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they have little money but we have even less

1 less

less ⇒ Usage note: less ( comparative of little)

A quantif moins de ; less beer/information/money moins de bière/d'information/d'argent ; I have less money than him j'ai moins d'argent que lui ; it took less time than we expected cela a pris moins de temps que prévu ; I have less time for reading than I used to j'ai moins le temps de lire qu'avant ; of less value/importance de moindre valeur/importance ; to grow less diminuer.

B pron moins ; I have less than you j'en ai moins que toi ; they have little money but we have even less ils n'ont pas beaucoup d'argent mais nous en avons encore moins ; I gave them less to eat je leur ai donné moins à manger ; less than half moins de la moitié ; in less than three hours en moins de trois heures ; in less than no time en moins de deux ; 13 is less than 18 13 est plus petit que 18 ; a sum of not less than £1,000 une somme qui s'élève au moins à 1 000 livres sterling ; he was less than honest/helpful il était loin d'être honnête/serviable ; it's an improvement, but less of one than I had hoped c'est un progrès, mais pas au point que j'aurais espéré ; she's nothing less than a common criminal elle n'est rien de moins qu'une criminelle ; nothing less than written proof will satisfy them ils ne seront satisfaits que quand ils auront une preuve écrite ; it's nothing less than a scandal! c'est un véritable scandale! ; they want nothing less than the best ils exigent le meilleur ; I offered them £800 for the car but they let me have it for less je leur ai proposé 800 livres sterling pour la voiture, mais ils me l'ont laissée pour moins ; he's less of a fool than you think il est moins bête que tu ne le penses ; they will think all the less of her for it ça va la faire descendre dans leur estime ; I think no less of her for that elle n'est pas descendue dans mon estime pour autant ; the less she knows about it the better moins elle en sait, mieux ça vaut ; I want £100 and not a penny less! je veux cent livres et pas un centime de moins! ; the less said about it the better moins on en parle, mieux ça vaut ; people have been shot for less! il y en a qui ont été tués pour moins que ça! ; less of your impudence! ne sois pas insolent! ; less of that! ( to child misbehaving) ça suffit!

C adv moins ; I read less these days je lis moins en ce moment ; I liked it less than you did je l'ai moins aimé que toi ; I dislike him no less than you je ne l'aime pas plus que toi ; that's less urgent/serious c'est moins urgent/grave ; much less important beaucoup moins important ; it matters less than it did before cela a moins d'importance qu'avant ; it's less complicated than you think c'est moins compliqué que vous ne croyez ; she is no less qualified than you elle n'est pas moins qualifiée que toi ; less often moins souvent ; it's less a village than a town c'est plutôt une ville qu'un village ; the more I see him, the less I like him plus je le vois, moins je l'aime ; no less than 30 people/85% au moins 30 personnes/85% ; they live in Kensington, no less! ils habitent à Kensington, rien que ça! ; he's married to a countess, no less! il est marié avec une comtesse, rien que ça! ; no less a person than the emperor l'empereur en personne ; one of the less known valleys une des vallées les moins connues ; he was less offended than shocked il était plus choqué qu'offensé ; she wasn't any the less happy elle n'en était pas moins heureuse ; much ou still ou even less encore moins ; he can't afford to rent a house, much less buy one il n'a pas les moyens de louer une maison, encore moins d'en acheter une.

D prep moins ; less 15% discount moins 15% de remise ; a salary of £20,000, less tax un salaire de 20 000 livres sterling, avant impôts.

E less and less adv phr de moins en moins ; we see her less and less nous la voyons de moins en moins ; less and less often/busy de moins en moins souvent/occupé.

Big English-French dictionary > less
2 less

less [les]

comparative of little

1. adjective

pronoun

a. (in amount, size, degree) moins (de)

• less butter moins de beurre

• even less encore moins

• even less butter encore moins de beurre

• much less milk beaucoup moins de lait

• a little less cream un peu moins de crème

• less and less de moins en moins

• less and less money de moins en moins d'argent

• of less importance de moindre importance

• I have less time for reading j'ai moins le temps de lire

• can't you let me have it for less? vous ne pouvez pas me faire un prix ?

• less of your cheek! (inf) assez d'impertinence !

• less noise please! moins de bruit s'il vous plaît !

• we see less of her now nous la voyons moins souvent maintenant

► less than moins que ; (before a number) moins de

• I have less than you j'en ai moins que vous

• I need less than that il m'en faut moins que cela

• less than half the audience moins de la moitié de l'assistance

• in less than a month en moins d'un mois

• not less than one kilo pas moins d'un kilo

• a sum less than £100 une somme de moins de 100 livres

• it is less than perfect on ne peut pas dire que ce soit parfait

• in less than no time (inf) en un rien de temps► less... than moins... que

• I have less money than you j'ai moins d'argent que vous

• it took less time than I expected cela a pris moins de temps que je ne pensais

• we eat less bread than we used to nous mangeons moins de pain qu'avant► no less

• I think no less of him for that il n'est pas descendu dans mon estime pour autant

• he's bought a boat, no less (inf) il s'est payé un bateau, rien que ça (inf)

• I was told the news by the bishop, no less (inf) c'est l'évêque en personne, s'il vous plaît (inf), qui m'a appris la nouvelle► no less + than

• he has no less than four months' holiday a year il a au moins quatre mois de vacances par an

• it costs no less than £100 ça ne coûte pas moins de 100 livres

• with no less skill than enthusiasm avec non moins d'habileté que d'enthousiasme► nothing less than rien moins que

• he's nothing less than a thief c'est tout simplement un voleur

• it's nothing less than disgraceful le moins qu'on puisse dire c'est que c'est une honte

2. adverb

a. moins

• you must eat less il faut que vous mangiez moins

• we see each other less nowadays nous nous voyons moins ces derniers temps

• to grow less diminuer

• that's less important c'est moins important

• less and less de moins en moins

• even less encore moins

• less often moins souvent

► less... than

• it's less expensive than you think c'est moins cher que vous ne croyez

• the problem is less one of money than of personnel c'est moins un problème d'argent qu'un problème de personnel► no less... than

• she is no less intelligent than you elle n'est pas moins intelligente que vous► none the less

• he was none the less pleased to see me il n'en était pas moins content de me voir► the less...

• the less he works the less he earns moins il travaille, moins il gagne

• the less you worry about it the better moins vous vous ferez du souci à ce sujet, mieux ça vaudra

• the less said about it the better mieux vaut ne pas en parler

3. preposition

moins

• less 10% moins 10 %

* * *
[les] 1.
(comparative of little) quantifier moins de

less beer — moins de bière

I have less money than him — j'ai moins d'argent que lui

of less importance — de moindre importance

to grow less — diminuer
2.
pronoun moins

I have less than you — j'en ai moins que toi

even less — encore moins

less than half — moins de la moitié

in less than three hours — en moins de trois heures

13 is less than 18 — 13 est plus petit que 18

a sum of not less than £1,000 — une somme qui s'élève au moins à 1000 livres sterling

he was less than helpful — il était loin d'être serviable

it's an improvement, but less of one than I had hoped — c'est un progrès, mais pas au point que j'aurais espéré

she's nothing less than a liar — elle n'est rien de moins qu'une menteuse

it's nothing less than a scandal! — c'est un véritable scandale!

they let me have it for less — ils me l'ont laissé pour moins

he's less of a fool than you think — il est moins bête que tu ne le penses

they will think all the less of her for it — ça va la faire descendre dans leur estime

£100 and not a penny less! — cent livres et pas un centime de moins!

the less said about it the better — moins on en parle, mieux ça vaut

people have been shot for less! — il y en a qui ont été tués pour moins que ça!
3.
adverb moins

I liked it less than you did — je l'ai moins aimé que toi

I dislike him no less than you — je ne l'aime pas plus que toi

it matters less than it did before — cela a moins d'importance qu'avant

she is no less qualified than you — elle n'est pas moins qualifiée que toi

it's less a village than a town — c'est plutôt une ville qu'un village

the more I see him, the less I like him — plus je le vois, moins je l'aime

no less than 85% — au moins 85%

they live in Kensington, no less! — ils habitent à Kensington, rien que ça!

no less a person than the emperor — l'empereur en personne

he was less offended than shocked — il était plus choqué qu'offensé
4.
preposition moins

less 15% discount — moins 15% de remise

less tax — avant impôts
5.
less and less adverbial phrase de moins en moins

English-French dictionary > less
3 less

[les] 1.
(compar. di little) quantisostantivo femminile meno

less beer — meno birra

I have less money than him — ho meno soldi di lui

of less value — di minore valore

to grow less — diminuire
2.
pronome meno

I have less than you — ne ho meno di te

even less — ancora meno

less than half — meno della metà

in less than three hours — in meno di tre ore

in less than no time — in un batter d'occhio, in men che non si dica

6 is less than 9 — 6 è più piccolo di 9

a sum of not less than Ј 10 — una somma non inferiore alle 10 sterline

he was less than helpful — fu tutt'altro che disponibile

it's an improvement, but less of one than I had hoped — è un miglioramento, ma inferiore a quanto sperassi

he's nothing less than a common criminal — non è né più né meno che un criminale

it's nothing less than a scandal! — è proprio uno scandalo!

he's less of a fool than you think — è meno scemo di quel che pensi

they will think all the less of her for it — avranno ancora meno stima di lei dopo questo

Ј 100 and not a penny less! — 100 sterline e non un penny di meno!

the less said about it the better — meno si dice meglio è

people have been shot for less! — c'è chi è stato ucciso per meno!
3.
avverbio

1) (di) meno

I liked it less than you did — mi è piaciuto meno che a te

I dislike him no less than you — non mi sta meno antipatico che a te

it matters less than it did before — ha meno importanza di prima

he is no less qualified than you — non è meno qualificato di te

it's less a village than a town — è più una città che un paese

the more I see him, the less I like him — più lo vedo e meno mi piace

no less than 85% — non meno dell'85%

they live in Kensington, no less! — abitano nientemeno che a Kensington!

no less a person than the emperor — nientemeno che l'imperatore

he was less offended than shocked — era più scioccato che offeso

2) less and less sempre meno
4.
preposizione meno

less 15% discount — meno il 15% di sconto

* * *
[les] 1. adjective
((often with than) not as much (as): Think of a number less than forty; He drank his tea and wished he had put less sugar in it; The salary for that job will be not less than $30,000.) minore, meno, più piccolo
2. adverb
(not as much or to a smaller extent: I like her less every time I see her; You should smoke less if you want to remain healthy.) meno
3. pronoun
(a smaller part or amount: He has less than I have.) meno
4. preposition
(minus: He earns $280 a week less $90 income tax.) meno

- lessen
- lesser 5. adverb
(less: the lesser-known streets of London.) meno

- the less... the less/more
- no less a person than
* * *
[les] 1.
(compar. di little) quantisostantivo femminile meno

less beer — meno birra

I have less money than him — ho meno soldi di lui

of less value — di minore valore

to grow less — diminuire
2.
pronome meno

I have less than you — ne ho meno di te

even less — ancora meno

less than half — meno della metà

in less than three hours — in meno di tre ore

in less than no time — in un batter d'occhio, in men che non si dica

6 is less than 9 — 6 è più piccolo di 9

a sum of not less than Ј 10 — una somma non inferiore alle 10 sterline

he was less than helpful — fu tutt'altro che disponibile

it's an improvement, but less of one than I had hoped — è un miglioramento, ma inferiore a quanto sperassi

he's nothing less than a common criminal — non è né più né meno che un criminale

it's nothing less than a scandal! — è proprio uno scandalo!

he's less of a fool than you think — è meno scemo di quel che pensi

they will think all the less of her for it — avranno ancora meno stima di lei dopo questo

Ј 100 and not a penny less! — 100 sterline e non un penny di meno!

the less said about it the better — meno si dice meglio è

people have been shot for less! — c'è chi è stato ucciso per meno!
3.
avverbio

1) (di) meno

I liked it less than you did — mi è piaciuto meno che a te

I dislike him no less than you — non mi sta meno antipatico che a te

it matters less than it did before — ha meno importanza di prima

he is no less qualified than you — non è meno qualificato di te

it's less a village than a town — è più una città che un paese

the more I see him, the less I like him — più lo vedo e meno mi piace

no less than 85% — non meno dell'85%

they live in Kensington, no less! — abitano nientemeno che a Kensington!

no less a person than the emperor — nientemeno che l'imperatore

he was less offended than shocked — era più scioccato che offeso

2) less and less sempre meno
4.
preposizione meno

less 15% discount — meno il 15% di sconto

English-Italian dictionary > less
4 even

I
1. i:vən adjective
1) (level; the same in height, amount etc: Are the table-legs even?; an even temperature.) uniforme, constante

2) (smooth: Make the path more even.) liso, llano

3) (regular: He has a strong, even pulse.) regular

4) (divisible by 2 with no remainder: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 etc are even numbers.) par

5) (equal (in number, amount etc): The teams have scored one goal each and so they are even now.) empatado

6) ((of temperament etc) calm: She has a very even temper.) constante, tranquilo

2. verb
1) (to make equal: Smith's goal evened the score.) igualar

2) (to make smooth or level.) allanar, nivelar

•

- evenly
- evenness
- be/get even with
- an even chance
- even out
- even up
II i:vən adverb
1) (used to point out something unexpected in what one is saying: `Have you finished yet?' `No, I haven't even started.'; Even the winner got no prize.) ni siquiera

2) (yet; still: My boots were dirty, but his were even dirtier.) todavía más, aún más

•

- even if
- even so
- even though

even¹ adj

1. llano / liso / plano

an even surface una superficie plana

2. uniforme / regular / constante

an even colour un color uniforme

3. igualado / empatado

a very even match un partido muy igualado

now we're even! ¡ya estamos en paz!

even² adv

1. hasta / incluso / aun

the weather is always bad, even in summer siempre hace mal tiempo, incluso en verano

2. aún / todavía

Monday was cold, but today it's even colder el lunes hizo frío, pero hoy hace más aún

3. ni siquiera

I haven't even started ni siquiera he empezado

even if aunque

even so aun así

even though aunque / a pesar de que

even

tr['iːvən]

adjective

1 (level, flat) llano,-a, plano,-a; (smooth) liso,-a

■ this surface isn't even esta superficie no es plana

2 (regular, steady) uniforme, regular, constante

■ an even temperature una temperatura constante

■ an even pace un ritmo regular

3 (evenly balanced) igual, igualado,-a

■ it was an even match fue un partido igualado

■ the scales are even la balanza está igualada

4 (equal in measure, quantity, number) igual

■ add even amounts of milk and water añadir igual cantidad de leche y agua, añadir leche y agua a partes iguales

■ the distribution of income is fairly even la distribución de la renta es bastante igual

■ the scores were even iban iguales

5 (number) par

6 (placid - character) apacible, tranquilo,-a; (- voice) imperturbable

7 (on the same level as) a nivel ( with, de)

adverb

1 hasta, incluso, aun

■ even the Queen was there hasta la reina estaba allí

■ it's always sunny, even in winter siempre hace sol, incluso en invierno

■ it's open every day, even on Sundays abren cada día, incluso los domingos

■ even a child knows that hasta un niño lo sabe

2 (with negative) siquiera, ni siquiera

■ he didn't even ask me the score ni siquiera me preguntó el resultado

■ without even opening the present sin abrir el regalo siquiera

■ even you wouldn't understand ni siquiera tú lo entenderías

■ she never even said hello ni siquiera me saludó

3 (before comparative) aun, todavía

■ she's even more beautiful than I remembered es aun más guapa de lo que recordaba

■ I'm even angrier now ahora estoy todavía más enfadada

transitive verb

1 (level) nivelar, allanar

2 (score) igualar; (situation) equilibrar

\

SMALLIDIOMATIC EXPRESSION/SMALL

even as mientras, justo cuando

■ even as we speak en este mismo momento

even if aun si, aunque

even now incluso ahora, aun ahora

even so incluso así, aun así, a pesar de eso

even then incluso entonces, aun entonces

even though aunque, aun cuando

to be even with somebody estar en paz con alguien

to break even cubrir gastos

to get even with somebody desquitarse con alguien

■ I'll get even with you! ¡me las pagarás!

even chances cincuenta por ciento de posibilidades

even ['i:vən] vt

1) level: allanar, nivelar, emparejar

2) equalize: igualar, equilibrar

even vi

to even out : nivelarse, emparejarse

even adv

1) : hasta, incluso

even a child can do it: hasta un niño puede hacerlo

he looked content, even happy: se le veía satisfecho, incluso feliz

2) (in negative constructions) : ni siquiera

he didn't even try: ni siquiera lo intentó

3) (in comparisons) : aún, todavía

even better: aún mejor, todavía mejor

4)

even if : aunque

5)

even so : aun así

6)

even though : aun cuando, a pesar de que

even adj

1) smooth: uniforme, liso, parejo

2) flat: plano, llano

3) equal: igual, igualado

an even score: un marcador igualado

4) regular: regular, constante

an even pace: un ritmo constante

5) exact: exacto, justo

6) : par

even number: número par

7)

to be even : estar en paz, estar a mano

8)

to get even : desquitarse, vengarse

even

adj.

• exacto, -a adj.

• igual adj.

• imparcial adj.

• liso, -a adj.

• llano, -a adj.

• par (Matemática) adj.

• parejero, -a adj.

• parejo, -a adj.

• plano, -a adj.

• uniforme adj.

adv.

• aun adv.

• aún adv.

• hasta adv.

• incluso adv.

• siquiera adv.

conj.

• aun conj.

v.

• allanar v.

• igualar v.

I 'iːvən
adverb

1)

a) hasta, incluso

even a child could do it — hasta un niño lo podría hacer

even now, five years later — incluso ahora, cuando ya han pasado cinco años

it would be madness even to attempt it — intentarlo ya sería una locura

b) (with neg)

he can't even sew a button on — no sabe ni pegar un botón

you're not even trying — ni siquiera lo estás intentando

c) (with comparative) aún, todavía

the next day was even colder — al día siguiente hizo aún or todavía más frío

2) (in phrases)

even if — aunque (+ subj)

we'll do it even if it takes months — lo haremos aunque lleve meses

even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you — aunque lo supiera, no te lo diría

even so — aun así

even then — aun así

even though — aun cuando, a pesar de que

II

adjective

1)

a) (flat, smooth) <ground/surface> plano; < coat of paint> uniforme

the floor isn't even — el suelo no está nivelado

b) (regular, uniform) <color/lighting> uniforme, parejo (AmL); < breathing> acompasado, regular; < temperature> constante

2) ( equal) < distribution> equitativo, igual

after four rounds they're even — tras cuatro vueltas están or van igualados or empatados

so now we're even o so that makes us even — así que estamos en paz or (AmL tb) a mano

to break even — recuperar los gastos, no tener* ni pérdidas ni beneficios

to get even with — desquitarse, vengarse*

I'll get even with her — me las pagará

3) ( divisible by two) < number> par

III

transitive verb

1) ( level) \<\<surface\>\> allanar, nivelar

2) ( make equal) \<\<score\>\> igualar; \<\<contest/situation\>\> equilibrar

•

Phrasal Verbs:

- even out

- even up

['iːvǝn]
1. ADJ

1) (=smooth, flat) [surface, ground] plano

the floorboards are not very even — las tablas del suelo no están muy niveladas

to make sth even — nivelar algo, allanar algo

2) (=uniform) [speed, temperature, progress] constante; [breathing] regular; [distribution, colour, work] uniforme

he has even features — tiene facciones regulares
keel
3) (=equal) [quantities, distances] igual; [distribution] equitativo

divide the dough into 12 even pieces — divida la masa en 12 piezas iguales

a more even distribution of wealth — una distribución más equitativa de la riqueza

• to break even — llegar a cubrir los gastos

• he has an even chance of winning the election — (Brit) tiene las mismas posibilidades de ganar las elecciones que de perderlas, tiene un cincuenta por ciento de posibilidades de ganar las elecciones

• to get even with sb — ajustar cuentas con algn

I'll get even with you for that! — ¡me las pagarás por eso! *

• that makes us even — (in game) así quedamos empatados; (regarding money) así quedamos en paz or (LAm) a mano

• they are an even match — (in sports, games) los dos son igual de buenos; (fig) no le tiene nada que envidiar el uno al otro

• I'll give you even money that Arsenal will win — (Brit) para mí que Arsenal tiene las mismas posibilidades de ganar que de perder

• the odds are about even — (Brit) las posibilidades son más o menos iguales

• our score is even — estamos igualados or empatados

• to be even with sb — (in game) estar igualado con algn; (regarding money) estar en paz or (LAm) a mano con algn

- give sb an even break
even-handed, even-stevens
4) (=calm)

• he has an even temper — no se altera fácilmente

• to say sth with an even voice — decir algo sin alterar la voz

to keep one's voice even — no alterar la voz
even-tempered
5) (=not odd) [number] par

2. ADV

1) hasta, incluso

I have even forgotten his name — hasta or incluso he olvidado su nombre

even on Sundays — hasta or incluso los domingos

even the priest was there — hasta or incluso el cura estaba allí

pick them all, even the little ones — recógelos todos incluso los pequeños

even I know that! — ¡eso lo sé hasta yo!

and he even sings — e incluso canta

if you even tried a bit harder — si tan solo te esforzaras un poco más

2) (with compar adj or adv) aún, todavía

even faster — aún or todavía más rápido

even better — aún or todavía mejor

even more easily — aún or todavía más fácilmente

even less money — aún or todavía menos dinero

3) (with negative)

• not even... — ni siquiera...

he can't even read — ni siquiera sabe leer

he didn't even kiss me — ni me besó siquiera

don't even think about it! — ¡ni lo pienses!

• without even reading it — sin leerlo siquiera

4) (in phrases)

• even as, even as he spoke the door opened — en ese mismo momento se abrió la puerta

even as a child I used to drink cider — incluso de niño solía beber sidra

even as he had wished it — frm exactamente como él lo había deseado

• even if — aunque + subjun, incluso si + subjun

even if you tried — aunque lo intentaras, incluso si lo intentaras, así lo procuraras (LAm)

• not... even if, not even if, he won't talk to you even if you do go there — no hablará contigo aunque vayas allí

I wouldn't do it even if you paid me a fortune — no lo haría aunque me pagaras una fortuna

I couldn't be prouder, not even if you were my own son — no me sentiría más orgulloso, aunque fuera mi propio hijo

• even now — todavía

even now, you could still change your mind — todavía estás a tiempo de cambiar de idea

• even so — aun así

even so he was disappointed — aun así, quedó decepcionado

yes but even so... — sí, pero aun así...

• even then — aun así

and even then she wasn't happy — y aún así no estaba contenta

• even though — aunque

he didn't listen, even though he knew I was right — no me hizo caso, aunque sabía que tenía razón

• even when — incluso cuando

even when I was young I never had any ambition — incluso cuando era joven no tenía ninguna ambición

he never gets depressed, even when things go badly — nunca se deprime, incluso or ni siquiera cuando las cosas andan mal

not even when — ni siquiera cuando

we were never in love, not even when we got married — nunca estuvimos enamorados, ni siquiera cuando nos casamos

3. VT

1) (=smooth, flatten) [+ surface, ground] nivelar, allanar

2) (=equalize) igualar

• to even the score — (lit) igualar el marcador

he was determined to even the score — (=get revenge) estaba decidido or empeñado a desquitarse

4.

evens
NPL (esp Brit)
the bookmakers are offering evens — los corredores de apuestas ofrecen el doble de la cantidad aportada

- even out

- even up

* * *

I ['iːvən]
adverb

1)

a) hasta, incluso

even a child could do it — hasta un niño lo podría hacer

even now, five years later — incluso ahora, cuando ya han pasado cinco años

it would be madness even to attempt it — intentarlo ya sería una locura

b) (with neg)

he can't even sew a button on — no sabe ni pegar un botón

you're not even trying — ni siquiera lo estás intentando

c) (with comparative) aún, todavía

the next day was even colder — al día siguiente hizo aún or todavía más frío

2) (in phrases)

even if — aunque (+ subj)

we'll do it even if it takes months — lo haremos aunque lleve meses

even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you — aunque lo supiera, no te lo diría

even so — aun así

even then — aun así

even though — aun cuando, a pesar de que

II

adjective

1)

a) (flat, smooth) <ground/surface> plano; < coat of paint> uniforme

the floor isn't even — el suelo no está nivelado

b) (regular, uniform) <color/lighting> uniforme, parejo (AmL); < breathing> acompasado, regular; < temperature> constante

2) ( equal) < distribution> equitativo, igual

after four rounds they're even — tras cuatro vueltas están or van igualados or empatados

so now we're even o so that makes us even — así que estamos en paz or (AmL tb) a mano

to break even — recuperar los gastos, no tener* ni pérdidas ni beneficios

to get even with — desquitarse, vengarse*

I'll get even with her — me las pagará

3) ( divisible by two) < number> par

III

transitive verb

1) ( level) \<\<surface\>\> allanar, nivelar

2) ( make equal) \<\<score\>\> igualar; \<\<contest/situation\>\> equilibrar

•

Phrasal Verbs:

- even out

- even up

English-spanish dictionary > even
5 pasar

v.

1 to pass.

¿me pasas la sal? would you pass me the salt?

le paso (con él) I'll put you through (to him) (al teléfono)

pasar algo por to pass something through (filtrar)

Pasaron dos horas Two hours went by.

Yo paso a María I pass Mary (I overtake Mary)

Un carro pasa A car goes by

Me pasó una cuchara He=she passed me a spoon (She passed a spoon to me)

Por fin pasé! I passed at last!

2 to cross.

pasar la calle to cross the road

pasé el río a nado I swam across the river

3 to go through.

pasar un semáforo en rojo to go through a red light

4 to pass, to go.

pasó por mi lado he passed by my side

el autobús pasa por mi casa the bus goes past o passes in front of my house

el Manzanares pasa por Madrid the Manzanares goes o passes through Madrid

he pasado por tu calle I went down your street

pasar de… a… to go o pass from… to…

pasar de largo to go by

5 to go/come in.

pasen por aquí, por favor come this way, please

¡pase! come in!

6 to go.

por ahí no pasa it won't go through there

7 to go by.

pasaron tres meses three months went by

8 to go through, to experience.

pasar frío/miedo to be cold/scared

pasarlo bien to enjoy oneself, to have a good time

pasarlo mal to have a hard time of it

pasarlas canutas (informal) to have a rough time

Pasé un gran susto I experienced a great scare.

9 to show in (llevar adentro).

el criado nos pasó al salón the butler showed us into the living room

10 to show (Cine).

11 to spend (time).

pasó dos años en Roma he spent two years in Rome

¿dónde vas a pasar las vacaciones? where are you going on holiday?, where are you going to spend your holidays?

Yo paso las horas cantando I pass the hours away singing (spend the time...)

12 to pop in (ir un momento).

pasaré por mi oficina/por tu casa I'll pop into my office/round to your place

13 to happen.

¿qué pasa aquí? what's going on here?

¿qué pasa? what's the matter?

¿qué le pasa? what's wrong with him?, what's the matter with him?

pase lo que pase whatever happens, come what may

Algo pasó Something happened=came to pass.

14 to be over.

ya ha pasado lo peor the worst is over now

pasó la Navidad Christmas is over

Pasé muy feliz en la fiesta I was very happy at the party.

15 to be all right, to be usable.

puede pasar it'll do

16 to go away.

Pasó el mal tiempo the bad weather went away.

17 to come in, to step in.

El policía pasó The policeman came in.

18 to happen to, to occur to.

Me pasó algo cómico Something funny happened to me..

19 to keep on, to keep, to carry on.

Ella pasa bailando todo el tiempo She keeps on dancing all the time.

20 to skip, to pass.

Pase ese capítulo Skip that chapter,.

21 to blow over, to blow itself out, to calm down.

La tormenta pasó The storm blew over.

* * *

pasar

► verbo intransitivo

1 (ir) to pass, pass by, go

■ pasaba por ahí cuando sucedió el accidente I was just passing by when the accident happened

■ todos los cables y tuberías pasan por debajo del suelo all the wires and pipes go under the floor

■ pasa de un idioma a otro sin darse cuenta he goes from one language to another without realizing

2 (tiempo) to pass, go by

■ ¡cómo pasa el tiempo! doesn't time fly!

■ yo lo hago por pasar el tiempo I do it to pass the time

3 (entrar) to come in, go in

■ pasa, está abierto come in, it's not locked

■ me dijeron que pasara sin llamar they told me to go in without knocking

4 (cesar) to pass, cease

■ en cuanto pase la tormenta salimos we'll go out when the storm has passed

■ si no se te pasa el dolor, llámame if the pain doesn't go away, call me

■ tranquila, que ya ha pasado todo don't worry, it's all over now

5 (límite) to exceed (de, -)

6 (ocurrir) to happen

7 (sufrir) to suffer

► verbo transitivo

1 (trasladar) to move, transfer

■ pasa este documento al otro disquete move this file to the other diskette

■ lo han pasado al departamento de ventas he has been transferred to the sales department

2 (comunicar, dar) to give

■ pásale el informe al jefe give this report to the boss

■ mi hijo me ha pasado la gripe my son has given me the flu

3 (cruzar) to cross

■ pasamos la frontera ayer we crossed the border yesterday

4 (alcanzar) to pass, reach

■ pásame la sal, por favor pass me the salt, please

5 (aventajar) to surpass, be better than

■ tu hermano ya te pasa en matemáticas your brother is better than you at maths

6 (adelantar) to overtake

■ me pasó un deportivo rojo en una curva a red sports car overtook me on a bend

7 (deslizar) to run

■ pasó el dedo por el estante he ran his finger along the shelf

■ la etiqueta se pasa por aquí y el precio sale en la pantalla you run the tag through here and the price comes up on the screen

8 (tolerar) to overlook

■ esta vez te la paso, pero que no se repita I'll overlook it this time, but don't let it happen again

9 (aprobar) to pass

■ pasé el examen a la primera I passed my test first time

10 (proyectar) to show

■ pasaron unas diapositivas y luego una película they showed some slides and then a film

11 (tiempo - estar) to spend; (- disfrutar, padecer) to have

■ pasaremos el verano en Sada we're spending the summer in Sada

■ he pasado una noche fatal I've had a terrible night

■ pasamos unas vacaciones estupendas we had a wonderful holiday

► verbo pronominal pasarse

1 (desertar) to pass over (a, to)

■ se ha pasado al otro bando she's gone over to the other side

2 (pudrirse) to go off

3 (olvidarse) to forget

■ se me pasó la fecha de entrega I forgot about the deadline

4 (ir) to go by ( por, -), call in ( por, at)

■ pásate por casa cuando quieras pop in any time

5 familiar (excederse) to overdo it; (ir demasiado lejos) to go too far (de, -)

■ te has pasado de sincero you were too honest

\

FRASEOLOGÍA

pasar de algo familiar not to be bothered about something

■ paso de hacer cola I can't be bothered to queue up

■ pasa de todo he couldn't care less about anything, he doesn't give a damn about anything

pasar de largo to go past

pasar la página to turn the page

pasar por to pass for

pasar por alto to ignore

pasar por encima de alguien to go over somebody's head

pasarlo bien to have a good time

¿qué pasa? what's the matter?, what's wrong?

pasar sin to do without

pasarse de la raya to go too far, overstep the mark

* * *

verb

1) to happen

2) pass

3) come in, enter

4) surpass

5) cross

6) give

7) undergo, suffer

8) omit

•

- pasar de largo
- pasar por alto
- pasarlo bien
- pasarlo mal
- pasarse
* * *
Para las expresiones pasar lista, pasar de moda, pasar desapercibido, pasarse de rosca etc, ver la otra entrada
1. VERBO INTRANSITIVO

1) (=ocurrir)

a) [suceso] to happen

¿qué pasó? — what happened?

¿pasa algo? — is anything up?, is anything wrong?, is anything the matter?

como si no hubiese pasado nada — as if nothing had happened

aquí pasa algo misterioso — there's something odd going on here

siempre pasa igual {o} lo mismo — it's always the same

¿qué pasa? — what's happening?, what's going on?, what's up?; [como saludo] how's things? *

¿qué pasa que no entra? — why doesn't she come in?

¿qué pasa contigo? — what's up with you?; [como saludo] * how's it going? *

¿qué ha pasado con ella? — what's become of her?

• [lo que] pasa es que... — well, you see..., the thing is that...

pase lo que pase — whatever happens, come what may

b)

pasarle a algn: nunca me pasa nada — nothing ever happens to me

no me ha pasado otra (igual) en la vida — nothing like this has ever happened to me before

siempre me pasa lo mismo, lo pierdo todo — it's always the same, I keep losing things

tuvo un accidente, pero por suerte no le pasó nada — he had an accident, but fortunately he wasn't hurt

esto te pasa por no hacerme caso — this is what comes of not listening to me, this wouldn't have happened (to you) if you'd listened to me

¿qué te pasa? — what's the matter?

¿qué le pasa a ese? — what's the matter with him?

2) (=cambiar de lugar)

a) [objeto]

la cuerda pasa de un lado a otro de la calle — the rope goes from one side of the street to the other

cuando muera la empresa pasará al hijo — when he dies the company will go to his son

• la foto fue pasando de mano en [mano] — the photo was passed around

pasó de mis manos a las suyas — it passed from my hands into his

b) [persona] to go

pasar a un cuarto contiguo — to go into an adjoining room

pasar de Inglaterra al Canadá — to go from England to Canada

3) (=entrar)

¡pase! — come in!; [cediendo el paso] after you!

no se puede pasar — you can't go through, you can't go in

pasamos directamente a ver al jefe — we went straight in to see the boss

los moros pasaron a España — the Moors crossed over into Spain

• [hacer] pasar a algn — to show sb in

4) (=transitar)

pasó una bicicleta — a bicycle went past

¿a qué hora pasa el cartero? — what time does the postman come?

ya ha pasado el tren de las cinco — (=sin hacer parada) the five o'clock train has already gone by; (=haciendo parada) the five o'clock train has already been and gone

¿ha pasado ya el camión de la basura? — have the dustmen been?

