. (jibe) battuta f., frecciata f. ( about su); (joke) motto m. di spirito, barzelletta f. ( about su)

a cheap crack — una barzelletta di cattivo gusto
2.
aggettivo attrib. [ player] di prim'ordine, eccellente; [troops, shot] ottimo

••

to have a fair crack of the whip — avere un'ottima chance
II 1. [kræk]
verbo transitivo

1) (make a crack in) (fare) incrinare [mirror, bone, wall, cup]; (make fine cracks in) (fare) screpolare [ varnish]

2) (break) schiacciare [ nut]; rompere [egg, casing]

to crack a safe — forzare una cassaforte

to crack sth. open — aprire qcs.

to crack one's head open — colloq. rompersi la testa

3) (solve) risolvere [ problem]; decifrare [ code]

I've cracked it — colloq. ci sono arrivato, ho capito

4) (make cracking sound with) schioccare [ whip]; fare schioccare, fare scrocchiare [ knuckles]

to crack sb. on the head — colpire qcn. alla testa

to crack one's head on sth. — picchiare la testa su qcs.

to crack the whip — fig. farsi sentire

5) (overcome) spezzare, sconfiggere [defences, opposition]

6)

to crack a joke — raccontare una barzelletta, fare una battuta
2.
verbo intransitivo

1) (develop cracks) [ bone] incrinarsi; [mirror, cup, wall, ice] incrinarsi, creparsi, spaccarsi; [ varnish] creparsi, screpolarsi; [ skin] screpolarsi; [ ground] fendersi

2) (cease to resist) [ person] cedere, crollare

he cracks under pressure — crolla se si trova sotto pressione

3) (make sharp sound) [knuckles, twig] schioccare, scrocchiare; [ whip] schioccare

4) [ voice] rompersi, incrinarsi

•

- crack down

- crack up

••

not all o not as good as it's cracked up to be non così bravo come tutti dicevano; to get cracking — darsi da fare, muoversi

* * *
[kræk] 1. verb
1) (to (cause to) break partly without falling to pieces: The window cracked down the middle.) rompersi, incrinarsi

2) (to break (open): He cracked the peanuts between his finger and thumb.) schiacciare, spaccare

3) (to make a sudden sharp sound of breaking: The twig cracked as I stepped on it.) rompersi

4) (to make (a joke): He's always cracking jokes.) raccontare

5) (to open (a safe) by illegal means.) scassinare

6) (to solve (a code).) decifrare

7) (to give in to torture or similar pressures: The spy finally cracked under their questioning and told them everything he knew.) cedere
2. noun
1) (a split or break: There's a crack in this cup.) incrinatura

2) (a narrow opening: The door opened a crack.) fessura

3) (a sudden sharp sound: the crack of whip.) schiocco

4) (a blow: a crack on the jaw.) colpo, botta

5) (a joke: He made a crack about my big feet.) battuta

6) (a very addictive drug: He died of too much crack with alcohol) crack
3. adjective
(expert: a crack racing-driver.) formidabile

- cracked
- crackdown
- cracker
- crackers
- crack a book
- crack down on
- crack down
- get cracking
- have a crack at
- have a crack
* * *
crack (1) /kræk/
A n.

1 crac; schianto; schiocco; detonazione; colpo: the crack of a whip, lo schiocco d'una frusta

2 fessura; fenditura; incrinatura; crepa; screpolatura: The vase has a crack in it, il vaso ha un'incrinatura; The windscreen of that car is full of cracks, il parabrezza di quella macchina è tutto incrinato; Open the window just a crack, please, per favore, fa' una fessura (o uno spiraglio) alla finestra; a crack in the ice, una crepa nel ghiaccio

3 forte colpo; botta; percossa: He gave me a crack on the head, mi diede una botta sulla testa (o uno scappellotto)

4 [u] il mutare della voce ( per raucedine, emozione, o durante la pubertà): crack-voiced, dalla voce fessa

5 (fam., = wisecrack) battuta (di spirito); frizzo

6 attimo; istante: in a crack, in un attimo

7 (fam., sport, = crack player) asso; campione; fuoriclasse

8 ( slang) effrazione; furto con scasso

9 (solo sing.) ( slang) tentativo; prova: to have (o to take) a crack at st., tentare di fare qc.

10 (metall.) cricca

11 (ipp.) crack; cavallo di prim'ordine

12 [u] ( droga, = crack cocaine) crack

13 (solo sing.) (fam.) opportunità; occasione

14 [u] (fam. irl., anche craic) spasso; divertimento: just for the crack, soltanto per divertirsi; per gioco

15 (dial. scozz.) chiacchierata

16 ( Internet) crack (intrusione illegale in un sistema informatico oppure la disattivazione dei meccanismi di protezione di un software)

B a. (fam.)

1 di prim'ordine; eccellente; ottimo; fuoriclasse; formidabile (fam.): He's a crack shot, è un tiratore formidabile

2 (mil., sport) scelto; speciale: a crack regiment, un reggimento scelto; crack police force, reparto speciale di polizia ( ben addestrato, ecc.)

● crack-brain, scemo; matto □ crack-brained, bizzarro, strambo; tocco; picchiatello; pazzesco: a crack-brained plan, un progetto pazzesco □ ( droga) crack cocaine, crack □ crack house, locale dove si può consumare o comprare crack ( la droga) □ (antiq., scherz.) the crack of doom, il giorno del Giudizio Universale □ (fam.) a crack shot, un gran tiratore; un tiratore infallibile □ at the crack of dawn (o of day), all'alba; allo spuntar del giorno □ (fam. GB) a fair crack of the whip, l'opportunità di poter fare qualcosa □ (fig.) to paper over the cracks, coprire (o mascherare) i difetti □ (fam. USA) to slip (o to fall) through the cracks, andare perso; venir trascurato.
crack (2) /kræk/
inter.

crac!; bum!; pum!
♦ (to) crack /kræk/
A v. i.

1 incrinarsi; creparsi; screpolarsi; fendersi; spaccarsi: Suddenly the ice cracked, all'improvviso il ghiaccio s'incrinò; The enamel had cracked, lo smalto si era screpolato; Their marriage is starting to crack, il loro matrimonio si sta incrinando

2 cedere (psicologicamente); crollare: to crack under the strain, crollare per la tensione; The prisoner cracked under torture, messo alla tortura, il prigioniero è crollato

3 crepitare; ( di frusta) schioccare; ( di giunture) scrocchiare: The machine guns were cracking, le mitragliatrici crepitavano

4 urtare, sbattere ( con un rumore secco)

5 ( della voce) incrinarsi; rompersi

6 (fam. USA) andare a una festa senza avere l'invito

7 (chim.) subire la piroscissione

B v. t.

1 rompere; schiacciare: to crack an egg, rompere un uovo; to crack nuts, rompere, schiacciare noci

2 far crollare ( psicologicamente)

3 (far) schioccare; (far) scrocchiare: to crack the whip, schioccare la frusta; to crack one's finger joints, far scrocchiare le dita

4 (far) incrinare; far screpolare; far crepare: to crack a vase, incrinare un vaso; The heat has cracked the paint, il calore ha fatto screpolare la vernice

5 spezzare; sconfiggere: to crack an opponent's resistance, spezzare la resistenza di un avversario

6 urtare, picchiare, sbattere ( con un rumore secco): to crack one's head on the floor, picchiare la testa sul pavimento

7 colpire; picchiare: to crack sb. over his head, colpire q. sulla testa

8 risolvere ( un problema, un caso, ecc.); decifrare ( un codice, ecc.); sbrogliare ( una difficoltà)

9 (fam.) stappare (o aprire) e bere: to crack a beer, aprire una birra; to crack a bottle with sb., bere una bottiglia con q.