• pasar [de largo] — to go {o} pass by

• pasar [por], el autobús pasa por delante de nuestra casa — the bus goes past our house

ese autobús no pasa por aquí — that bus doesn't come this way

5) (=acercarse a)

• tengo que pasar [por] el banco — I've got to go to the bank

pasaré por la tienda mañana — I'll go {o} pop into the shop tomorrow

tendrá que pasar por mi despacho — he'll have to come to my office

pase por caja — please pay at the cash desk

pasaré por tu casa — I'll drop in
pasar a ({+ infin})
te pasaré a buscar a las ocho — I'll pick you up at eight

pasa a verme cuando quieras — come round whenever you like

6) (=cambiar de situación) to go

el equipo ha pasado a primera división — the team has gone up to the first division

y luego pasaron a otra cosa — and then they went on to something else

ha pasado de ser tímida a no tenerle miedo a nada — she has gone from being shy to fearing nothing

pasar de teniente a general — to go from lieutenant to general

• pasar a [ser] — to become

en muy poco tiempo ha pasado a ser un gran profesional — he has become a real professional in a very short space of time

7) (=transcurrir) [tiempo] to pass, go by

han pasado cuatro años — four years have passed {o} gone by

el tiempo pasa deprisa — time passes {o} goes so quickly

¡cómo pasa el tiempo! — how time flies!

ya ha pasado una hora — it's been an hour already

8) (=acabar) [problema, situación] to be over; [efectos] to wear off

ha pasado la crisis — the crisis is over

ya pasó aquello — that's all over (and done with) now

9) (=aceptarse)

puede pasar — it's passable, it's OK

por esta vez pase — I'll let it go this time

que me llames carroza, pase, pero fascista, no — you can call me an old fuddy-duddy if you like, but not a fascist

10) pasar por

a) (=atravesar, caber) to go through

el hilo pasa por el agujero — the thread goes through the hole

pasamos por un túnel muy largo — we went through a very long tunnel

no pasamos por el pueblo — we didn't go through the village

el río pasa por la ciudad — the river flows {o} goes through the city

pasar por la aduana — to go through customs

está pasando por un mal momento — he's going through a bad patch

no creo que el sofá pase por esa puerta — I don't think the settee will go through the door

b) (=depender de) to depend on

el futuro de la empresa pasa por este acuerdo — the company's future depends on {o} hangs on this agreement

c) (=ser considerado) to pass as

podrían perfectamente pasar por gemelos — they could easily pass as twins

Juan pasa por francés — most people think Juan is French

• [hacerse] pasar por — to pass o.s. off as

se hace pasar por médico — he passes himself off as a doctor

11) [otras formas preposicionales]
pasar a ({+ infin}) (=empezar)
paso ahora a explicar mi postura — I will now go on to explain my position

pasar a decir algo — to go on to say sth

ya va siendo hora de pasar a la acción — it is time for action
pasar de (=exceder)
pasa ya de los 70 — he's over 70

esto pasa de ser una broma — this is beyond a joke

no pasa de ser un jugador mediocre — he's no more than an average player

no pasan de 60 los que lo tienen — those who have it do not number more than 60, fewer than 60 people have it

• yo de [ahí] no paso — that's as far as I'm prepared to go

• de [ésta] no pasa — this is the very last time

• de [hoy] no pasa que le escriba — I'll write to him this very day
pasar sin
tendrá que pasar sin coche — he'll have to get by {o} manage without a car

no puede pasar sin ella — he can't manage without her

12) (Naipes) to pass

yo paso — pass

13) esp Esp
* (=mostrarse indiferente)
yo paso — count me out

• pasar [de] algo/algn, yo paso de política — I'm not into politics

paso de todo — I couldn't care less

pasa olímpicamente de todo lo que le dicen — he doesn't take the blindest bit of notice of anything they say to him

paso de ti, chaval — I couldn't care less about you, pal

2. VERBO TRANSITIVO

1) (=dar, entregar) [gen] to pass; [en una serie] to pass on

¿me pasas la sal, por favor? — could you pass (me) the salt, please?

le pasó el sobre — he handed {o} passed her the envelope

pásale una nota con disimulo — slip him a note

cuando termines pásasela a Isabel — when you've finished pass it on to Isabel

2) (=traspasar) [+ río, frontera] to cross; [+ límite] to go beyond

el túnel pasa la montaña — the tunnel goes right through the mountain

esto pasa los límites de lo razonable — this goes beyond the realm of what is reasonable

3) (=llevar)

nos pasaron a ver al director — they took us to see the manager

nos pasaron a otra habitación — they moved us into another room

he pasado mi despacho al dormitorio — I've moved my office into the bedroom

4) (=hacer atravesar)

pasa el alambre por este agujero — put the wire through this hole

pasó el hilo por el ojo de la aguja — she threaded the thread through the eye of the needle

5) (=colar) to strain

pasar el café por el colador — to strain the coffee

6) (=introducir) [+ moneda falsa] to pass (off); [+ contrabando] to smuggle

han pasado billetes falsos — they've passed (off) forged notes

han pasado un alijo de cocaína por la frontera — a consignment of cocaine has been smuggled across the border

7) (=hacer deslizar)

voy a pasarle un trapo — I'm going to wipe it down

pasar la mano por algo — to run one's hand over sth

pasar el cepillo por el pelo — to run a brush through one's hair

pasar la aspiradora por la alfombra — to vacuum the carpet, run the vacuum cleaner over the carpet

pasar la aspiradora — to do the vacuuming

8) (=deslizar) to slip

le pasó el brazo por los hombros/la cintura — she slipped {o} put her arm around his shoulders/waist

9) (=contagiar) to give

me has pasado tu catarro — you've given me your cold

10) (=volver) [+ página] to turn

- pasar página

11) (=escribir)

• pasar algo a [limpio] — to make a neat {o} fair {o} clean copy of sth

• pasar algo a [máquina] — to type sth up

12) (=tragar) (lit) to swallow; (fig) to bear, stand

no puedo pasar esta pastilla — I can't swallow this pill, I can't get this pill down

no puedo pasar a ese hombre — I can't bear {o} stand that man

13) (=tolerar)

se lo pasan todo — they let him get away with anything

no te voy a pasar más — I'm not going to indulge you any more

14) (=aprobar) [+ examen] to pass

15) (=proyectar) [+ película, programa] to show, screen

16) (=poner en contacto)

te paso con Pedro — [al mismo teléfono] I'll put you on to Pedro; [a distinto teléfono] I'll put you through to Pedro

17) (=realizar)

• pasa [consulta] {o} [visita] a unas 700 personas diarias — he sees 700 patients a day
revista 3)
18) (=superar)

los pasa a todos en inteligencia — she's more intelligent than any of them

para ganar debes pasar a muchos contrincantes — to win you have to beat a lot of opponents

me pasa ya 3cm — he's already 3cm taller than I am

19) (Aut) to pass, overtake

20) (=omitir)

• pasar algo por [alto] — to overlook sth

pasar por alto un detalle — to overlook a detail

21) [+ tiempo] to spend

pasar las vacaciones — to spend one's holidays

voy a pasar el fin de semana con ella — I'm going to spend the weekend with her

fuimos a pasar el día en la playa — we went to the seaside for the day

lo pasaremos tan ricamente — we'll have such a good time
pasarlo ({+ adv})
pasarlo bien — to have a good time

¡que lo pases bien! — have a good time!, enjoy yourself!

pasarlo mal — to have a bad time

lo pasamos muy mal — we had an awful time

22) (=dejar atrás)

hemos pasado el aniversario — the anniversary has passed, the anniversary is behind us

ya hemos pasado lo peor — we're over the worst now, the worst is behind us now

23) (=sufrir)

ha pasado una mala racha — she's been through a bad patch

ha pasado muchas enfermedades — he's had a lot of illnesses

pasar frío — to be cold

pasar hambre — to be hungry

24) Cono Sur * (=engañar) to cheat, swindle

3.

See:

pasarse
PASAR En expresiones temporales ► Se traduce por spend cuando pasar tiene un uso transitivo y queremos indicar un período de tiempo concreto, seguido de la actividad que en ese tiempo se desarrolla, o del lugar: Me pasé la tarde escribiendo cartas I spent the evening writing letters Ha pasado toda su vida en el campo He has spent his whole life in the country ► En cambio, cuando se describe la forma en que se pasa el tiempo mediante un adjetivo, se debe emplear en inglés la construcción have + (a) + ((adjetivo)) + ((sustantivo)): Pasamos una tarde entretenida We had a lovely afternoon Pasamos un rato estupendo jugando al squash We had a fantastic time playing squash la expresión pasar el rato se traduce por pass the time: No sé qué hacer para pasar el rato I don't know what to do to pass the time ► Cuando el uso es intransitivo, pasar se traduce por pass {o} go by. A medida que pasaba el tiempo se deprimía cada vez más As time passed o went by, he became more and more depressed Para otros usos y ejemplos ver la entrada
* * *
1.
verbo intransitivo

Sentido I

1)

a) ( ir por un lugar) to come/go past

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

¿a qué hora pasa el lechero? — what time does the milkman come?

los otros coches no podían pasar — the other cars weren't able to get past

no dejan pasar a nadie — they're not letting anyone through

no dejes pasar esta oportunidad — don't miss this opportunity

pasar de largo — to go right o straight past

pasar POR algo — to go through something

al pasar por la aduana — when you go through customs

el Tajo pasa por Aranjuez — the Tagus flows through Aranjuez

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?

¿el 45 pasa por aquí? — does the number 45 come this way?

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...

ni me pasó por la imaginación — it didn't even occur to me, it didn't even cross my mind

b) ( deteniéndose en un lugar)

pasar POR algo: ¿podríamos pasar por el banco? can we stop off at the bank?; pase usted por caja please go over to the cashier; pasa un día por casa why don't you drop o come by the house sometime?; pasar A + INF: puede pasar a recogerlo mañana you can come and pick it up tomorrow; pasaremos a verlos — we'll call in o drop in and see them

c) ( atravesar) to cross

pasar de un lado a otro — to go o cross from one side to the other

pasaron de Chile a Argentina a pie — they crossed over from Chile to Argentina on foot

la humedad pasó a la otra habitación — the damp went through to the other room

d) (caber, entrar)

no pasará por la puerta — it won't go through the door

esta camiseta no me pasa por la cabeza — I can't get this T-shirt over my head

2)

a) (transmitirse, transferirse) corona/título to pass

una tradición que pasa de padres a hijos — a tradition that is handed o passed down from generation to generation

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

3) ( 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 pasar al Sr Díaz — show Mr Díaz in please

no pasarán! — (fr hecha) they shall not pass!

pasaron al comedor — they went through into the dining room

¿puedo pasar al baño? — may I use the bathroom please?

¿quién quiere pasar al pizarrón? — (AmL) who's going to come up to the blackboard?

4)

a) (cambiar de estado, actividad, tema)

pasar (DE algo) A algo — to go (from something) to something

pasó del quinto al séptimo lugar — she went o dropped from fifth to seventh place

ahora pasa a tercera — (Auto) now change into third

pasando a otra cosa... — anyway, to change the subject...

pasan a ocupar el primer puesto — they move into first place

pasó a tratar el problema — he went on to deal with the problem

pasamos a informar de otras noticias — now, the rest of the news

b) (Educ) to pass

¿pasaste? — did you pass?

pasar de curso — to get through o pass one's end-of-year exams

c) ( ser aceptable)

no está perfecto, pero puede pasar — it's not perfect, but it'll do

por esta vez (que) pase — I'll let it pass o go this time

5) ( exceder un límite)

pasar DE algo: no pases de 100 don't go over 100; no pasó de un desacuerdo it was nothing more than a disagreement; está muy grave, no creo que pase de hoy he's very ill, I don't think he'll last another day; no pasa de los 30 he's not more than 30; no pasamos de nueve empleados — they're only nine of us working there/here

6) pasar por

a) ( ser tenido por)

pasa por tonto, pero no lo es — he might look stupid, but he isn't

podrían pasar por hermanas — they could pass for sisters

se hacía pasar por médico — he passed himself off as a doctor

se hizo pasar por mi padre — he pretended to be my father

b) (Esp) ( implicar)

la solución pasa por una reforma política — the solution lies in a political reform

Sentido II

7) ( transcurrir) tiempo to pass

pasaron muchos años — many years went by o passed

ya han pasado dos horas — it's been two hours now

cómo pasa el tiempo! — doesn't time fly!

por ti no pasan los años — you look as young as ever

pasaban las horas y no llegaba — the hours went by o passed and still he didn't come

8) ( cesar) crisis/mal momento to be over; efecto to wear off; dolor to go away

menos mal que el invierno ya ha pasado — thank goodness winter's over

9) ( arreglárselas) to manage, get by

sin electricidad podemos pasar — we can manage o get by without electricity

Sentido III

10) ( 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

¿qué pasó con lo del reloj? — what happened about the watch?

...y aquí no ha pasado nada —...and let's just forget the whole thing

en este pueblo nunca pasa nada — nothing ever happens in this town

siempre pasa igual or lo mismo — it's always the same

¿pasa algo? — is something the matter?

¿qué pasa? — what's the matter?, what's up? (colloq)

hola, Carlos! ¿qué pasa? — (fam) hi, Carlos! how's things o how's it going? (colloq)

son cosas que pasan — these things happen; (+ me/te/le etc)

¿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

por suerte a él no le pasó nada — fortunately, nothing happened to him

11) ( experimentar)

pasar POR algo — por crisis/mala racha to go through something

Sentido IV

12)

a) (en naipes, juegos) to pass

b) (fam) ( rechazando algo)

¿vas a tomar postre? - no, yo paso — are you going to have a dessert? - no, I think I'll give it a miss

paso de salir, estoy muy cansada — I don't feel like going out, I'm very tired (colloq)

c) (fam) ( expresando indiferencia)

que se las arreglen, yo paso — they can sort it out themselves, it's not my problem

pasa ampliamente de lo que diga la gente — she couldn't care less what people say (colloq)

paso de él — (esp Esp) I don't give a damn o I couldn't care less what he does (colloq)
2.
pasar vt

Sentido I

1)

a) ( hacer atravesar)

pasar algo POR algo — to put something through something

pasar la salsa por un tamiz — to put the sauce through a sieve

pasa el cordón por este agujero — thread the string through this hole

b) ( por la aduana -legalmente) to take through; (- ilegalmente) to smuggle

c) ( hacer deslizar)

pásale un trapo al piso — give the floor a quick wipe

pasarlo primero por harina — first dip it in flour

a esto hay que pasarle una plancha — this needs a quick iron o run over with the iron

2) (exhibir, mostrar) <película/anuncio> to show

3)

a) (cruzar, atravesar) < frontera> to cross; <pueblo/ciudad> to go through

pasaron el río a nado — they swam across the river

b) ( dejar atrás) <edificio/calle> to go past

todavía no hemos pasado lo peor — the worst is yet to come

c) (adelantar, sobrepasar) to overtake

pasar A algo — to overtake something, to get past something

está altísimo, ya pasa a su padre — he's really tall, he's already overtaken his father

4) <examen/prueba> to pass

5) <página/hoja> to turn

6) (fam) ( tolerar)

esto no te lo paso — I'm not letting you get away with this

no te deja pasar ni una — he doesn't let you get away with anything

a ese tipo no lo paso — I can't stand o take that guy (colloq)

no podía pasar aquella sopa — I couldn't stomach o eat that soup

pasar por alto — <falta/error> to overlook, forget about; tema/punto to leave out, omit

7) ( transcribir)

tendré que pasar la carta — I'll have to write o copy the letter out again

¿me pasas esto a máquina? — could you type this for me?

Sentido II

8) (entregar, hacer llegar)

pásaselo a Miguel — pass it on to Miguel

¿me pasas el martillo? — can you pass me the hammer?

le pasó el balón a Gómez — he passed the ball to Gómez

el padre le pasa una mensualidad — she gets a monthly allowance from her father

9) <gripe/resfriado> to give

me lo pasó a mí — he gave it to me, he passed it on to me

Sentido III

10)

a) < tiempo> to spend

pasamos las Navidades en casa — we spent Christmas at home

fuimos a Toledo a pasar 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

puede pasar días sin comer — he can go for days without eating

11)

a) (sufrir, padecer) penalidades/desgracias to go through, to suffer

está pasando una mala racha — he's going through bad times o (BrE) a bad patch

no sabes las que pasé — you've no idea what I went through

pasé mucho miedo/frío — I was very frightened/cold

b)

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

lo pasa muy mal con los exámenes — he gets very nervous about exams
3.
1) pasarse v pron

Sentido I

2) ( cambiarse)

pasarse al enemigo — to go over to the enemy

queremos pasarnos a la otra oficina — we want to move to the other office

3)

a) ( ir demasiado lejos)

nos pasamos, el banco está más arriba — we've gone too far, the bank isn't as far down as this

nos pasamos de estación — we went past our station

b) (fam) ( excederse) to go too far

esta vez te has pasado — you've gone too far this time

se pasaron con los precios — the prices they charged were way over the top (colloq)

se pasó con la sal — he overdid the salt (colloq)

te pasaste con el regalo — that was a really nice present you gave me

se pasó de listo — he tried to be too clever (colloq)

te pasas de bueno — you're too kind for your own good

c) (CS fam) ( lucirse)

te pasaste! esto está riquísimo — you've excelled yourself! this is really delicious (colloq)

4)

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

no le dejes pasarse de punto — don't let it overcook

Sentido II

5)

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

hasta que se le pase la fiebre — until her temperature goes down

b) ( transcurrir)

el año se ha pasado muy rápido — this year has gone very quickly; (+ me/te/le etc)

sus clases se me pasan volando — her classes seem to go so quickly

6) (+ me/te/le etc)

a) ( olvidarse)

se me pasó totalmente — I completely forgot

se me pasó su cumpleaños — I forgot his birthday

b) ( dejar de notar)

se le pasaron varios errores — he overlooked several mistakes

no se le pasó ese detalle — this detail didn't escape his attention

c) ( dejar escapar)

se me pasó la oportunidad — I missed the opportunity

Sentido III

7) (enf) ( estar)

se pasa el día al teléfono — she spends all day on the phone

me pasé toda la noche estudiando — I was up all night studying

se pasó el domingo durmiendo — he spent the whole of Sunday evening sleeping; ver tb pasar verbo transitivo III 1b y 2b

8) (enf) (fam) (ir)

pásate por casa — come round

¿podrías pasarte por el mercado? — could you go down to the market?

9) (refl)

se pasó la mano por el pelo — he ran his fingers through his hair

pasarse un peine — to run a comb through one's hair

* * *

= hand (over), pass, pass by, pass on, transfer, transmit, turn over + page, hand on, spend, transpire, pass out, turn over, slide over, pass along, get through, can't/couldn't be bothered, go + past, pass down, roll on, pass out, blow over, make + the cut, wear off, hand down.

Ex. Eventually, teachers should be able to ' hand the chalk over to the students' and take a back seat.

Ex. Examination reveals positions on the cards where the light passes through all the cards in a stack.

Ex. The days of needing to change into carpet slippers before going to such an area have thankfully passed by.

Ex. If ignored, the problems are only passed on to all the users of the catalog: the public, the reference department, the acquisitions department, and naturally the cataloging department.

Ex. Scope notes, on the order hand, may be present in a thesaurus but are unlikely to be transferred to an index.

Ex. The system permits the requester to specify up to five potential lending libraries, and the system transmits the requests to these libraries one at a time.

Ex. Turn over the page and you will find suggested analyses against which you can check your solution.

Ex. Some experts have expressed grave doubts about the durability of contemporary literary and artistic works on paper and hence the possibility of handing on works of culture to future generations.

Ex. Any funeral scene in a story inevitably conjures in myself memories of my childhood spent as the son of an undertaker.

Ex. The 2nd is the fact that most information seeking transpires with little help from librarians, who have consistently failed to establish themselves as primary information professionals.

Ex. At the Closing Session Danish flags were suddenly produced and passed out among the crowd who began waving them enthusiastically.

Ex. Then he picked up about 2 cm. of type from the right-hand end of the uppermost line (i.e. the last word or two of the last line) with the thumb and forefinger of his right hand, read it, and dropped the pieces of type one by one into their proper boxes, turning over the old house.

Ex. He had greeted her courteously, as was his wont, and had inquired if she minded his smoking; she told him to go ahead and slid over an ashtray.

Ex. If the head of reference services does not pass along the information to the staff the reference librarians, by being uninformed, will undoubtedly not make as good an impression on the important city managers.

Ex. I think that the so-called average person often exhibits a great deal of heroism in getting through an ordinary day.

Ex. Consider for example, a teacher who doesn't change his password (ever!) or can't be bothered to log out, all the firewalls and antivirus programs in the world will not protect a school's network.

Ex. Unfortunately, its conclusions are completely pedestrian, rarely going past the fact that there were old people in England in the late Middle Ages.

Ex. The knowledge that has been passed down from generation to generation by sentient beings on this planet for aeons and aeons is quite impossible to fully comprehend.

Ex. But to make matters worse, and as the drought rolls on, it is very likely that it won't rain again until October or November.

Ex. Put a set of premises into such a device and turn the crank, and it will readily pass out conclusion after conclusion.

Ex. During the bulk of that time, your liberal leaders grandly sat, waiting for various things to blow over.

Ex. Naturally, the recruiters whose people were not chosen for the job wanted feedback as to why their candidates did not make the cut.

Ex. We're all familiar with the idea of novelty value and how it wears off with time.

Ex. A hunting guide while still in his teens, he learned his woodcraft first hand, absorbing lore handed down to him from his father.

----

* a medida que pasaba el tiempo = as time passed (by), as time went by.

* a medida que pasa el tiempo = as time goes by, as time passes (by).

* a medida que pasa + Expresión Temporal = as + Expresión Temporal + go by.

* a medida que + pasar + el año = as the year + wear on.

* a medida que + pasar + el día = as the day + wear on.

* ayudar a pasar por = get + Nombre + through.

* cada día que pasa = each passing day.

* conforme + pasar + el año = as the year + wear on.

* conforme + pasar + el día = as the day + wear on.

* dejar pasar = pass up, forego [forgo], let through.

* dejar pasar a Alguien = let + Alguien + by.

* dejar pasar Algo = put + Nombre + behind.

* dejar pasar una oportunidad = forego + opportunity, miss + opportunity, pass up + opportunity, miss + chance.

* desde..., pasando por..., hasta... = from..., through..., to....

* día que pasa = passing day.

* esa época ya pasó hace tiempo = that time is long past.

* haber pasado por aquí antes = have been down this road before.

* hacer a Alguien pasar vergüenza = embarrass.

* hacer que Alguien las pase canutas = give + Nombre + a run for + Posesivo + money.

* hacérselas pasar canutas a Alguien = have + Nombre + jump through the hoops.

* hacérselas pasarlas canutas a Alguien = push + Nombre + to the edge.

* hacérselas pasar negras a Alguien = have + Nombre + jump through the hoops.

* hacerse pasar por = masquerade as, impersonate.

* las cosas no pasan así como así = everything happens for a reason (and a purpose).

* las cosas no pasan así porque sí = everything happens for a reason (and a purpose).

* las cosas sólo pasan una vez = lightning never strikes twice.

* lo que tenga que pasar, que pase = que sera sera, what's meant to be, will be, whatever will be, will be.

* lugar donde pasar el rato = hang out.

* no dejar pasar = keep out.

* no dejar pasar la oportunidad = ride + the wave.

* no pasar mucho tiempo antes de que + Subjuntivo = be not long before + Indicativo.

* pasando a = moving on to.

* pasar a = go on to, move on to, proceed to, shunt into, switch over, switch to, step onto, spill over into.

* pasar a Alguien lo mismo que a = suffer + the fate of.

* pasar a Alguien lo que a = suffer + the fate of.

* pasar a cosas más agradables = on a happier note.

* pasar a la clandestinidad = go into + hiding.

* pasar a la era de = move into + the age of.

* pasar a la historia = history in the making, go down in + history.

* pasar a la historia como = go down as, go down in + history as, go down in + the history books as, go down in + the annals of history as.

* pasar a la página + Número = turn to + page + Número.

* pasar a la posteridad = go down to + posterity.

* pasar a la posteridad como = go down to + posterity as.

* pasar Algo a Alguien = turn + Algo + over to + Alguien.

* pasar algo inesperado = things + take a turn for the unexpected.

* pasar algún tiempo en = have + a turn at.

* pasar al olvido = blow over.

* pasar a los anales de la historia = go down in + history.

* pasar a los anales de la historia como = go down in + history as, go down in + the history books as, go down in + the annals of history as.

* pasar al primer plano = take + centre stage.

* pasar al siguiente año fiscal = roll over.

* pasar al siguiente nivel = move it up + a gear, take it up + a gear, notch it up + a gear, take it up + a notch, crank it up + a notch, crank it up + a gear, move it up + a notch.

* pasar a mejor vida = bite + the dust, give up + the ghost.

* pasar año(s) antes de que = be year(s) before.

* pasar a ocupar el puesto de Alguien = step into + the shoes of, stand in + Posesivo + shoes.

* pasar aprietos = feel + the pinch.

* pasar apuros = struggle, pass through + adversity, have + a thin time, be under strain, bear + hardship, be hard pressed, feel + the pinch, have + a hard time, the wolves + be + at the door, have + a tough time.

* pasar apuros económicos = lead + a precarious existence.

* pasar a ser = become, develop into.

* pasar a ser el centro de atención = come into + focus, take + centre stage.

* pasar a ser inconcebible = render + inconceivable.

* pasar a toda velocidad = whiz.

* pasar a una situación económica más confortable = improve + Posesivo + lot.

* pasar a vida mejor = lay + Nombre + low.

* pasar casi rozando = skim.

* pasar como una bala = whiz.

* pasar de = get beyond.

* pasar de... a... = proceed from... to..., move from... to....

* pasar de... a = switch from... to..., go from... to..., swing between... and..., grow from... into/to.

* pasar de contrabando = smuggle.

* pasar de generación en generación = pass down from + generation to generation.

* pasar de largo = bypass [by-pass].

* pasar de largo rápidamente = race + past.

* pasar de moda = drop out of + vogue, go out of + fashion, go out of + favour, go out of + date, go out of + vogue, fall out of + vogue, go out of + style, pass away, obsolesce, drop out of + circulation.

* pasar desapercibido = be unnoticeable, go + unnoticed, lie + unnoticed, remain + unnoticed, slip by + unnoticed, become + unnoticeable, go + unrecognised, be an invisible fly on the wall, go + unnoted, lie + forgotten, sneak under + the radar.

* pasar de una persona a otra = pass around.

* pasar de uno a otro = change back and forth.

* pasar de un sitio a otro = travel.

* pasar dificultades = struggle, be under strain, bear + hardship, have + a difficult time, experience + difficult times, pass through + difficult times, face + difficult times.

* pasar el invierno = winter, overwinter.

* pasar el mochuelo = pass + the bucket.

* pasar el muerto = pass + the bucket.

* pasar el platillo = pass + the bucket (around).

* pasar el rato = hang out.

* pasar el rato con = kick + it with.

* pasar el rato con los amigos = hang out with + Posesivo + friends.

* pasar el relevo a = hand + the reins over to.

* pasar el testigo = pass (on) + the torch, pass (on) + the baton.

* pasar el tiempo = pass + the time, hang around, spend + Posesivo + days, hang about, hang out.

* pasar el tiempo libre = spend + Posesivo + leisure, spend + Posesivo + leisure time.

* pasar + Expresión Temporal = elapse + Expresión Temporal, go by + Expresión Temporal.

* pasar hambre = suffer from + hunger, go + hungry, starve.

* pasar hojas = page (through), turn + pages, flip + pages.

* pasar hojas hacia atrás = page + backward.

* pasar hojas hacia delante = page + forward.

* pasar inadvertidamente = slip, creep + past, sneak + past.

* pasar inadvertido = be unnoticeable, escape + notice, go + unnoticed, lie + unnoticed, remain + unnoticed, slip by + unnoticed, become + unnoticeable, go + unrecognised, go + unnoted, sneak under + the radar.

* pasar la antorcha = hand over + the torch.

* pasar la luna de miel = honeymoon.

* pasar la noche = spend + the night, stay overnight.

* pasar la página = turn over + page.

* pasar la pantalla = scroll.

* pasar la pelota = pass + the buck.

* pasar la prueba = pass + muster.

* pasarlas canutas = jump through + hoops, have + a devil of a time, be to hell and back.

* pasarlas negras = jump through + hoops, have + a devil of a time.

* pasarlas putas = jump through + hoops, be to hell and back.

* pasar las riendas del poder a = hand + the reins over to.

* pasar las vacaciones = vacation.

* pasar llevando = take through.

* pasarlo a lo grande = have + a ball, have + a whale of a time.

* pasarlo bien = have + fun, be a great time.

* pasarlo bomba = be a great time, have + a whale of a time.

* pasarlo canutas intentando Hacer Algo = have + a heck of a time + trying.

* pasarlo en grande = have + a ball, have + a whale of a time.

* pasarlo genial = have + a whale of a time.

* pasarlo mal = have + a thin time, have + a difficult time, experience + difficult times, pass through + difficult times, face + difficult times.

* pasarlo muy mal = have + a tough time, have + a hard time.

* pasarlo pipa = have + a whale of a time.

* pasar los días = spend + Posesivo + days.

* pasar miseria = the wolves + be + at the door.

* pasar mucho tiempo antes de que = be a long time before.

* pasar + Nombre + a = turn + Nombre + over to.

* pasar penurias = suffer from + deprivation.

* pasar poco a poco = slide into.

* pasar por = cross, pass through, reach down, step through, go by, go through, pass for, pass across, run + Nombre + through + Nombre, make + Posesivo + way through, run through.

* pasar por alto = bypass [by-pass], gloss over, miss, obviate, overlook, short-circuit [shortcircuit], skip over, leapfrog, pass + Nombre/Pronombre + by, flout, close + the door on, skip.

* pasar por alto la autoridad de Alguien = go over + Posesivo + head.

* pasar por alto rápidamente = race + past.

* pasar por aquí = come by.

* pasar por delante de = make + Posesivo + way past.

* pasar por el acoso de = run + the gauntlet of.

* pasar por el infierno = be to hell and back.

* pasar por el lado de = make + Posesivo + way past.

* pasar por encima = pass over.

* pasar por encima de la cabeza = go over + Posesivo + head.

* pasar por la mitad de = cut through.

* pasar por muchas dificultades = be to hell and back.

* pasar por un período de = go through + a period of.

* pasar por un proceso de = go through + a process of.

* pasar privaciones = suffer from + deprivation.

* pasar rápidamente = run through, sweep by, sweep, flash across.

* pasar rápidamente a = snap to.

* pasar rápidamente por encima de = sweep across, swing over.

* pasar registros a disco = transfer + records + to disc.

* pasar revista = review.

* pasarse = come by, drop in, overshoot, step over + the edge, go + overboard, go + too far.

* pasarse Algo por el culo = not give a shit.

* pasarse Algo por el forro = flout.

* pasarse Algo por la entrepierna = not give a shit.

* pasarse con = act + fresh with.

* pasar sed = go + thirsty.

* pasarse de = overstep.

* pasarse de + Adjetivo = be too + Adjetivo + by half.

* pasarse de la raya = cross + the line.

* pasarse del límite = overrun [over-run].

* pasárselo bien = have + a good time, have + a great time.

* pasárselo en grande = enjoy + every minute of, love + every minute of it.

* pasárselo fabuloso = have + a good time, have + a great time, have + a whale of a time.

* pasárselo la mar de bien = have + a whale of a time, have + a great time.

* pasárselo pipa = have + a great time.

* pasarse por = drop by, stop by, mosey.

* pasar sin = get along without, forego [forgo], do without, live without.

* pasar sin Alguien = spare + Nombre Personal.

* pasar sin comodidades = rough it.

* pasar sin ser visto = sneak + past, sneak through, sneak under + the radar, go + unnoticed.

* pasar + Tiempo = spend + time, spend + Tiempo.

* pasar tiempo haciendo Algo = do + stint at.

* pasar una crisis = face + crisis.

* pasar una prueba = endure + ordeal, pass + a test, stand up.

* pasar una prueba de sobra = pass with + flying colours.

* pasar una tarjeta por un lector electrónico = swipe.

* pasar un buen rato = disport + Reflexivo.

* pasar un cuestionario = administer + questionnaire, carry out + questionnaire.

* pasar un rato = say + hi.

* pasar zumbando = whiz.

* pase lo que pase = come what may, come rain or shine, rain or shine, come hell or high water.

* por pasar el rato = (just) for the fun of (doing) it, (just) for the hell of (doing) it.

* ¿Qué pasa? = What's up?.

* que pasaba = passing.

* que pasa desapercibido = inconspicuous.

* ¿qué pasa si... ? = what if... ?.

* que pase lo que tenga que pasar = que sera sera, whatever will be, will be, what's meant to be, will be.

* quien no malgasta no pasa necesidades = waste not, want not.

* sin haber pasado por la calandria = uncalendered.

* ¡tener + que pasar por encima de + Posesivo + cadáver! = over + Posesivo + dead body.

* tiempo + pasar = time + march on.

* todavía no ha pasado lo mejor = the best is yet to come.

* tratar de pasar desapercibido = keep + a low profile, lie + low.

* tratar de pasar inadvertido = keep + a low profile, lie + low.

* ver lo que pasa = take it from there/here.

* * *
1.
verbo intransitivo

Sentido I

1)

a) ( ir por un lugar) to come/go past

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

¿a qué hora pasa el lechero? — what time does the milkman come?

los otros coches no podían pasar — the other cars weren't able to get past

no dejan pasar a nadie — they're not letting anyone through

no dejes pasar esta oportunidad — don't miss this opportunity

pasar de largo — to go right o straight past

pasar POR algo — to go through something

al pasar por la aduana — when you go through customs

el Tajo pasa por Aranjuez — the Tagus flows through Aranjuez

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?

¿el 45 pasa por aquí? — does the number 45 come this way?

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...

ni me pasó por la imaginación — it didn't even occur to me, it didn't even cross my mind

b) ( deteniéndose en un lugar)

pasar POR algo: ¿podríamos pasar por el banco? can we stop off at the bank?; pase usted por caja please go over to the cashier; pasa un día por casa why don't you drop o come by the house sometime?; pasar A + INF: puede pasar a recogerlo mañana you can come and pick it up tomorrow; pasaremos a verlos — we'll call in o drop in and see them

c) ( atravesar) to cross

pasar de un lado a otro — to go o cross from one side to the other

pasaron de Chile a Argentina a pie — they crossed over from Chile to Argentina on foot

la humedad pasó a la otra habitación — the damp went through to the other room

d) (caber, entrar)

no pasará por la puerta — it won't go through the door

esta camiseta no me pasa por la cabeza — I can't get this T-shirt over my head

2)

a) (transmitirse, transferirse) corona/título to pass

una tradición que pasa de padres a hijos — a tradition that is handed o passed down from generation to generation

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

3) ( 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 pasar al Sr Díaz — show Mr Díaz in please

no pasarán! — (fr hecha) they shall not pass!

pasaron al comedor — they went through into the dining room

¿puedo pasar al baño? — may I use the bathroom please?

¿quién quiere pasar al pizarrón? — (AmL) who's going to come up to the blackboard?

4)

a) (cambiar de estado, actividad, tema)

pasar (DE algo) A algo — to go (from something) to something

pasó del quinto al séptimo lugar — she went o dropped from fifth to seventh place

ahora pasa a tercera — (Auto) now change into third

pasando a otra cosa... — anyway, to change the subject...

pasan a ocupar el primer puesto — they move into first place

pasó a tratar el problema — he went on to deal with the problem

pasamos a informar de otras noticias — now, the rest of the news

b) (Educ) to pass

¿pasaste? — did you pass?

pasar de curso — to get through o pass one's end-of-year exams

c) ( ser aceptable)

no está perfecto, pero puede pasar — it's not perfect, but it'll do

por esta vez (que) pase — I'll let it pass o go this time

5) ( exceder un límite)

pasar DE algo: no pases de 100 don't go over 100; no pasó de un desacuerdo it was nothing more than a disagreement; está muy grave, no creo que pase de hoy he's very ill, I don't think he'll last another day; no pasa de los 30 he's not more than 30; no pasamos de nueve empleados — they're only nine of us working there/here

6) pasar por

a) ( ser tenido por)

pasa por tonto, pero no lo es — he might look stupid, but he isn't

podrían pasar por hermanas — they could pass for sisters

se hacía pasar por médico — he passed himself off as a doctor

se hizo pasar por mi padre — he pretended to be my father

b) (Esp) ( implicar)

la solución pasa por una reforma política — the solution lies in a political reform

Sentido II

7) ( transcurrir) tiempo to pass

pasaron muchos años — many years went by o passed

ya han pasado dos horas — it's been two hours now

cómo pasa el tiempo! — doesn't time fly!

por ti no pasan los años — you look as young as ever

pasaban las horas y no llegaba — the hours went by o passed and still he didn't come

8) ( cesar) crisis/mal momento to be over; efecto to wear off; dolor to go away

menos mal que el invierno ya ha pasado — thank goodness winter's over

9) ( arreglárselas) to manage, get by

sin electricidad podemos pasar — we can manage o get by without electricity

Sentido III

10) ( 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

¿qué pasó con lo del reloj? — what happened about the watch?

...y aquí no ha pasado nada —...and let's just forget the whole thing

en este pueblo nunca pasa nada — nothing ever happens in this town

siempre pasa igual or lo mismo — it's always the same

¿pasa algo? — is something the matter?

¿qué pasa? — what's the matter?, what's up? (colloq)

hola, Carlos! ¿qué pasa? — (fam) hi, Carlos! how's things o how's it going? (colloq)

son cosas que pasan — these things happen; (+ me/te/le etc)

¿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

por suerte a él no le pasó nada — fortunately, nothing happened to him

11) ( experimentar)

pasar POR algo — por crisis/mala racha to go through something

Sentido IV

12)

a) (en naipes, juegos) to pass

b) (fam) ( rechazando algo)

¿vas a tomar postre? - no, yo paso — are you going to have a dessert? - no, I think I'll give it a miss

paso de salir, estoy muy cansada — I don't feel like going out, I'm very tired (colloq)

c) (fam) ( expresando indiferencia)

que se las arreglen, yo paso — they can sort it out themselves, it's not my problem

pasa ampliamente de lo que diga la gente — she couldn't care less what people say (colloq)

paso de él — (esp Esp) I don't give a damn o I couldn't care less what he does (colloq)
2.
pasar vt

Sentido I

1)

a) ( hacer atravesar)

pasar algo POR algo — to put something through something

pasar la salsa por un tamiz — to put the sauce through a sieve

pasa el cordón por este agujero — thread the string through this hole

b) ( por la aduana -legalmente) to take through; (- ilegalmente) to smuggle

c) ( hacer deslizar)

pásale un trapo al piso — give the floor a quick wipe

pasarlo primero por harina — first dip it in flour

a esto hay que pasarle una plancha — this needs a quick iron o run over with the iron

2) (exhibir, mostrar) <película/anuncio> to show

3)

a) (cruzar, atravesar) < frontera> to cross; <pueblo/ciudad> to go through

pasaron el río a nado — they swam across the river

b) ( dejar atrás) <edificio/calle> to go past

todavía no hemos pasado lo peor — the worst is yet to come

c) (adelantar, sobrepasar) to overtake

pasar A algo — to overtake something, to get past something

está altísimo, ya pasa a su padre — he's really tall, he's already overtaken his father

4) <examen/prueba> to pass

5) <página/hoja> to turn

6) (fam) ( tolerar)

esto no te lo paso — I'm not letting you get away with this

no te deja pasar ni una — he doesn't let you get away with anything

a ese tipo no lo paso — I can't stand o take that guy (colloq)

no podía pasar aquella sopa — I couldn't stomach o eat that soup

pasar por alto — <falta/error> to overlook, forget about; tema/punto to leave out, omit

7) ( transcribir)

tendré que pasar la carta — I'll have to write o copy the letter out again

¿me pasas esto a máquina? — could you type this for me?

Sentido II

8) (entregar, hacer llegar)

pásaselo a Miguel — pass it on to Miguel

¿me pasas el martillo? — can you pass me the hammer?

le pasó el balón a Gómez — he passed the ball to Gómez

el padre le pasa una mensualidad — she gets a monthly allowance from her father

9) <gripe/resfriado> to give

me lo pasó a mí — he gave it to me, he passed it on to me

Sentido III

10)

a) < tiempo> to spend

pasamos las Navidades en casa — we spent Christmas at home

fuimos a Toledo a pasar 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

puede pasar días sin comer — he can go for days without eating

11)

a) (sufrir, padecer) penalidades/desgracias to go through, to suffer

está pasando una mala racha — he's going through bad times o (BrE) a bad patch

no sabes las que pasé — you've no idea what I went through

pasé mucho miedo/frío — I was very frightened/cold

b)

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

lo pasa muy mal con los exámenes — he gets very nervous about exams
3.
1) pasarse v pron

Sentido I

2) ( cambiarse)

pasarse al enemigo — to go over to the enemy

queremos pasarnos a la otra oficina — we want to move to the other office

3)

a) ( ir demasiado lejos)

nos pasamos, el banco está más arriba — we've gone too far, the bank isn't as far down as this

nos pasamos de estación — we went past our station

b) (fam) ( excederse) to go too far

esta vez te has pasado — you've gone too far this time

se pasaron con los precios — the prices they charged were way over the top (colloq)

se pasó con la sal — he overdid the salt (colloq)

te pasaste con el regalo — that was a really nice present you gave me

se pasó de listo — he tried to be too clever (colloq)

te pasas de bueno — you're too kind for your own good

c) (CS fam) ( lucirse)

te pasaste! esto está riquísimo — you've excelled yourself! this is really delicious (colloq)

4)

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

no le dejes pasarse de punto — don't let it overcook

Sentido II

5)

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

hasta que se le pase la fiebre — until her temperature goes down

b) ( transcurrir)

el año se ha pasado muy rápido — this year has gone very quickly; (+ me/te/le etc)

sus clases se me pasan volando — her classes seem to go so quickly

6) (+ me/te/le etc)

a) ( olvidarse)

se me pasó totalmente — I completely forgot

se me pasó su cumpleaños — I forgot his birthday

b) ( dejar de notar)

se le pasaron varios errores — he overlooked several mistakes

no se le pasó ese detalle — this detail didn't escape his attention

c) ( dejar escapar)

se me pasó la oportunidad — I missed the opportunity

Sentido III

7) (enf) ( estar)

se pasa el día al teléfono — she spends all day on the phone

me pasé toda la noche estudiando — I was up all night studying

se pasó el domingo durmiendo — he spent the whole of Sunday evening sleeping; ver tb pasar verbo transitivo III 1b y 2b

8) (enf) (fam) (ir)

pásate por casa — come round

¿podrías pasarte por el mercado? — could you go down to the market?

9) (refl)

se pasó la mano por el pelo — he ran his fingers through his hair

pasarse un peine — to run a comb through one's hair

* * *

= hand (over), pass, pass by, pass on, transfer, transmit, turn over + page, hand on, spend, transpire, pass out, turn over, slide over, pass along, get through, can't/couldn't be bothered, go + past, pass down, roll on, pass out, blow over, make + the cut, wear off, hand down.

Ex: Eventually, teachers should be able to ' hand the chalk over to the students' and take a back seat.

Ex: Examination reveals positions on the cards where the light passes through all the cards in a stack.

Ex: The days of needing to change into carpet slippers before going to such an area have thankfully passed by.

Ex: If ignored, the problems are only passed on to all the users of the catalog: the public, the reference department, the acquisitions department, and naturally the cataloging department.

Ex: Scope notes, on the order hand, may be present in a thesaurus but are unlikely to be transferred to an index.

Ex: The system permits the requester to specify up to five potential lending libraries, and the system transmits the requests to these libraries one at a time.

Ex: Turn over the page and you will find suggested analyses against which you can check your solution.

Ex: Some experts have expressed grave doubts about the durability of contemporary literary and artistic works on paper and hence the possibility of handing on works of culture to future generations.

Ex: Any funeral scene in a story inevitably conjures in myself memories of my childhood spent as the son of an undertaker.

Ex: The 2nd is the fact that most information seeking transpires with little help from librarians, who have consistently failed to establish themselves as primary information professionals.

Ex: At the Closing Session Danish flags were suddenly produced and passed out among the crowd who began waving them enthusiastically.

Ex: Then he picked up about 2 cm. of type from the right-hand end of the uppermost line (i.e. the last word or two of the last line) with the thumb and forefinger of his right hand, read it, and dropped the pieces of type one by one into their proper boxes, turning over the old house.

Ex: He had greeted her courteously, as was his wont, and had inquired if she minded his smoking; she told him to go ahead and slid over an ashtray.

Ex: If the head of reference services does not pass along the information to the staff the reference librarians, by being uninformed, will undoubtedly not make as good an impression on the important city managers.

Ex: I think that the so-called average person often exhibits a great deal of heroism in getting through an ordinary day.

Ex: Consider for example, a teacher who doesn't change his password (ever!) or can't be bothered to log out, all the firewalls and antivirus programs in the world will not protect a school's network.

Ex: Unfortunately, its conclusions are completely pedestrian, rarely going past the fact that there were old people in England in the late Middle Ages.

Ex: The knowledge that has been passed down from generation to generation by sentient beings on this planet for aeons and aeons is quite impossible to fully comprehend.

Ex: But to make matters worse, and as the drought rolls on, it is very likely that it won't rain again until October or November.

Ex: Put a set of premises into such a device and turn the crank, and it will readily pass out conclusion after conclusion.

Ex: During the bulk of that time, your liberal leaders grandly sat, waiting for various things to blow over.

Ex: Naturally, the recruiters whose people were not chosen for the job wanted feedback as to why their candidates did not make the cut.

Ex: We're all familiar with the idea of novelty value and how it wears off with time.

Ex: A hunting guide while still in his teens, he learned his woodcraft first hand, absorbing lore handed down to him from his father.

* a medida que pasaba el tiempo = as time passed (by), as time went by.

* a medida que pasa el tiempo = as time goes by, as time passes (by).

* a medida que pasa + Expresión Temporal = as + Expresión Temporal + go by.

* a medida que + pasar + el año = as the year + wear on.

* a medida que + pasar + el día = as the day + wear on.

* ayudar a pasar por = get + Nombre + through.

* cada día que pasa = each passing day.

* conforme + pasar + el año = as the year + wear on.

* conforme + pasar + el día = as the day + wear on.

* dejar pasar = pass up, forego [forgo], let through.

* dejar pasar a Alguien = let + Alguien + by.

* dejar pasar Algo = put + Nombre + behind.

* dejar pasar una oportunidad = forego + opportunity, miss + opportunity, pass up + opportunity, miss + chance.

* desde..., pasando por..., hasta... = from..., through..., to....

* día que pasa = passing day.

* esa época ya pasó hace tiempo = that time is long past.

* haber pasado por aquí antes = have been down this road before.

* hacer a Alguien pasar vergüenza = embarrass.

* hacer que Alguien las pase canutas = give + Nombre + a run for + Posesivo + money.

* hacérselas pasar canutas a Alguien = have + Nombre + jump through the hoops.

* hacérselas pasarlas canutas a Alguien = push + Nombre + to the edge.

* hacérselas pasar negras a Alguien = have + Nombre + jump through the hoops.

* hacerse pasar por = masquerade as, impersonate.

* las cosas no pasan así como así = everything happens for a reason (and a purpose).

* las cosas no pasan así porque sí = everything happens for a reason (and a purpose).

* las cosas sólo pasan una vez = lightning never strikes twice.

* lo que tenga que pasar, que pase = que sera sera, what's meant to be, will be, whatever will be, will be.

* lugar donde pasar el rato = hang out.

* no dejar pasar = keep out.

* no dejar pasar la oportunidad = ride + the wave.

* no pasar mucho tiempo antes de que + Subjuntivo = be not long before + Indicativo.

* pasando a = moving on to.

* pasar a = go on to, move on to, proceed to, shunt into, switch over, switch to, step onto, spill over into.

* pasar a Alguien lo mismo que a = suffer + the fate of.

* pasar a Alguien lo que a = suffer + the fate of.

* pasar a cosas más agradables = on a happier note.

* pasar a la clandestinidad = go into + hiding.

* pasar a la era de = move into + the age of.

* pasar a la historia = history in the making, go down in + history.

* pasar a la historia como = go down as, go down in + history as, go down in + the history books as, go down in + the annals of history as.

* pasar a la página + Número = turn to + page + Número.

* pasar a la posteridad = go down to + posterity.

* pasar a la posteridad como = go down to + posterity as.

* pasar Algo a Alguien = turn + Algo + over to + Alguien.

* pasar algo inesperado = things + take a turn for the unexpected.

* pasar algún tiempo en = have + a turn at.

* pasar al olvido = blow over.

* pasar a los anales de la historia = go down in + history.

* pasar a los anales de la historia como = go down in + history as, go down in + the history books as, go down in + the annals of history as.

* pasar al primer plano = take + centre stage.

* pasar al siguiente año fiscal = roll over.

* pasar al siguiente nivel = move it up + a gear, take it up + a gear, notch it up + a gear, take it up + a notch, crank it up + a notch, crank it up + a gear, move it up + a notch.

* pasar a mejor vida = bite + the dust, give up + the ghost.

* pasar año(s) antes de que = be year(s) before.

* pasar a ocupar el puesto de Alguien = step into + the shoes of, stand in + Posesivo + shoes.

* pasar aprietos = feel + the pinch.

* pasar apuros = struggle, pass through + adversity, have + a thin time, be under strain, bear + hardship, be hard pressed, feel + the pinch, have + a hard time, the wolves + be + at the door, have + a tough time.

* pasar apuros económicos = lead + a precarious existence.

* pasar a ser = become, develop into.

* pasar a ser el centro de atención = come into + focus, take + centre stage.

* pasar a ser inconcebible = render + inconceivable.

* pasar a toda velocidad = whiz.

* pasar a una situación económica más confortable = improve + Posesivo + lot.

* pasar a vida mejor = lay + Nombre + low.

* pasar casi rozando = skim.

* pasar como una bala = whiz.

* pasar de = get beyond.

* pasar de... a... = proceed from... to..., move from... to....

* pasar de... a = switch from... to..., go from... to..., swing between... and..., grow from... into/to.

* pasar de contrabando = smuggle.

* pasar de generación en generación = pass down from + generation to generation.

* pasar de largo = bypass [by-pass].

* pasar de largo rápidamente = race + past.

* pasar de moda = drop out of + vogue, go out of + fashion, go out of + favour, go out of + date, go out of + vogue, fall out of + vogue, go out of + style, pass away, obsolesce, drop out of + circulation.

* pasar desapercibido = be unnoticeable, go + unnoticed, lie + unnoticed, remain + unnoticed, slip by + unnoticed, become + unnoticeable, go + unrecognised, be an invisible fly on the wall, go + unnoted, lie + forgotten, sneak under + the radar.

* pasar de una persona a otra = pass around.

* pasar de uno a otro = change back and forth.

* pasar de un sitio a otro = travel.

* pasar dificultades = struggle, be under strain, bear + hardship, have + a difficult time, experience + difficult times, pass through + difficult times, face + difficult times.

* pasar el invierno = winter, overwinter.

* pasar el mochuelo = pass + the bucket.

* pasar el muerto = pass + the bucket.

* pasar el platillo = pass + the bucket (around).

* pasar el rato = hang out.

* pasar el rato con = kick + it with.

* pasar el rato con los amigos = hang out with + Posesivo + friends.

* pasar el relevo a = hand + the reins over to.

* pasar el testigo = pass (on) + the torch, pass (on) + the baton.

* pasar el tiempo = pass + the time, hang around, spend + Posesivo + days, hang about, hang out.

* pasar el tiempo libre = spend + Posesivo + leisure, spend + Posesivo + leisure time.

* pasar + Expresión Temporal = elapse + Expresión Temporal, go by + Expresión Temporal.

* pasar hambre = suffer from + hunger, go + hungry, starve.

* pasar hojas = page (through), turn + pages, flip + pages.

* pasar hojas hacia atrás = page + backward.

* pasar hojas hacia delante = page + forward.

* pasar inadvertidamente = slip, creep + past, sneak + past.

* pasar inadvertido = be unnoticeable, escape + notice, go + unnoticed, lie + unnoticed, remain + unnoticed, slip by + unnoticed, become + unnoticeable, go + unrecognised, go + unnoted, sneak under + the radar.

* pasar la antorcha = hand over + the torch.

* pasar la luna de miel = honeymoon.

* pasar la noche = spend + the night, stay overnight.

* pasar la página = turn over + page.

* pasar la pantalla = scroll.

* pasar la pelota = pass + the buck.

* pasar la prueba = pass + muster.

* pasarlas canutas = jump through + hoops, have + a devil of a time, be to hell and back.

* pasarlas negras = jump through + hoops, have + a devil of a time.

* pasarlas putas = jump through + hoops, be to hell and back.

* pasar las riendas del poder a = hand + the reins over to.

* pasar las vacaciones = vacation.

* pasar llevando = take through.

* pasarlo a lo grande = have + a ball, have + a whale of a time.

* pasarlo bien = have + fun, be a great time.

* pasarlo bomba = be a great time, have + a whale of a time.

* pasarlo canutas intentando Hacer Algo = have + a heck of a time + trying.

* pasarlo en grande = have + a ball, have + a whale of a time.

* pasarlo genial = have + a whale of a time.

* pasarlo mal = have + a thin time, have + a difficult time, experience + difficult times, pass through + difficult times, face + difficult times.

* pasarlo muy mal = have + a tough time, have + a hard time.

* pasarlo pipa = have + a whale of a time.

* pasar los días = spend + Posesivo + days.

* pasar miseria = the wolves + be + at the door.

* pasar mucho tiempo antes de que = be a long time before.

* pasar + Nombre + a = turn + Nombre + over to.

* pasar penurias = suffer from + deprivation.

* pasar poco a poco = slide into.

* pasar por = cross, pass through, reach down, step through, go by, go through, pass for, pass across, run + Nombre + through + Nombre, make + Posesivo + way through, run through.

* pasar por alto = bypass [by-pass], gloss over, miss, obviate, overlook, short-circuit [shortcircuit], skip over, leapfrog, pass + Nombre/Pronombre + by, flout, close + the door on, skip.

* pasar por alto la autoridad de Alguien = go over + Posesivo + head.

* pasar por alto rápidamente = race + past.

* pasar por aquí = come by.

* pasar por delante de = make + Posesivo + way past.

* pasar por el acoso de = run + the gauntlet of.

* pasar por el infierno = be to hell and back.

* pasar por el lado de = make + Posesivo + way past.

* pasar por encima = pass over.

* pasar por encima de la cabeza = go over + Posesivo + head.

* pasar por la mitad de = cut through.

* pasar por muchas dificultades = be to hell and back.

* pasar por un período de = go through + a period of.

* pasar por un proceso de = go through + a process of.

* pasar privaciones = suffer from + deprivation.

* pasar rápidamente = run through, sweep by, sweep, flash across.

* pasar rápidamente a = snap to.

* pasar rápidamente por encima de = sweep across, swing over.

* pasar registros a disco = transfer + records + to disc.

* pasar revista = review.

* pasarse = come by, drop in, overshoot, step over + the edge, go + overboard, go + too far.

* pasarse Algo por el culo = not give a shit.

* pasarse Algo por el forro = flout.

* pasarse Algo por la entrepierna = not give a shit.

* pasarse con = act + fresh with.

* pasar sed = go + thirsty.

* pasarse de = overstep.

* pasarse de + Adjetivo = be too + Adjetivo + by half.

* pasarse de la raya = cross + the line.

* pasarse del límite = overrun [over-run].

* pasárselo bien = have + a good time, have + a great time.

* pasárselo en grande = enjoy + every minute of, love + every minute of it.

* pasárselo fabuloso = have + a good time, have + a great time, have + a whale of a time.

* pasárselo la mar de bien = have + a whale of a time, have + a great time.

* pasárselo pipa = have + a great time.

* pasarse por = drop by, stop by, mosey.

* pasar sin = get along without, forego [forgo], do without, live without.

* pasar sin Alguien = spare + Nombre Personal.

* pasar sin comodidades = rough it.

* pasar sin ser visto = sneak + past, sneak through, sneak under + the radar, go + unnoticed.

* pasar + Tiempo = spend + time, spend + Tiempo.

* pasar tiempo haciendo Algo = do + stint at.

* pasar una crisis = face + crisis.

* pasar una prueba = endure + ordeal, pass + a test, stand up.

* pasar una prueba de sobra = pass with + flying colours.

* pasar una tarjeta por un lector electrónico = swipe.

* pasar un buen rato = disport + Reflexivo.

* pasar un cuestionario = administer + questionnaire, carry out + questionnaire.

* pasar un rato = say + hi.

* pasar zumbando = whiz.

* pase lo que pase = come what may, come rain or shine, rain or shine, come hell or high water.

* por pasar el rato = (just) for the fun of (doing) it, (just) for the hell of (doing) it.

* ¿Qué pasa? = What's up?.

* que pasaba = passing.

* que pasa desapercibido = inconspicuous.

* ¿qué pasa si... ? = what if... ?.

* que pase lo que tenga que pasar = que sera sera, whatever will be, will be, what's meant to be, will be.

* quien no malgasta no pasa necesidades = waste not, want not.

* sin haber pasado por la calandria = uncalendered.

* ¡tener + que pasar por encima de + Posesivo + cadáver! = over + Posesivo + dead body.

* tiempo + pasar = time + march on.

* todavía no ha pasado lo mejor = the best is yet to come.

* tratar de pasar desapercibido = keep + a low profile, lie + low.

* tratar de pasar inadvertido = keep + a low profile, lie + low.

* ver lo que pasa = take it from there/here.

* * *

pasar [A1 ]

GUIA DE BUSQUEDA

■ pasar (verbo intransitivo)

Sentido I

A

1 por un lugar

2 deteniéndose en un lugar

3 caber, entrar

B

1 transmitirse, transferirse

2 comunicar

C entrar

D

1 cambiar de estado, actividad, tema

2 Educación

3 indicando aceptabilidad

E exceder un límite

F

1 pasar por: ser tenido por

2 pasar por: implicar

Sentido II

A

1 transcurrir

2 terminar

B arreglárselas

Sentido III ocurrir, suceder

Sentido IV

A

1 en naipes, juegos

2 rechazando una invitación

B expresando indiferencia

■ pasar (verbo transitivo)

Sentido I

A

1 hacer atravesar

2 pasar por la aduana

3 hacer recorrer

B exhibir, mostrar

C

1 cruzar, atravesar

2 adelantar, sobrepasar

D aprobar: examen

E dar la vuelta a

F tolerar, admitir

G transcribir

H engañar

Sentido II

A entregar, hacer llegar

B contagiar

Sentido III

A pasar: tiempo, día etc

B

1 sufrir, padecer

2 pasarlo bien/mal

■ pasarse (verbo pronominal)

Sentido I

A cambiarse

B

1 ir demasiado lejos

2 excederse

3 lucirse

C

1 pasarse: comestibles

2 Cocina

Sentido II

A desaparecer

B «tiempo»

C olvidarse

Sentido III

A enfático: con idea de continuidad

B enfático: ir

C reflexivo

vi

Sentido I

A

1 (por un lugar) to come/go past

no ha pasado ni un taxi not one taxi has come/gone by o come/gone past

pasó un coche a toda velocidad a car passed at top speed, a car came/went past at top speed, a car shot o sped past

¿a qué hora pasa el lechero? what time does the milkman come?

no aparques aquí, que no pueden pasar otros coches don't park here, other cars won't be able to get past

no dejan pasar a nadie they're not letting anyone through

no dejes pasar esta oportunidad don't miss this chance

pasar de largo to go right o straight past

el autobús venía completo y pasó de largo the bus was full and didn't stop o went right o straight past without stopping

pasó de largo sin siquiera saludar she went right o straight past o ( colloq) she sailed past without even saying hello

pasar POR algo to go THROUGH sth

al pasar por la aduana when you go through customs

prefiero no pasar por el centro I'd rather not go through the city center

el Tajo pasa por Aranjuez the Tagus flows through Aranjuez

hay un vuelo directo, no hace falta pasar por Miami there's a direct flight so you don't have to go via Miami

¿este autobús pasa por el museo? does this bus go past the museum?

¿el 45 pasa por aquí? does the number 45 come this way/stop here?

pasamos justo por delante de su casa we went right past her house

pasaba por aquí y se me ocurrió hacerte una visita I was just passing by o I was in the area and I thought I'd drop in and see you

ni me pasó por la imaginación que fuese a hacerlo it didn't even occur to me o it didn't even cross my mind that she would do it

el país está pasando por momentos difíciles these are difficult times for the country

2 (deteniéndose en un lugar) pasar POR:

¿podríamos pasar por el supermercado? can we stop off at the supermarket?

de camino tengo que pasar por la oficina I have to drop in at o stop by the office on the way

pase usted por caja please go over to the cashier

pasa un día por casa why don't you drop o come by the house sometime?

pasar A + INF:

puede pasar a recogerlo mañana you can come and pick it up tomorrow

pasaremos a verlos de camino a casa we'll drop by o stop by and see them on the way home, we'll call in o drop in and see them on the way home

3

(caber, entrar): no creo que pase por la puerta, es demasiado ancho I don't think it'll go through o I don't think we'll get it through the door, it's too wide

esta camiseta no me pasa por la cabeza I can't get this T-shirt over my head

B

1

(transmitirse, transferirse): la humedad ha pasado a la habitación de al lado the damp has gone through to the room next door

el título pasa al hijo mayor the title passes o goes to the eldest son

la carta ha ido pasando de mano en mano the letter has been passed around (to everyone)

2

(comunicar): te paso con Javier (en el mismo teléfono) I'll let you speak to Javier, I'll hand o pass you over to Javier; (en otro teléfono) I'll put you through to Javier

C (entrar — acercándose al hablante) to come in; (— alejándose del hablante) to go in

pasa, no te quedes en la puerta come (on) in, don't stand there in the doorway

¿se puede? — pase may I come in? — yes, please do

¡que pase el siguiente! next, please!

ha llegado el señor Díaz — hágalo pasar Mr Díaz is here — show him in please

¡no pasarán! ( fr hecha); they shall not pass!

pueden pasar al comedor you may go through into the dining room

¿puedo pasar al baño? may I use the bathroom please?

¿quién quiere pasar al pizarrón? ( AmL); who's going to come up to the blackboard?

D

1 (cambiar de estado, actividad, tema) pasar ( DE algo) A algo:

en poco tiempo ha pasado del anonimato a la fama in a very short space of time she's gone o shot from obscurity to fame

pasó del quinto al séptimo lugar she went o dropped from fifth to seventh place

ahora pasa a tercera ( Auto) now change into third

pasa a la página 98 continued on page 98

pasando a otra cosa … anyway, to change the subject …

pasar A + INF:

el equipo pasa a ocupar el primer puesto the team moves into first place

pasó a formar parte del equipo en julio she joined the team in July

más tarde pasó a tratar la cuestión de los impuestos later he went on to deal with the question of taxes

pasamos a informar de otras noticias de interés now, the rest of the news

2 ( Educación):

Daniel ya pasa a tercero Daniel will be starting third grade next semester ( AmE), Daniel will be going into the third year next term ( BrE)

si pasas de curso te compro una bicicleta if you get through o pass your end-of-year exams, I'll buy you a bicycle

3

(indicando aceptabilidad): no está perfecto, pero puede pasar it's not perfect, but it'll do

por esta vez (que) pase, pero que no se repita I'll let it pass o go this time, but don't let it happen again

E (exceder un límite) pasar DE algo:

no pases de 100 don't go over 100

fue un pequeño desacuerdo pero no pasó de eso it was nothing more than a slight disagreement, we/they had a slight disagreement, but it was nothing more than that

estuvo muy cortés conmigo pero no pasó de eso he was very polite, but no more

tengo que escribirle, de hoy no pasa I must write to him today without fail

está muy grave, no creo que pase de hoy he's very ill, I don't think he'll last another day

yo diría que no pasa de los 30 I wouldn't say he was more than 30

al principio no pasábamos de nueve empleados there were only nine of us working there/here at the beginning

no pasan de ser palabras vacías they are still nothing but empty words o still only empty words

F pasar por

1

(ser tenido por): pasa por tonto, pero no lo es he might look stupid, but he isn't

podrían pasar por hermanas they could pass for sisters

se hacía pasar por médico he passed himself off as a doctor

se hizo pasar por mi padre he pretended to be my father

2 (implicar) to lie in

la solución pasa por la racionalización de la industria the solution lies in the rationalization of the industry

Sentido II

A «tiempo»

1

(transcurrir): ya han pasado dos horas y aún no ha vuelto it's been two hours now and she still hasn't come back

¡cómo pasa el tiempo! doesn't time fly!

por ti no pasan los años you look as young as ever

pasaban las horas y no llegaba the hours went by o passed and still he didn't come

2

(terminar): menos mal que el invierno ya ha pasado thank goodness winter's over

ya ha pasado lo peor the worst is over now

no llores, ya pasó don't cry, it's all right now o it's all over now

B

(arreglárselas): ¿compro más o podemos pasar con esto? shall I buy some more or can we get by on o make do with this?

sin electricidad podemos pasar, pero sin agua no we can manage o do without electricity but not without water

Sentido III (ocurrir, suceder) to happen

déjame que te cuente lo que pasó let me tell you what happened

claro que me gustaría ir, lo que pasa es que estoy cansada of course I'd like to go, only I'm really tired o it's just that I'm really tired

lo que pasa es que el jueves no voy a estar the thing is o the problem is I won't be here on Thursday

iré pase lo que pase I'm going whatever happens o come what may

¿qué pasó con lo del reloj? what happened about the watch?

ahora se dan la mano y aquí no ha pasado nada now just shake hands and let's forget the whole thing

en este pueblo nunca pasa nada nothing ever happens in this town

siempre pasa igual or lo mismo it's always the same

¿qué pasa? ¿por qué estás tan serio? what's up o what's the matter? why are you looking so serious?

se lo dije yo ¿pasa algo? I told him, what of it o what's it to you? ( colloq), I told him, do you have a problem with that? ( colloq)

¡hola, Carlos! ¿qué pasa? ( fam); hi, Carlos! how's things o how's it going? ( colloq)

no te hagas mala sangre, son cosas que pasan don't get upset about it, these things happen

(+ me/te/le etc): ¿qué te ha pasado en el ojo? what have you done to your eye?, what's happened to your eye?

¿qué le pasará a Ricardo que tiene tan mala cara? I wonder what's up with o what's the matter with Ricardo? he looks terrible ( colloq)

¿qué te pasa que estás tan callado? why are you so quiet?

¿qué le pasa a la lavadora que no centrifuga? why isn't the washing machine spinning?

no sé qué me pasa I don't know what's wrong o what's the matter with me

eso le pasa a cualquiera that can happen to anybody

el coche quedó destrozado pero a él no le pasó nada the car was wrecked but he escaped unhurt

Sentido IV

A

1 (en naipes, juegos) to pass

paso, no tengo tréboles pass o I can't go, I don't have any clubs

2 ( fam)

(rechazando una invitación, una oportunidad): tómate otra — no, gracias, esta vez paso have another one — no thanks, I'll skip this one o I'll pass on this round ( colloq)

¿vas a tomar postre? — no, yo paso are you going to have a dessert? — no, I think I'll give it a miss o no, I couldn't

pasar DE algo:

esta noche paso de salir, estoy muy cansada I don't feel like going out tonight, I'm very tired ( colloq)

B ( fam)

(expresando indiferencia): que se las arreglen, yo paso they can sort it out themselves, it's not my problem o I don't want anything to do with it

pasar DE algo:

pasa ampliamente de lo que diga la gente she couldn't give a damn about o she couldn't care less what people say ( colloq)

paso mucho de política I couldn't give a damn about politics ( colloq)

pasar DE algn

( esp Esp): paso de él I don't give a damn what he does/what happens to him ( colloq)

mis padres pasan de mí my parents couldn't care less what I do/what happens to me

■ pasar

vt

Sentido I

A

1 (hacer atravesar) pasar algo POR algo:

pasar la salsa por un tamiz put the sauce through a sieve, sieve the sauce

pasé la piña por la licuadora I put the pineapple through the blender, I liquidized o blended the pineapple

pasa el cordón por este agujero thread the shoelace through this hole

2

(por la aduana): ¿cuántas botellas de vino se puede pasar? how many bottles of wine are you allowed to take through?

los pillaron intentando pasar armas they were caught trying to smuggle o bring in arms

3

(hacer recorrer): pasé la aspiradora por el cuarto I vacuumed o ( BrE) tb hoovered the room

ven aquí, que te voy a pasar un peine come here and let me give your hair a quick comb o let me put a comb through your hair

pásale un trapo al piso give the floor a quick wipe, wipe the floor down

pasarlo primero por harina first dip it in flour

a esto hay que pasarle una plancha this needs a quick iron o ( colloq) a quick once-over o run over with the iron

B (exhibir, mostrar) ‹película/anuncio› to show

las chicas que pasaron los modelos the girls who modeled the dresses

C

1 (cruzar, atravesar) ‹frontera› to cross

pasaron el río a nado they swam across the river

esa calle la pasamos hace rato we went past o we passed that street a while back

¿ya hemos pasado Flores? have we been through Flores yet?