10 forzare, scassinare ( una cassaforte)

11 (fam.) riuscire a entrare in; sfondare: ( di libro, disco, ecc.) to crack the top list, piazzarsi fra i primi; sfondare; to crack the most exclusive literary circles in London, riuscire a entrare (o a sfondare) nei circoli letterari più chiusi di Londra

12 (chim.) scindere; sottoporre a piroscissione

13 ( Internet) infrangere la sicurezza, accedere e usare illegalmente ( sistemi o programmi protetti); craccare ( gergo)

● to crack a joke, raccontare una barzelletta; fare una battuta □ (fam.) to crack a smile, aprirsi in un sorriso □ (fam. USA) to crack a book, aprire un libro ( per studiare) □ (fam.) to crack open, aprire; ( anche) demolire ( una tesi, ecc.) □ (fig.) to crack the whip, schioccare la frusta (fig.); farsi sentire (fig.); farsi obbedire □ (fam. USA) to crack wise, fare lo spiritoso; dire spiritosaggini □ (fam.) to get cracking, darsi da fare; muoversi; darsi una mossa; darci dentro; DIALOGO → - Coursework- I need to get cracking on the coursework this weekend, mi devo mettere sotto con il compito nel fine settimana.

* * *
I 1. [kræk]
nome

1) (in varnish) screpolatura f.; (in wall, cup, mirror, ground) crepa f., incrinatura f. (anche fig.); (in bone) incrinatura f.

2) (narrow opening) (in rock) crepa f., fenditura f.; (in door, curtains) fessura f., spiraglio m.

to open the door a crack — aprire appena la porta

3) (drug) (anche crack cocaine) crack m.

4) (noise) (of twig, bone) scricchiolio m., scrocchio m.; (of whip) schiocco m.; (of shot) schianto m., scoppio m.

5) colloq. (attempt) prova f., tentativo m.

to have a crack at doing — tentare di fare

to have a crack at — fare il tentativo di conquistare [ title]; cercare di battere [ record]

6) colloq. (jibe) battuta f., frecciata f. ( about su); (joke) motto m. di spirito, barzelletta f. ( about su)

a cheap crack — una barzelletta di cattivo gusto
2.
aggettivo attrib. [ player] di prim'ordine, eccellente; [troops, shot] ottimo

••

to have a fair crack of the whip — avere un'ottima chance
II 1. [kræk]
verbo transitivo

1) (make a crack in) (fare) incrinare [mirror, bone, wall, cup]; (make fine cracks in) (fare) screpolare [ varnish]

2) (break) schiacciare [ nut]; rompere [egg, casing]

to crack a safe — forzare una cassaforte

to crack sth. open — aprire qcs.

to crack one's head open — colloq. rompersi la testa

3) (solve) risolvere [ problem]; decifrare [ code]

I've cracked it — colloq. ci sono arrivato, ho capito

4) (make cracking sound with) schioccare [ whip]; fare schioccare, fare scrocchiare [ knuckles]

to crack sb. on the head — colpire qcn. alla testa

to crack one's head on sth. — picchiare la testa su qcs.

to crack the whip — fig. farsi sentire

5) (overcome) spezzare, sconfiggere [defences, opposition]

6)

to crack a joke — raccontare una barzelletta, fare una battuta
2.
verbo intransitivo

1) (develop cracks) [ bone] incrinarsi; [mirror, cup, wall, ice] incrinarsi, creparsi, spaccarsi; [ varnish] creparsi, screpolarsi; [ skin] screpolarsi; [ ground] fendersi

2) (cease to resist) [ person] cedere, crollare

he cracks under pressure — crolla se si trova sotto pressione

3) (make sharp sound) [knuckles, twig] schioccare, scrocchiare; [ whip] schioccare

4) [ voice] rompersi, incrinarsi

•

- crack down

- crack up

••

not all o not as good as it's cracked up to be non così bravo come tutti dicevano; to get cracking — darsi da fare, muoversi

English-Italian dictionary > crack
9 paso

adj.

dried.

intj.

open up, gangway.

m.

1 passing.

el paso del tiempo the passage of time

con el paso de los años as the years go by

el Ebro, a su paso por Zaragoza the Ebro, as it flows through Zaragoza

su paso fugaz por la universidad his brief spell at the university

abrir paso a alguien (también figurative) to make way for somebody

abrirse paso entre la multitud to make o force one's way through the crowd

ceder el paso (a alguien) to let (somebody) past; to give way (to somebody) (automobiles)

ceda el paso give way (en letrero) (British), yield (United States)

de paso in passing; (de pasada) while I'm/you're/etc at it (aprovechando)

prohibido el paso no entry (en letrero)

paso del ecuador = (celebration marking) halfway stage in a university course

2 step.

dar un paso adelante o al frente to step forward, to take a step forward

3 walk.

a paso ligero at a brisk pace

marcar el paso to keep time

a este paso no acabaremos nunca at this rate we'll never finish

4 step (etapa, acontecimiento).

dar los pasos necesarios to take the necessary steps

paso a paso step by step

5 crossing (cruce).

paso de cebra zebra crossing (British), = pedestrian crossing marked with black and white lines

paso elevado flyover (British), overpass (United States)

paso fronterizo border crossing (point)

paso a nivel level crossing (British), grade crossing (United States)

paso peatonal o de peatones pedestrian crossing

paso subterráneo subway (British), underpass (United States)

6 pass (geography) (en montaña).

7 step in a process, stride, move.

8 passage, pass, crossing point.

9 pace, walking pace.

10 gateway.

pres.indicat.

1^st person singular (yo) present indicative of spanish verb: pasar.

* * *

paso

► nombre masculino

1 (movimiento) step, footstep

■ ¡no des ni un paso más! don't move another step!

■ he oído pasos I heard footsteps

2 (distancia) pace

3 (camino) passage, way

4 (avance) progress, advance

5 (trámite) step, move

6 (de montaña) mountain pass; (de mar) strait

7 RELIGIÓN float (used in Holy Week processions)

\

FRASEOLOGÍA

a cada paso at every turn

a paso de tortuga at a snail's pace

abrirse paso to force one's way through

apretar el paso to hurry

cerrarle el paso a alguien to block somebody' s way

dar paso a (hacer posible) to pave the way for 2 (provocar) to give rise to 3 (dejar pasar) to let through, make way for 4 (pasar a) to move on to

dar sus primeros pasos to start walking

dar un paso en falso (al andar) to lose one's footing 2 (equivocarse) to make a false move

estar a un paso/a dos pasos to be very close

■ estamos a un paso de encontrar la solución the solution is just around the corner

estar de paso to be passing through

hacer algo de paso to do something as well

■ de paso, tráeme tabaco while you're there, get me some cigarettes

no dar un paso sin... not to do a thing without...

paso a paso step by step

'Prohibido el paso' "No entry"

salir al paso de alguien to waylay somebody

salir al paso de algo to forestall something

seguirle los pasos a alguien to follow somebody close behind 2 figurado to follow in somebody's footsteps

ceda el paso (señal) give way sign, US yield sign

paso a nivel level crossing, US grade crossing

paso de cebra zebra crossing

paso de peatones pedestrian crossing

paso del ecuador half-way point (in university studies)

paso elevado flyover

paso subterráneo (de peatones) subway

* * *

noun m.