2 (adelantar, sobrepasar) to overtake

a ver si podemos pasar a este camión why don't we overtake o get past o pass this truck?

está altísimo, ya pasa a su padre he's really tall, he's already overtaken his father

D (aprobar) ‹examen/prueba› to pass

E (dar la vuelta a) ‹página/hoja› to turn

F ( fam)

(tolerar, admitir): esto no te lo paso I'm not letting you get away with this

el profesor no te deja pasar ni una the teacher doesn't let you get away with anything

a ese tipo no lo paso or no lo puedo pasar I can't stand o take that guy ( colloq)

yo el Roquefort no lo paso I can't stand Roquefort, I hate Roquefort

no podía pasar aquella sopa grasienta I couldn't stomach o eat that greasy soup

pasar por alto ‹falta/error› to overlook, forget about; (olvidar, omitir) to forget, leave out, omit, overlook

G

(transcribir): tendré que pasar la carta I'll have to write o copy the letter out again

¿me pasas esto a máquina? could you type this for me?

limpio¹ adj A 3. (↑ limpio (1))

H ( AmL) (engañar) to put one over on ( colloq)

se cree que me va a pasar a mí he thinks he can put one over on me

Sentido II

A

(entregar, hacer llegar): cuando termines el libro, pásaselo a Miguel when you finish the book, pass it on to Miguel

¿me pasas el martillo? can you pass me the hammer?

¿han pasado ya la factura? have they sent the bill yet?, have they billed you/us yet?

le pasó el balón a Gómez he passed the ball to Gómez

el padre le pasa una mensualidad she gets a monthly allowance from her father, her father gives her a monthly allowance

B (contagiar) ‹gripe/resfriado› to give

se lo pasé a toda la familia I gave it to o passed it on to the whole family

Sentido III

A ‹tiempo› to spend

vamos a pasar las Navidades en casa we are going to spend Christmas at home

fuimos a Toledo a pasar el día we went to Toledo for the day

B

1

(sufrir, padecer): pasaron muchas penalidades they went through o suffered a lot of hardship

pasé mucho miedo I was very frightened

¿pasaste frío anoche? were you cold last night?

pasamos hambre en la posguerra we went hungry after the war

está pasando una mala racha he's going through bad times o ( BrE) a bad patch ( colloq)

no sabes las que pasé yo con ese hombre you've no idea what I went through with that man

2

pasarlo or pasarla bien/mal: lo pasa muy mal con los exámenes he gets very nervous o ( colloq) gets in a real state about exams

¿qué tal lo pasaste en la fiesta? did you have a good time at the party?, did you enjoy the party?

Caín, negro¹ (↑ negro (1)), pipa, etc

■ pasarse

v pron

Sentido I

A

(cambiarse): pasarse al enemigo/al bando contrario to go over to the enemy/to the other side

queremos pasarnos a la otra oficina we want to move to the other office

B

1

(ir demasiado lejos): nos hemos pasado, el banco está más arriba we've gone too far, the bank isn't as far down as this

nos pasamos de estación/parada we missed o went past our station/stop

2 ( fam) (excederse) to go too far

esta vez te has pasado you've gone too far this time

no te pases que no estoy para bromas that's enough o don't push your luck ( colloq), I'm not in the mood for jokes

se pasaron con los precios they charged exorbitant prices, the prices they charged were way over the top o way out of line ( colloq)

se pasó con la sal he put too much salt in it, he overdid the salt ( colloq)

pasarse DE algo:

se pasó de listo he tried to be too clever ( colloq)

te pasas de bueno you're too kind for your own good

3

(CS fam) (lucirse): ¡te pasaste! esto está riquísimo you've excelled yourself! this is really delicious ( colloq)

se pasó con ese gol that was a fantastic goal he scored ( colloq)

C

1 «peras/tomates» to go bad, get overripe; «carne/pescado» to go off, go bad; «leche» to go off, go sour

estos plátanos se están pasando these bananas are starting to go bad o to get overripe

2 ( Cocina):

se va a pasar el arroz the rice is going to spoil o get overcooked

no lo dejes pasar de punto don't let it overcook

Sentido II (+ me/te/le etc)

A

(desaparecer): 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

hasta que se le pase la fiebre until her temperature goes down

B

«tiempo»: sus clases se me pasan volando her classes seem to go so quickly

se me pasaron las tres horas casi sin enterarme the three hours flew by almost without my realizing

C

(olvidarse): lo siento, se me pasó totalmente I'm sorry, I completely forgot o it completely slipped my mind

se me pasó su cumpleaños I forgot his birthday

Sentido III

A ( enfático)

(con idea de continuidad): se pasa meses sin ver a su mujer he goes for months at a time o he goes months without seeing his wife, he doesn't see his wife for months on end

se pasa hablando por teléfono ( AmL); he's always on the telephone

me pasé toda la noche estudiando I was up all night studying

es capaz de pasarse el día entero sin probar bocado he can quite easily go the whole day without having a thing to eat

pasárselo bien/mal, etc pasar vt Sense III B 2.

B ( enfático) ( fam)

(ir): pásate por casa y te la presento come round and I'll introduce you to her ( colloq)

¿podrías pasarte por el mercado? could you go down to the market?, could you pop o nip down to the market? ( BrE colloq)

C ( reflexivo):

se pasó la mano por el pelo he ran his fingers through his hair

ni siquiera tuve tiempo de pasarme un peine I didn't even have time to run a comb through my hair o ( BrE) to give my hair a comb

* * *

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 pasar the other cars weren't able to get past;
no dejan pasar a nadie they're not letting anyone through;
pasar de largo to go right o straight past;
pasar 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 pasar 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 pasar a recogerlo mañana you can come and pick it up tomorrow
c) ( atravesar) to cross;

◊ pasar 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 pasará 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 pasar 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;

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

b) ( ser aceptable):

◊ no está perfecto, pero puede pasar 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 pasar por hermanas they could pass for sisters;

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

◊ pasar 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;
◊ pasaron 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) pasar 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) pasar algo POR algo to put sth through sth;

◊ pasar 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):
◊ pasar la aspiradora to vacuum, to hoover (BrE);

pásale un trapo al piso give the floor a quick wipe;
hay que pasarle una plancha it needs a quick iron
4 (exhibir, mostrar) ‹película/anuncio› to show
5 ‹examen/prueba› to pass
6 ‹página/hoja› to turn;
◊ pasar 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 pasar 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):
◊ pasarse 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 pasarte 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

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
' pasar' also found in these entries:
Spanish:
achicharrarse
- ahorrar
- amarga
- amargo
- aro
- blanca
- blanco
- bondad
- cabalgata
- cadáver
- calor
- cocerse
- colar
- desapercibida
- desapercibido
- desfilar
- deslizar
- entretenerse
- historia
- inadvertida
- inadvertido
- inri
- mayor
- meneo
- noche
- penalidad
- posibilidad
- privación
- rato
- relámpago
- revista
- rozar
- salvar
- suceder
- superar
- suplantar
- suprimir
- tamiz
- tener
- tesorería
- tirarse
- torniquete
- trago
- verter
- vestidura
- vicaría
- vida
- vivir
- adiós
- alcanzar
English:
ask in
- bootleg
- bring in
- brush
- buck
- by
- call
- clamber
- clear
- come
- come by
- come on to
- decide on
- discount
- do without
- drag
- dread
- drive-through
- elapse
- embarrassment
- envisage
- envision
- fashion
- fill in
- fly
- fore
- gallop past
- get by
- get on to
- get onto
- get past
- get through
- gloss over
- go
- go along
- go by
- go on
- go out
- go through
- go under
- graze
- hand on
- hang out
- happen
- have
- hibernate
- hideous
- holiday
- Hoover
- hungry

* * *

pasar

♦ vt

1. [dar, transmitir] to pass;
[noticia, aviso] to pass on;
¿me pasas la sal? would you pass me the salt?;

pásame toda la información que tengas give me o let me have all the information you've got;

no se preocupe, yo le paso el recado don't worry, I'll pass on the message to him;

páseme con el encargado [al teléfono] could you put me through to o could I speak to the person in charge?;

le paso (con él) [al teléfono] I'll put you through (to him);

Valdez pasó el balón al portero Valdez passed the ball (back) to the keeper;

pasan sus conocimientos de generación en generación they pass down their knowledge from one generation to the next;

el Estado le pasa una pensión she gets a pension from the State;

pasar harina por un cedazo to sieve flour;

pasar leche por el colador to strain milk;

pasa la cuerda por ese agujero pass the rope through this hole;

hay que pasar las maletas por la máquina de rayos X your luggage has to go through the X-ray machine;

pase las croquetas por huevo coat the croquettes with egg;

pasar el cepillo por el suelo to scrub the floor;

pasa un paño por la mesa give the table a wipe with a cloth;

unas vacaciones pasadas por agua a Br holiday o US vacation when it rained the whole time;

se dedican a pasar tabaco de contrabando/inmigrantes ilegales por la frontera they smuggle tobacco/illegal immigrants across the border

2. [contagiar]
pasar algo a alguien to give sb sth, to give sth to sb;

me has pasado el resfriado you've given me your cold

3. [cruzar] to cross;

pasar la calle/la frontera to cross the road/border;

pasé el río a nado I swam across the river

4. [rebasar, sobrepasar] [en el espacio, tiempo] to go through;

¿hemos pasado ya la frontera? have we gone past o crossed the border yet?;

pasar un semáforo en rojo to go through a red light;

al pasar el parque gire a su izquierda once you're past the park, turn left, turn left after the park;

cuando el automóvil pase los primeros cinco años debe ir a revisión the car should be serviced after five years;

ya ha pasado los veinticinco he's over twenty-five now;

mi hijo me pasa ya dos centímetros my son is already two centimetres taller than me

5. [adelantar] [corredores, vehículos] to overtake;

pasa a esa furgoneta en cuanto puedas overtake that van as soon as you can

6. [trasladar]
pasar algo a to move sth to;

hay que pasar todos estos libros al estudio we have to take all these books through to the study, we have to move all these books to the study

7. [conducir adentro] to show in;

el criado nos pasó al salón the butler showed us into the living-room

8. [hacer avanzar] [páginas de libro] to turn;
[hojas sueltas] to turn over;
Comp

pasar página to make a fresh start

9. [mostrar] [película, diapositivas, reportaje] to show

10. [emplear] [tiempo] to spend;

pasó dos años en Roma he spent two years in Rome;

¿dónde vas a pasar las vacaciones? where are you going on holiday o US vacation?, where are you going to spend your holidays o US vacation?;

pasé la noche trabajando I worked all night, I spent the whole night working;

he pasado muy buenos ratos con él I've had some very good times with him

11. [experimentar] to go through, to experience;

hemos pasado una racha muy mala we've gone o been through a very bad spell o Br patch;

pasar frío/miedo to be cold/scared;

¿has pasado la varicela? have you had chickenpox?;

¿qué tal lo has pasado? did you have a nice time?, did you enjoy yourselves?;

pasarlo bien to enjoy oneself, to have a good time;

¡que lo pases bien! have a nice time!, enjoy yourself!;

lo hemos pasado muy mal últimamente we've had a hard time of it recently;

Comp
Fam
pasarlas canutas to have a rough time

12. [superar] to pass;

muy pocos pasaron el examen/la prueba very few people passed the exam/test;

hay que pasar un reconocimiento médico you have to pass a medical;

no pasamos la eliminatoria we didn't get through the tie

13. [consentir]
pasar algo a alguien to let sb get away with sth;

que me engañes no te lo paso I'm not going to let you get away with cheating me;

este profesor no te deja pasar (ni) una you can't get away with anything with this teacher;

pasar algo por alto [adrede] to pass over sth;
[sin querer] to miss sth out
14. [transcribir]
pasar algo a limpio to make a fair copy of sth, to write sth out neatly;

yo te lo paso a máquina I'll type it up for you;

pasar un documento Esp [m5] al ordenador o Am [m5] a la computadora to type o key a document (up) on the computer

15. RP Fam [engañar] to diddle;

están siempre tratando de pasarte con el vuelto they always try to short-change you o diddle you over the change

♦ vi

1. [ir, moverse] to pass, to go;

vimos pasar a un hombre corriendo we saw a man run past;

¿cuándo pasa el camión de la basura? when do the Br dustmen o US garbage collectors come?;

deja pasar a la ambulancia let the ambulance past;

¿me deja pasar, por favor? may I come past, please?;

pasó por mi lado he passed by my side;

he pasado por tu calle I went down your street;

el autobús pasa por mi casa the bus passes in front of o goes past my house;

¿qué autobuses pasan por aquí? which buses go past here?, which buses can you catch from here?;

el Támesis pasa por Londres the Thames flows through London;

yo sólo pasaba por aquí I was just passing by;

pasaba por allí y entré a saludar I was in the area, so I stopped by to say hello;

pasar de largo to go straight by

2. [entrar] to go/come in;

pasen por aquí, por favor come this way, please;

lo siento, no se puede pasar sorry, you can't go in there/come in here;

pasamos a un salón muy grande we entered a very large living-room;

¿puedo pasar? may I come in?;

¿puedo pasar al cuarto de baño? can I use the bathroom?;

¡pase!, Méx [m5]¡pásale/pásele! come in!;

hazlos pasar show them in;
RP
pasar al pizarrón to go/come to the blackboard

3. [caber] to go ( por through);
por ahí no pasa este armario this wardrobe won't go through there

4. [acercarse, ir un momento] to pop in;

pasaré por mi oficina/por tu casa I'll pop into my office/round to your place;

pasa por la farmacia y compra aspirinas pop into the Br chemist's o US pharmacy and buy some aspirin;

pasé a verla al hospital I dropped in at the hospital to see her;

pase a por el vestido o [m5] a recoger el vestido el lunes you can come and pick the dress up on Monday

5. [suceder] to happen;

¿qué pasa aquí? what's going on here?;

¿qué pasa? [¿qué ocurre?] what's the matter?;
Fam [al saludar a alguien] how's it going?; Méx Fam
¿qué pasó? [¿qué tal?] how's it going?;

¿qué pasa con esas cervezas? where have those beers got to?, what's happened to those beers?;

no te preocupes, no pasa nada don't worry, it's OK;

aquí nunca pasa nada nothing ever happens here;

¿qué le pasa? what's wrong with him?, what's the matter with him?;

¿le pasó algo al niño? did something happen to the child?;

¿qué te pasa en la pierna? what's wrong with your leg?;

eso te pasa por mentir that's what you get for lying;

lo que pasa es que… the thing is…;

pase lo que pase whatever happens, come what may;

siempre pasa lo mismo, pasa lo de siempre it's always the same;

dense la mano y aquí no ha pasado nada shake hands and just forget the whole thing (as if it had never happened)

6. [terminar] to be over;

pasó la Navidad Christmas is over;

ya ha pasado lo peor the worst is over now;

cuando pase el dolor when the pain passes o stops;

la tormenta ya ha pasado the storm is over now;

el efecto de estos fármacos pasa enseguida these drugs wear off quickly

7. [transcurrir] to go by;

pasaron tres meses three months went by;

cuando pase un rato te tomas esta pastilla take this tablet after a little while;

¡cómo pasa el tiempo! time flies!

8. [cambiar]
pasar de… a… [de lugar, estado, propietario] to go o pass from… to…;

pasamos del último puesto al décimo we went (up) from last place to tenth;

pasa de la depresión a la euforia she goes from depression to euphoria;

pasó a formar parte del nuevo equipo he joined the new team;

pasar a [nueva actividad, nuevo tema] to move on to;

pasemos a otra cosa let's move on to something else;

ahora pasaré a explicarles cómo funciona esta máquina now I'm going to explain to you how this machine works;

Alicia pasa a (ser) jefa de personal Alicia will become personnel manager;

pasar de curso o [m5] al siguiente curso = to pass one's end-of-year exams and move up a year

9. [ir más allá, sobrepasar]
si pasas de 160, vibra el volante if you go faster than 160, the steering wheel starts to vibrate;

yo creo que no pasa de los cuarenta años I doubt she's older than forty;

no pasó de ser un aparatoso accidente sin consecuencias the accident was spectacular but no-one was hurt

10. [conformarse, apañarse]
pasar (con/sin algo) to make do (with/without sth);

tendrá que pasar sin coche she'll have to make do without a car;

¿cómo puedes pasar toda la mañana sólo con un café? how can you last all morning on just a cup of coffee?;

no sabe pasar sin su familia he can't cope without his family

11. [experimentar]
hemos pasado por situaciones de alto riesgo we have been in some highly dangerous situations

12. [tolerar]
pasar por algo to put up with sth;

¡yo por ahí no paso! I draw the line at that!

13. [ser considerado]
pasa por ser uno de los mejores tenistas del momento he is considered to be one of the best tennis players around at the moment;

hacerse pasar por alguien/algo to pretend to be sb/sth, to pass oneself off as sb/sth

14. Fam [prescindir]
pasar de algo/alguien to want nothing to do with sth/sb;

paso de política I'm not into politics;

¡ése pasa de todo! he couldn't care less about anything!;

paso de ir al cine hoy I can't be bothered going to o Br I don't fancy the cinema today;

paso olímpicamente o [m5] ampliamente de hacerlo I'm damned if I'm going to do it

15. [en naipes] to pass

16. [servir, valer]
puede pasar it'll do;

por esta vez pase, pero que no vuelva a ocurrir I'll overlook it this time, but I don't want it to happen again

17. Méx Fam [gustar]
me pasa ese cantante I think that singer's great

♦ See also the pronominal verb pasarse

* * *

pasar

I v/t

1 pass;

pasar la mano por run one’s hand through

2 el tiempo spend;

para pasar el tiempo (in order) to pass the time;

pasarlo bien have a good time;

¡que lo pases bien!, ¡a pasarlo bien! enjoy yourself!, have fun o a good time!

3 un lugar pass, go past; frontera cross

4 problemas, dificultades experience

5 AUTO ( adelantar) pass, Br

overtake

6 una película show

7 TELEC

:

le paso al Sr. Galvez I’ll put you through to Mr. Galvez

8

:

pasar algo a máquina type sth

II v/i

1 ( suceder) happen;

¿qué ha pasado? what’s happened?;

¿qué pasa? what’s happening?, what’s going on?;

¿qué te pasa? what’s the matter?;

pase lo que pase whatever happens, come what may;

ya ha pasado lo peor the worst is over;

en el viaje nos pasó de todo fam just about everything happened on that trip, it was a very eventful trip

2 en juegos pass

3

:

¡pasa!, ¡pase usted! come in!;

pasé a visitarla I dropped by to see her;

pasar por go by;

pasa por aquí come this way;

pasé por la tienda I stopped off at the shop;

pasaré por tu casa I’ll drop by your house

4

:

dejar pasar oportunidad miss

5 fam

:

pasar de alguien not want anything to do with s.o.;

paso de ir al gimnasio I can’t be bothered to go to the gym

6

:

pasar de los 60 años be over 60 (years old);

pasar de moda go out of fashion;

hacerse pasar por pass o.s. off as;

poder pasar sin algo be able to get by o to manage without sth;

puede pasar it’s OK, it’ll do

* * *

pasar vi

1) : to pass, to go by, to come by

2) : to come in, to enter

¿se puede pasar?: may we come in?

3) : to happen

¿qué pasa?: what's happening?, what's going on?

4) : to manage, to get by

5) : to be over, to end

6)

pasar de : to exceed, to go beyond

7)

pasar por : to pretend to be

pasar vt

1) : to pass, to give

¿me pasas la sal?: would you pass me the salt?

2) : to pass (a test)

3) : to go over, to cross

4) : to spend (time)

5) : to tolerate

6) : to go through, to suffer

7) : to show (a movie, etc.)

8) : to overtake, to pass, to surpass

9) : to pass over, to wipe up

10)

pasarlo bien or

pasarla bien : to have a good time

11)

pasarlo mal or

pasarla mal : to have a bad time, to have a hard time

12)

pasar por alto : to overlook, to omit

♦ See also the reflexive verb pasarse

* * *

pasar vb

1. (entrar) to go in / to come in [pt. came; pp. come]

pasó sin llamar he went in without knocking

¡pase! come in!

2. (transcurrir) to pass / to go by

la tarde pasó lentamente the afternoon went by slowly

3. (ocupar un tiempo) to spend [pt. & pp. spent]

pasamos el día juntos we spent the day together

4. (andar, moverse) to pass / to go past

pasó por delante del restaurante she went past the restaurant

¿por dónde pasa el autobús? which way does the bus go?

por mi pueblo pasa un río a river runs through my village

¿a qué hora pasa el tren? what time's the train?

5. (ir, visitar) to go / to stop by [pt. & pp. stopped] / to go

pasaré por la tienda mañana I'll go to the shop tomorrow

pasaré por tu casa I'll stop by your house

6. (cruzar) to cross

cuidado al pasar la calle be careful when you cross the road

7. (dar, hacer llegar) to pass / to give [pt. gave; pp. given]

¿me pasas la sal? can you pass the salt?

8. (llevar, mover) to move

pasaron los muebles a la otra habitación they moved the furniture into the other room

9. (sufrir) to be / to have

pasamos mucho frío we were very cold

todos hemos pasado la gripe we've all had the flu

10. (aprobar) to pass

pasó el examen de conducir he passed his driving test

11. (deslizar)

pasó la mano por el pelo de la niña she stroked the little girl's hair

pasa este trapo por los muebles give the furniture a wipe with this cloth

12. (terminar) to be over

ya ha pasado el calor the hot weather is over now

13. (arreglárselas) to manage / to get by

podemos pasar con muy poco we can manage with very little

no puede pasar sin el teléfono móvil she can't manage without her mobile phone

14. (ocurrir) to happen

¿qué te ha pasado? what happened to you?

¿qué pasa? what's going on? / what's the matter?

15. (cambiar) to change / to go

ha pasado de ser jugador a entrenador he's gone from being a player to manager

16. (exceder) to be over

pasa ya de los sesenta he's over seventy

pasar / pasar de algo not to care / not to be bothered

paso de comer I can't be bothered to eat

pasa de la política he couldn't care less about politics

pasarlo bien to have a good time

pasarlo mal to have a hard time

pasar por alto to overlook

Spanish-English dictionary > pasar
6 poco

adj.

not much, a small amount of, a small quantity of, little.

adv.

little, not very, not much.

m.

little.

* * *

poco

► adjetivo

1 little (plural) few, not many

■ hago muy poco ejercicio últimamente I do very little exercise these days

■ somos pocos para tanto trabajo there are too few of us for so much work

■ pocas Navidades salimos de viaje we don't often travel at Christmas

► pronombre poco

1 little (en plural) not many

■ lo poco que aprendí se me ha olvidado what little I learned I've forgotten

■ pocos conocen la importancia del descubrimiento not many people realize the importance of the discovery

► adverbio

1 little, not much

■ voy poco por allí I rarely go there, I go there very little

■ bebí muy poco I didn't drink much

► nombre masculino un poco

1 a little, a bit

■ ¿me das un poco? could you give me a little?

■ échale un poco de sal add a bit of salt

■ espera un poco wait a bit

\

FRASEOLOGÍA

a poco de shortly after

dentro de poco soon, presently

hace poco not long ago

pocas veces rarely, not often, seldom

poco a poco slowly, gradually, bit by bit

poco antes shortly before

poco después shortly afterwards

poco después de shortly after

poco más o menos more or less

poco menos que almost, nearly

por poco nearly

por si fuera poco as if that weren't enough, to top it all, on top of everything

————————

poco

► pronombre

1 little (en plural) not many

■ lo poco que aprendí se me ha olvidado what little I learned I've forgotten

■ pocos conocen la importancia del descubrimiento not many people realize the importance of the discovery

► adverbio

1 little, not much

■ voy poco por allí I rarely go there, I go there very little

■ bebí muy poco I didn't drink much

► nombre masculino

* * *
1. adv.
little, few

- poco a poco
- por poco 2. (f. - poca)
pron.

little, few
3. (f. - poca)
adj.

little, few, not much

* * *

1. ADJ

1) [en singular] little, not much

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

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

de poco interés — of little interest

con poco respeto — with little respect, with scant respect

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

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

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

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

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

somos tan poca cosa — we're so insignificant

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

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

2) [en plural] few, not many

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

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

pocos días después — a few days later

compré unos pocos libros — I bought a few books

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

todas las medidas son pocas — no measure will be enough

2. PRON

1) [en singular]

a) (=poca cosa)

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

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

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

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

b)

• un poco — a bit, a little

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

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

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

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

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

espera un poco — wait a minute o moment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

c) [referido a tiempo] not long

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

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

• a poco de — shortly after

a poco de haberlo firmado — shortly after signing it

• cada poco — every so often

• dentro de poco — shortly, soon

• poco después — shortly after

• hace poco — not long ago

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

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

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

hasta hace poco — until recently

2) [en plural] few

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

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

pocos de entre ellos — few of them

como hay pocos —

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

3. ADV

1) [con verbos] not much, little

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

habla poco — he doesn't say much

ahora trabaja poco — he doesn't work much now

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

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

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

poco dispuesto a ayudar — disinclined to help

poco amable — unkind

poco probable — unlikely

poco inteligente — unintelligent, not very intelligent

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

3) [otras locuciones]

poco a poco — little by little

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

a poco Méx —
*
¿a poco? — never!, you don't say!

¡a poco no! — not much! *

¿a poco no? — (well) isn't it?

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

• de a poco — LAm gradually

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

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

• poco más o menos — more or less

• por poco — almost, nearly

por poco me ahogo — I almost o nearly drowned

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

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

* * *
I
adverbio

es muy poco agradecido — he is very ungrateful

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

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

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

viene muy poco por aquí — he hardly ever comes around

... con lo poco que le gusta el arroz —... and he doesn't even like rice; para locs ver poco III 4)
II
- ca adjetivo ( con sustantivos no numerables) little; ( en plural) few

muy poco vino — very little wine

muy pocos niños — very few children

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

tengo muy poca ropa — I have very few clothes

éramos demasiado pocos — there were too few of us

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

todo le parece poco — she is never satisfied
III
- ca pronombre

1) (poca cantidad, poca cosa)

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

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

se conforma con poco — he's easily satisfied

poco faltó para que me pegara — he nearly hit me

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

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

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

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

2) poco ( refiriéndose a tiempo)

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

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

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

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

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

dentro de poco — soon

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

3) un poco

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

espera un poquito — wait a little while

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

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

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

b)

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

c)

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

4) (en locs)

a poco — (Méx)

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

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

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

de a poco — (AmL) gradually

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

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

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

* * *

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

----

* abultar poco = be skimpy.

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

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

* agua poco profunda = shallow water.

* aguas poco profundas = shallows.

* alimentos poco saludables = unhealthy foods.

* a poca distancia = not far behind.

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

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

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

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

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

* cada pocos años = every few years.

* comida poco saludable = unhealthy foods.

* comportamiento poco cívico = uncivic behaviour.

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

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

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

* con muy poca frecuencia = all too seldom.

* con muy pocas excepciones = with few exceptions.

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

* con poca claridad = indistinctly.

* con poca exactitud = loosely.

* con poca experiencia = inexperienced.

* con poca iluminación = dimly illuminated.

* con poca imaginación = unimaginatively.

* con poca naturalidad = stiltedly.

* con poca población = thinly populated.

* con pocas habilidades = poor-ability.

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

* con poco dinero = on the cheap.

* con poco entusiasmo = half-heartedly.

* con pocos recursos = under-resourced.

* con pocos recursos económicos = low-budget.

* consumir poco a poco = eat away at.

* con tan poca antelación = at such short notice.

* con tan poca anticipación = at such short notice.

* correr poco a poco = eat away at.

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

* de forma poco ética = unethically.

* de forma poco imaginativa = unimaginatively.

* de forma poco profesional = unprofessionally.

= petty criminal.

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

----

* de manera poco ética = unethically.

* de manera poco profesional = unprofessionally.

* demasiado poco común = all too rare.

* de modo poco imaginativo = unimaginatively.

* dentro de poco = before long.

* de población poco densa = sparsely populated.

* de poca importancia = menial, small-time.

* de poca monta = hack, small-time.

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

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

* de poco peso = pat, feeble.

* de poco provecho = fruitless.

* de poco uso = low-use.

* de poco valor = a dime a dozen.

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

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

* de un modo poco constructivo = unconstructively.

* de un modo poco económico = wastefully.

* de un modo poco natural = unnaturally.

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

* durar poco = be short term.

* echar poco a poco = dribble.

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

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

* en muy poco tiempo = before long.

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

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

* en unos pocos años = within a few years.

* estar poco dispuesto = be reluctant.

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

* estar un poco anticuado = be some years old.

* excusa poco convincente = lame excuse.

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

* faltar un poco = be some way off.

* gente de poca importancia = small fry, the.

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

* hace muy poco tiempo = a short time ago.

* hace poco tiempo = a short time ago.

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

* hacer poco = do + little.

* hacer que sea poco probable = render + unlikely.

* hace unos pocos años = a few years ago.

* hace unos pocos días = a few days ago.

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

* hasta hace relativamente poco tiempo = until relatively recently.

* horas de poca actividad = slack hours.

* horas de poco movimiento = slack hours.

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

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

* llegar poco a poco = dribble in.

* lo poco común = rarity, rareness.

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

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

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

* muy poco = minimally.

* ofrecer poco = low-ball.

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

* pagando un poco más = at additional cost.

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

* pasar poco a poco = slide into.

* período de poca actividad = slack time.

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

* poca cantidad = trickle.

* poca cosa = small fry, the.

* poca iluminación = poor lighting.

* poca importancia = unimportance, low profile.

* poca notoriedad = low profile.

* poca probabilidad = slim chance.

* poca severidad = lenience, leniency.

* pocas expectativas = low expectation.

* poca utilidad = unhelpfulness.

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

* poco accesible = unapproachable.

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

* poco acogedor = inhospitable.

* poco aconsejable = unwise, inadvisable.

* poco adecuado = unsuited, unsuitable, inapt.

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

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

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

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

* poco americano = un-American.

* poco amistoso = off-putting, unfriendly.

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

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

* poco apreciado = unappreciated.

* poco apropiado = unsuited, unsuitable, inapt.

* poco apto = inapt.

* poco arriesgado = low-risk.

* poco asequible = unapproachable.

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

* poco atrevido = unadventurous.

* poco audaz = unadventurous.

* poco aventurero = unadventurous.

* poco cabelleroso = ungentlemanlike.

* poco cálido = lukewarm.

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

* poco cívico = uncivic.

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

* poco colaborador = unresponsive.

* poco comercial = uncommercial.

* poco competitivo = uncompetitive.

* poco complicado = uncomplicated, uncomplicatedly.

* poco comprensivo = unsympathetic.

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

* poco comunicativo = uncommunicative, reserved.

* poco confortable = uncomfortable.

* poco conocido = obscure, little known.

* poco convencido = unconvinced.

* poco convencional = unconventional.

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

* poco convincentemente = unconvincingly.

* poco correcto = ungentlemanlike.

* poco cortés = impolite, ungentlemanlike.

* poco culto = unenlightened.

* poco decidido = half-hearted [halfhearted].

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

* poco denso = rarefied.

* poco deportivo = unsportsmanlike.

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

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

* poco después de que = shortly after.

* poco diestro = poor-ability.

* poco diplomático = indiscreet.

* poco dispuesto = disinclined.

* poco dispuesto a colaborar = uncooperative.

* poco ducho en las nuevas tecnologías = technologically challenged.

* poco económico = uneconomical.

* poco efectivo = ineffectual.

* poco eficaz = non-efficient.

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

* poco embarazoso = unembarrassing.

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

* poco envidiable = unenviable.

* poco estable = unsettled.

* poco estético = unaesthetic.

* poco estimulador = unchallenging.

* poco estimulante = unexciting, uninspiring, unmoving.

* poco estricto = lax.

* poco ético = unethical.

* poco evidente = unnoticed, unnoted.

* poco exigente = untaxing, undemanding.

* poco favorable = unpromising.

* poco favorecedor = unflattering.

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

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

* poco flexible = monolithic, inelastic.

* poco frecuente = infrequent.

* poco fructífero = unfruitful.

* poco gratificante = unrewarding, unsatisfying.

* poco grato = unwelcome.

* poco hábil = poor-ability.

* poco habitual = unaccustomed.

* poco halagador = unflattering.

* poco halagüeño = unflattering.

* poco hospitalario = inhospitable.

* poco idóneo = unsuited, unsuitable, inapt.

* poco iluminado = dimly illuminated.

* poco imaginativo = unimaginative.

* poco importante = menial, small-time.

* poco impresionado = unimpressed.

* poco informativo = uninformative.

* poco intelectual = lowbrow [low-brow].

* poco inteligente = unintelligent.

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

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

* poco juicioso = injudicious.

* poco justificado = ill-justified.

* poco listo = underprepared.

* poco maduro = underripe.

* poco más = little else.

* poco materialista = unworldly.

* poco memorable = forgettable.

* poco mundano = unwordly.

* poco natural = unnatural, stilted.

* poco nítido = untidy.

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

* poco novedoso = trite.

* poco original = unoriginal.

* poco ortodoxo = unorthodox.

* poco poblado = thinly populated.

* poco práctico = impractical, awkward.

* poco preparado = underprepared.

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

* poco productivo = unproductive.

* poco profesional = amateurish, unprofessional.

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

* poco prometedor = bleak, unpromising.

* poco propicio = unpromising, unpromising.

* poco provechoso = fruitless, unrewarding.

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

* poco pulido = unpolished.

* poco razonable = unreasonable.

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

* poco recomendable = inadvisable.

* poco refinado = unrefined, unpolished.

* poco rentable = uneconomical.

* poco representativo = unrepresentative.

* poco romántico = unromantic.

* poco sabido = little known.

* poco saludable = unwholesome, insalubrious.

* poco sano = unwholesome, insalubrious.

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

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

* poco sentimental = unsentimental.

* poco serio = flippant.

* poco sincero = insincere.

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

* poco social = unsocial.

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

* poco sólido = insubstantial.

* poco tiempo = short while, short time.

* poco tiempo después = shortly afterwards.

* poco tradicional = untraditional.

* poco unido = loosely knit.

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

* poco usado = little-used.

* poco usual = unusual.

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

* poquito a poco = little by little.

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

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

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

* por nombrar unos pocos = to name a few.

* por poco dinero = cheaply.

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

* por si era poco = for good measure.

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

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

* pretexto poco convincente = lame excuse.

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

* quedar un poco = be some way off.

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

* que ocupa poco espacio = space-saving.

* qué poco común = how odd.

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

* reducirse poco a poco = dribble off.

* resultar poco fructífero = prove + unfruitful.

* roer poco a poco = eat away at.

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

* sacar poco a poco = tease out.

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

* sangre poco espesa = thin blood.

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

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

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

* ser algo poco frecuente = be a rare occurrence.

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

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

* ser muy poco probable = be remote.

* ser poco = be under-provided.

* ser poco agradecido = be thankless.

* ser poco eficaz = do + little.

* ser poco reconocido = be thankless.

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

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

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

* servir de poco = be of little use.

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

* solución poco real = pie in the sky solution.

* tener poca información = be information poor.