1) passage

2) footstep

3) pace

4) way

* * *
I
ADJ dried

higo paso — dried fig

ciruela pasa — prune

uva pasa — raisin
II
1. SM

1) (=acción de pasar)

contemplaban el paso de la procesión desde un balcón — they watched the procession go by from a balcony

para evitar el paso del aire — to prevent the air getting through

por estas fechas tiene lugar el paso de las cigüeñas por nuestra región — this is the time of year when the storks fly over our region

los detuvieron en el paso del estrecho — they were arrested while crossing the channel

el presidente, a su paso por nuestra ciudad... — the president, during his visit to our city...

el huracán arrasó con todo lo que encontró a su paso — the hurricane flattened everything in its path

con el paso del tiempo — with (the passing of) time

prohibido el paso — no entry

• ceder el paso — to give way, yield (EEUU)

ceda el paso — give way, yield (EEUU)

• dar paso a algo, el invierno dio paso a la primavera — winter gave way to spring

ahora vamos a dar paso a nuestro corresponsal en Lisboa — we now go over to our correspondent in Lisbon

las protestas dieron paso a una huelga — the protests led to o were followed by a strike

• de paso, mencionaron el tema solo de paso — they only mentioned the matter in passing

¿puedes ir al supermercado, de paso que vas a la farmacia? — could you go to the supermarket on your way to the chemist's?

de paso recuérdale que tiene un libro nuestro — remind him that he's got a book of ours while you're at it

el banco me pilla de paso — the bank is on my way

dicho sea de paso — incidentally

• entrar de paso — to drop in

• estar de paso — to be passing through

están solo de paso por Barcelona — they're just passing through Barcelona

paso del Ecuador — party or trip organized by university students to celebrate the halfway stage in their degree course

paso franco, paso libre — free passage
ave
2) (=camino) way; (Arquit) passage; (Geog) pass; (Náut) strait

estás en mitad del paso — you're blocking the way

¡paso! — make way!

la policía le abría paso — the police cleared a path for him

• abrirse paso — to make one's way

se abrió paso entre la multitud — he made his way through the crowd

se abrió paso a tiros — he shot his way through

se abrieron paso luchando — they fought their way through

• cerrar el paso — to block the way

• dejar el paso libre — to leave the way open

dejar paso a algn — to let sb past

• impedir el paso — to block the way

- salir al paso a algn

- salir al paso de algo

han salido al paso de la acusación — they've been quick to deny the accusation

- salir del paso

paso a desnivel, paso a distinto nivel — (Aut) flyover, overpass (EEUU)

paso a nivel — level crossing, grade crossing (EEUU)

paso a nivel sin barrera — unguarded level crossing

paso (de) cebra — Esp zebra crossing, crosswalk (EEUU)

paso de peatones — pedestrian crossing, crosswalk (EEUU)

paso elevado — (Aut) flyover, overpass (EEUU)

paso fronterizo — border crossing

paso inferior — underpass, subway

paso salmonero — salmon ladder

paso subterráneo — underpass, subway

paso superior — (Aut) flyover, overpass (EEUU)

3) [al andar] (=acción) step; (=ruido) footstep; (=huella) footprint

he oído pasos — I heard footsteps

• coger el paso — to fall into step

• dar un paso — to take a step

¿ha dado ya sus primeros pasos? — has she taken her first steps yet?

no da ni un paso sin ella — he never goes anywhere without her

• dirigir sus pasos hacia — to head towards

• dar un paso en falso — (=tropezar) to miss one's footing; (=equivocarse) to make a false move

• hacer pasos — (Baloncesto) to travel (with the ball)

• volvió sobre sus pasos — she retraced her steps

- a cada paso

- a pasos agigantados

el proyecto avanza a pasos agigantados — the project is advancing by leaps and bounds

la demanda aumenta a pasos agigantados — demand is increasing at a rate of knots o extremely quickly

- andar en malos pasos

- dar un mal paso

- paso a paso

- por sus pasos contados

- seguir los pasos a algn

- seguir los pasos de algn

paso adelante — (lit, fig) step forward

paso a dos — pas de deux

paso atrás — (lit, fig) step backwards

dio un paso atrás — he took a step backwards

4) (=modo de andar) [de persona] walk, gait; [de caballo] gait

caminaba con paso decidido — he was walking purposefully

• acelerar el paso — to go faster, speed up

• aflojar el paso — to slow down

• apretar o avivar el paso — to go faster, speed up

• a buen paso — at a good pace

iba andando a buen paso — I was walking at a good pace

las conversaciones marchan a buen paso — the talks are proceeding at a good pace o rate

• establecer el paso — to make the pace, set the pace

• a paso lento — at a slow pace, slowly

• a paso ligero — [gen] at a swift pace; (Mil) at the double

• llevar el paso — to keep in step, keep time

• marcar el paso — [gen] to keep time; (Mil) to mark time

• a paso redoblado — LAm (Mil) at the double

• romper el paso — to break step

- a paso de tortuga

paso de ambladura, paso de andadura — (Equitación) amble

paso de ganso LAm —

paso de (la) oca — goose step

paso de vals — waltz step

5) (=ritmo) rate, pace

• a este paso — at this rate

a este paso no terminarán nunca — at this rate they'll never finish

al paso que vamos no acabaremos nunca — at the rate we're going we'll never finish

6) (=distancia)

vive a un paso de aquí — he lives round the corner from here

estaba a unos diez pasos — it was about ten paces away

de eso al terrorismo no hay más que un paso — it's a small step from there to terrorism

7) (=avance) step

es un paso hacia nuestro objetivo — it's a step towards our objective

el matrimonio es un paso muy importante en la vida — marriage is an important step in life

- dar el primer paso

8) (Téc) [de tornillo] pitch; [de contador, teléfono] unit

9) (Teat) ( Hist) sketch, interlude

10) (Rel) [en procesión] float in Holy Week procession, with statues representing part of Easter story

See:

ver nota culturelle SEMANA SANTA in semana

11)

paso de armas — (Mil, Hist) passage of arms

12) LAm (=vado) ford

2.

ADV softly, gently

¡paso! — not so fast!, easy there!

* * *

masculino

1)

a) ( acción)

el paso del agua — the flow of water

el paso del tren — the passing of the train

el paso del tiempo — the passage of time

el huracán destruyó todo a su paso — the hurricane destroyed everything in its path

el paso de la dictadura a la democracia — the transition from dictatorship to democracy

de paso: están de paso they're just visiting o just passing through; de paso puedo comprar pan I can buy some bread on the way; fui a la oficina y de paso hablé con él I went to the office and while I was there I had a word with him; me pilla de paso it's on my way; y dicho sea de paso... — and incidentally...

b) (camino, posibilidad de pasar) way

abran paso — make way

me cerró el paso — she blocked my way

dejen el paso libre — leave the way clear

ceda el paso — yield ( in US), give way ( in UK)

prohibido el paso — no entry

abrirse paso — to make one's way; ( a codazos) to elbow one's way

abrirse paso en la vida — to make one's way in life

salir al paso de alguien — ( abordar) to waylay somebody; ( detener) to stop somebody

un guardia salió a su paso — he was stopped by a security guard

2) (Geog) ( en montaña) pass

salir del paso — to get out of a (tight) spot o (AmE) crack (colloq)

- paso a nivel

- paso de cebra

- paso de peatones

- paso elevado or a desnivel

- paso fronterizo

- paso subterráneo

3)

a) (al andar, bailar) step

dio un paso para atrás — he took a step backward(s)

camina 50 pasos al norte — walk 50 paces to the north

dirigió sus pasos hacia la puerta — she walked toward(s) the door

oyó pasos — she heard footsteps

entró con paso firme — he came in purposefully

no da un paso sin consultarme — she won't do anything without asking me first

paso a paso — step by step

a cada paso — at every turn

andar en malos pasos — to be mixed up in shady deals

a pasos agigantados — by leaps and bounds

dar los primeros pasos — ( literal) to take one's first steps; ( iniciarse en algo) to start out

dar un paso en falso — ( literal) to stumble; ( equivocarse) to make a false move

seguirle los pasos a alguien — to tail somebody

seguir los pasos de alguien — to follow in somebody's footsteps

volver sobre sus pasos — to retrace one's steps

b) pasos masculino plural ( en baloncesto) traveling*, steps (pl)

hacer pasos — to travel

4)

a) ( distancia corta)

vive a dos pasos de mi casa — he lives a stone's throw (away) from my house

estuvo a un paso de la muerte — she was at death's door

está a un paso de aquí — it's just around the corner/down the road from here

de ahí al estrellato no hay más que un paso — it's only a short step from there to stardom

b) ( avance) step forward

eso ya es un paso (adelante) — that's a step forward in itself

c) ( de gestión) step

hemos dado los pasos necesarios — we have taken the necessary steps

5) ( en contador) unit

6)

a) (ritmo, velocidad)

apretó/aminoró el paso — he quickened his pace/he slowed down

el tren iba a buen paso — the train was going at a fair speed

a este paso... — at this rate...

a paso de hormiga or tortuga — at a snail's pace

marcar el paso — to mark time

b) (Equ)

al paso — at a walking pace

•

- paso ligero or redoblado

* * *

masculino

1)

a) ( acción)

el paso del agua — the flow of water

el paso del tren — the passing of the train

el paso del tiempo — the passage of time

el huracán destruyó todo a su paso — the hurricane destroyed everything in its path

el paso de la dictadura a la democracia — the transition from dictatorship to democracy

de paso: están de paso they're just visiting o just passing through; de paso puedo comprar pan I can buy some bread on the way; fui a la oficina y de paso hablé con él I went to the office and while I was there I had a word with him; me pilla de paso it's on my way; y dicho sea de paso... — and incidentally...

b) (camino, posibilidad de pasar) way

abran paso — make way

me cerró el paso — she blocked my way

dejen el paso libre — leave the way clear

ceda el paso — yield ( in US), give way ( in UK)

prohibido el paso — no entry

abrirse paso — to make one's way; ( a codazos) to elbow one's way

abrirse paso en la vida — to make one's way in life

salir al paso de alguien — ( abordar) to waylay somebody; ( detener) to stop somebody

un guardia salió a su paso — he was stopped by a security guard

2) (Geog) ( en montaña) pass

salir del paso — to get out of a (tight) spot o (AmE) crack (colloq)

- paso a nivel

- paso de cebra

- paso de peatones

- paso elevado or a desnivel

- paso fronterizo

- paso subterráneo

3)

a) (al andar, bailar) step

dio un paso para atrás — he took a step backward(s)

camina 50 pasos al norte — walk 50 paces to the north

dirigió sus pasos hacia la puerta — she walked toward(s) the door

oyó pasos — she heard footsteps

entró con paso firme — he came in purposefully

no da un paso sin consultarme — she won't do anything without asking me first

paso a paso — step by step

a cada paso — at every turn

andar en malos pasos — to be mixed up in shady deals

a pasos agigantados — by leaps and bounds

dar los primeros pasos — ( literal) to take one's first steps; ( iniciarse en algo) to start out

dar un paso en falso — ( literal) to stumble; ( equivocarse) to make a false move

seguirle los pasos a alguien — to tail somebody

seguir los pasos de alguien — to follow in somebody's footsteps

volver sobre sus pasos — to retrace one's steps

b) pasos masculino plural ( en baloncesto) traveling*, steps (pl)

hacer pasos — to travel

4)

a) ( distancia corta)

vive a dos pasos de mi casa — he lives a stone's throw (away) from my house

estuvo a un paso de la muerte — she was at death's door

está a un paso de aquí — it's just around the corner/down the road from here

de ahí al estrellato no hay más que un paso — it's only a short step from there to stardom

b) ( avance) step forward

eso ya es un paso (adelante) — that's a step forward in itself

c) ( de gestión) step

hemos dado los pasos necesarios — we have taken the necessary steps

5) ( en contador) unit

6)

a) (ritmo, velocidad)

apretó/aminoró el paso — he quickened his pace/he slowed down

el tren iba a buen paso — the train was going at a fair speed

a este paso... — at this rate...

a paso de hormiga or tortuga — at a snail's pace

marcar el paso — to mark time

b) (Equ)

al paso — at a walking pace

•

- paso ligero or redoblado

* * *

paso¹

¹ = footstep, step, footprint, pace.

Ex: Leforte could usually identify those footsteps easily; but today they sounded less forceful and deliberate.

Ex: The first step in assigning intellectual responsibility to a corporate body must be a definition of a corporate body.

Ex: In later years, the famous book mythological significance of muddy footprints introduced me to the ancient Hippopotamian culture.

Ex: Among other buildings afire or still smoldering in eastern Baghdad today were the city hall and the National Library which was so thoroughly burned that heat still radiated 50 paces from its front doors.

* abrir paso a = make + way (for).

* abrirse paso = jostle, break through, elbow + Posesivo + way into, elbow into.

* acelerar el paso = quicken + the pace, smarten + Posesivo + pace.

* a este paso = at this rate.

* aflojar el paso = slow down, slow up.

* aminorar el paso = slow down, slow up.

* a paso de tortuga = at a snail's pace.

* a paso ligero = on the double.

* a pasos agigantados = at an exponential rate, at exponential rates, by leaps and bounds.

* a un paso = within a stone's throw (away/from).

* a un paso asombroso = at an astounding pace.

* a un paso de = a heartbeat away from.

* a un paso rápido = at a rapid pace.

* a un paso relajado = at a strolling pace.

* barrera de paso a nivel = level-crossing gate.

* caminar con paso pesado = plod (along/through).

* ceder el paso = give + way (to), yield + the right of way.

* contador de pasos = step counter.

* dar el primer paso = make + a start, take + the first step.

* dar los pasos necesarios = take + steps.

* dar los primeros pasos en = venture into.

* dar otro paso muy importante = reach + another milestone.

* dar paso (a) = give + way (to), yield to, make + way (for).

* dar un gran paso adelante = reach + milestone.

* dar un paso = make + step.

* dar un paso adelante = step up.

* dar un paso al frente = step up.

* dar un paso en falso = make + a false move.

* dar un paso hacia delante = take + a step forward, step up.

* dejar paso = step + aside.

* dejar paso (a) = give + way (to).

* derecho de paso = the right of way, right of entry.

* desandar los pasos de = retrace + Posesivo + footsteps, retrace + Posesivo + steps.

* hacer que + Nombre + dé un paso hacia delante = take + Nombre + a/one step forward.

* impedir el paso = block in.

* llave de paso = spigot, faucet, tap, stopcock, stop valve.

* llave de paso del agua = water valve.

* llevar a cabo una serie de pasos anteriormente realizados = execute + steps.

* obstaculizar el paso = block in.

* otro paso más hacia + Posesivo + destrucción = another nail in + Posesivo + coffin.

* paso adelante = step up.

* paso a nivel = level-crossing.

* paso a paso = one step at a time, step by step, stage by stage, stepwise.

* paso atrás = backward step, retrograde step.

* paso de cebra = zebra crossing.

* paso de la gente = flow of people.

* paso del comercio = flow of commerce.

* Paso del Noroeste, el = North West Passage, the.

* paso de peatones = zebra crossing, pedestrian crossing, pelican crossing.

* paso de tortuga = snail's pace.

* paso en falso = false move.

* paso fronterizo = border crossing.

* paso hacia adelante = step forward.

* paso hacia atrás = retrograde step, step backward(s), step back.

* paso inferior = underpass.

* paso ininterrumpido de = steady flow of.

* paso intermedio = half-way house, stepping stone.

* paso peatonal = pedestrian crossing.

* paso subterráneo = underground walkway.

* Posesivo + primeros pasos = Posesivo + first steps.

* preferencia de paso = the right of way.

* primer paso = stake in the ground.

* primer paso de, el = thin edge of the wedge, the.

* realizar una tarea paso a paso = go through.

* saltarse pasos intermedios = jump + steps.

* seguir los pasos de = follow in + the footsteps of.

* seguir + Posesivo + pasos = follow in + Posesivo + footsteps.

* seguir unos pasos = follow + steps.

* señal de prohibido el paso = No Entry sign.

* ser un gran paso adelante = be half the battle.

* tener derecho de paso = have + the right of way.

* tomar un paso decisivo = take + the plunge.

* un paso por delante de = one step ahead of.

* válvula de paso = stop valve, stopcock.