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

* tener pocas posibilidades de = have + little recourse.

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

* tener poco valor = be of little value.

* trabajo de poca monta = odd-job.

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

* unos pocos elegidos = a select few.

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

* un poco áspero = roughish.

* un poco como = kind of like.

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

* un poco + Nombre = a shade + Nombre.

* un poco obscuro = dusky.

* un poco perdido = a bit at sea.

* un poco rugoso = roughish.

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

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

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

* vivienda poco digna = poor housing.

* y poco más = and little more.

* * *
I
adverbio

es muy poco agradecido — he is very ungrateful

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

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

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

viene muy poco por aquí — he hardly ever comes around

... con lo poco que le gusta el arroz —... and he doesn't even like rice; para locs ver poco III 4)
II
- ca adjetivo ( con sustantivos no numerables) little; ( en plural) few

muy poco vino — very little wine

muy pocos niños — very few children

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

tengo muy poca ropa — I have very few clothes

éramos demasiado pocos — there were too few of us

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

todo le parece poco — she is never satisfied
III
- ca pronombre

1) (poca cantidad, poca cosa)

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

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

se conforma con poco — he's easily satisfied

poco faltó para que me pegara — he nearly hit me

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

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

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

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

2) poco ( refiriéndose a tiempo)

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

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

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

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

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

dentro de poco — soon

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

3) un poco

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

espera un poquito — wait a little while

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

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

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

b)

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

c)

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

4) (en locs)

a poco — (Méx)

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

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

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

de a poco — (AmL) gradually

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

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

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

* * *

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

* abultar poco = be skimpy.

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

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

* agua poco profunda = shallow water.

* aguas poco profundas = shallows.

* alimentos poco saludables = unhealthy foods.

* a poca distancia = not far behind.

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

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

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

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

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

* cada pocos años = every few years.

* comida poco saludable = unhealthy foods.

* comportamiento poco cívico = uncivic behaviour.

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

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

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

* con muy poca frecuencia = all too seldom.

* con muy pocas excepciones = with few exceptions.

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

* con poca claridad = indistinctly.

* con poca exactitud = loosely.

* con poca experiencia = inexperienced.

* con poca iluminación = dimly illuminated.

* con poca imaginación = unimaginatively.

* con poca naturalidad = stiltedly.

* con poca población = thinly populated.

* con pocas habilidades = poor-ability.

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

* con poco dinero = on the cheap.

* con poco entusiasmo = half-heartedly.

* con pocos recursos = under-resourced.

* con pocos recursos económicos = low-budget.

* consumir poco a poco = eat away at.

* con tan poca antelación = at such short notice.

* con tan poca anticipación = at such short notice.

* correr poco a poco = eat away at.

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

* de forma poco ética = unethically.

* de forma poco imaginativa = unimaginatively.

* de forma poco profesional = unprofessionally.

= petty criminal.

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

* de manera poco ética = unethically.

* de manera poco profesional = unprofessionally.

* demasiado poco común = all too rare.

* de modo poco imaginativo = unimaginatively.

* dentro de poco = before long.

* de población poco densa = sparsely populated.

* de poca importancia = menial, small-time.

* de poca monta = hack, small-time.

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

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

* de poco peso = pat, feeble.

* de poco provecho = fruitless.

* de poco uso = low-use.

* de poco valor = a dime a dozen.

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

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

* de un modo poco constructivo = unconstructively.

* de un modo poco económico = wastefully.

* de un modo poco natural = unnaturally.

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

* durar poco = be short term.

* echar poco a poco = dribble.

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

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

* en muy poco tiempo = before long.

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

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

* en unos pocos años = within a few years.

* estar poco dispuesto = be reluctant.

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

* estar un poco anticuado = be some years old.

* excusa poco convincente = lame excuse.

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

* faltar un poco = be some way off.

* gente de poca importancia = small fry, the.

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

* hace muy poco tiempo = a short time ago.

* hace poco tiempo = a short time ago.

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

* hacer poco = do + little.

* hacer que sea poco probable = render + unlikely.

* hace unos pocos años = a few years ago.

* hace unos pocos días = a few days ago.

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

* hasta hace relativamente poco tiempo = until relatively recently.

* horas de poca actividad = slack hours.

* horas de poco movimiento = slack hours.

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

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

* llegar poco a poco = dribble in.

* lo poco común = rarity, rareness.

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

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

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

* muy poco = minimally.

* ofrecer poco = low-ball.

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

* pagando un poco más = at additional cost.

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

* pasar poco a poco = slide into.

* período de poca actividad = slack time.

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

* poca cantidad = trickle.

* poca cosa = small fry, the.

* poca iluminación = poor lighting.

* poca importancia = unimportance, low profile.

* poca notoriedad = low profile.

* poca probabilidad = slim chance.

* poca severidad = lenience, leniency.

* pocas expectativas = low expectation.

* poca utilidad = unhelpfulness.

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

* poco accesible = unapproachable.

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

* poco acogedor = inhospitable.

* poco aconsejable = unwise, inadvisable.

* poco adecuado = unsuited, unsuitable, inapt.

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

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

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

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

* poco americano = un-American.

* poco amistoso = off-putting, unfriendly.

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

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

* poco apreciado = unappreciated.

* poco apropiado = unsuited, unsuitable, inapt.

* poco apto = inapt.

* poco arriesgado = low-risk.

* poco asequible = unapproachable.

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

* poco atrevido = unadventurous.

* poco audaz = unadventurous.

* poco aventurero = unadventurous.

* poco cabelleroso = ungentlemanlike.

* poco cálido = lukewarm.

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

* poco cívico = uncivic.

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

* poco colaborador = unresponsive.

* poco comercial = uncommercial.

* poco competitivo = uncompetitive.

* poco complicado = uncomplicated, uncomplicatedly.

* poco comprensivo = unsympathetic.

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

* poco comunicativo = uncommunicative, reserved.

* poco confortable = uncomfortable.

* poco conocido = obscure, little known.

* poco convencido = unconvinced.

* poco convencional = unconventional.

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

* poco convincentemente = unconvincingly.

* poco correcto = ungentlemanlike.

* poco cortés = impolite, ungentlemanlike.

* poco culto = unenlightened.

* poco decidido = half-hearted [halfhearted].

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

* poco denso = rarefied.

* poco deportivo = unsportsmanlike.

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

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

* poco después de que = shortly after.

* poco diestro = poor-ability.

* poco diplomático = indiscreet.

* poco dispuesto = disinclined.

* poco dispuesto a colaborar = uncooperative.

* poco ducho en las nuevas tecnologías = technologically challenged.

* poco económico = uneconomical.

* poco efectivo = ineffectual.

* poco eficaz = non-efficient.

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

* poco embarazoso = unembarrassing.

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

* poco envidiable = unenviable.

* poco estable = unsettled.

* poco estético = unaesthetic.

* poco estimulador = unchallenging.

* poco estimulante = unexciting, uninspiring, unmoving.

* poco estricto = lax.

* poco ético = unethical.

* poco evidente = unnoticed, unnoted.

* poco exigente = untaxing, undemanding.

* poco favorable = unpromising.

* poco favorecedor = unflattering.

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

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

* poco flexible = monolithic, inelastic.

* poco frecuente = infrequent.

* poco fructífero = unfruitful.

* poco gratificante = unrewarding, unsatisfying.

* poco grato = unwelcome.

* poco hábil = poor-ability.

* poco habitual = unaccustomed.

* poco halagador = unflattering.

* poco halagüeño = unflattering.

* poco hospitalario = inhospitable.

* poco idóneo = unsuited, unsuitable, inapt.

* poco iluminado = dimly illuminated.

* poco imaginativo = unimaginative.

* poco importante = menial, small-time.

* poco impresionado = unimpressed.

* poco informativo = uninformative.

* poco intelectual = lowbrow [low-brow].

* poco inteligente = unintelligent.

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

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

* poco juicioso = injudicious.

* poco justificado = ill-justified.

* poco listo = underprepared.

* poco maduro = underripe.

* poco más = little else.

* poco materialista = unworldly.

* poco memorable = forgettable.

* poco mundano = unwordly.

* poco natural = unnatural, stilted.

* poco nítido = untidy.

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

* poco novedoso = trite.

* poco original = unoriginal.

* poco ortodoxo = unorthodox.

* poco poblado = thinly populated.

* poco práctico = impractical, awkward.

* poco preparado = underprepared.

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

* poco productivo = unproductive.

* poco profesional = amateurish, unprofessional.

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

* poco prometedor = bleak, unpromising.

* poco propicio = unpromising, unpromising.

* poco provechoso = fruitless, unrewarding.

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

* poco pulido = unpolished.

* poco razonable = unreasonable.

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

* poco recomendable = inadvisable.

* poco refinado = unrefined, unpolished.

* poco rentable = uneconomical.

* poco representativo = unrepresentative.

* poco romántico = unromantic.

* poco sabido = little known.

* poco saludable = unwholesome, insalubrious.

* poco sano = unwholesome, insalubrious.

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

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

* poco sentimental = unsentimental.

* poco serio = flippant.

* poco sincero = insincere.

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

* poco social = unsocial.

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

* poco sólido = insubstantial.

* poco tiempo = short while, short time.

* poco tiempo después = shortly afterwards.

* poco tradicional = untraditional.

* poco unido = loosely knit.

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

* poco usado = little-used.

* poco usual = unusual.

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

* poquito a poco = little by little.

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

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

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

* por nombrar unos pocos = to name a few.

* por poco dinero = cheaply.

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

* por si era poco = for good measure.

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

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

* pretexto poco convincente = lame excuse.

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

* quedar un poco = be some way off.

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

* que ocupa poco espacio = space-saving.

* qué poco común = how odd.

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

* reducirse poco a poco = dribble off.

* resultar poco fructífero = prove + unfruitful.

* roer poco a poco = eat away at.

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

* sacar poco a poco = tease out.

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

* sangre poco espesa = thin blood.

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

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

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

* ser algo poco frecuente = be a rare occurrence.

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

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

* ser muy poco probable = be remote.

* ser poco = be under-provided.

* ser poco agradecido = be thankless.

* ser poco eficaz = do + little.

* ser poco reconocido = be thankless.

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

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

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

* servir de poco = be of little use.

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

* solución poco real = pie in the sky solution.

* tener poca información = be information poor.

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

* tener pocas posibilidades de = have + little recourse.

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

* tener poco valor = be of little value.

* trabajo de poca monta = odd-job.

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

* unos pocos elegidos = a select few.

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

* un poco áspero = roughish.

* un poco como = kind of like.

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

* un poco + Nombre = a shade + Nombre.

* un poco obscuro = dusky.

* un poco perdido = a bit at sea.

* un poco rugoso = roughish.

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

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

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

* vivienda poco digna = poor housing.

* y poco más = and little more.

* * *

poco¹

adverb

[ Grammar notes (Spanish) ]

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

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

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

habla poco he doesn't say much o a lot

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

viene muy poco por aquí he hardly ever comes around

poco y nada me ayudaron they hardly helped me at all

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

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

poco² -ca

adjective

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

muy poco vino very little wine

muy pocos niños very few children

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

le dio unos pocos pesos she gave him a few pesos

poco³ -ca

pronoun

[ Grammar notes (Spanish) ]

A

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

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

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

se conforma con poco he's easily satisfied

poco faltó para que me pegara he nearly hit me

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

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

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

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

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

B

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

C

un poco

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

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

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

espera un poquito wait a little while

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

2

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

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

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

3

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

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

4 un poco + ADJ/ADV:

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

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

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

D ( en locs):

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

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

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

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

de a poco ( AmL); gradually

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

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

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

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

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

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

poco a poco or ( Méx) a poquito gradually

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

poco más o menos approximately, roughly

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

poco menos que nearly

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

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

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

por poco nearly

por poco nos descubren we were nearly found out

* * *

poco 1 adverbio:
◊ habla poco he doesn't say much o a lot;

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

( en plural) few;
◊ muy poco vino very little wine;

muy pocos niños very few children;
había poquísimos coches there were hardly any cars
■ pronombre
1 (poca cantidad, poca cosa):
◊ había poco que hacer there was little to do;

por poco que gane … no matter how little o however little she earns …;
se conforma con poco he's easily satisfied;
todo le parece poco she is never satisfied;
pocos quisieron ayudar few were willing to help;
pocos pueden permitirse ese lujo not many people can afford to do that
2
◊ poco ( refiriéndose a tiempo): lo vi hace poco I saw him recently o not long ago;

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

a) ( refiriéndose a cantidades) a little;

( refiriéndose a tiempo) a while;
◊ dame un poco I'll have some o a little;

espera un poco wait a while
b)

◊ un poco de a little, a bit of

c) un poco + adj/adv:

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

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

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

* * *

poco, -a

♦ adj
(singular) little, not much; (plural) few, not many;
de poca importancia of little importance;

poca agua not much water;

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

hay pocos árboles there aren't many trees;

tenemos poco tiempo we don't have much time;

hace poco tiempo not long ago;

dame unos pocos días give me a few days;

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

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

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

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

♦ pron

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

* * *

poco

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

un poco de a little;

unos pocos a few

II adv little;

trabaja poco he doesn’t work much;

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

estuvo poco por aquí he wasn’t around much;

poco conocido little known;

poco a poco little by little;

dentro de poco soon, shortly;

hace poco a short time ago, not long ago;

desde hace poco (for) a short while;

por poco nearly, almost;

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

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

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

III m

:

un poco a little, a bit

* * *

poco adv

1) : little, not much

poco probable: not very likely

come poco: he doesn't eat much

2) : a short time, a while

tardaremos poco: we won't be very long

3)

poco antes : shortly before

4)

poco después : shortly after

poco, -ca adj

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

tengo poco dinero: I don't have much money

en no pocas ocasiones: on more than a few occasions

poca gente: few people

2)

pocas veces : rarely

poco, -ca pron

1) : little, few

le falta poco para terminar: he's almost finished

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

2)

un poco : a little, a bit

un poco de vino: a little wine

un poco extraño: a bit strange

3)

a poco Mex (used to express disbelief)

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

4)

de a poco : little by little

5)

hace poco : not long ago

6)

poco a poco : little by little

7)

dentro de poco : shortly, in a little while

8)

por poco : nearly, almost

* * *

poco¹ adj

1. (singular) not much

hay poco café there's not much coffee

has comido poco arroz you haven't eaten much rice

2. (plural) few / not many

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

muy poco very little

hay muy poco té there's very little tea

poco² adv

1. (con verbos) not much

trabaja poco he doesn't work much

2. (no mucho tiempo) not long

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

llegó poco después she arrived not long after

3. (con adjetivos) not very

es poco simpática she's not very friendly

poco a poco little by little

por poco nearly

por poco se cae he nearly fell

por poco pierdo el tren I nearly missed the train

poco³ n a little / a bit

un poco de pan a bit of bread

un poco de agua a little water

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

poco⁴ pron

1. (singular) not much

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

2. (plural) few / not many

¿cuántos vinieron? pocos how many came? not many

Spanish-English dictionary > poco
7 meno

1. adv less

superlativo least

mathematics minus

il meno possibile as little as possible

di meno at least

a meno che unless

per lo meno at least

sono le sei meno un quarto it's a quarter to six

sempre meno less and less

fare a meno di qualcosa do without something

venir meno a qualcuno forze desert someone

venir meno alla parola data not keep one's word

2. prep except

* * *

meno avv.compar.

1 (in minor quantità o grado) less; not so... (as); not as... (as): dovresti lavorare (di) meno e riposare di più, you should work less and rest more; il viaggio di ritorno mi è sembrato meno lungo, the journey back didn't seem so long (to me); quest'anno ha piovuto (di) meno, it hasn't rained so much this year; non per questo è meno intelligente, he is no less intelligent for that // più o meno, poco più poco meno, more or less // chi più chi meno, more or less (o some more some less): tutti hanno contribuito, chi più chi meno, al buon esito dell'iniziativa, everyone more or less contributed to the success of the venture (o everyone contributed to the success of the venture, some more some less) // né più né meno, just, exactly: gli ho detto né più né meno come la pensavo, I told him just (o exactly) how I felt about it; le cose sono andate né più né meno così, that's exactly what happened

2 (nel compar. di minoranza) less... (than); not so... (as), not as... (as): l'argento è meno prezioso dell'oro, silver is less precious than gold (o silver isn't as precious as gold); lui non è meno studioso di te, he studies just as much as you do (o he studies no less than you do); oggi è meno freddo di ieri, it isn't as cold today as it was yesterday (form. it is less cold than yesterday); il traffico era meno intenso del solito, the traffic wasn't as heavy as usual (o was less heavy than usual); è andata meno bene del previsto, it didn't go as well as expected

3 (correl.) (quanto) meno... (tanto) meno: the less... the less: meno si lavora, meno si lavorerebbe, the less you work, the less you feel like working; meno studi, meno impari, the less you study, the less you learn

4 (nel superl. di minoranza) the least; (fra due) the less: tra tutte le conferenze, questa è stata la meno interessante, of all the lectures, this was the least interesting; la meno preparata delle due squadre, the less fit of the (two) teams; ho intenzione di scegliere la macchina che costa meno, I'm going to choose the car that costs the least (o the cheapest car); cerca di affaticarti il meno possibile, try to tire yourself as little as possible

5 (con valore di no) not: fammi sapere se verrai o meno, let me know whether or not you're coming; mi domando se valga la pena o meno di accettare, I wonder whether or not it's worth accepting; mi hanno accreditato mille euro, meno le spese bancarie, my account was credited with one thousand euros, minus bank charges

6 (mat.) minus: sette meno tre è uguale a quattro, seven minus three is four (o three from seven leaves four) // la temperatura è meno due, the temperature is two degrees below zero // ci sono cinque euro in meno, di meno, (mancano cinque euro) there's five euros missing; ho speso dieci euro in meno, I spent ten euros less; uno di meno!, one less!; non eravamo in meno di otto, there were no less than eight of us // se avessi vent'anni di meno!, if only I were twenty years younger! // sono le otto meno cinque, it's five to eight

◆ prep. (tranne) but, except: c'erano tutti meno loro, everyone was there except (o but) them; il museo è aperto tutti i giorni meno il lunedì, the museum is open every day but (o except) Monday; ho pensato a tutto meno che a fare i biglietti, I saw to everything except the tickets.

◆ FRASEOLOGIA: tanto meno, ancora meno, even less: non ho accettato finora, tanto meno accetterei adesso, I haven't accepted so far, and now I've got even less reason to accept // meno che mai, men che meno, let alone: non sa parlare l'italiano, meno che mai l'inglese, he can't even speak Italian, let alone English // quanto meno, (perlomeno) at least: avresti potuto quanto meno farmi una telefonata, you could at least have phoned me // fare a meno di qlcu., di (fare) qlco., to do without s.o., (doing) sthg.: non potrei fare a meno di lui, I couldn't do without him; non potei fare a meno di ridere, I couldn't help laughing // venire meno, (venire a mancare) to fail; (svenire) to faint; mi venne meno il coraggio, my courage failed me; a quella notizia, mi sentii venire meno, I felt as if I was going to faint when I heard the news // venire meno alla parola data, to break one's word // essere da meno (di qlcu.), to be less than s.o. // senza meno, (region.) certainly, for sure: le telefonerò domani senza meno, I'll phone her tomorrow for sure; a meno che, a meno di, unless: lo spettacolo si terrà all'aperto, a meno che non piova, the performance will take place outdoors, unless it rains; non farei mai una cosa simile, a meno di non esservi costretto, I would never do such a thing, unless I was forced to // niente meno → nientedimeno // per lo meno → perlomeno.

meno agg.compar.invar. less; not so much, not as much; (con s. pl.) fewer; not so many, not as many: c'è meno traffico sulle strade rispetto a ieri, there's less traffic on the roads than yesterday (o there isn't as much traffic on the roads as yesterday); oggi c'è meno gente in giro, there are fewer people (o there aren't so many people) about today; se prendi l'autostrada impiegherai meno tempo, it will take you less time (o it won't take you so long) if you use the motorway; c'erano meno italiani e più stranieri, there were fewer Italians and more foreigners; ha meno amici che nemici, he has fewer friends than enemies; loro hanno meno preoccupazioni di noi, they have fewer worries than we have (o they haven't so many worries as we have); questa volta hai fatto meno errori, this time you made fewer mistakes (o you didn't make so many mistakes) // meno storie!, stop making a fuss! // meno male, thank goodness; just as well; it's a good job (o a good thing); not so bad: meno male che non si è fatto niente, thank goodness he wasn't hurt; meno male che siete arrivati in tempo, it's a good job you arrived in time; meno male, poteva andar peggio!, not so bad, things could have been worse!

◆ s.m.

1 (con valore di compar.) less, not as much: ho fatto meno di quanto avrei voluto, I did less than (o I didn't do as much as) I would have liked; ha mangiato meno del solito, he ate less than usual (o he didn't eat as much as usual); meno di così non si poteva dare, you couldn't give less than that; si accontenterebbe di molto meno, he would be satisfied with much less; oggi ho dovuto aspettare molto meno, today I didn't have nearly so long to wait (o I had much less to wait); ci vorranno non meno di tre ore per arrivare, it will take no less than three hours to get there; finirò il lavoro in meno di un mese, I shall finish the job in less than a month; arriverà tra non meno di due settimane, he won't be here for a fortnight // a meno, per meno, (a minor prezzo) for less (o cheaper): vendere, acquistare per meno, to sell, to purchase for less // in men che non si dica, in less than no time

2 (con valore di superl.) the least; as little as: questo è il meno che tu possa fare, that's the least you can do; era il meno che gli potesse capitare, it was the least that could happen to him; vorrei spendere il meno possibile, I'd like to spend as little as possible // parlare del più e del meno, to talk of this and that // quando meno ci si pensa..., when you least expect...

3 (mat.) minus: il segno del meno, the minus sign

4 pl.: i meno, (la minoranza) the minority; i deputati che votarono a favore della proposta di legge erano i meno, the MP s who voted in favour of the bill were in the minority.

* * *
['meno]
1. avv

1) less

meno caro — less expensive, cheaper

è meno alto di suo fratello/di quel che pensavo — he is not as tall as his brother/as I thought, he is less tall than his brother/than I thought

ha due anni meno di me — he's two years younger than me

dovresti mangiare meno — you should eat less, you shouldn't eat so much

meno ne discutiamo, meglio è — the less we talk about it, the better

deve avere non meno di trent'anni — he must be at least thirty

meno fumo più mangio — the less I smoke the more I eat

andare all'università diventa sempre meno facile — it's getting less and less easy to go to university

ho speso (di) meno — I spent less

arrivo tra meno di un'ora — I'll be there in less than o in under an hour

2) (con senso superlativo) least

è il meno dotato dei miei studenti — he's the least gifted of my pupils

è quello che leggo meno spesso — it's the one I read least often

3) (sottrazione) Mat minus, less

5 meno 2 — 5 minus 2, 5 take away 2

sono le otto meno un quarto — it's a quarter to eight Brit o of eight Am

mi hai dato due carte di meno — you gave me two cards too few

eh, se avessi dieci anni di meno! — oh, if only I were ten years younger!

ho una sterlina in meno — I am one pound short

ci sono meno 25° — it's minus 25°, it is 25° below (zero)

ha preso sette meno — he got (a) B minus

4)

(fraseologia) non è da meno di lui — she is (every bit) as good as he is

non voglio essere da meno di lui — I don't want to be outdone by him

fare a meno di — to do o manage without

se non c'è zucchero ne faremo a meno — if there isn't any sugar we'll do without

potresti fare a meno di fumare in macchina? — would you mind not smoking in the car?

non ho potuto fare a meno di ridere — I couldn't help laughing

in men che non si dica — in less than no time, quick as a flash

meno male! — good!, thank goodness!, just as well!

meno male che sei arrivato — it's a good job that you have come

men che meno gli inglesi — least of all the English

fammi sapere se verrai o meno — let me know if you are coming or not

quanto meno poteva avvertire — he could at least have let us know

non mi piace come scrive e tanto meno come parla — I don't like the way he writes let alone the way he talks

2. agg inv

(acqua, lavoro, soldi) less, (persone, libri, errori) fewer

meno bambini ci sono, meglio è — the fewer children there are the better

meno storie! — stop messing around!

meno tempo — less time

meno turisti — fewer tourists

3. sm inv

1)

(la minor cosa) il meno — the least

era il meno che ti potesse capitare — (rimprovero) you were asking for it

parlare del più e del meno — to talk about this and that

per lo meno — perlomeno

i meno — (la minoranza) the minority

2) Mat minus (sign)

4. prep

(fuorché, eccetto che) except (for)

a meno che non faccia caldo — unless it is hot

a meno di prendere un giorno di ferie — unless I (o you ecc) take a day off

ci siamo tutti meno lui — we are all here except (for) him

tutti meno uno — all but one

* * *
['meno] 1.
avverbio

1) (in un comparativo di minoranza) less

un po' meno — a little less

è meno alto di Tim — he is not as tall as Tim

è meno complicato di quanto pensi — it's less complicated than you think

2) (con un avverbio) less

meno spesso — less often

meno del solito — less than usual

canta meno bene di prima — she doesn't sing as well as she used to

3) (con un verbo) less

l'argento costa meno dell'oro — silver costs less than gold

costa meno prendere il treno — it works out cheaper to take the train

dovresti lavorare (di) meno — you should work less

guadagno meno di lei — I earn less than she does, I don't earn as much as she does

meno se ne parla, meglio è — the less said about that, the better

meno esco, meno ho voglia di uscire — the less I go out, the less I feel like going out

è lui quello che lavora meno di tutti — he's the one who works the least of all

4) (con un numerale) less

meno di 50 — less than 50

meno di due ore — under o less than two hours

un po' meno di 15 cm — just under 15 cm

i bambini con meno di sei anni — children under six

non troverai niente a meno di 200 euro — you won't find anything for less than o for under 200 euros

5) (in un superlativo relativo)

(il) meno, (la) meno, (i) meno, (le) meno — the least

le famiglie meno ricche — the least wealthy families

era la meno soddisfatta di tutti — she was the least satisfied of all

è quello pagato meno bene fra i due — he's the least well-paid of the two

quello mi piace meno di tutti — I like that one (the) least

sono quelli che ne hanno meno bisogno — they are the ones who need it (the) least

proprio quando meno me l'aspettavo — just when I least expected it

6) (in correlazione con "più")

né più, né meno — neither more, nor less

centimetro più, centimetro meno — give or take an inch (or two)

né più né meno che — nothing less than

7) (con valore di negazione) not

che lo voglia o meno — whether he's willing or not

non ha deciso se firmare o meno — he hasn't decided whether to sign (or not)

8) da meno

è un gran bugiardo e suo fratello non è da meno — he's a liar and his brother isn't any better

ho fatto una torta anche io per non essere da meno — I made a cake as well, just to keep up

9) di meno, in meno

se avessi 20 anni di meno! — I wish I were 20 years younger!

ho preso 30 euro in meno di stipendio — my wages are 30 euros short

10) a meno di short of

11) a meno che unless

12) sempre meno less and less

13) meno male thank goodness

meno male che — it's a good thing that

meno male che è impermeabile! — it's just as well it's waterproof!

meno male che ci sono andato! — it was lucky for me that I went!

14) quanto meno, per lo meno at least

15) tanto meno

non l'ho mai visto, tanto meno gli ho parlato — I've never seen him, much less spoken to him

era troppo malata per stare in piedi, tanto meno per camminare — she was too ill to stand let alone walk

16) più o meno more or less, about, roughly, round about

più o meno alto come te — about your height

è successo più o meno qui — it happened round about here

"ti è piaciuto il film?" - "più o meno" — "did you enjoy the film?" - "sort of"

più o meno nello stesso modo — in much the same way

la canzone fa più o meno così — the song goes something like this
2.
aggettivo invariabile

1) (in un comparativo di minoranza) less, fewer

ho meno libri di te — I have fewer books than you

ho meno caldo adesso — I feel cooler now

ci è voluto meno tempo di quanto pensassimo — it took less time than we expected

2) (con valore pronominale) less, fewer

non meno di — no fewer than

ne ho meno di te — I have less than you

ha venduto meno di tutti — he sold the fewest
3.
preposizione

1) (in una sottrazione) from, minus

quanto fa 20 meno 8? — what is 20 minus 8?

20 meno 5 fa 15 — 5 from 20 leaves 15, 20 minus 5 is 15, 20 take away 5 is 15

2) (tranne, eccetto) but, besides, except

3) (per indicare l'ora)

le sei meno dieci — ten to six

4) (per indicare una temperatura)

meno 10 — minus 10
4.
sostantivo maschile invariabile

1) (la cosa, quantità minore) least

questo è il meno — that's the least of it

fare il meno possibile — to do as little as possible

2) mat. minus (sign)

••

parlare del più e del meno — to talk about this and that, to shoot the breeze AE

in men che non si dica — before you could say knife, in the bat o wink of an eye, in (less than) no time

fare a meno di — to manage o do without, to dispense with [auto, servizi]

non posso farne a meno — I can't help it
••
Note:

Meno è usato principalmente come avverbio e come aggettivo, anche con valore pronominale. - Come avverbio, si rende con less quando introduce un comparativo di minoranza e con (the) least quando introduce un superlativo di minoranza: less è seguito da than, the least è seguito da of oppure in (se ci si riferisce a un luogo o un gruppo). Gli esempi nella voce mostrano anche che il comparativo di minoranza è spesso sostituito in inglese dalla variante negativa di un comparativo di uguaglianza: ho meno esperienza di te = I have less experience than you, oppure: I don't have as much experience as you; la mia stanza è meno grande della tua = my bedroom isn't as big as yours. - Come aggettivo, in inglese standard meno si traduce con less davanti e al posto di sostantivi non numerabili ( meno denaro = less money; ne ho meno di ieri = I have less than yesterday), mentre davanti e al posto di sostantivi plurali si usa fewer con valore comparativo ( meno studenti = fewer students; non meno di = no fewer than) e (the) fewest con valore superlativo ( ho fatto meno errori di tutti = I made the fewest mistakes; ne ha dati meno di tutti = he gave the fewest); tuttavia, nel linguaggio parlato less tende a sostituire fewer anche con riferimento plurale: meno persone = less people. - Per altri esempi e per l'uso di meno come preposizione e sostantivo, si veda la voce qui sotto

* * *

meno

/'meno/

Meno è usato principalmente come avverbio e come aggettivo, anche con valore pronominale. - Come avverbio, si rende con less quando introduce un comparativo di minoranza e con (the) least quando introduce un superlativo di minoranza: less è seguito da than, the least è seguito da of oppure in (se ci si riferisce a un luogo o un gruppo). Gli esempi nella voce mostrano anche che il comparativo di minoranza è spesso sostituito in inglese dalla variante negativa di un comparativo di uguaglianza: ho meno esperienza di te = I have less experience than you, oppure: I don't have as much experience as you; la mia stanza è meno grande della tua = my bedroom isn't as big as yours. - Come aggettivo, in inglese standard meno si traduce con less davanti e al posto di sostantivi non numerabili ( meno denaro = less money; ne ho meno di ieri = I have less than yesterday), mentre davanti e al posto di sostantivi plurali si usa fewer con valore comparativo ( meno studenti = fewer students; non meno di = no fewer than) e (the) fewest con valore superlativo ( ho fatto meno errori di tutti = I made the fewest mistakes; ne ha dati meno di tutti = he gave the fewest); tuttavia, nel linguaggio parlato less tende a sostituire fewer anche con riferimento plurale: meno persone = less people. - Per altri esempi e per l'uso di meno come preposizione e sostantivo, si veda la voce qui sotto.

I avverbio

1 (in un comparativo di minoranza) less; un po' meno a little less; è meno alto di Tim he is not as tall as Tim; è meno complicato di quanto pensi it's less complicated than you think

2 (con un avverbio) less; meno spesso less often; meno del solito less than usual; canta meno bene di prima she doesn't sing as well as she used to

3 (con un verbo) less; l'argento costa meno dell'oro silver costs less than gold; costa meno prendere il treno it works out cheaper to take the train; dovresti lavorare (di) meno you should work less; guadagno meno di lei I earn less than she does, I don't earn as much as she does; meno se ne parla, meglio è the less said about that, the better; meno esco, meno ho voglia di uscire the less I go out, the less I feel like going out; è lui quello che lavora meno di tutti he's the one who works the least of all

4 (con un numerale) less; meno di 50 less than 50; meno di due ore under o less than two hours; un po' meno di 15 cm just under 15 cm; i bambini con meno di sei anni children under six; non troverai niente a meno di 200 euro you won't find anything for less than o for under 200 euros

5 (in un superlativo relativo) (il) meno, (la) meno, (i) meno, (le) meno the least; le famiglie meno ricche the least wealthy families; era la meno soddisfatta di tutti she was the least satisfied of all; è quello pagato meno bene fra i due he's the least well-paid of the two; quello mi piace meno di tutti I like that one (the) least; sono quelli che ne hanno meno bisogno they are the ones who need it (the) least; proprio quando meno me l'aspettavo just when I least expected it

6 (in correlazione con "più") né più, né meno neither more, nor less; centimetro più, centimetro meno give or take an inch (or two); né più né meno che nothing less than

7 (con valore di negazione) not; che lo voglia o meno whether he's willing or not; non ha deciso se firmare o meno he hasn't decided whether to sign (or not)

8 da meno è un gran bugiardo e suo fratello non è da meno he's a liar and his brother isn't any better; ho fatto una torta anche io per non essere da meno I made a cake as well, just to keep up

9 di meno, in meno se avessi 20 anni di meno! I wish I were 20 years younger! ho preso 30 euro in meno di stipendio my wages are 30 euros short

10 a meno di short of

11 a meno che unless

12 sempre meno less and less

13 meno male thank goodness; meno male che it's a good thing that; meno male che è impermeabile! it's just as well it's waterproof! meno male che ci sono andato! it was lucky for me that I went!

14 quanto meno, per lo meno at least

15 tanto meno non l'ho mai visto, tanto meno gli ho parlato I've never seen him, much less spoken to him; era troppo malata per stare in piedi, tanto meno per camminare she was too ill to stand let alone walk

16 più o meno more or less, about, roughly, round about; più o meno alto come te about your height; è successo più o meno qui it happened round about here; "ti è piaciuto il film?" - "più o meno" "did you enjoy the film?" - "sort of"; più o meno nello stesso modo in much the same way; la canzone fa più o meno così the song goes something like this

II aggettivo invariabile

1 (in un comparativo di minoranza) less, fewer; ho meno libri di te I have fewer books than you; ho meno caldo adesso I feel cooler now; ci è voluto meno tempo di quanto pensassimo it took less time than we expected

2 (con valore pronominale) less, fewer; non meno di no fewer than; ne ho meno di te I have less than you; ha venduto meno di tutti he sold the fewest

III preposizione

1 (in una sottrazione) from, minus; quanto fa 20 meno 8? what is 20 minus 8? 20 meno 5 fa 15 5 from 20 leaves 15, 20 minus 5 is 15, 20 take away 5 is 15

2 (tranne, eccetto) but, besides, except

3 (per indicare l'ora) le sei meno dieci ten to six

4 (per indicare una temperatura) meno 10 minus 10

IV m.inv.