* volver sobre los pasos de Uno = double-back, retrace + Posesivo + steps, retrace + Posesivo + footsteps, go back on + Posesivo + steps.

paso²

² = stage, passing.

Ex: The first stage in the choice of access points must be the definition of an author.

Ex: Perhaps an openly expressed disbelief in his activities is one of the marks of the passing of this stage.

* ave de paso = bird of passage.

* cambiar con el paso del tiempo = change over + time.

* con el paso de = with the passing of.

* con el paso de los años = with the passing of (the) years.

* con el paso del tiempo = over the years, over time, with the passage of time, as time goes by, in due course, over a period of time, in the course of time, over the course of time, in the process of time, as time passed (by), as time passes (by), as time went by.

* de paso = by the way, by the by(e).

* deteriorado por el paso del tiempo = timeworn.

* dicho sea de paso = by the way, on a sidenote, by the by(e).

* el paso del tiempo = the passage of time, the sands of time.

* en varios pasos = multi-step.

* llave de paso = shut-off valve.

* paso elevado = overpass.

* paso elevado de peatones = pedestrian overpass.

* paso elevado para peatones = pedestrian overpass.

* paso inferior = subway.

* paso inferior de peatones = pedestrian underpass.

* paso inferior para peatones = pedestrian underpass.

* paso subterráneo = underpass, subway.

* paso subterráneo de peatones = pedestrian underpass.

* paso subterráneo para peatones = pedestrian underpass.

* quedar anulado con el paso del tiempo = be overtaken by events.

* resistir el paso del tiempo = stand + the test of time, withstand + the test of time, survive + the test of time, pass + the test of time.

* válvula de paso = shut-off valve.

paso³

³ = transfer, transition, changeover [change-over], handover [hand-over].

Ex: When the record transfer is complete, the catalog summary screen is shown for the new record so that the user can review and update it.

Ex: Hierarchical relationships must be indicated in order that users may make the transition from a first access point to related terms or access points.

Ex: The changeover has resulted in more rapid machine-editing of input and reduced costs for cataloguing.

Ex: The author assesses the prospects of Hong Kong after the handover of the colony to China in 1997 when it will once again be competing with Shanghai as the publishing hub of the Orient.

* * *

paso¹

masculine

A

1

(acción): las compuertas controlan el paso del agua the hatches control the flow of water

a su paso por la ciudad el río se ensancha the river widens as it flows through the city

el paso de los camiones había causado grietas en la calzada cracks had appeared in the road surface caused by the passage of so many trucks o because of all the trucks using it

hizo frente a todo lo que encontró a su paso he faced up to every obstacle in his path

con el paso del tiempo se desgastó la piedra the stone got worn down with time o with the passing o passage of time

[ S ] ceda el paso yield ( in US), give way ( in UK)

[ S ] prohibido el paso no entry

al paso (en ajedrez) en passant

de paso: no viven aquí, están de paso they don't live here, they're just visiting o they're just passing through

de paso puedo dejarles el paquete I can drop the package off on my way

lo mencionó pero sólo de paso he mentioned it but only in passing

lleva esto a la oficina y de paso habla con la secretaria take this to the office and while you're there have a word with the secretary

te lo recogeré si quieres, me pilla de paso I'll pick it up for you if you like, it's on my way

archiva estas fichas y de paso comprueba todas las direcciones file these cards and while you're at it o about it check all the addresses

y dicho sea de paso … and incidentally …

ave

2 (camino, posibilidad de pasar) way

abran paso make way

se puso en medio y me cerró el paso she stood in front of me and blocked my way

por aquí no hay paso you can't get through this way

dejen el paso libre leave the way clear

abrirse paso to make one's way

el sol se abría paso entre las nubes the sun was breaking through the clouds

consiguió abrirse paso a codazos entre la gente she managed to elbow her way through the crowd

no te será difícil abrirte paso en la vida you won't have any problems making your way in life o getting on in life

salir al paso de algn to waylay sb

salir al paso de algo to forestall sth

B ( Geog) (en una montaña) pass

salir del paso to get out of a (tight) spot o ( AmE) crack ( colloq)

Compuestos:

● paso a desnivel

( Méx) paso elevado

● paso a nivel

grade crossing ( AmE), level crossing ( BrE)

● paso de cebra

zebra crossing, crosswalk ( AmE)

● paso de gatos

( Méx) catwalk

● paso del Ecuador

(en un barco) celebration held to mark the crossing of the Equator; (de estudiantes) celebration held halfway through a college course

● paso de peatones

crosswalk ( AmE), pedestrian crossing ( BrE)

● paso elevado

overpass ( AmE), flyover ( BrE)

● paso fronterizo

border crossing

● paso subterráneo

(para peatones) underpass, subway ( BrE); (para vehículos) underpass

C

1 (movimiento al andar) step

dio un paso para atrás he took a step backward(s), he stepped backward(s)

¡un paso al frente! one step forward!

camina 50 pasos al norte walk 50 paces to the north

dirigió sus pasos hacia la puerta she walked toward(s) the door

oyó pasos en el piso de arriba she heard footsteps on the floor above

con paso firme subió las escaleras he climbed the stairs purposefully

no da un paso sin consultar a su marido she won't do anything without asking her husband first

paso a paso step by step

siguieron el juicio paso a paso they followed the trial step by step

paso a paso se fue abriendo camino en la empresa he gradually worked his way up in the company

me lo explicó paso por paso she explained it to me step by step

a cada paso at every turn

a pasos agigantados by leaps and bounds

la informática avanza a pasos agigantados information technology is advancing by leaps and bounds, enormous strides are being made in information technology

dar los primeros pasos (literal) to take one's first steps, start to walk; (iniciarse en algo) to start out

dio sus primeros pasos como actor en televisión he started out o made his debut as a television actor

dar un paso en falso (literal) to stumble; (equivocarse) to make a false move

dar un paso en falso en política puede conducir al desastre one false move o putting one foot wrong in politics can lead to disaster

seguirle los pasos a algn to tail sb

seguir los pasos de algn to follow in sb's footsteps

volver sobre sus pasos to retrace one's steps

2

(distancia corta): vive a dos pasos de mi casa he lives a stone's throw (away) from my house

estuvo a un paso de la muerte she was at death's door

ánimo, ya estamos a un paso come on, we're nearly there now

está a un paso de aquí it's just around the corner o down the road from here

de ahí a convertirse en drogadicto no hay más que un paso it's only a short step from there to becoming a drug addict

3 (logro, avance) step forward

el que te haya llamado ya es un paso (adelante) the fact that he's called you is a step forward in itself

supone un gran paso en la lucha contra la enfermedad it is a great step forward o a great advance in the fight against the illness

4 (de una gestión) step

hemos dado los pasos necesarios we have taken the necessary steps

5 (de baile) step

6 pasos mpl (en baloncesto) traveling*, steps (pl)

hacer pasos to travel

D

1 (de un tornillo, una rosca) pitch

2 (en un contador) unit

E

1

(ritmo, velocidad): aminoró el paso he slowed down

al ver que la seguían apretó el paso when she realized she was being followed she quickened her pace

el tren iba a buen paso the train was going at a fair speed

a este paso no llegamos ni a las diez at this rate we won't even get there by ten o'clock

a este paso te vas a poner enfermo if you carry on like this, you'll get ill, at this rate o (if you carry on) the way you're going, you'll get ill

escribía los nombres al paso que yo se los leía she wrote down the names as I read them out to her

a paso de hormiga or tortuga at a snail's pace

llevar el paso to keep in step

marcar el paso to mark time

en ese colegio te van a hacer marcar el paso they'll make you toe the line at that school

2 ( Equ):

al paso at a walking pace

Compuesto:

paso ligero or redoblado

a paso ligero or redoblado double quick, in double time

F (de la pasión) float ( in Holy Week processions)

paso² -sa

adjective

ciruela, uva

* * *

Del verbo pasar: ( conjugate pasar)

paso es:

1ª persona singular (yo) presente indicativo

pasó es:

3ª persona singular (él/ella/usted) pretérito indicativo

Multiple Entries:
pasar
paso
pasar ( conjugate pasar) verbo intransitivo
1
a) ( ir por un lugar) to come/go past;

◊ no ha pasado ni un taxi not one taxi has come/gone past;

los otros coches no podían paso the other cars weren't able to get past;
no dejan paso a nadie they're not letting anyone through;
paso de largo to go right o straight past;
paso por la aduana to go through customs;
es un vuelo directo, no pasa por Miami it's a direct flight, it doesn't go via Miami;
¿este autobús pasa por el museo? does this bus go past the museum?;
pasamos por delante de su casa we went past her house;
pasaba por aquí y … I was just passing by o I was in the area and …
b) ( deteniéndose en un lugar):

◊ ¿podríamos paso por el banco? can we stop off at the bank?;

pasa un día por casa why don't you drop o come by the house sometime?;
puede paso a recogerlo mañana you can come and pick it up tomorrow
c) ( atravesar) to cross;

◊ paso de un lado a otro [persona/barco] to go o cross from one side to the other;

[ humedad] to go through from one side to the other
d) ( caber):

◊ no pasoá por la puerta it won't go through the door

2 ( entrar — acercándose al hablante) to come in;
(— alejándose del hablante) to go in;
◊ pase, por favor please, do come in;

¡que pase el siguiente! next, please!;
haga paso al Sr Díaz show Mr Díaz in please
3
a) (transmitirse, transferirse) [corona/título] to pass;

◊ pasó de mano en mano it was passed around (to everyone)

b) ( comunicar):

◊ te paso con Javier ( en el mismo teléfono) I'll hand o pass you over to Javier;

( en otro teléfono) I'll put you through to Javier
4
a) (Educ) to pass;

◊ paso de curso to get through o pass one's end-of-year exams

b) ( ser aceptable):

◊ no está perfecto, pero puede paso it's not perfect, but it'll do;

por esta vez, (que) pase I'll let it pass o go this time
5
◊ pasar por

a) ( ser tenido por):

◊ podrían paso por hermanas they could pass for sisters;

ver tb hacerse II 3
b) ( experimentar) to go through;

◊ paso por una crisis to go through a crisis

( suceder) to happen;
◊ cuéntame lo que pasó tell me what happened;

lo que pasa es que… the thing o the problem is …;
pase lo que pase whatever happens, come what may;
siempre pasa igual or lo mismo it's always the same;
¿qué pasa? what's the matter?, what's up? (colloq);
¿qué te pasa? what's the matter with you?;
¿qué te pasó en el ojo? what happened to your eye?;
¿qué le pasa a la tele? what's wrong with the TV?;
eso le pasa a cualquiera that can happen to anybody;
no le pasó nada nothing happened to him
1 ( transcurrir) [tiempo/años] to pass, go by;
◊ pasoon muchos años many years went by o passed;

ya han pasado dos horas it's been two hours now;
un año pasa muy rápido a year goes very quickly;
¡cómo pasa el tiempo! doesn't time fly!
2 ( cesar) [crisis/mal momento] to be over;
[ efecto] to wear off;
[ dolor] to go away
3 ( arreglárselas) paso sin algo to manage without sth
verbo transitivo
1
a) (cruzar, atravesar) ‹ frontera› to cross;

‹pueblo/ciudad› to go through
b) ( dejar atrás) ‹edificio/calle› to go past

c) (adelantar, sobrepasar) to overtake

2
a) ( hacer atravesar) paso algo POR algo to put sth through sth;

◊ paso la salsa por un tamiz to put the sauce through a sieve

b) (por la aduana —legalmente) to take through;

(— ilegalmente) to smuggle
3 ( hacer recorrer):
◊ paso la aspiradora to vacuum, to hoover (BrE);

pásale un trapo al piso give the floor a quick wipe;
hay que pasole una plancha it needs a quick iron
4 (exhibir, mostrar) ‹película/anuncio› to show
5 ‹examen/prueba› to pass
6 ‹página/hoja› to turn;
◊ paso por alto ‹falta/error› to overlook;

‹tema/punto› to leave out, omit
1 (entregar, hacer llegar):
◊ pásaselo a Miguel pass it on to Miguel;

¿me pasas el martillo? can you pass me the hammer?
2 ( contagiar) to give, to pass on
1
a) ‹ tiempo› to spend;

◊ pasamos las Navidades en casa we spent Christmas at home;

fuimos a Toledo a paso el día we went to Toledo for the day
b) ( con idea de continuidad):

◊ pasé toda la noche en vela I was awake all night;

pasa todo el día al teléfono she spends all day on the phone
c) pasarlo or pasarla bien to have a good time;

◊ ¿qué tal lo pasaste en la fiesta? did you have a good time at the party?, did you enjoy the party?;

lo pasé mal I didn't enjoy myself
2 (sufrir, padecer) ‹penalidades/desgracias› to go through, to suffer;
◊ pasé mucho miedo/frío I was very frightened/cold

pasarse verbo pronominal
1 ( cambiarse):
◊ pasose al enemigo to go over to the enemy

2
a) ( ir demasiado lejos) to go too far;

◊ nos pasamos de estación we went past our station;

esta vez te has pasado (fam) you've gone too far this time
b) ( enf) (fam) (ir):

◊ pásate por casa come round;

¿podrías pasote por el mercado? could you go down to the market?
3
a) [peras/tomates] to go bad, get overripe;

[carne/pescado] to go off, go bad;
[ leche] to go off, go sour
b) (recocerse) [arroz/pasta] to get overcooked

1
a) ( desaparecer) [ efecto] to wear off;

[ dolor] to go away;
(+ me/te/le etc)
◊ ya se me pasó el dolor the pain's gone o eased now;

espera a que se le pase el enojo wait until he's calmed o cooled down
b) ( transcurrir):

◊ el año se ha pasado muy rápido this year has gone very quickly;

ver tb pasar verbo transitivo III 1
2 (+ me/te/le etc)
a) ( olvidarse):

◊ se me pasó su cumpleaños I forgot his birthday

b) ( dejar escapar):

◊ se me pasó la oportunidad I missed the opportunity

paso sustantivo masculino
1
a) ( acción):

◊ el paso del tren the passing of the train;

el paso del tiempo the passage of time;
el paso de la dictadura a la democracia the transition from dictatorship to democracy;
de paso: están de paso they're just visiting o just passing through;
me pilla de paso it's on my way;
y dicho sea de paso … and incidentally …
b) (camino, posibilidad de pasar) way;

◊ abrir/dejar paso (a algn/algo) to make way (for sth/sb);

me cerró el paso she blocked my way;
dejen el paso libre leave the way clear;

( on signs) ceda el paso yield ( in US), give way ( in UK);
( on signs) prohibido el paso no entry;
◊ paso de cebra zebra crossing;

paso de peatones crosswalk (AmE), pedestrian crossing (BrE);
paso a nivel grade (AmE) o (BrE) level crossing;
paso elevado or (Méx) a desnivel overpass (AmE), flyover (BrE);
paso subterráneo ( para peatones) underpass, subway (BrE);

( para vehículos) underpass;
◊ abrirse paso to make one's way;

( a codazos) to elbow one's way;
◊ salir al paso de algn ( abordar) to waylay sb;

( detener) to stop sb
2 (Geog) ( en montaña) pass;
◊ salir del paso to get out of a (tight) spot o (AmE) crack (colloq)

3
a) (al andar, bailar) step;

◊ dio un paso para atrás he took a step backward(s);

oyó pasos she heard footsteps;
entró con paso firme he came in purposefully;
paso a paso step by step;
seguirle los pasos a algn to tail sb;
seguir los pasos de algn to follow in sb's footsteps
b) ( distancia corta):

◊ vive a dos pasos de mi casa he lives a stone's throw (away) from my house;

está a un paso de aquí it's just around the corner/down the road from here
c) ( avance) step forward;

◊ eso ya es un paso (adelante) that's a step forward in itself

d) ( de gestión) step

4 (ritmo, velocidad):
◊ apretó/aminoró el paso he quickened his pace/he slowed down;

a este paso … at this rate …;
a paso de hormiga or tortuga at a snail's pace;
marcar el paso to mark time
5 ( en contador) unit
pasar
I verbo transitivo
1 to pass
2 (trasladar) to move
3 (dar) to pass, give: no me pasó el recado, he didn't give me the message
4 (hojas de libro) to turn
5 (el tiempo, la vida) to spend, pass
6 (soportar, sufrir) to suffer, endure: está pasando una crisis personal, she's going through a personal crisis
pasamos sed y calor, we suffered thirst and heat
7 (río, calle, frontera) to cross
8 (tragar) to swallow
9 (tolerar, aguantar) to bear
10 (introducir) to insert, put through
11 (un examen, una eliminatoria) to pass
12 Cine to run, show: este sábado pasan Ben Hur, they're putting Ben Hur on this Saturday
II verbo intransitivo
1 to pass: ¿a qué hora pasa el tren?, what time does the train pass?
Cervantes pasó por aquí, Cervantes passed this way
ya pasó, it has already passed
pasar de largo, to go by (without stopping)
2 (entrar) to come in
3 (ser tolerable) to be acceptable: no está mal, puede pasar, it isn't bad, it will do
4 (exceder) to surpass: no pases de los 70 km/h, don't exceed 70 km/h
5 (a otro asunto) to go on to
pasar a ser, to become
6 (tiempo) to pass, go by
7 (arreglarse, apañarse) pasar sin, to do without: puedo pasar sin coche, I can manage without a car
8 fam (no tener interés, prescindir) pasa de lo que digan, don't mind what they say
paso de ir al cine, I'll give the cinema a miss
9 (suceder) to happen: ¿qué pasa?, what's going on?
¿qué le pasa?, what's the matter with him?
pase lo que pase, whatever happens o come what may
♦ Locuciones: pasar algo a limpio, to make a fair copy of sthg
pasarlo bien/mal, to have a good/difficult time
pasar por, to put up with: paso por que me digas que estoy gorda, pero no pienso tolerar que me amargues cada comida, I can handle you calling me fat, but I'm not having you ruin every single meal for me
pasar por alto, to overlook: pasaré por alto esa observación, I'll just ignore that remark
paso sustantivo masculino
1 step: caminaban a paso ligero, they walked quickly
(sonido de pisadas) footstep
(de un baile) step
2 (camino, pasillo) passage, way
Auto ceda el paso, give way
paso a nivel, level o US grade crossing
paso de cebra, zebra crossing
paso de peatones, pedestrian crossing, US crosswalk
paso subterráneo, (para peatones) subway
(para vehículos) underpass
prohibido el paso, no entry
3 (acción) passage, passing: estamos de paso en la ciudad, we are just passing through the town
a su paso por la Universidad, when he was at University
el lento paso de las horas, the slow passing of the hours
4 Tel unit
5 Geol (entre montañas) mountain pass
6 Náut strait
♦ Locuciones: abrirse paso, (entre la multitud, maleza) to make one's way, (en la vida) to get ahead
salir del paso, to get out of trouble
a cada paso, constantly, every other minute
' paso' also found in these entries:
Spanish:
apretar
- arramblar
- atravesar
- bando
- bloquear
- cabeza
- cada
- calamidad
- cebra
- ceder
- cerrar
- converger
- cortar
- dar
- dado
- desvirtuar
- disfraz
- esclarecimiento
- estela
- filtración
- franca
- franco
- impedir
- infierno
- ligera
- ligero
- lista
- llave
- magín
- mayor
- nivel
- obstaculizar
- pasar
- pasarse
- patata
- peatonal
- por
- prohibida
- prohibido
- rebote
- rito
- segura
- seguro
- sino
- subterránea
- subterráneo
- testigo
- tránsito
- ver
- vela
English:
ahead
- amok
- arrogant
- bar
- battle
- begrudge
- block
- block in
- break through
- breakthrough
- brisk
- by
- childhood
- clarify
- clear
- coast
- come over
- crossing
- crosswalk
- dizzy
- dwindle
- evaluation
- explanation
- false move
- faux pas
- float
- flyover
- footstep
- give
- go by
- going
- graze
- grow out of
- hysterical
- lazy
- level crossing
- life
- lively
- mop
- move
- nail
- obstruction
- ocean
- overboard
- overpass
- pace
- pass
- pass along
- pass by
- pass through

* * *

paso

♦ nm

1. [con el pie] step;
[huella] footprint;
dar un paso adelante o [m5] al frente to step forwards, to take a step forwards;

dar un paso atrás [al andar] to step backwards, to take a step backwards;
[en proceso, negociaciones] to take a backward step;
aprendí unos pasos de baile I learnt a few dance steps;

oía pasos arriba I could hear footsteps upstairs;

se veían sus pasos sobre la nieve you could see its footprints in the snow;

a cada paso [cada dos por tres] every other minute;

está a dos o [m5] cuatro pasos (de aquí) it's just down the road (from here);

vivimos a un paso de la estación we live just round the corner from o a stone's throw away from the station;

el ruso está a un paso de hacerse campeón the Russian is on the verge of o just one small step away from becoming champion;

a pasos agigantados at a terrific rate, at a rate of knots;

la economía crece a pasos agigantados the economy is growing at a rate of knots;

el SIDA se propaga a pasos agigantados AIDS is spreading like wildfire o at an alarming rate;

la ingeniería genética avanza a pasos agigantados genetic engineering has made giant o enormous strides;

dar un paso en falso o [m5] un mal paso [tropezar] to stumble;
[equivocarse] to make a false move o a mistake; Fig
no dio ni un paso en falso he didn't put a foot wrong;

seguir los pasos a alguien [perseguir, vigilar] to tail sb;

seguir los pasos de alguien [imitar] to follow in sb's footsteps;

volvimos sobre nuestros pasos we retraced our steps

2. [acción] passing;
[cruce] crossing; [camino de acceso] way through, thoroughfare;
con el paso del tiempo with the passage of time;

con el paso de los años as the years go by;

el paso de la juventud a la madurez the transition from youth to adulthood;

su paso fugaz por la universidad his brief spell at the university;

el Ebro, a su paso por Zaragoza the Ebro, as it flows through Zaragoza;

la tienda está en una zona de mucho paso the shop is in a very busy area;
también Fig
abrir paso a alguien to make way for sb;

abrirse paso [entre la gente, la maleza] to make one's way;

abrirse paso en la vida/en el mundo de la política to get on o ahead in life/politics;

¡abran paso! make way!;

ceder el paso (a alguien) [dejar pasar] to let (sb) past;
[en automóvil] to Br give way o US yield (to sb);
ceda el paso [en letrero] Br give way, US yield;

cerrar o [m5] cortar el paso a alguien to block sb's way;

de paso [de pasada] in passing;
[aprovechando] while I'm/you're/ etc at it;
de paso que vienes, tráete las fotos de las vacaciones you may as well bring the photos from your Br holiday o US vacation when you come;

la estación me pilla de paso the station's on my way;

estar de paso [en un lugar] to be passing through;

prohibido el paso [en letrero] no entry;

salir al paso a alguien, salir al paso de alguien [acercarse] to come up to sb;
[hacer detenerse] to come and bar sb's way;
salir al paso de algo [rechazar] to respond to sth