1 (la cosa, quantità minore) least; questo è il meno that's the least of it; fare il meno possibile to do as little as possible

2 mat. minus (sign)

IDIOMS

parlare del più e del meno to talk about this and that, to shoot the breeze AE; in men che non si dica before you could say knife, in the bat o wink of an eye, in (less than) no time; fare a meno di to manage o do without, to dispense with [auto, servizi]; non posso farne a meno I can't help it.

Dizionario Italiano-Inglese > meno
8 menos

adj.

1 less.

menos aire less air

menos manzanas fewer apples

menos… que… less/fewer… than…

tiene menos experiencia que tú she has less experience than you

hace menos calor que ayer it's not as hot as it was yesterday

hay dos libros de menos there are two books missing

me han dado 10 euros de menos they've given me 10 euros too little

2 the least.

el que compró menos acciones the one who bought the fewest shares

lo que menos tiempo llevó the thing that took the least time

la que menos nota sacó en el examen the girl who did (the) worst o got the worst marks in the exam

3 fewer.

adv.

1 less.

menos de/que less than

son menos de las diez it's not quite ten o'clock yet

2 minus (expresa resta).

tres menos dos igual a uno three minus two is one

3 to (con las horas). (peninsular Spanish, River Plate)

son las dos menos diez it's ten to two

son menos diez it's ten to

4 under.

prep.

1 except (for) (excepto).

todo menos eso anything but that

2 minus, less.

m. s.&pl.

minus (sign) (Mat).

* * *

menos

► adjetivo

1 (comparativo - en cantidad) less; (- en número) fewer

■ hoy hay menos gente there are fewer people today

■ viajar en tren cuesta menos dinero going by train costs less money

■ hay menos mesas que en el otro restaurante there are fewer tables than in the other restaurant

■ yo tengo menos años que tú I'm younger than you

2 (superlativo - de cantidad) least; (- de número) fewest

■ yo soy la que menos culpa tiene I'm the least guilty

► adverbio

1 (comparativo - de cantidad) less; (- de número) fewer

■ voy al gimnasio menos que antes I go to the gym less than before

■ vinieron menos de viente personas fewer than twenty people came

■ deberías ir menos deprisa you shouldn't go so fast

■ hay que conducir a menos de 100km/h one cannot drive over 100 km/h

2 (superlativo) least

■ es el menos guapo de toda la familia he's the least good-looking member of the family

3 (con horas) to

■ las tres menos cuarto a quarter to three

4 MATEMÁTICAS minus

■ cuatro menos dos, dos four minus two is two

► preposición

1 but, except

■ todo menos eso anything but that

■ todos fueron al cine menos Alberto everyone went to the cinema except Alberto

► pronombre

1 (cantidad) less; (número) fewer

■ me pagó menos he paid me less

■ esperaban a más de mil personas pero vinieron menos they were expecting over a thousand people but fewer came

► nombre masculino

1 MATEMÁTICAS minus sign

\

FRASEOLOGÍA

a menos que unless

al menos / a lo menos at least

aún menos much less

cada vez menos less and less

dar (dinero) de menos to short-change

en menos de nada in no time at all

eso es lo de menos that's the least of my worries

ir a menos to go down in the world

lo menos at least

■ lo menos que puedes hacer the least you can do

menos da una piedra something's better than nothing

¡menos mal! thank God!

¡ni mucho menos! far from it!

no ser para menos to be no wonder

para no ser menos so as not to be outdone

por lo menos at least

por menos de nada for no reason at all

qué menos que...... is the least somebody could do/could have done

si al menos... if only...

venirse a menos to come down in the world

¡ya será menos! come off it!

* * *
1. noun m.
minus sign
2. adj.
1) less, least

2) fewer, fewest
3. adv.
1) less

2) least

•

- a menos que
- por lo menos 4. prep.
1) except

2) minus
5. pron.
less, fewer

* * *

1. ADV

1) [comparativo] less

ahora salgo menos — I go out less these days

últimamente nos vemos menos — we've been seeing less of each other recently

me gusta cada vez menos — I like it less and less

una película menos conocida — a less well-known film

Juan está menos deprimido — Juan is less depressed

es menos difícil de lo que parece — it's less difficult than it seems

• menos aún — even less

este me gusta menos aún — I like this one even less

• menos de — [con sustantivos incontables, medidas, dinero, tiempo] less than; [con sustantivos contables] fewer than

está a menos de tres horas en tren — it's less than three hours away by train

llegamos en menos de diez minutos — we got there in less than o in under ten minutes

menos de lo que piensas — less than you think

tiene menos de dieciocho años — he's under eighteen

menos de 50 cajas — fewer than 50 boxes

• en menos de nada — in no time at all

por menos de nada — for no reason at all

• menos que — less than

me gusta menos que el otro — I like it less than the other one

trabaja menos que yo — he doesn't work as hard as I do

este es menos caro que aquel — this one is less expensive than that one

lo hizo menos cuidadosamente que ayer — he did it less carefully than yesterday

2) [superlativo] least

su película menos innovadora — his least innovative film

es el menos inteligente de los cuatro — he is the least intelligent of the four

el chico menos desobediente de la clase — the least disobedient boy in the class

es el que habla menos — he's the one who talks (the) least

fue el que trabajó menos — he was the one who did the least work

3)

• al menos — at least

hay al menos cien personas — there are at least a hundred people

si al menos lloviera — if only it would rain

• de menos, hay siete de menos — we're seven short, there are seven missing

me dieron un paquete con medio kilo de menos — they gave me a packet which was half a kilo short o under weight

me han pagado dos libras de menos — they have underpaid me by two pounds

darse de menos — to underestimate o.s.

hacer a algn de menos — to put sb down

• echar de menos a algn — to miss sb

• ir a menos — to come down in the world

• lo menos diez — at least ten

lo menos posible — as little as possible

es lo menos que se puede esperar — it's the least one can expect

• eso es lo de menos — that's the least of it

• ¡menos mal! — thank goodness!

¡menos mal que habéis venido! — thank goodness you've come!

• era nada menos que un rey — he was a king, no less

• no es para menos — quite right too

• por lo menos — at least

• ¡ qué menos!, -le di un euro de propina -¡qué menos! — "I tipped her a euro" - "that was the least you could do!"

¿qué menos que darle las gracias? — the least we can do is say thanks!

• quedarse en menos, no se quedó en menos — he was not to be outdone

• tener a menos hacer algo — to consider it beneath o.s. to do sth

• venir a menos — to come down in the world

• y menos, no quiero verle y menos visitarle — I don't want to see him, let alone visit him

• ¡ ya será menos! — come off it!
cuando 2., 2), poder
2. ADJ

1) [comparativo] [con sustantivos incontables, medidas, dinero, tiempo] less; [con sustantivos contables] fewer

menos harina — less flour

menos gatos — fewer cats

aquí hay menos gente — there are fewer people here

• menos... que, A tiene menos ventajas que B — A has fewer advantages than B

Ana tiene menos años que Carlos — Ana is younger than Carlos

no soy menos hombre que él — * I'm as much of a man as he is

este es menos coche que el anterior — * this is not as good a car as the last one

• ser menos que, ganaremos porque son menos que nosotros — we'll win because there are fewer of them than there are of us

para no ser menos que los vecinos — to keep up with the neighbours

2) [superlativo] [con sustantivos incontables, medidas, dinero, tiempo] least; [con sustantivos contables] fewest

el método que lleva menos tiempo — the method which takes (the) least time

es el que menos culpa tiene — he is the least to blame

el examen con menos errores — the exam paper with the fewest mistakes

3. PREP

1) (=excepto) except

todos menos él — everybody except him

¡todo menos eso! — anything but that!

2) (Mat) [para restar] minus, less

cinco menos dos — five minus o less two

siete menos dos (son) cinco — seven minus two is five

son las siete menos veinte — it's twenty to seven

4.

CONJ

• a menos que — unless

no iré a menos que me acompañes — I won't go unless you come with me

5. SM

1) (Mat) minus sign

2)

los menos — the minority

3)
más 1., 2)
* * *
I
adverbio

1) ( comparativo) less

cada vez estudia menos — she's studying less and less

ya me duele menos — it hurts less now

ahora lo vemos menos — we don't see him so often o we don't see so much of him now

no voy a ir, y menos aún con él — I'm not going, and certainly not with him

menos (...) que: un hallazgo no menos importante que éste a find which is no less important than this one; ella menos que nadie puede criticarte she of all people is in no position to criticize you; menos (...) de less than; pesa menos de 50 kilos it weighs less than o under 50 kilos; no lo haría por menos de cien mil I wouldn't do it for less than a hundred thousand; éramos menos de diez there were fewer than ten of us; los niños de menos de 7 años children under seven; es menos peligroso de lo que tú crees — it's not as dangerous as you think

2) ( superlativo) least

es la menos complicada — it is the least complicated one

éste es el menos pesado de los dos — this is the lighter of the two

es el que menos viene por aquí — he's the one who comes around least (often)

es el que menos me gusta — he's the one I like (the) least

se esfuerza lo menos posible — he makes as little effort as possible

es lo menos que podía hacer — it's the least I could do

cuando menos lo esperábamos — when we were least expecting it; para locs ver menos III 2)
II
adjetivo invariable

1) ( comparativo) ( en cantidad) less; ( en número) fewer

alimentos con menos fibra/calorías — food with less fiber/fewer calories

ya hace menos frío — it's not as o so cold now

recibimos cada vez menos pedidos — we are getting fewer and fewer orders

cuesta tres veces menos — it costs a third of the price

mide medio metro menos — it's half a meter shorter

menos (...) que: tengo menos tiempo que tú I haven't as o so much time as you; menos estudiantes que el año pasado fewer students than last year; yo no soy menos que él — he's no better than me

2) ( superlativo) ( en cantidad) least; ( en número) fewest

esos casos son los menos — cases like that are the exception
III
pronombre

1)

sírveme menos — don't give me so much, give me less

ya falta menos — it won't be long now

aprobaron menos que el año pasado — fewer passed than last year

2) (en locs)

al menos — at least

a menos que — unless

cuando menos — at least

de menos: me ha dado 100 pesos de menos you've given me 100 pesos too little; me has cobrado de menos you've undercharged me; lo menos (fam) at least; menos mal just as well, thank goodness; menos mal que no me oyó just as well o it's a good thing he didn't hear me; por lo menos at least; ir a menos to go downhill; ser lo de menos: eso es lo de menos, a mí lo que me preocupa es... that's the least of it, what worries me is...; la fecha es lo de menos the date is the least of our/their problems; tener a alguien en menos to feel somebody is beneath one; tener algo a menos to think something is beneath one o beneath one's dignity; venirse a menos — to come down in the world
IV
preposición

1) ( excepto)

firmaron todos menos Alonso — everybody but Alonso signed, everybody signed except o but Alonso

menos estos dos, todos están en venta — apart from o with the exception of these two, they are all for sale

tres latas de pintura, menos la que usé — three cans of paint, less what I used

2)

a) (Mat) (en restas, números negativos) minus

b) (Esp, RPl) ( en la hora)

son las cinco menos diez/cuarto — it's ten to five/(a) quarter to five

son menos veinte — it's twenty to
V
masculino minus sign

* * *

= least, less [lesser -comp., least -sup.], minus, but, less so.

Ex. Service to the whole community implies positive discrimination towards those who through social or educational deprivation are least adept at using information tools.

Ex. The role of analytical entries in an online catalogue is less clear.

Ex. Copies of records created by the libraries, minus local data, are added to the pool of cataloguing information available to users.

Ex. Rotundas were widely used for all but the most formal texts in the fifteenth century, but fell out of fashion during the sixteenth century, surviving longest in Spain.

Ex. Vellum remained popular on the continent, less so in England; while goatskin (morocco), although well established by this time for fine work, was seldom used in trade binding except for prayer books.

----

* al menos = at least, at the very least.

* a menos que = unless, short of.

* aproximadamente, más o menos = ballpark.

* area menos favorecida = less favoured area.

* cada vez menos = less and less.

* cuando menos te lo esperes = on any given Sunday.

* cuanto menos = at least, let alone, at best.

* dar menos de lo debido = shortchange.

* de menos del 10 por ciento = single digit, single figure.

* dentro de lo malo lo menos malo = the best of a bad lot.

* echar de menos = miss.

* echar muchísimo de menos = be sorely missed, be sadly missed.

* echar mucho de menos = be sorely missed, be sadly missed.

* el último pero no el menos importante = the last but by no means least.

* en todos menos en = in all but.

* en un futuro más o menos cercano = in the near future, in the near future.

* en un período más o menos lejano = in the near future, in the near future.

* estrella venida a menos = fallen star.

* figura venida a menos = fallen star.

* hacerlo todo menos = stop at + nothing short of.

* horas de menos aglomeración = off-peak times.

* lo menos posible = as little as possible.

* más o menos = more or less, of a sort, or so, of sorts, after a fashion, round about, roughly speaking, give or take.

* más o menos + Adverbio = relatively + Adverbio.

* más o menos cuadrado = squarish.

* menos aún = let alone.

* menos blandeces y más mano dura = less of the carrot, more of the stick, less of the carrot, more of the stick.

* menos conocido = lesser known.

* menos cultos, los = less literate, the.

* menos de + Cantidad = under + Cantidad, less than + Cantidad.

* menos de + Edad = on the right side of + Edad.

* menos desarrollado = less developed [less-developed].

* menos en = save in.

* menos en el caso de que = except when.

* menos favorecido = less-advantaged, less favoured [less favored].

* menos hecho = rarer.

* menos importante, el = least, the.

* menos probable = least likely, less likely.

* menos... que... = less... than....

* menos rápidos, los = less fleet of foot, the.

* menos sabido = lesser known.

* menos usado = less used.

* mucho menos = a great deal less, let alone, far less.

* nada más y nada menos = as much as + Expresión Numérica.

* nada más y nada menos que = in the order of + Cantidad, nothing less than.

* nada más y nada menos que de = to the tune of + Cantidad.

* nada más y nada menos que desde + Expresión Temporal = from as far back as + Expresión Temporal.

* nada más y nada menos que + Número = as many as + Número.

* nada menos que + Nombre + tan + Adjetivo + como = no less + Adjetivo + Nombre + than.

* ni más ni menos = nothing more, nothing less, no more, no less.

* ni mucho menos = by any stretch (of the imagination), by any means, not by a long shot.

* Nombre + más o menos = Nombre + of sorts.

* no ser menos que el vecino = keep up with + the Joneses.

* no ser menos que los demás = keep up with + the Joneses.

* pagar menos de lo que se debería = underpay.

* para no ser menos = not to be outdone.

* personaje venido a menos = fallen star.

* por último pero no menos importante = last but not least.

* región menos favorecida = less favoured region (LFR).

* salir de donde menos Uno se lo espera = come out of + the woodwork.

* ser menos + Adjetivo = be less of a(n) + Nombre.

* ser nada más y nada menos que = be nothing less than.

* signo menos (-) = minus sign (-), negative sign (-).

* todo menos = everything except (for).

* todos menos = everyone except, everybody except.

* todos menos + Número = all but + Número.

* último pero no el menos importante, el = final and not the least important, the.

* venir a menos = retrench.

* y cuanto mucho menos = much less.

* y mucho menos = much less, least of all.

* zona menos favorecida = less favoured area.

* * *
I
adverbio

1) ( comparativo) less

cada vez estudia menos — she's studying less and less

ya me duele menos — it hurts less now

ahora lo vemos menos — we don't see him so often o we don't see so much of him now

no voy a ir, y menos aún con él — I'm not going, and certainly not with him

menos (...) que: un hallazgo no menos importante que éste a find which is no less important than this one; ella menos que nadie puede criticarte she of all people is in no position to criticize you; menos (...) de less than; pesa menos de 50 kilos it weighs less than o under 50 kilos; no lo haría por menos de cien mil I wouldn't do it for less than a hundred thousand; éramos menos de diez there were fewer than ten of us; los niños de menos de 7 años children under seven; es menos peligroso de lo que tú crees — it's not as dangerous as you think

2) ( superlativo) least

es la menos complicada — it is the least complicated one

éste es el menos pesado de los dos — this is the lighter of the two

es el que menos viene por aquí — he's the one who comes around least (often)

es el que menos me gusta — he's the one I like (the) least

se esfuerza lo menos posible — he makes as little effort as possible

es lo menos que podía hacer — it's the least I could do

cuando menos lo esperábamos — when we were least expecting it; para locs ver menos III 2)
II
adjetivo invariable

1) ( comparativo) ( en cantidad) less; ( en número) fewer

alimentos con menos fibra/calorías — food with less fiber/fewer calories

ya hace menos frío — it's not as o so cold now

recibimos cada vez menos pedidos — we are getting fewer and fewer orders

cuesta tres veces menos — it costs a third of the price

mide medio metro menos — it's half a meter shorter

menos (...) que: tengo menos tiempo que tú I haven't as o so much time as you; menos estudiantes que el año pasado fewer students than last year; yo no soy menos que él — he's no better than me

2) ( superlativo) ( en cantidad) least; ( en número) fewest

esos casos son los menos — cases like that are the exception
III
pronombre

1)

sírveme menos — don't give me so much, give me less

ya falta menos — it won't be long now

aprobaron menos que el año pasado — fewer passed than last year

2) (en locs)

al menos — at least

a menos que — unless

cuando menos — at least

de menos: me ha dado 100 pesos de menos you've given me 100 pesos too little; me has cobrado de menos you've undercharged me; lo menos (fam) at least; menos mal just as well, thank goodness; menos mal que no me oyó just as well o it's a good thing he didn't hear me; por lo menos at least; ir a menos to go downhill; ser lo de menos: eso es lo de menos, a mí lo que me preocupa es... that's the least of it, what worries me is...; la fecha es lo de menos the date is the least of our/their problems; tener a alguien en menos to feel somebody is beneath one; tener algo a menos to think something is beneath one o beneath one's dignity; venirse a menos — to come down in the world
IV
preposición

1) ( excepto)

firmaron todos menos Alonso — everybody but Alonso signed, everybody signed except o but Alonso

menos estos dos, todos están en venta — apart from o with the exception of these two, they are all for sale

tres latas de pintura, menos la que usé — three cans of paint, less what I used

2)

a) (Mat) (en restas, números negativos) minus

b) (Esp, RPl) ( en la hora)

son las cinco menos diez/cuarto — it's ten to five/(a) quarter to five

son menos veinte — it's twenty to
V
masculino minus sign

* * *

= least, less [lesser -comp., least -sup.], minus, but, less so.

Ex: Service to the whole community implies positive discrimination towards those who through social or educational deprivation are least adept at using information tools.

Ex: The role of analytical entries in an online catalogue is less clear.

Ex: Copies of records created by the libraries, minus local data, are added to the pool of cataloguing information available to users.

Ex: Rotundas were widely used for all but the most formal texts in the fifteenth century, but fell out of fashion during the sixteenth century, surviving longest in Spain.

Ex: Vellum remained popular on the continent, less so in England; while goatskin (morocco), although well established by this time for fine work, was seldom used in trade binding except for prayer books.

* al menos = at least, at the very least.

* a menos que = unless, short of.

* aproximadamente, más o menos = ballpark.

* area menos favorecida = less favoured area.

* cada vez menos = less and less.

* cuando menos te lo esperes = on any given Sunday.

* cuanto menos = at least, let alone, at best.

* dar menos de lo debido = shortchange.

* de menos del 10 por ciento = single digit, single figure.

* dentro de lo malo lo menos malo = the best of a bad lot.

* echar de menos = miss.

* echar muchísimo de menos = be sorely missed, be sadly missed.

* echar mucho de menos = be sorely missed, be sadly missed.

* el último pero no el menos importante = the last but by no means least.

* en todos menos en = in all but.

* en un futuro más o menos cercano = in the near future, in the near future.

* en un período más o menos lejano = in the near future, in the near future.

* estrella venida a menos = fallen star.

* figura venida a menos = fallen star.

* hacerlo todo menos = stop at + nothing short of.

* horas de menos aglomeración = off-peak times.

* lo menos posible = as little as possible.

* más o menos = more or less, of a sort, or so, of sorts, after a fashion, round about, roughly speaking, give or take.

* más o menos + Adverbio = relatively + Adverbio.

* más o menos cuadrado = squarish.

* menos aún = let alone.

* menos blandeces y más mano dura = less of the carrot, more of the stick, less of the carrot, more of the stick.

* menos conocido = lesser known.

* menos cultos, los = less literate, the.

* menos de + Cantidad = under + Cantidad, less than + Cantidad.

* menos de + Edad = on the right side of + Edad.

* menos desarrollado = less developed [less-developed].

* menos en = save in.

* menos en el caso de que = except when.

* menos favorecido = less-advantaged, less favoured [less favored].

* menos hecho = rarer.

* menos importante, el = least, the.

* menos probable = least likely, less likely.

* menos... que... = less... than....

* menos rápidos, los = less fleet of foot, the.

* menos sabido = lesser known.

* menos usado = less used.

* mucho menos = a great deal less, let alone, far less.

* nada más y nada menos = as much as + Expresión Numérica.

* nada más y nada menos que = in the order of + Cantidad, nothing less than.

* nada más y nada menos que de = to the tune of + Cantidad.

* nada más y nada menos que desde + Expresión Temporal = from as far back as + Expresión Temporal.

* nada más y nada menos que + Número = as many as + Número.

* nada menos que + Nombre + tan + Adjetivo + como = no less + Adjetivo + Nombre + than.

* ni más ni menos = nothing more, nothing less, no more, no less.

* ni mucho menos = by any stretch (of the imagination), by any means, not by a long shot.

* Nombre + más o menos = Nombre + of sorts.

* no ser menos que el vecino = keep up with + the Joneses.

* no ser menos que los demás = keep up with + the Joneses.

* pagar menos de lo que se debería = underpay.

* para no ser menos = not to be outdone.

* personaje venido a menos = fallen star.

* por último pero no menos importante = last but not least.

* región menos favorecida = less favoured region (LFR).

* salir de donde menos Uno se lo espera = come out of + the woodwork.

* ser menos + Adjetivo = be less of a(n) + Nombre.

* ser nada más y nada menos que = be nothing less than.

* signo menos (-) = minus sign (-), negative sign (-).

* todo menos = everything except (for).

* todos menos = everyone except, everybody except.

* todos menos + Número = all but + Número.

* último pero no el menos importante, el = final and not the least important, the.

* venir a menos = retrench.

* y cuanto mucho menos = much less.

* y mucho menos = much less, least of all.

* zona menos favorecida = less favoured area.

* * *

menos¹

adverb

A [ Grammar notes (Spanish) ]

(comparativo): cada vez estudia menos she's studying less and less

quiere trabajar menos y ganar más he wants to work less and earn more

ya me duele menos it doesn't hurt so much now

ahora que vive en Cádiz lo vemos menos now that he's living in Cadiz we don't see him so often o we don't see so much of him

eso es menos importante that's not so important

no voy a permitir que vaya, y menos aún con él I'm not going to let her go, much less with him

menos (…) QUE:

un hallazgo no menos importante que éste a find which is no less important than o just as important as this one

ella menos que nadie puede criticarte she of all people is in no position to criticize you

no pude menos que aceptar I had to accept, it was the least I could do

menos (…) DE:

los niños de menos de 7 años children under seven

pesa menos de 50 kilos it weighs less than o under 50 kilos

éramos menos de diez there were fewer than ten of us

lo compraron por menos de nada they bought it for next to nothing

no lo haría por menos de cien mil I wouldn't do it for less than a hundred thousand

está a menos de una hora de aquí it's less than an hour from here

es menos peligroso de lo que tú crees it's not as dangerous as you think

B [ Grammar notes (Spanish) ] (superlativo) least

es la menos complicada que he visto it is the least complicated one I have seen

éste es el menos pesado de los dos this is the lighter of the two

es el que menos viene por aquí he's the one who comes around least (often)

soy el que ha bebido menos de todos I've had less to drink than anyone, I'm the one who's had least to drink

es el que menos me gusta he's the one I like (the) least

se esfuerza lo menos posible he makes as little effort as possible

es lo menos que podía hacer por él it's the least I could do for him

sucedió cuando menos lo esperábamos it happened when we were least expecting it

para locs ver menos³ pron B. (↑ menos (3))

menos²

adj inv

A [ Grammar notes (Spanish) ] (comparativo) (en cantidad) less; (en número) fewer

alimentos con menos fibra/calorías food with less fiber/fewer calories

ya hace menos frío it's not as o so cold now

recibimos cada vez menos pedidos we are getting fewer and fewer orders

cuesta tres veces menos it costs a third of the price o a third as much

mide medio metro menos it's half a meter shorter

a éste ponle dos cucharadas menos add two tablespoonfuls less to this one

menos (…) QUE:

tengo menos tiempo que tú I haven't as o so much time as you

menos estudiantes que el año pasado fewer students than last year

somos menos que ellos there are fewer of us than them

no soy menos hombre que él I'm no less a man than him

yo no soy menos que él he's no better than me

B [ Grammar notes (Spanish) ] (superlativo) (en cantidad) least; (en número) fewest

el rincón donde hay menos luz the corner where there's least light

el partido que obtuvo menos votos the party that got (the) fewest votes

esos casos son los menos cases like that are the exception

menos³

pronoun

A

sírveme menos don't give me as o so much

ya falta menos it won't be long now

aprobaron menos que el año pasado not so o as many passed as last year, fewer passed than last year

B ( en locs):

al menos at least

a menos que unless

a menos que tú nos ayudes unless you help us

cuando menos at least

de menos: me ha dado 100 pesos de menos you've given me 100 pesos too little

siempre te da unos gramos de menos he always gives you a few grams under o too little

me has cobrado de menos you've undercharged me, you haven't charged me enough

echar

lo menos ( fam); at least

les pagaron lo menos un millón they paid them at least a million pesos

menos mal just as well

menos mal que no me oyó just as well o good thing o thank goodness he didn't hear me

nos van a dar una prórroga — ¡menos mal! they are going to give us extra time — just as well! o thank goodness for that!

por lo menos at least

si por lo menos me hubieras avisado … if you'd at least told me …

había por lo menos diez mil personas there were at least ten thousand people there

ir a menos to go downhill

ser lo de menos: eso es lo de menos, a mí lo que me preocupa es su falta de honradez that's the least of it, what worries me is his lack of integrity

la fecha es lo de menos the date is the least of our/their problems

tener a algn en menos to feel sb is beneath one

cuanto¹ (↑ cuanto (1)), más³ (↑ más (3)), mucho³ (↑ mucho (3)), nada¹ (↑ nada (1))

tener algo a menos to think sth is beneath one o beneath one's dignity

venirse a menos to come down in the world

un aristócrata venido a menos an aristocrat who has come down in the world o who has fallen on hard times

un hotel/barrio venido a menoss a rundown hotel/neighborhood*

menos⁴

prep

A

(excepto): firmaron todos menos Alonso everybody but Alonso signed, everybody signed except o but Alonso

menos estos dos, todos están en venta apart from o with the exception of these two, they are all for sale

tres latas de pintura, menos la que usé para la puerta three cans of paint, less what I used on the door

B

1 ( Mat) [ Vocabulary notes (Spanish) ] (en restas, números negativos) minus

8-15=-7 read as: ocho menos quince (es) igual (a) menos siete eight minus fifteen equals o is minus seven

2

(Esp, RPI) (en la hora) [ Vocabulary notes (Spanish) ] son las ocho menos diez/cuarto it's ten to eight/(a) quarter to eight

¿tienes hora? — menos veinte do you have the time? — it's twenty to

menos⁵

masculine

minus sign

* * *

menos adverbio
1 ( comparativo) less;
◊ cada vez estudia menos she's studying less and less;

ya me duele menos it hurts less now;
ahora lo vemos menos we don't see him so often now, we don't see so much of him now;
pesa menos de 50 kilos it weighs less than o under 50 kilos;
éramos menos de diez there were fewer than ten of us;
los niños de menos de 7 años children under seven
2 ( superlativo) least;
◊ es la menos complicada it is the least complicated one;

el que menos me gusta the one I like (the) least;
se esfuerza lo menos posible he makes as little effort as possible;
cuando menos lo esperaba when I was least expecting it
■ adjetivo invariable
1 ( comparativo) ( en cantidad) less;
( en número) fewer;
◊ alimentos con menos fibra/calorías food with less fiber/fewer calories;

hay menos errores there are fewer mistakes;
mide medio metro menos it's half a meter shorter;
menos estudiantes que el año pasado fewer students than last year;
tengo menos tiempo que tú I haven't as o so much time as you
2 ( superlativo) ( en cantidad) least;
( en número) fewest;
◊ donde hay menos luz where there's least light;

el que obtuvo menos votos the one who got (the) fewest votes
■ pronombre
1 ( en cantidad) less;
( en número) fewer;
◊ sírveme menos give me less;

ya falta menos it won't be long now
2 ( en locs)
◊ al menos at least;

a menos que unless;
cuando menos at least;
de menos: me dió 100 pesos de menos he gave me 100 pesos too little;
me cobró de menos he undercharged me;
lo menos the least;
menos mal just as well, thank goodness;
por lo menos at least;
eso es lo de menos that's the least of my (o our etc) problems
■ preposición
1 ( excepto):
◊ todos menos Alonso everybody except o but Alonso;

menos estos dos, … apart from o with the exception of these two, …;
tres latas de pintura, menos la que usé para la puerta three cans of paint, less what I used on the door
2
a) (Mat) (en restas, números negativos) minus

b) (Esp, RPl) ( en la hora):

◊ son las cinco menos diez/cuarto it's ten to five/(a) quarter to five;

son menos veinte it's twenty to
menos
I adverbio
1 (en menor cantidad, grado) (con no contable) less: ayer me dolía menos, it hurt less yesterday
había menos de treinta personas, there were less than thirty people
es menos importante de lo que crees, it's less important than you think
tengo menos fuerza que antes, I have less strength than before
(con contable) fewer: mi casa tiene menos habitaciones, my house has fewer rooms
2 (superlativo) least: es el menos indicado para opinar, he's the worst person to judge
3 (sobre todo) no pienso discutir, y menos contigo, I don't want to argue, especially with you
II preposición
1 but, except: vinieron todos menos uno, they all came but one
2 Mat minus: siete menos dos, seven minus two
♦ Locuciones: eso es lo de menos, that's the least of it
a menos que, unless
al o por lo menos, at least
cada vez menos, less and less
¡menos mal!, thank goodness!
nada menos que, no less o no fewer than
no ser para menos, to be the least one could do: me invitó a cenar, ¡y no era para menos!, he invited me to dinner, which was the least he could do!
venir a menos, to lose rank, fortune or position
' menos' also found in these entries:
Spanish:
aliviar
- añorar
- cachondeo
- cada
- cantar
- contratación
- cuando
- echar
- esquivar
- estar
- extrañar
- gallo
- hipar
- historiada
- historiado
- indicada
- indicado
- infarto
- los
- mal
- más
- mucha
- mucho
- pensar
- piedra
- programa
- recochineo
- salva
- salvo
- signo
- siquiera
- su
- tan
- todavía
- vez
- cinco
- costumbre
- cuanto
- cuarto
- de
- día
- enfado
- enojo
- entre
- esperar
- estofado
- mientras
- mirar
- momento
- nada
English:
about
- absent
- agree
- alone
- anything
- anywhere
- appreciate
- at
- averse
- barring
- besides
- billion
- blind
- blue
- border
- but
- cackle
- chalk
- circuitous
- conscious
- delay
- far
- ferment
- few
- god
- good
- if
- job
- just
- last
- least
- less
- let
- let up
- mind
- minus
- minus sign
- minute
- miss
- more
- nothing
- nowadays
- of
- opposed
- or
- pretty
- put down
- rate
- recollect
- remain

* * *

menos

♦ adj inv

1. [comparativo] [cantidad] less;
[número] fewer;
menos aire less air;

menos manzanas fewer apples;

menos… que… less/fewer… than…;

tiene menos experiencia que tú she has less experience than you;

vino menos gente que otras veces there were fewer people there than on other occasions;

hace menos calor que ayer it's not as hot as it was yesterday;

colócate a menos distancia stand closer;

eran menos pero mejor preparadas there were fewer of them, but they were better prepared

2. [superlativo] [cantidad] the least;
[número] the fewest;
el que compró menos libros the one who bought the fewest books;

lo que menos tiempo llevó the thing that took the least time;

la que menos nota sacó en el examen the girl who did (the) worst o got the worst Br marks o US grades in the exam

3. Fam [peor]
éste es menos coche que el mío this car isn't as good as mine;

es menos hombre que tú he's less of a man than you are

♦ adv

1. [comparativo] less;

a mí échame un poco menos give me a bit less;

ahora con el bebé salen menos they go out less now they've got the baby;

últimamente trabajo menos I haven't been working as o so much recently;

estás menos gordo you're not as o so fat;

¿a cien? no, íbamos menos rápido a hundred km/h? no, we weren't going as fast as that;

menos de/que less than;

Pepe es menos alto (que tú) Pepe isn't as tall (as you);

Pepe es menos ambicioso (que tú) Pepe isn't as ambitious (as you), Pepe is less ambitious (than you);

este vino me gusta menos (que el otro) I don't like this wine as much (as the other one), I like this wine less (than the other one);

son menos de las diez it's not quite ten o'clock yet;

es difícil encontrar alquileres de o [m5]por menos de 50.000 it's hard to find a place to rent for less than o under 50,000;

tardamos menos de lo esperado we took less time than expected, it didn't take us as long as we expected;

es menos complicado de lo que parece it's not as complicated as it seems, it's less complicated than it seems

2. [superlativo]
el/la/lo menos the least;

ella es la menos adecuada para el cargo she's the least suitable person for the job;

el menos preparado de todos/de la clase the least well trained of everyone/in the class;

el menos preparado de los dos the less well trained of the two;

la que menos trabaja the person o one who works (the) least;

aquí es donde menos me duele this is where it hurts (the) least;

él es el menos indicado para criticar he's the last person who should be criticizing;

es lo menos que puedo hacer it's the least I can do;

era lo menos que te podía pasar it was the least you could expect;

debió costar lo menos un millón it must have cost at least a million;

había algunas manzanas podridas, pero eran las menos some of the apples were rotten, but only a very few

3. [indica resta] minus;

tres menos dos igual a uno three minus two is one

4. Esp, RP [con las horas] to;

son las dos menos diez it's ten to two;

son menos diez it's ten to

5. Comp

ir a menos [fiebre, lluvia] to die down;
[delincuencia] to drop;
¡menos mal! just as well!, thank God!;

menos mal que llevo rueda de repuesto/que no te pasó nada thank God I've got a spare wheel/(that) nothing happened to you;

nada menos (que) no less (than);

le recibió nada menos que el Papa he was received by none other than the Pope;

no es para menos not without (good) reason;

no pude por menos que reírme I had to laugh;

venir a menos [negocio] to go downhill;
[persona] to go down in the world;
no pienso montar y menos si conduces o Am [m5] manejas tú I've no intention of getting in, much less so if you're driving;

Comp

hacer de menos a alguien to snub sb

♦ pron

había menos que el año pasado there were fewer than the previous year;

ya queda menos it's not so far to go now

♦ nm inv
Mat minus (sign)
♦ prep
[excepto] except (for);
todo menos eso anything but that;

vinieron todos menos él everyone came except (for) o but him;

menos el café, todo está incluido en el precio everything except the coffee is included in the price

♦ al menos loc conj

at least;

costará al menos tres millones it will cost at least three million;

dame al menos una hora para prepararme give me at least an hour to get ready

♦ a menos que loc conj

unless;

no iré a menos que me acompañes I won't go unless you come with me

♦ de menos loc adv

hay dos libros de menos there are two books missing;

me han dado 80 céntimos de menos they've given me 80 cents too little, they've short-changed me by 80 cents;

eso es lo de menos that's the least of it

♦ por lo menos loc adv

at least;

por lo menos pide perdón you at least ought to apologize

* * *

menos

I adj

1 en cantidad less;

cien dólares de menos 100 dollars short, 100 dollars too little;

hay cinco calcetines de menos we are five socks short

2 en número fewer

II adv

1 comp: en cantidad less;

es menos guapa que Ana she is not as pretty as Ana

2 sup: en cantidad least;

al menos, por lo menos at least

3 MAT minus;

tres menos dos three minus two

III m MAT minus (sign)

IV

:

a menos que unless;

todos menos yo everyone but o except me;

echar de menos miss;

tener a alguien en menos look down on s.o.;

eso es lo de menos that’s the least of it;

ir a menos come down in the world;

ni mucho menos far from it;

no es para menos quite right too;

son las dos menos diez it’s ten of two, Br it’s ten to two

* * *

menos adv

1) : less

llueve menos en agosto: it rains less in August

2) : least

el coche menos caro: the least expensive car

3)

menos de : less than, fewer than

menos adj

1) : less, fewer

tengo más trabajo y menos tiempo: I have more work and less time

2) : least, fewest

la clase que tiene menos estudiantes: the class that has the fewest students

menos prep

1) salvo, excepto: except

2) : minus

quince menos cuatro son once: fifteen minus four is eleven

menos pron

1) : less, fewer

no deberías aceptar menos: you shouldn't accept less

2)

al menos or

por lo menos : at least

3)

a menos que : unless

* * *

menos¹ adv

1. (comparativo) less

deberías ponerte menos azúcar you should take less sugar

2. (con nombres contables) fewer

había menos gente there were fewer people

3. (superlativo) least

es el menos caro it's the least expensive

4. (excepto) except

puedo hacer de todo menos cocinar I can do everything except cook

fueron todos al parque menos ella they all went to the park except her

5. (con la hora) to

son las ocho menos diez it's ten to eight

6. (en matemáticas) minus

ocho menos dos son seis eight minus two is six

al menos at least

a menos que unless

menos mal thank goodness

menos mal que has venido it's a good job you've come

por lo menos at least

menos² n minus sign

Spanish-English dictionary > menos
9 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
10 por

prep.

1 because of (causa).

por mí no te preocupes don't worry about me

¿por qué? why?

¿por qué lo dijo? why did she say it?

¿por qué no vienes? why don't you come?

¿por? (informal) why?

se enfadó por tu comportamiento she got angry because of your behavior

lo hizo por amor he did it out of o for love

2 (in order) to.

lo hizo por complacerte he did it to please you

lo hice por ella I did it for her

3 by (medio, modo, agente).

por mensajero/fax/teléfono by courier/fax/telephone

estuvimos hablando por teléfono we were talking on the phone

por escrito in writing

lo cogieron por el brazo they took him by the arm

el récord fue batido por el atleta the record was broken by the athlete

4 through.

vamos por aquí/allí let's go this/that way

iba paseando por el bosque/la calle she was walking through the forest/along the street

pasar por la aduana to go through customs

5 for (a cambio de, en lugar de).

lo ha comprado por poco dinero she bought it for very little

cambió el coche por la moto he exchanged his car for a motorbike

él lo hará por mí he'll do it for me

6 per.

80 céntimos por unidad 80 cents each

mil unidades por semana a thousand units a o per week

uno por uno one by one

20 kms por hora 20 km an o per hour

7 for.

baja por tabaco go down to the shops for some cigarettes, go down to get some cigarettes

a por for

vino a por las entradas she came for the tickets

8 times, multiplied by.

* * *

por

► preposición

1 (gen) for

■ lo hice por ti I did it for you

■ lo compré por dos euros I bought it for two euros

2 (a través de) through, by

■ entra por la puerta trasera come in by the back door

■ pasamos por Valladolid we went through Valladolid

■ iremos por la autopista we'll go on the motorway

3 (calle, carretera) along, down, up

■ íbamos por la calle cuando... we were walking along the street when...

■ subí por la Calle Jovellanos I went up Jovellanos Street

4 (lugar aproximado) in, near, round

■ anda por el edificio he's somewhere in the building

■ está por la Plaza Mayor it's somewhere near the Plaza Mayor

■ está por aquí it's somewhere round here

5 (causa) because of

■ las plantas han muerto por el frío the plants have died because of the cold

■ suspendieron el concierto por la lluvia they cancelled the concert because of the rain

6 (tiempo) at, for

■ nos veremos por vacaciones I'll see you during the holidays

7 (medio) by

■ lo enviaré por avión I'll send it by air

■ está hablando por teléfono he's on the phone

■ llegó por correo it arrived by post

8 (autoría) by

■ fue escrito por Azorín it was written by Azorín

9 (distribución) per

■ cinco por ciento five per cent

■ tocamos a dieciocho euros por persona it works out at eighteen euros per person

■ iba a veinte kilómetros por hora it was going at twenty kilometres an hour

10 (tras) by

■ registraron la cárcel celda por celda they searched the prison cell by cell

■ les interrogó uno por uno he interrogated each one in turn

11 (con pasiva) by

■ fue comprado por la reina it was bought by the queen

12 (a favor de) for, in favour of, US in favor of

■ estoy por una amnistía general I'm in favour of a general amnesty

13 (en calidad de) as

■ la tomó por esposa he took her as his wife

14 (en lugar de) instead of, in the place of

■ ve tú por mi you go in my place

15 (multiplicado por) times, multiplied by

■ tres por cuatro, doce three fours are twelve, three times four is twelve

16 por adjective que no matter how adjective

■ por caro que sea, lo voy a comprar no matter how expensive it is I'm going to buy it

■ por viejo que parezca funciona even though it looks old, it still works

\

FRASEOLOGÍA

estar por + inf (a punto de) to be on the point of + - ing

estar por hacer to remain to be done, not to have been done yet

por aquí around here

por lo tanto therefore

por lo visto apparently

por más que + subjuntivo however much, no matter how much

por mucho que + subjuntivo however much, no matter how much

por mí as far as I am concerned

¿por qué? why?

por supuesto of course

por tanto therefore, so

* * *

prep.

1) for

2) during

3) by

4) through

5) along

6) around

7) per

8) from

9) because of

10) instead of

•

- ¿por qué?

- por si acaso

* * *

PREPOSICIÓN

1) [causa]

a) + sustantivo because of

tuvo que suspenderse por el mal tiempo — it had to be cancelled because of the weather

no se realizó por escasez de fondos — it didn't go ahead because of a shortage of funding

• nos encontramos por casualidad — we met by chance

• lo hago por gusto — I do it because I like to

• fue por necesidad — it was out of necessity

• por temor a — for fear of

no se lo dijo por temor a ofenderla — he didn't tell her for fear of offending her

b) + infin

no aprobó por no haber estudiado — he didn't pass because he hadn't studied

por venir tarde se perdió la mitad — because he arrived late he missed half of it

me castigaron por mentir — I was punished for lying

c) + adj

le expulsaron por revoltoso — they expelled him for being a troublemaker

lo dejó por imposible — he gave it up as (being) impossible

esto te pasa por tonto — this is what you get for being stupid

2) [objetivo]

a) + sustantivo for

trabajar por dinero — to work for money

daría lo que fuera por un poco de tranquilidad — I'd give anything for a bit of peace and quiet

brindemos por nuestro futuro — let's drink to our future

b) + infin

lo hizo por complacerle — he did it to please her

por no llegar tarde — so as not to arrive late, in order not to be late

hablar por hablar — to talk for the sake of talking

3) (=en favor, defensa de) for

lo hice por mis padres — I did it for my parents

hazlo por mí — do it for me, do it for my sake

luchar por la patria — to fight for one's country

4) [elección]

su amor por la pintura — his love of painting

está loca por ti — she's crazy about you

no sabía por cuál decidirme — I couldn't decide which to choose

5) [evidencia] judging by, judging from

por lo que dicen — judging by o from what they say

por la cara que pone no debe de gustarle — judging by o from his face I don't think he likes it

por las señas no piensa hacerlo — apparently he's not intending to do it, it doesn't seem like he's intending to do it

6) [medio]

por su propia mano — by his own hand

lo obtuve por un amigo — I got it through a friend

la conozco por mi hermano — I know her through my brother

• por correo — by post

• por mar — by sea

• hablar por señas — to use sign language

7) [agente] by

hecho por él — done by him

"dirigido por" — "directed by"

fueron apresados por la policía — they were captured by the police

8) [modo] by

me agarró por el brazo — he grabbed me by the arm

punto por punto — point by point

buscaron casa por casa — they searched house by house

están dispuestos por tamaños — they are arranged according to size o by size

• por orden alfabético — in alphabetical order

9) [lugar]

se va por ahí — it's that way

¿por dónde? — which way?

ir a Bilbao por Santander — to go to Bilbao via Santander

cruzar la frontera por Canfranc — to cross the border at Canfranc

pasar por Madrid — to go through Madrid

se asomaron por la ventana — they leaned out of the window

iban cantando por la calle — they were walking along the street singing

paseábamos por la playa — we were walking along the beach

por todas partes — everywhere

por todo el país — throughout the country

viajar por el mundo — to travel (around) the world

10) [aproximación]

busca por ahí — look over there

viven por esta zona — they live around here

por aquí cerca — near o around here

aquello ocurrió por abril — it happened around April

por la feria — round about o around carnival time

está por el norte — it's somewhere up north

11) [tiempo]

se levanta por la mañana temprano — she gets up early in the morning

por la mañana siempre tengo mucho trabajo — I always have a lot of work in o during the morning

no sale por la noche — he doesn't go out at night

12) [duración] for

será por poco tiempo — it won't be for long

se quedarán por 15 días — they will stay for a fortnight

13) [sustitución, intercambio] (=a cambio de) for; (=en lugar de) instead of

te doy este por aquel — I'll swap you this one for that one

le dieron uno nuevo por el viejo — they gave him a new one (in exchange) for the old one

lo vendí por 15 dólares — I sold it for 15 dollars

me dieron 13 francos por una libra — I got 13 francs to the pound

hoy doy yo la clase por él — today I'm giving the class for him o in his place

ha puesto B por V — he has put B instead of V

14) [representación]

hablo por todos — I speak on behalf of o for everyone

interceder por algn — to intercede on sb's behalf, intercede for sb

diputado por Madrid — a member of parliament for Madrid

vino por su jefe — he came instead of o in place of his boss

15) [distribución]

10 dólares por hora — 10 dollars an hour

80km por hora — 80km per o an hour

revoluciones por minuto — revolutions per minute

tres dólares por persona — three dollars each, three dollars per person

16) [en multiplicaciones]

cinco por tres, quince — five times three is fifteen, five threes are fifteen

mide 6 metros de alto por 4 de ancho — it is 6 metres high by 4 wide

17) (=en cuanto a)

por mí no hay inconveniente — that's fine as o so far as I'm concerned

por mí, que se vaya — as o so far as I'm concerned he can go, for all I care he can go

por mí, como si quieres pasar una semana sin comer — I don't care if you want to go for a week without eating

si por mi fuera, tú estarías trabajando — if it were o was down to me, you'd be working

18) (=como)

• tomar a algn por esposo/esposa — to take sb to be one's husband/wife

• le dan por muerto — they have given him up for dead

• le tienen por tonto — they think he's stupid

19) [concesión]
+ subjun
por (muy) difícil que sea — however hard it is o may be

por mucho que lo quisieran — however much they would like to, much as they would like to

por más que lo intente — no matter how o however hard I try, try as I might

20) [acción inacabada]
+ infin
quedan platos por lavar — there are still some dishes to do

aún me quedan tres páginas por traducir — I still have three pages left to translate

21) ir (a) por algo/algn (=en busca de) to go and get sth/sb

ha ido (a) por vino — she's gone to get some wine

voy por el médico — I'll go and fetch o get the doctor

voy a por él — [a buscarle] I'll go and get him; [a atacarle] I'm going to get him

solo van a por las pelas — * they're only in it for the money

¡a por ellos! — get them!

- ir a por todas

22) [en preguntas]
por qué why
¿por qué no vienes conmigo? — why don't you come with me?

no tengo por qué ir — there's no reason why I should go
¿por? * why (do you ask)?
* * *

preposición

Sentido I

1) ( en relaciones causales) because of

lo he puesto aquí por el gato — I've put it here because of the cat

por falta de dinero — because of o owing to lack of money

eso te pasa por crédulo — that's what you get for being (so) gullible

por naturaleza — by nature

por necesidad — out of necessity

tanto por su precio como por su calidad — both for its price and its quality

fue por eso que vine — that was why I came

si no fuera por mi hijo... — if it wasn't for my son...

fue elogiado por su actuación — he was praised for his performance

por + inf — for -ing

me pidió perdón por haberme mentido — he apologized for lying o for having lied to me

2) ( según)

por lo que he oído — from what I've heard

por lo que parece... — it seems o it would seem...

3) (en locs)

por qué — why

¿por qué no vienes conmigo? — why don't you come with me?

por si — in case; acaso, mosca II

4) ( en expresiones concesivas)

por más que me esfuerzo — however hard o no matter how hard I try

por (muy) fácil que sea — however easy o no matter how easy it is

5)

a) ( en expresiones de modo)

colócalos por orden de tamaño/altura — put them in order of size/height

por orden de altura — in order of height

por adelantado — in advance

por escrito — in writing

b) ( indicando el medio)

se lo comunicaron por teléfono — they told him over the phone

lo dijeron por la radio — they said it on the radio

por avión/barco/carretera — by air/sea/road

la conocí por la voz — I recognized her by her voice

me enteré por un amigo — I heard from o through a friend

lo intenté por todos los medios — I tried everything possible o every possible way

c) (Educ) from

es doctor honoris causa por Oxford — he has an honorary doctorate from Oxford

6)

a) ( en relaciones de proporción)

cobra $30 por clase — he charges $30 a o per class

120 kilómetros por hora — 120 kilometers an o per hour

lo venden por metro — they sell it by the meter

tú comes por tres — you eat enough for three people

había un hombre por cada dos mujeres — there was one man to every two women

tiene tres metros de largo por uno de ancho — it's three meters long by one meter wide

es bastante por hoy — it's enough for today

uno por uno — one by one; ciento II

b) ( en multiplicaciones)

tres por cuatro (son) doce — three times four is twelve, three fours are twelve

7)

a) (en relaciones de sustitución, intercambio, representación) for

su secretaria firmó por él — his secretary signed for him o on his behalf

yo puedo ir por ti — I can go for you o in your place

podrías pasar por inglesa — you could pass as English o for an Englishwoman

es senador por Sevilla — he's a senator for Seville

b) ( como)

por ejemplo — for example

¿acepta usted por esposa a Carmen? — do you take Carmen to be your (lawful wedded) wife?

8) ( introduciendo el agente) by

compuesto por Mozart — composed by Mozart

se vieron sorprendidos por una tormenta — they were caught in a sudden storm

Sentido II

9) (expresando finalidad, objetivo)

pelearse por algo — to fight over something

lo hace por el dinero — he does it for the money

te lo digo por tu bien — I'm telling you for your own good

no tengo por qué ir — there's no reason why I should go

por + inf: daría cualquier cosa por verla — I'd give anything to see her

no entré por no molestar — I didn't go in because I didn't want to disturb him

eso es hablar por hablar — that's talking for the sake of talking o for the sake of it

por que + subj ( here por que can also be written porque): estaba ansioso por que lo escucharan — he was eager for them to listen to him

lucharon por que se hiciera justicia — they fought for justice to be done

10) (indicando consideración, favor) for

por mí no lo hagas — don't do it just for me o for my sake

11) (indicando inclinación, elección)

su amor por la música — her love of music

demostró interés por el cuadro — he showed interest in the painting

no siento nada por él — I don't feel anything for him

opté por no ir — I chose not to go

votó por ella — he voted for her

12) ( en busca de)

salió/fue por or (Esp) a por pan — he went (out) for some bread, he went (out) to get some bread

13) ( en lo que respecta a)

por mí no hay inconveniente — I don't mind

por mí que haga lo que quiera — as far as I'm concerned, he can do what he likes

14) ( indicando una situación pendiente)

por + inf: tengo la casa por limpiar — I've got the house to clean

estos cambios aún están por hacer — these changes are yet to be made

eso está por ver! — we'll see about that!

15) (esp AmL)

estar por + inf — ( estar a punto de)

deben (de) estar por llegar — they should be arriving any minute

la leche está por hervir — the milk's about to boil

Sentido III

16) (indicando lugar de acceso, salida, trayectoria)

entró por la ventana — he came in through the window

no va a pasar por la puerta — it won't go through the door

sal por aquí — go out this way

se cayó por la escalera — he fell down the stairs

subieron por la ladera este — they went up by the east face

¿el 121 va por (la) Avenida Rosas? — does the 121 go along Rosas Avenue?

fuimos por el camino más largo — we took the longer route

¿por dónde has venido? — which way did you come?

¿puedes pasar por la tintorería? — could you call in at o drop by the drycleaner's?

17)

a) ( expresando lugar indeterminado)

está por ahí — he's over there somewhere

¿por dónde está or queda el hotel? — whereabouts is the hotel?

viven por mi barrio — they live around my area

¿qué tal te fue por Londres? — how did you get on in London?

por todos lados or por todas partes — everywhere

b) ( expresando lugar determinado)

corta por aquí — cut here

voy por la página 15 — I'm up to o I'm on page 15

empieza por el principio — start at the beginning

agárralo por el mango — hold it by the handle

c) ( indicando extensión)

por todo el país — throughout the (whole) country

viajamos por el norte de Francia — we travelled around o in the North of France

pasa un trapo por el piso — give the floor a quick wipe; ver tb afuera, adentro, dentro, fuera, encima, etc

Sentido IV

18) ( expresando tiempo aproximado)

por aquella época or por aquel entonces — at that time

sucedió allá por 1960 — it happened some time back around 1960

19) (Esp) ( indicando una ocasión) for

me lo regaló por mi cumpleaños — she gave it to me for my birthday

20) ( durante) for

por los siglos de los siglos — for ever and ever

por el momento or por ahora — for the time being o for now; ver tb mañana III, tarde II, noche

* * *

= across, along, around, because of, by, by, down, for the sake of, in connection with, in the gift of, on account of, on the grounds that/of, per, through, times, under, x, as a matter of, out of, through the agency of.

Ex. This arrangement may facilitate browsing across different kinds of materials.

Ex. This means that a large number of messages can be combined together along the same line, giving economies of scales.

Ex. I wouldn't expect you to be detailed in your report in terms of where the bookmible would stop around town and where you'd park it.

Ex. This makes him feel somehow defficient and all because of his difficulty in making sense out of words in print with which his troubles began.

Ex. A set of government publications could be filed alphabetically by the issuing bureau, and then by title of the particular series in numerical order.

Ex. Micrographic and computer technologies and their integration will become increasingly efficacious as agents for change with respect to the continued existence of the traditional 75 by 125 millimeter card.

Ex. Some users find the format of KWIC indexes unacceptable, they find alphabetical arrangement by keywords down the centre of a page, and wrapped-round titles awkward.

Ex. The advocates of ISBD originally argued that it was for the sake of the computer.

Ex. There is an index to the schedules, but this has been criticised in connection with the size of the entry vocabulary.

Ex. Its notability is seen to lie in the fact that it has significantly broken the stranglehold upon postgraduate studentships in the gift of the Science and Engineering Research Council.

Ex. Partly on account of the variety of bases for coverage there is significant overlap between the assortment of abstracting and indexing services.

Ex. AACR2 has been criticised on the grounds that it does not identify the cataloguing unit to which the rules refer.

Ex. Indexing can thus be achieved at a detailed level, with often many terms per document, with almost no indexing effort.

Ex. The contributions are input to the data base, then referred and any suggestion made by the referee are communicated through the data base to the editor.

Ex. 4 days times 30 cents per day = 120 cents.

Ex. One of the outcomes of entry under title has been the proliferation of serials titles.

Ex. Card catalogues or indexes comprise a set of cards often 5x3 inches (122x72 mm), with each entry on a separate card.

Ex. Most drivers stop at stop signs: Some do under duress -- there may be a policeman concealed in nearby bushes, others as a matter of prudence -- a fast car with the right of way can be injurious.

Ex. But these and other interested people collected this type of books out of a mixture of curiosity and sentiment.

Ex. This article argues that critical thinking, a long sought after goal in the US educational system, may be taught efficiently through the agency of library use instructions within the college environment.

----

* actuar por impulso = act on + impulse.

* aprendizaje por medio del ordenador = computer-based learning (CBL).

* aunque por otro lado = but otherwise.

* búsqueda por medio de menús = menu-assisted searching.

* coger por sorpresa = catch out.

* Día + por la tarde = late + Día.

* digamos por ejemplo = let us say.

* dominar por completo = sweep + the board.

* encontrar por casualidad = come across.

* encuadernación por encargo = bespoke binding.

* error por omisión = omission failure.

* estar por delante de = be ahead of.

* hecho por encargo = bespoke.

* introducir por primera vez = pioneer.

* leer por encima = browse.

* llamar por teléfono = call up.

* muy por encima de todo = over and above all.

* Nombre + por primera vez = Nombre + ever.

* ordenado por fecha = in date order.

* pasar por alto = bypass [by-pass], skip over, pass + Nombre/Pronombre + by.

* pongamos por ejemplo = let us say.

* por accidente = accidentally.

* por adelantado = advance, in advance (of), up-front [up front].

* por ahí = out there.

* por ahora = as of right now, as yet, at present, at the moment, at this point, for the present, for the time being, just yet, for now, at this time, as of now, at the present, by now, for the nonce.

* por ahora todo va bien = so far, so good.

* por alguna razón = for some reason, for whatever reason.

* por algún motivo = for whatever reason.

* por algún tiempo = for sometime.

* por allí = nearby [near-by].

* por amor al arte = (just) for the fun of (doing) it, (just) for the hell of (doing) it.

* por analogía = by analogy.

* por anticipado = in advance (of).

* por antonomasia = quintessential, unique.

* por añadidura = in addition (to), on top of everything else.

* por aquel entonces = at the time, about that time, by this time.

* por aquí = around here, nearby [near-by], round here.

* por aquí y por allí = hanging about.

* por así decir = as it were.

* por boca de = by word of mouth.

* por bondad = out of the goodness of + Posesivo + heart.

* por buena dirección = a step in the right direction.

* por buen camino = a step in the right direction.

* por cabeza = per person.

* por cable = wireline, corded.

* por caminos apartados = off-road.

* por capas = multilayered [multi-layered/multi layered], layered, tiered.

* por casualidad = by chance, coincidentally, fortuitously, by accident, by happenstance, happen to + Infinitivo, chance to + Infinitivo, accidentally, by a fluke, by luck, by a stroke of (good) luck.

* por chiripa = by chance, by a fluke, by luck, by a stroke of (good) luck.

* por ciento = per cent [percent] (%).

* por cierto = coincidentally, incidentally, by the way, anecdotally, by the by(e), speaking of which.

* por coincidencia = by coincidence.

* por comodidad = for convenience, for the sake of + convenience.

* por completo = fully.

* por confirmar = to be announced, to be confirmed.

* por consideración a = out of respect for.

* por consideración a = out of consideration for.

* por consiguiente = consequently, then, thence, by implication, therefore.

* por contra = in contrast.

* por conveniencia = for convenience, for the sake of + convenience.

* por correo = by post, mailed.

* por cortesía de = courtesy of.

* por cualquier motivo = for whatever reason.

* por cualquier razón = for whatever reason.

* por cuanto que = because.

* por cuenta ajena = vicariously.

* por cuenta de uno = privately.

* por cuenta propia = freelance, self-employed, at + Posesivo + own expense.

* por cuenta y riesgo de Uno = at + Posesivo + peril.

* por curiosidad = out of curiosity.

* por debajo de = below, beneath, underneath.

* por debajo de + Cantidad = under + Cantidad.

* por debajo de cero = sub-zero, below-freezing.

* por debajo del 10 por ciento = single digit, single figure.

* por debajo de la media = sub-par, below-average.

* por debajo de las posibilidades = below + Posesivo + capabilities.

* por debajo de lo normal = below-normal.

* por debajo de lo óptimo = sub-optimal [suboptimal].

* por debajo del peso nomral = underweight.

* por décadas = ten-yearly.

* por decidir = to be decided.

* por decirlo así = so to speak, in a manner of speaking.

* por decirlo de alguna manera = so to speak.

* por decirlo de algún modo = in a manner of speaking, so to speak.

* por decisión propia = by choice.

* por defecto = by default, default.

* por deferencia a = in deference to.

* por definición = by definition.

* por delante = ahead.

* por delante de = ahead of.

* por delante de la competencia = ahead of the game.

* por delante y por detrás = front and back.

* por dentro = inwardly.

* por desgracia = unfortunately, sadly, unhappily, disappointingly.

* por despecho = spitefully, out of spite.

* ¡por dios! = in heaven's name, for God's sake, gosh.

* ¡por Dios! = for crying out loud!.

* por diversión = for sport, for fun, (just) for the hell of (doing) it, for kicks, (just) for the fun of (doing) it.

* por divertirse = for kicks.

* por doquier = all around.

* por dos años = two-year.

* por ejemplo = e.g. (latín - exempli gratia), for example, for instance, say, to illustrate, for the sake of + argument.

* por (el) amor a = for the love of.

* ¡por el amor de Dios! = for crying out loud!.

* por el bien del saber = for knowledge's sake.

* por el contrario = by contrast, conversely, however, in contrast, instead, on the contrary, by way of contrast, to the contrary, quite the opposite, by comparison, contrariwise, quite the contrary, quite the reverse.

* por el cual = whereby, whereupon.

* por el detalle = for detail.

* por el día = by day, daytime [day-time], during the daytime, in the daytime, during daytime.

* por el día o por la noche = day or night.

* por el día y por la noche = day and night, night and day.

* por elección propia = by choice.

* por el gobierno = governmentally + Adjetivo.

* por el gobierno federal = federally.

* por el hecho de que = because of the fact that.

* por el hombre = humanly.

* por ello = on this basis, on that basis, accordingly.

* por el mero hecho de saber = for knowledge's sake.

* por el método de ensayo y error = by trial and error, trial and error.

* por el modo = by the way.

* por el momento = for the time being, momentarily, at the moment, for the nonce, for the present.

* por el placer de hacerlo = (just) for the fun of (doing) it.

* por el que se puede cobrar = chargeable.

* por el receptor = at the receiving end.

* por el sexo = gendered.

* por encargo = custom, bespoke.

* por encima = overhead, cursorily.

* por encima de = across, beyond, beyond all, over, over and above, beyond the range of, well over + Expresión Numérica, overarching, above.

* por encima de + Cantidad = in excess of + Cantidad.

* por encima de eso = beyond that.

* por encima del 10 por ciento = double digit, double figure.

* por encima de la media = above average.

* por encima de la tierra = aboveground.

* por encima de toda crítica = beyond reproach, above reproach.

* por encima de toda duda = beyond reproach, above reproach.

* por encima de toda razón = beyond reason.

* por encima de toda sospecha = above suspicion.

* por encima de todo = at all costs, at any cost, at any price.

* por ende = thereby, accordingly, therefore.

* por enfado = out of anger.

* por enojo = out of anger.

* por error = by mistake.

* por esa razón = thereby, for that reason.

* por escrito = in writing, in print, written.

* por eso = on that score, therefore.

* por eso que = hence.

* por esta razón = for this reason.

* por esta única razón = for this reason alone.

* por este motivo = for this reason.

* por esto = thus, accordingly, therefore.

* por etapas = staged.

* por excelencia = par excellence, quintessential, unique.

* por exceso = excessively, to excess.

* por explotar = untapped.

* por + Expresión Temporal = by the + Expresión Temporal.

* por extensión = by extension.

* por extenso = in full, at length.

* por falta de = for want of, for lack of.

* por fases = staged.

* por favor = please.

* por favor, responda = RSVP [R.S.V.P.].

* por fin = at length, at last, finally, at long last.

* por fin llegó la hora (de) = it's about time (that).

* por frustración = out of frustration.

* por fuera = outwardly, outwardly.

* por grupos = in batches.

* por gusto = for kicks, (just) for the fun of (doing) it, (just) for the hell of (doing) it.

* por hora = hourly.

* por horas = on an hourly basis.

* por igual = alike, on an equitable basis, equally, in equal measure(s).

* por imitación = copycat.

* por incremento gradual = incremental.

* por incrementos graduales = incrementally.

* por individuo = per capita, per person.

* por iniciativa de = at the instigation of, under the auspices of.

* por instinto = instinctively.

* por interés = out of interest.

* por interés personal = self-interested.

* por investigar = unresearched.

* por invitación = invitational.

* por invitación de = at the invitation of.

* por la borda = overboard.

* por la cantidad de + Número = amounting to + Cantidad.

* por la forma = by the way.

* por la friolera de + Cantidad = to the tune of + Cantidad.

* por la fuerza = forcibly.

* por la mala fortuna = by ill fate.

* por la mala suerte = by ill luck, by bad luck, by ill fate.

* por la manera = by the way.

* por la mañana = in the morning.

* por la mañana y por la noche = morning and night.

* por la noche = overnight, at night, night-time, after dark, by night.

* por la posibilidad de = at the prospect of.

* por la presente = hereby.

* por las buenas o por las malas = by hook or by crook.

* por la sencilla razón = for no other reason.

* por las nubes = soaring.

* por la tarde = in the evening.

* por ley = mandated.

* por libre = freelance.

* por línea telefónica = over the telephone line.

* por lo general = on the whole, all in all, in general, generally, generally speaking, in the normal run of events, in the normal run of things.

* por lo pronto = for the time being.

* por lo que = so.

* por lo que concierne a = as far as + Nombre + be + concerned, so far as + Nombre + be concerned.

* por lo que concierne a Uno = on + Posesivo + side.

* por lo que dicen todos = by all accounts.

* por lo que es = in + Posesivo + own right.

* por lo que incumbe a Uno = on + Posesivo + side.

* ¡Por lo que más quieras! = for God's sake.

* por lo que se refiere a = moving on to.

* por lo que son = in + Posesivo + own right.

* por lo que yo sé = to the best of my knowledge.

* por los pelos = by the skin of + Posesivo + teeth, close call, close shave.

* por los siguientes motivos = on the following counts.

* por los suelos = in tatters.

* por lo tanto = consequently, ergo, so, then, thereby, therefore, thus, it follows that.

* por lo visto = apparently, apparently.

* por mala fortuna = unfortunately, unhappily, sadly.

* por mala suerte = by ill luck, by bad luck, by a stroke of bad luck, by ill fate.

* por mal camino = astray.

* por más que lo intento = for the life of me.

* por materias = subject-based, topically.

* por mecionar sólo unos cuantos = to mention only a few.

* por medio = out of.

* por medio de = by means of, by way of, in the form of, through, via, via the medium of, by dint of, through the agency of.

* por medio de isótopos = isotopically.

* por medio de otro(s) = by proxy.

* por medio de una agencia = on a bureau basis.

* por mencionar sólo algunos = to mention but a few of, to mention only a few.

* por mencionar sólo unos cuantos = to mention but a few of, to name only some.

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

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

* por menús = menu-driven.

* por méritos = meritorious.

* por mes = per month.

* por miedo de = for fear of/that.

* por millones = in the millions, by the millions.

* por mor de = because of, out of consideration for, out of respect for.

* por motivo de = in the interest(s) of.

* por motivos de = for the sake of, on grounds.

* por motivos de + Nombre = for + Nombre's sake.

* por muchas razones = in many ways.

* por mucho que lo intento = for the life of me.

* por mucho tiempo = for long, for long periods of time.

* por muy + Adjetivo/Adverbio + Nombre + que + Subjuntivo = however + Adjetivo/Adverbio + Nombre + Verbo.

* por muy + Adjetivo/Adverbio + que sea = however + Adjetivo/Adverbio.

* por muy + Adjetivo + be = Adjetivo + though + Nombre + be.

* por muy difícil que parezca = difficult though it may seem, difficult as it may seem.

* por muy extraño que parezca = oddly enough, strangely enough, strange though it may seem, strange as it may seem, although it may seem strange, funnily enough, funnily.

* por muy increíble que parezca = incredible though it may seem, incredibly, incredibly enough, incredible as it may seem, although it may seem incredible.

* por muy mentira que parezca = incredibly, incredible though it may seem, strangely enough, incredibly enough, incredible as it may seem, strange though it may seem, strange as it may seem, although it may seem strange, although it may seem incredible.

* por muy raro que parezca = strangely enough, oddly enough, strange though it may seem, strange as it may seem, although it may seem strange.

* por nada = for nothing.

* por nada del mundo = for the life of me.

* por nada or casi nada = at little or no extra cost.

* por naturaleza = by nature, by definition, characteristically, natural-born, naturally, inherently.

* por necesidad = of necessity, out of necessity.

* por niveles = multilayered [multi-layered/multi layered], multilayer, layered, tiered.

* por no decir algo peor = to put it mildly.

* por no decir nada de = to say nothing of.

* por no decir nunca = if ever.

* por no decir otra cosa peor = to say the least.