Comp
paso de cebra Br zebra crossing, = pedestrian crossing marked with black and white lines; Méx paso a desnivel Br flyover, US overpass;
paso del Ecuador [en barco] crossing the line ceremony;
[en universidad] = (celebration marking) halfway stage in a university course;
paso elevado Br flyover, US overpass;

paso fronterizo border crossing (point);

paso a nivel Br level crossing, US grade crossing;

paso a nivel con barrera Br gated level crossing, US protected grade crossing;

paso a nivel sin barrera Br ungated level crossing, US unprotected grade crossing;
Chile paso bajo nivel Br subway, US underpass;
paso peatonal o de peatones pedestrian crossing;

paso subterráneo Br subway, US underpass

3. [forma de andar] walk;
[ritmo] pace;
con paso cansino se dirigió a la puerta he walked wearily towards the door;

a buen paso at a good rate;

a este paso o [m5]al paso que vamos, no acabaremos nunca at this rate o at the rate we're going, we'll never finish;

al paso [en equitación] at a walk;

a paso lento slowly;

a paso ligero at a brisk pace;
Mil at the double;
aflojar el paso to slow down;

apretar el paso to go faster, to speed up;

llevar el paso to keep step;

marcar el paso to keep time;

Comp

a paso de tortuga at a snail's pace

Comp
Mil paso de la oca goose-step
4. Geog [en montaña] pass;
[en el mar] strait
5. [trámite, etapa, acontecimiento] step;
[progreso] step forward, advance;
antes de dar cualquier paso siempre me pregunta she always asks me before doing anything;

dar los pasos necesarios to take the necessary steps;

dar los primeros pasos hacia la paz to take the first steps towards peace;

la aprobación de una constitución supondría un gran paso para la democracia the passing of a constitution would be a big step forward for democracy;

explícamelo paso a o [m5] por paso explain it to me step by step;

paso a o [m5] por paso se ganó la confianza de sus alumnos she gradually won the confidence of her pupils;

salir del paso to get out of trouble

6. [de llamadas telefónicas, consumo eléctrico] unit

7. [en procesión] float [in Easter procession]

8.
pasos [en baloncesto] travelling;

hacer pasos to travel

♦ interj

make way!

* * *

paso

1 m

1 step;

paso a paso step by step;

a cada paso at every step;

a dos pasos de fig a stone’s throw (away) from;

volver sobre sus pasos retrace one’s steps;

dar un mal paso o

un paso en falso make a false move;

seguir los pasos a alguien follow s.o., dog s.o.’s footsteps;

seguir los pasos de alguien follow in s.o.’s footsteps;

pasos pl en baloncesto traveling sg, Br travelling sg ;

hacer pasos en baloncesto travel

2 ( manera de andar) walk

3 ( ritmo) pace, rate;

a este paso fig at this rate;

al paso que vamos at the rate we’re going;

a paso ligero at the double;

llevar el paso MIL keep in step;

marcar el paso MIL mark time

4 de agua flow; de tráfico movement;

cerrar el paso de la calle block off o close the street;

prohibido el paso no entry;

ceda el paso yield, Br give way;

observaba el paso del agua/de la gente he watched the water flow past/the world go by

5 ( cruce) crossing

6 de tiempo passing

7 ( huella) footprint

8 ( camino)

:

de paso on the way;

estar de paso be passing through;

dicho sea de paso and incidentally;

¡paso! make way!, let me through!;

abrirse paso push one’s way through; fig carve out a path for o.s.;

salir al paso de alguien waylay s.o.;

salir del paso get out of a tight spot

paso

2 m REL float in Holy Week procession

* * *

paso, -sa adj

: dried

ciruela pasa: prune

paso nm

1) : passage, passing

de paso: in passing, on the way

2) : way, path

abrirse paso: to make one's way

3) : crossing

paso de peatones: crosswalk

paso a desnivel: underpass

paso elevado: overpass

4) : step

paso a paso: step by step

5) : pace, gait

a buen paso: quickly, at a good rate

* * *

paso n

1. (en general) step

el niño dio tres pasos the baby took tree steps

fue un gran paso para la ciencia it was a great step for science

2. (pisada) footstep

unos pasos sobre la nieve footsteps in the snow

3. (tránsito)

el Tormes a su paso por Salamanca the Tormes at Salamanca

4. (transcurso) passing / passage

con el paso de los años with the passing of the years

a este paso at this rate

abrir paso to make way

abrirse paso to make your way

acelerar el paso to speed up

ceda el paso give way

de paso (al mismo tiempo) while you're there / while you're about it (de camino) on your way

estar a dos pasos to be a stone's throw away

estar de paso to be passing through

paso a nivel level crossing

paso de cebra zebra crossing

paso de montaña mountain pass

paso elevado (para vehículos) flyover (para peatones) footbridge

paso subterráneo (para vehículos) underpass (para peatones) subway

paso de peatones pedestrian crossing

Spanish-English dictionary > paso
10 wi|sieć

impf (wiszę, wisiał, wisieli) vi 1. (być zawieszonym) to hang
- pranie wisi na sznurze the washing is hanging on the line

- klucz wisiał na gwoździu/haczyku the key hung from a nail/hook

- zegar/obraz wisi na ścianie the clock/picture is hanging on the wall

- obraz wisi krzywo the painting hangs at a. on a slant

- na drzwiach wisi tabliczka there’s a plaque on the door

- wisząca półka/szafeczka a hanging shelf/cupboard

- lampa wisząca u sufitu a lamp hanging a. suspended from the ceiling
2. (zwisać) to hang (down)
- wiszące sople lodu hanging icicles

- wiszący podbródek a sagging a. drooping chin
3. [ubranie] to hang loosely (na kimś on sb); to flap (na kimś round sb)
- płaszcz wisi na nim jak na wieszaku a. kołku his overcoat is all big and baggy

- suknia wisi na niej jak worek her dress is all baggy
4. (unosić się) to hang
- mgła wisi nad doliną fog hangs over the valley

- dym z papierosów wisiał w pokoju cigarette smoke hung a. floated in the room

- orzeł wisiał w powietrzu the eagle hovered in mid-air
5. [osoba] to hang
- wisieć na szubienicy to hang on the gallows
6. przen. (dać się odczuć) to be felt
- w powietrzu wisiała nuda boredom hung a. could be felt in the air
7. przen. (zagrażać) [niebezpieczeństwo, groźba] to hang, to hover
- ciągle wisiało nad nami widmo aresztowania the spectre of arrest still hung over us

- wisi nad nimi zagłada (the threat of) annihilation hangs over them a. hovers over their heads
8. pot. (być winnym pieniądze) to owe
- wisisz mi stówkę you owe me a hundred, that’s a hundred you owe me

■ wisieć na stopniach tramwaju to travel a. be perched on the footboard of a tram

- wisieć oczami a. wzrokiem a. spojrzeniem na kimś/na czymś to stare a. gaze at sb/sth searchingly

- wisieć przy kimś to be dependent on sb, to live off sb

- wisieć przy czyjejś spódnicy to be tied to sb’s apron strings

- wisieć na telefonie pot. to be hogging the phone

- godzinami/bez przerwy wisi na a. przy telefonie he spends hours on the phone, he never gets off the phone

- wszystko mu wisi posp. he doesn’t care about anything

- to mi wisi posp. I couldn’t care less, I’m past caring, I don’t give a damn (about that)

- wisi mi nad głową jeszcze jeden egzamin I have another exam hanging over my head a. over me

- jego kariera/życie wisi na włosku his career/life is hanging by a thread a. is on the line

- przez kilka dni jego życie wisiało na włosku for several days he hovered on the brink of death a. it was touch and go for him

- nasze małżeństwo wisi na włosku our marriage is on the skids a. in danger of breaking up

- wojna wisi na włosku war is looming a. imminent

- groźba bankructwa wisi nad nami jak miecz Damoklesa a. Damoklesowy the threat of bankruptcy hangs over us like the sword of Damocles

- wisieć w próżni [działanie, plan] to be divorced a. remote from reality

- jak wisieć, to za obie nogi przysł. I might as well be hanged for a sheep as (for) a lamb przysł., you can only die once przysł.

The New English-Polish, Polish-English Kościuszko foundation dictionary > wi|sieć

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