* por nombrar (sólo) + Número = to name (only) + Número.

* por nombrar sólo unos cuantos = to name only some.

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

* por + Nombre = on a + Adjetivo + basis.

* por no mencionar = not to mention.

* por norma = as a rule.

* por + Número + cosas = on + Número + counts.

* por orden de = mandated.

* por orden del congreso = congressionally mandated.

* por orden de llegada = on a first come first served basis.

* por orden numérico = in numerical order.

* por otra parte = on the other hand, on the other side, on the flip side.

* por otro lado = alternatively, however, on the other hand, on the other side, for another thing, on the flip side, on another topic, on another matter, on another note, on other matters.

* por parejas = in pairs.

* por parte de = on the part of.

* por parte de uno = on + Posesivo + part.

* por pasar el rato = (just) for the fun of (doing) it, (just) for the hell of (doing) it.

* por pereza = lazily.

* por + Período de Tiempo = for + Expresión Temporal.

* por persona = per person.

* por placer = for kicks, (just) for the fun of (doing) it, (just) for the hell of (doing) it.

* por poco dinero = cheaply.

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

* por poderes = by proxy.

* por poner un ejemplo + Adjetivo = to take a + Adjetivo + example.

* por poner un ejemplo sobre + Nombre = to take + Nombre.

* por + Posesivo + cuenta = at + Posesivo + own expense.

* por + Posesivo + parte = for + Posesivo + part.

* por + Posesivo + propia cuenta = at + Posesivo + own expense.

* por + Posesivo + (propia) naturaleza = in + Posesivo + nature.

* por primera vez = first + Verbo, for the first time, for once.

* por principio = on principle.

* por principios = as a matter of principle.

* por probar nada se pierde = nothing ventured, nothing gained.

* por + Pronombre + mismo = all by + Reflexivo, by + Reflexivo.

* por propia iniciativa = self-directed.

* por pura curiosidad = just out of interest, (just) as a mater of interest.

* por pura diversión = for kicks.

* por puro entretenimiento = (just) for the fun of (doing) it, (just) for the hell of (doing) it.

* por puro placer = (just) for the fun of (doing) it, (just) for the hell of (doing) it.

* por qué = why.

* por razones + Adjetivo = for + Nombre + purposes.

* por razones de = for the sake of.

* por razones de seguridad = for security reasons, for safety reasons.

* por razones éticas = on moral grounds.

* por razones morales = on moral grounds.

* por razones personales = for personal reasons.

* por + Reflexivo + cuenta = for + Reflexivo.

* por rencor = out of spite.

* por respeto a = out of respect for, out of consideration for.

* por rumores = grapevine.

* por rutina = routinely.

* por sacos = by the sackful.

* por satélite = satellite-based.

* por segunda vez = a second time, the second time around, a second time around.

* por seguridad = for safety reasons.

* por semana = per week.

* por separado = at different times, in isolation, separately, singly.

* por ser + Adjetivo = as being + Adjetivo.

* por sexo = along gender lines.

* por si = in the chance that.

* por si acaso = in case of, on the off chance, just in case, on spec, for good measure.

* por si casualidad = in the chance that.

* por si era poco = for good measure.

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

* por si hace falta consultarlo en el futuro = for future reference.

* por si las moscas = just in case, on spec.

* por sí mismo = for its/their own sake, in itself, in + Posesivo + own right, itself, unto + Reflexivo, in and of + Reflexivo.

* por sí mismos = in themselves.

* por simple curiosidad = (just) as a mater of interest, just out of interest.

* por si sirve de algo = for what it's worth [FWIW].

* por sí solo = by itself, for its/their own sake, on its own, in and of + Reflexivo, in itself.

* por sí solos = by themselves, in themselves.

* por si + tener + suerte = on spec.

* por sorpresa = unawares.

* por su cuenta y riesgo = at + Posesivo + own risk.

* por suerte = luckily, fortunately, happily.

* por suerte o por desgracia = for better or (for) worse, by luck or misfortune.

* por su naturaleza = by + Posesivo + nature.

* por su papel = in its role.

* por su parte = in + Posesivo + own right.

* por su propia voluntad = of its own accord.

* por su propio derecho = in + Posesivo + own right.

* por supuesto = of course, surely, to be sure, certainly.

* ¡por supuesto que no! = heaven forbid, heaven forbid.

* por suscripción = subscriber + Nombre.

* por su volatilidad = mercurially.

* por su volubilidad = mercurially.

* por tanto = consequently, ergo, so, then, thereby, therefore, thus, it follows that.

* por teléfono = on the telephone, by tele(phone), over the phone, over the telephone.

* por temas = topically.

* por temor a = for fear of/that.

* por temor a represalias = under duress.

* por término medio = on average.

* por toda la ciudad = citywide [city-wide].

* por toda la Internet = Internet-wide.

* por toda la nación = nationwide [nation-wide].

* por toda la provincia = province-wide.

* por toda la vida = lifetime [life-time].

* por todas las instituciones oficiales = government-wide.

* por todas partes = all over the place, everywhere, widely, all around, far and wide.

* por toda una vida = lifetime [life-time].

* por todo = all over, throughout, all the way through.

* por todo el campus universitario = campus-wide [campuswide].

* por todo el continente = continent-wide.

* por todo el distrito = district-wide [districtwide].

* por todo el gobierno = government-wide.

* por todo el mundo = worldwide [world-wide], around the world, across the globe, around the globe, across the world, around the planet, the world over.

* por todo el planeta = across the planet, planet-wide.

* por todo el servicio = service-wide.

* por todo lo alto = grandly, on a grand scale.

* por todo + Lugar = up and down + Lugar.

* por todo + Nombre de Lugar = across + Nombre de Lugar.

* por todos conocido = well-known.

* por todos lados = left, right and centre, far and wide.

* por todos los medios = by all means.

* por todos sitios = everywhere.

* por triplicado = in triplicate.

* por trueque = in kind.

* por turnos = on a rotating basis, on a rota basis, on a rota system, on a rota.

* por última vez = for the last time, one last time.

* por último = finally, last, lastly, ultimately.

* por último pero no menos importante = last but not least.

* por una lado... por otro = at one end... at the other.

* por unanimidad = unanimously.

* por una parte = on the one hand, on the one side.

* por un gran margen = by a huge margin.

* por un gustazo, un trancazo = a kingdom for a kiss.

* por unidad = per unit.

* por un lado = for one, on the one hand, on the one side.

* por un lado entra + Nombre + y por otro sale + Nombre = in go + Nombre + at one end, and out come + Nombre + at the other.

* por un momento = for a moment.

* por uno mismo = on + Posesivo + own, for + Reflexivo.

* por unos momentos = for a few moments, for a short time.

* por uno solo = solo.

* por un período de tiempo limitado = on a short-term basis.

* por un tiempo = for a time.

* por un tiempo indefinido = for an indefinite time to come, for indefinite time.

* por valor de + Cantidad = amounting to + Cantidad.

* por varias razones = for a variety of reasons, for a number of reasons.

* por varios motivos = for a number of reasons.

* por venganza = out of spite.

* por voluntad propia = voluntarily.

* quedar por ver = remain + to be seen.

* tirar dinero y esfuerzo por la borda = be money and effort down the drain.

* transporte por tierra = land transport.

* utilizar por primera vez = pioneer.

* venta al por mayor = wholesaling.

* * *

preposición

Sentido I

1) ( en relaciones causales) because of

lo he puesto aquí por el gato — I've put it here because of the cat

por falta de dinero — because of o owing to lack of money

eso te pasa por crédulo — that's what you get for being (so) gullible

por naturaleza — by nature

por necesidad — out of necessity

tanto por su precio como por su calidad — both for its price and its quality

fue por eso que vine — that was why I came

si no fuera por mi hijo... — if it wasn't for my son...

fue elogiado por su actuación — he was praised for his performance

por + inf — for -ing

me pidió perdón por haberme mentido — he apologized for lying o for having lied to me

2) ( según)

por lo que he oído — from what I've heard

por lo que parece... — it seems o it would seem...

3) (en locs)

por qué — why

¿por qué no vienes conmigo? — why don't you come with me?

por si — in case; acaso, mosca II

4) ( en expresiones concesivas)

por más que me esfuerzo — however hard o no matter how hard I try

por (muy) fácil que sea — however easy o no matter how easy it is

5)

a) ( en expresiones de modo)

colócalos por orden de tamaño/altura — put them in order of size/height

por orden de altura — in order of height

por adelantado — in advance

por escrito — in writing

b) ( indicando el medio)

se lo comunicaron por teléfono — they told him over the phone

lo dijeron por la radio — they said it on the radio

por avión/barco/carretera — by air/sea/road

la conocí por la voz — I recognized her by her voice

me enteré por un amigo — I heard from o through a friend

lo intenté por todos los medios — I tried everything possible o every possible way

c) (Educ) from

es doctor honoris causa por Oxford — he has an honorary doctorate from Oxford

6)

a) ( en relaciones de proporción)

cobra $30 por clase — he charges $30 a o per class

120 kilómetros por hora — 120 kilometers an o per hour

lo venden por metro — they sell it by the meter

tú comes por tres — you eat enough for three people

había un hombre por cada dos mujeres — there was one man to every two women

tiene tres metros de largo por uno de ancho — it's three meters long by one meter wide

es bastante por hoy — it's enough for today

uno por uno — one by one; ciento II

b) ( en multiplicaciones)

tres por cuatro (son) doce — three times four is twelve, three fours are twelve

7)

a) (en relaciones de sustitución, intercambio, representación) for

su secretaria firmó por él — his secretary signed for him o on his behalf

yo puedo ir por ti — I can go for you o in your place

podrías pasar por inglesa — you could pass as English o for an Englishwoman

es senador por Sevilla — he's a senator for Seville

b) ( como)

por ejemplo — for example

¿acepta usted por esposa a Carmen? — do you take Carmen to be your (lawful wedded) wife?

8) ( introduciendo el agente) by

compuesto por Mozart — composed by Mozart

se vieron sorprendidos por una tormenta — they were caught in a sudden storm

Sentido II

9) (expresando finalidad, objetivo)

pelearse por algo — to fight over something

lo hace por el dinero — he does it for the money

te lo digo por tu bien — I'm telling you for your own good

no tengo por qué ir — there's no reason why I should go

por + inf: daría cualquier cosa por verla — I'd give anything to see her

no entré por no molestar — I didn't go in because I didn't want to disturb him

eso es hablar por hablar — that's talking for the sake of talking o for the sake of it

por que + subj ( here por que can also be written porque): estaba ansioso por que lo escucharan — he was eager for them to listen to him

lucharon por que se hiciera justicia — they fought for justice to be done

10) (indicando consideración, favor) for

por mí no lo hagas — don't do it just for me o for my sake

11) (indicando inclinación, elección)

su amor por la música — her love of music

demostró interés por el cuadro — he showed interest in the painting

no siento nada por él — I don't feel anything for him

opté por no ir — I chose not to go

votó por ella — he voted for her

12) ( en busca de)

salió/fue por or (Esp) a por pan — he went (out) for some bread, he went (out) to get some bread

13) ( en lo que respecta a)

por mí no hay inconveniente — I don't mind

por mí que haga lo que quiera — as far as I'm concerned, he can do what he likes

14) ( indicando una situación pendiente)

por + inf: tengo la casa por limpiar — I've got the house to clean

estos cambios aún están por hacer — these changes are yet to be made

eso está por ver! — we'll see about that!

15) (esp AmL)

estar por + inf — ( estar a punto de)

deben (de) estar por llegar — they should be arriving any minute

la leche está por hervir — the milk's about to boil

Sentido III

16) (indicando lugar de acceso, salida, trayectoria)

entró por la ventana — he came in through the window

no va a pasar por la puerta — it won't go through the door

sal por aquí — go out this way

se cayó por la escalera — he fell down the stairs

subieron por la ladera este — they went up by the east face

¿el 121 va por (la) Avenida Rosas? — does the 121 go along Rosas Avenue?

fuimos por el camino más largo — we took the longer route

¿por dónde has venido? — which way did you come?

¿puedes pasar por la tintorería? — could you call in at o drop by the drycleaner's?

17)

a) ( expresando lugar indeterminado)

está por ahí — he's over there somewhere

¿por dónde está or queda el hotel? — whereabouts is the hotel?

viven por mi barrio — they live around my area

¿qué tal te fue por Londres? — how did you get on in London?

por todos lados or por todas partes — everywhere

b) ( expresando lugar determinado)

corta por aquí — cut here

voy por la página 15 — I'm up to o I'm on page 15

empieza por el principio — start at the beginning

agárralo por el mango — hold it by the handle

c) ( indicando extensión)

por todo el país — throughout the (whole) country

viajamos por el norte de Francia — we travelled around o in the North of France

pasa un trapo por el piso — give the floor a quick wipe; ver tb afuera, adentro, dentro, fuera, encima, etc

Sentido IV

18) ( expresando tiempo aproximado)

por aquella época or por aquel entonces — at that time

sucedió allá por 1960 — it happened some time back around 1960

19) (Esp) ( indicando una ocasión) for

me lo regaló por mi cumpleaños — she gave it to me for my birthday

20) ( durante) for

por los siglos de los siglos — for ever and ever

por el momento or por ahora — for the time being o for now; ver tb mañana III, tarde II, noche

* * *

= across, along, around, because of, by, by, down, for the sake of, in connection with, in the gift of, on account of, on the grounds that/of, per, through, times, under, x, as a matter of, out of, through the agency of.

Ex: This arrangement may facilitate browsing across different kinds of materials.

Ex: This means that a large number of messages can be combined together along the same line, giving economies of scales.

Ex: I wouldn't expect you to be detailed in your report in terms of where the bookmible would stop around town and where you'd park it.

Ex: This makes him feel somehow defficient and all because of his difficulty in making sense out of words in print with which his troubles began.

Ex: A set of government publications could be filed alphabetically by the issuing bureau, and then by title of the particular series in numerical order.

Ex: Micrographic and computer technologies and their integration will become increasingly efficacious as agents for change with respect to the continued existence of the traditional 75 by 125 millimeter card.

Ex: Some users find the format of KWIC indexes unacceptable, they find alphabetical arrangement by keywords down the centre of a page, and wrapped-round titles awkward.

Ex: The advocates of ISBD originally argued that it was for the sake of the computer.

Ex: There is an index to the schedules, but this has been criticised in connection with the size of the entry vocabulary.

Ex: Its notability is seen to lie in the fact that it has significantly broken the stranglehold upon postgraduate studentships in the gift of the Science and Engineering Research Council.

Ex: Partly on account of the variety of bases for coverage there is significant overlap between the assortment of abstracting and indexing services.

Ex: AACR2 has been criticised on the grounds that it does not identify the cataloguing unit to which the rules refer.

Ex: Indexing can thus be achieved at a detailed level, with often many terms per document, with almost no indexing effort.

Ex: The contributions are input to the data base, then referred and any suggestion made by the referee are communicated through the data base to the editor.

Ex: 4 days times 30 cents per day = 120 cents.

Ex: One of the outcomes of entry under title has been the proliferation of serials titles.

Ex: Card catalogues or indexes comprise a set of cards often 5x3 inches (122x72 mm), with each entry on a separate card.

Ex: Most drivers stop at stop signs: Some do under duress -- there may be a policeman concealed in nearby bushes, others as a matter of prudence -- a fast car with the right of way can be injurious.

Ex: But these and other interested people collected this type of books out of a mixture of curiosity and sentiment.

Ex: This article argues that critical thinking, a long sought after goal in the US educational system, may be taught efficiently through the agency of library use instructions within the college environment.

* actuar por impulso = act on + impulse.

* aprendizaje por medio del ordenador = computer-based learning (CBL).

* aunque por otro lado = but otherwise.

* búsqueda por medio de menús = menu-assisted searching.

* coger por sorpresa = catch out.

* Día + por la tarde = late + Día.

* digamos por ejemplo = let us say.

* dominar por completo = sweep + the board.

* encontrar por casualidad = come across.

* encuadernación por encargo = bespoke binding.

* error por omisión = omission failure.

* estar por delante de = be ahead of.

* hecho por encargo = bespoke.

* introducir por primera vez = pioneer.

* leer por encima = browse.

* llamar por teléfono = call up.

* muy por encima de todo = over and above all.

* Nombre + por primera vez = Nombre + ever.

* ordenado por fecha = in date order.

* pasar por alto = bypass [by-pass], skip over, pass + Nombre/Pronombre + by.

* pongamos por ejemplo = let us say.

* por accidente = accidentally.

* por adelantado = advance, in advance (of), up-front [up front].

* por ahí = out there.

* por ahora = as of right now, as yet, at present, at the moment, at this point, for the present, for the time being, just yet, for now, at this time, as of now, at the present, by now, for the nonce.

* por ahora todo va bien = so far, so good.

* por alguna razón = for some reason, for whatever reason.

* por algún motivo = for whatever reason.

* por algún tiempo = for sometime.

* por allí = nearby [near-by].

* por amor al arte = (just) for the fun of (doing) it, (just) for the hell of (doing) it.

* por analogía = by analogy.

* por anticipado = in advance (of).

* por antonomasia = quintessential, unique.

* por añadidura = in addition (to), on top of everything else.

* por aquel entonces = at the time, about that time, by this time.

* por aquí = around here, nearby [near-by], round here.

* por aquí y por allí = hanging about.

* por así decir = as it were.

* por boca de = by word of mouth.

* por bondad = out of the goodness of + Posesivo + heart.

* por buena dirección = a step in the right direction.

* por buen camino = a step in the right direction.

* por cabeza = per person.

* por cable = wireline, corded.

* por caminos apartados = off-road.

* por capas = multilayered [multi-layered/multi layered], layered, tiered.

* por casualidad = by chance, coincidentally, fortuitously, by accident, by happenstance, happen to + Infinitivo, chance to + Infinitivo, accidentally, by a fluke, by luck, by a stroke of (good) luck.

* por chiripa = by chance, by a fluke, by luck, by a stroke of (good) luck.

* por ciento = per cent [percent] (%).

* por cierto = coincidentally, incidentally, by the way, anecdotally, by the by(e), speaking of which.

* por coincidencia = by coincidence.

* por comodidad = for convenience, for the sake of + convenience.

* por completo = fully.

* por confirmar = to be announced, to be confirmed.

* por consideración a = out of respect for.

* por consideración a = out of consideration for.

* por consiguiente = consequently, then, thence, by implication, therefore.

* por contra = in contrast.

* por conveniencia = for convenience, for the sake of + convenience.

* por correo = by post, mailed.

* por cortesía de = courtesy of.

* por cualquier motivo = for whatever reason.

* por cualquier razón = for whatever reason.

* por cuanto que = because.

* por cuenta ajena = vicariously.

* por cuenta de uno = privately.

* por cuenta propia = freelance, self-employed, at + Posesivo + own expense.

* por cuenta y riesgo de Uno = at + Posesivo + peril.

* por curiosidad = out of curiosity.

* por debajo de = below, beneath, underneath.

* por debajo de + Cantidad = under + Cantidad.

* por debajo de cero = sub-zero, below-freezing.

* por debajo del 10 por ciento = single digit, single figure.

* por debajo de la media = sub-par, below-average.

* por debajo de las posibilidades = below + Posesivo + capabilities.

* por debajo de lo normal = below-normal.

* por debajo de lo óptimo = sub-optimal [suboptimal].

* por debajo del peso nomral = underweight.

* por décadas = ten-yearly.

* por decidir = to be decided.

* por decirlo así = so to speak, in a manner of speaking.

* por decirlo de alguna manera = so to speak.

* por decirlo de algún modo = in a manner of speaking, so to speak.

* por decisión propia = by choice.

* por defecto = by default, default.

* por deferencia a = in deference to.

* por definición = by definition.

* por delante = ahead.

* por delante de = ahead of.

* por delante de la competencia = ahead of the game.

* por delante y por detrás = front and back.

* por dentro = inwardly.

* por desgracia = unfortunately, sadly, unhappily, disappointingly.

* por despecho = spitefully, out of spite.

* ¡por dios! = in heaven's name, for God's sake, gosh.

* ¡por Dios! = for crying out loud!.

* por diversión = for sport, for fun, (just) for the hell of (doing) it, for kicks, (just) for the fun of (doing) it.

* por divertirse = for kicks.

* por doquier = all around.

* por dos años = two-year.

* por ejemplo = e.g. (latín - exempli gratia), for example, for instance, say, to illustrate, for the sake of + argument.

* por (el) amor a = for the love of.

* ¡por el amor de Dios! = for crying out loud!.

* por el bien del saber = for knowledge's sake.

* por el contrario = by contrast, conversely, however, in contrast, instead, on the contrary, by way of contrast, to the contrary, quite the opposite, by comparison, contrariwise, quite the contrary, quite the reverse.

* por el cual = whereby, whereupon.

* por el detalle = for detail.

* por el día = by day, daytime [day-time], during the daytime, in the daytime, during daytime.

* por el día o por la noche = day or night.

* por el día y por la noche = day and night, night and day.

* por elección propia = by choice.

* por el gobierno = governmentally + Adjetivo.

* por el gobierno federal = federally.

* por el hecho de que = because of the fact that.

* por el hombre = humanly.

* por ello = on this basis, on that basis, accordingly.

* por el mero hecho de saber = for knowledge's sake.

* por el método de ensayo y error = by trial and error, trial and error.

* por el modo = by the way.

* por el momento = for the time being, momentarily, at the moment, for the nonce, for the present.

* por el placer de hacerlo = (just) for the fun of (doing) it.

* por el que se puede cobrar = chargeable.

* por el receptor = at the receiving end.

* por el sexo = gendered.

* por encargo = custom, bespoke.

* por encima = overhead, cursorily.

* por encima de = across, beyond, beyond all, over, over and above, beyond the range of, well over + Expresión Numérica, overarching, above.

* por encima de + Cantidad = in excess of + Cantidad.

* por encima de eso = beyond that.

* por encima del 10 por ciento = double digit, double figure.

* por encima de la media = above average.

* por encima de la tierra = aboveground.

* por encima de toda crítica = beyond reproach, above reproach.

* por encima de toda duda = beyond reproach, above reproach.

* por encima de toda razón = beyond reason.

* por encima de toda sospecha = above suspicion.

* por encima de todo = at all costs, at any cost, at any price.

* por ende = thereby, accordingly, therefore.

* por enfado = out of anger.

* por enojo = out of anger.

* por error = by mistake.

* por esa razón = thereby, for that reason.

* por escrito = in writing, in print, written.

* por eso = on that score, therefore.

* por eso que = hence.

* por esta razón = for this reason.

* por esta única razón = for this reason alone.

* por este motivo = for this reason.

* por esto = thus, accordingly, therefore.

* por etapas = staged.

* por excelencia = par excellence, quintessential, unique.

* por exceso = excessively, to excess.

* por explotar = untapped.

* por + Expresión Temporal = by the + Expresión Temporal.

* por extensión = by extension.

* por extenso = in full, at length.

* por falta de = for want of, for lack of.

* por fases = staged.

* por favor = please.

* por favor, responda = RSVP [R.S.V.P.].

* por fin = at length, at last, finally, at long last.

* por fin llegó la hora (de) = it's about time (that).

* por frustración = out of frustration.

* por fuera = outwardly, outwardly.

* por grupos = in batches.

* por gusto = for kicks, (just) for the fun of (doing) it, (just) for the hell of (doing) it.

* por hora = hourly.

* por horas = on an hourly basis.

* por igual = alike, on an equitable basis, equally, in equal measure(s).

* por imitación = copycat.

* por incremento gradual = incremental.

* por incrementos graduales = incrementally.

* por individuo = per capita, per person.

* por iniciativa de = at the instigation of, under the auspices of.

* por instinto = instinctively.

* por interés = out of interest.

* por interés personal = self-interested.

* por investigar = unresearched.

* por invitación = invitational.

* por invitación de = at the invitation of.

* por la borda = overboard.

* por la cantidad de + Número = amounting to + Cantidad.

* por la forma = by the way.

* por la friolera de + Cantidad = to the tune of + Cantidad.

* por la fuerza = forcibly.

* por la mala fortuna = by ill fate.

* por la mala suerte = by ill luck, by bad luck, by ill fate.

* por la manera = by the way.

* por la mañana = in the morning.

* por la mañana y por la noche = morning and night.

* por la noche = overnight, at night, night-time, after dark, by night.

* por la posibilidad de = at the prospect of.

* por la presente = hereby.

* por las buenas o por las malas = by hook or by crook.

* por la sencilla razón = for no other reason.

* por las nubes = soaring.

* por la tarde = in the evening.

* por ley = mandated.

* por libre = freelance.

* por línea telefónica = over the telephone line.

* por lo general = on the whole, all in all, in general, generally, generally speaking, in the normal run of events, in the normal run of things.

* por lo pronto = for the time being.

* por lo que = so.

* por lo que concierne a = as far as + Nombre + be + concerned, so far as + Nombre + be concerned.

* por lo que concierne a Uno = on + Posesivo + side.

* por lo que dicen todos = by all accounts.

* por lo que es = in + Posesivo + own right.

* por lo que incumbe a Uno = on + Posesivo + side.

* ¡Por lo que más quieras! = for God's sake.

* por lo que se refiere a = moving on to.

* por lo que son = in + Posesivo + own right.

* por lo que yo sé = to the best of my knowledge.

* por los pelos = by the skin of + Posesivo + teeth, close call, close shave.

* por los siguientes motivos = on the following counts.

* por los suelos = in tatters.

* por lo tanto = consequently, ergo, so, then, thereby, therefore, thus, it follows that.

* por lo visto = apparently, apparently.

* por mala fortuna = unfortunately, unhappily, sadly.

* por mala suerte = by ill luck, by bad luck, by a stroke of bad luck, by ill fate.

* por mal camino = astray.

* por más que lo intento = for the life of me.

* por materias = subject-based, topically.

* por mecionar sólo unos cuantos = to mention only a few.

* por medio = out of.

* por medio de = by means of, by way of, in the form of, through, via, via the medium of, by dint of, through the agency of.

* por medio de isótopos = isotopically.

* por medio de otro(s) = by proxy.

* por medio de una agencia = on a bureau basis.

* por mencionar sólo algunos = to mention but a few of, to mention only a few.

* por mencionar sólo unos cuantos = to mention but a few of, to name only some.

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

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

* por menús = menu-driven.

* por méritos = meritorious.

* por mes = per month.

* por miedo de = for fear of/that.

* por millones = in the millions, by the millions.

* por mor de = because of, out of consideration for, out of respect for.

* por motivo de = in the interest(s) of.

* por motivos de = for the sake of, on grounds.

* por motivos de + Nombre = for + Nombre's sake.

* por muchas razones = in many ways.

* por mucho que lo intento = for the life of me.

* por mucho tiempo = for long, for long periods of time.

* por muy + Adjetivo/Adverbio + Nombre + que + Subjuntivo = however + Adjetivo/Adverbio + Nombre + Verbo.

* por muy + Adjetivo/Adverbio + que sea = however + Adjetivo/Adverbio.

* por muy + Adjetivo + be = Adjetivo + though + Nombre + be.

* por muy difícil que parezca = difficult though it may seem, difficult as it may seem.

* por muy extraño que parezca = oddly enough, strangely enough, strange though it may seem, strange as it may seem, although it may seem strange, funnily enough, funnily.

* por muy increíble que parezca = incredible though it may seem, incredibly, incredibly enough, incredible as it may seem, although it may seem incredible.

* por muy mentira que parezca = incredibly, incredible though it may seem, strangely enough, incredibly enough, incredible as it may seem, strange though it may seem, strange as it may seem, although it may seem strange, although it may seem incredible.

* por muy raro que parezca = strangely enough, oddly enough, strange though it may seem, strange as it may seem, although it may seem strange.

* por nada = for nothing.

* por nada del mundo = for the life of me.

* por nada or casi nada = at little or no extra cost.

* por naturaleza = by nature, by definition, characteristically, natural-born, naturally, inherently.

* por necesidad = of necessity, out of necessity.

* por niveles = multilayered [multi-layered/multi layered], multilayer, layered, tiered.

* por no decir algo peor = to put it mildly.

* por no decir nada de = to say nothing of.

* por no decir nunca = if ever.

* por no decir otra cosa peor = to say the least.

* por nombrar (sólo) + Número = to name (only) + Número.

* por nombrar sólo unos cuantos = to name only some.

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

* por + Nombre = on a + Adjetivo + basis.

* por no mencionar = not to mention.

* por norma = as a rule.

* por + Número + cosas = on + Número + counts.

* por orden de = mandated.

* por orden del congreso = congressionally mandated.

* por orden de llegada = on a first come first served basis.

* por orden numérico = in numerical order.

* por otra parte = on the other hand, on the other side, on the flip side.

* por otro lado = alternatively, however, on the other hand, on the other side, for another thing, on the flip side, on another topic, on another matter, on another note, on other matters.

* por parejas = in pairs.

* por parte de = on the part of.

* por parte de uno = on + Posesivo + part.

* por pasar el rato = (just) for the fun of (doing) it, (just) for the hell of (doing) it.

* por pereza = lazily.

* por + Período de Tiempo = for + Expresión Temporal.

* por persona = per person.

* por placer = for kicks, (just) for the fun of (doing) it, (just) for the hell of (doing) it.

* por poco dinero = cheaply.

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

* por poderes = by proxy.

* por poner un ejemplo + Adjetivo = to take a + Adjetivo + example.

* por poner un ejemplo sobre + Nombre = to take + Nombre.

* por + Posesivo + cuenta = at + Posesivo + own expense.

* por + Posesivo + parte = for + Posesivo + part.

* por + Posesivo + propia cuenta = at + Posesivo + own expense.

* por + Posesivo + (propia) naturaleza = in + Posesivo + nature.

* por primera vez = first + Verbo, for the first time, for once.

* por principio = on principle.

* por principios = as a matter of principle.

* por probar nada se pierde = nothing ventured, nothing gained.

* por + Pronombre + mismo = all by + Reflexivo, by + Reflexivo.

* por propia iniciativa = self-directed.

* por pura curiosidad = just out of interest, (just) as a mater of interest.

* por pura diversión = for kicks.

* por puro entretenimiento = (just) for the fun of (doing) it, (just) for the hell of (doing) it.

* por puro placer = (just) for the fun of (doing) it, (just) for the hell of (doing) it.

* por qué = why.

* por razones + Adjetivo = for + Nombre + purposes.

* por razones de = for the sake of.

* por razones de seguridad = for security reasons, for safety reasons.

* por razones éticas = on moral grounds.

* por razones morales = on moral grounds.

* por razones personales = for personal reasons.

* por + Reflexivo + cuenta = for + Reflexivo.

* por rencor = out of spite.

* por respeto a = out of respect for, out of consideration for.

* por rumores = grapevine.

* por rutina = routinely.

* por sacos = by the sackful.

* por satélite = satellite-based.

* por segunda vez = a second time, the second time around, a second time around.

* por seguridad = for safety reasons.

* por semana = per week.

* por separado = at different times, in isolation, separately, singly.

* por ser + Adjetivo = as being + Adjetivo.

* por sexo = along gender lines.

* por si = in the chance that.

* por si acaso = in case of, on the off chance, just in case, on spec, for good measure.

* por si casualidad = in the chance that.

* por si era poco = for good measure.

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

* por si hace falta consultarlo en el futuro = for future reference.

* por si las moscas = just in case, on spec.

* por sí mismo = for its/their own sake, in itself, in + Posesivo + own right, itself, unto + Reflexivo, in and of + Reflexivo.

* por sí mismos = in themselves.

* por simple curiosidad = (just) as a mater of interest, just out of interest.

* por si sirve de algo = for what it's worth [FWIW].

* por sí solo = by itself, for its/their own sake, on its own, in and of + Reflexivo, in itself.

* por sí solos = by themselves, in themselves.

* por si + tener + suerte = on spec.

* por sorpresa = unawares.

* por su cuenta y riesgo = at + Posesivo + own risk.

* por suerte = luckily, fortunately, happily.

* por suerte o por desgracia = for better or (for) worse, by luck or misfortune.

* por su naturaleza = by + Posesivo + nature.

* por su papel = in its role.

* por su parte = in + Posesivo + own right.

* por su propia voluntad = of its own accord.

* por su propio derecho = in + Posesivo + own right.

* por supuesto = of course, surely, to be sure, certainly.

* ¡por supuesto que no! = heaven forbid, heaven forbid.

* por suscripción = subscriber + Nombre.

* por su volatilidad = mercurially.

* por su volubilidad = mercurially.

* por tanto = consequently, ergo, so, then, thereby, therefore, thus, it follows that.

* por teléfono = on the telephone, by tele(phone), over the phone, over the telephone.

* por temas = topically.

* por temor a = for fear of/that.

* por temor a represalias = under duress.

* por término medio = on average.

* por toda la ciudad = citywide [city-wide].

* por toda la Internet = Internet-wide.

* por toda la nación = nationwide [nation-wide].

* por toda la provincia = province-wide.

* por toda la vida = lifetime [life-time].

* por todas las instituciones oficiales = government-wide.

* por todas partes = all over the place, everywhere, widely, all around, far and wide.

* por toda una vida = lifetime [life-time].

* por todo = all over, throughout, all the way through.

* por todo el campus universitario = campus-wide [campuswide].

* por todo el continente = continent-wide.

* por todo el distrito = district-wide [districtwide].

* por todo el gobierno = government-wide.

* por todo el mundo = worldwide [world-wide], around the world, across the globe, around the globe, across the world, around the planet, the world over.

* por todo el planeta = across the planet, planet-wide.

* por todo el servicio = service-wide.

* por todo lo alto = grandly, on a grand scale.

* por todo + Lugar = up and down + Lugar.

* por todo + Nombre de Lugar = across + Nombre de Lugar.

* por todos conocido = well-known.

* por todos lados = left, right and centre, far and wide.

* por todos los medios = by all means.

* por todos sitios = everywhere.

* por triplicado = in triplicate.

* por trueque = in kind.

* por turnos = on a rotating basis, on a rota basis, on a rota system, on a rota.

* por última vez = for the last time, one last time.

* por último = finally, last, lastly, ultimately.

* por último pero no menos importante = last but not least.

* por una lado... por otro = at one end... at the other.

* por unanimidad = unanimously.

* por una parte = on the one hand, on the one side.

* por un gran margen = by a huge margin.

* por un gustazo, un trancazo = a kingdom for a kiss.

* por unidad = per unit.

* por un lado = for one, on the one hand, on the one side.

* por un lado entra + Nombre + y por otro sale + Nombre = in go + Nombre + at one end, and out come + Nombre + at the other.

* por un momento = for a moment.

* por uno mismo = on + Posesivo + own, for + Reflexivo.

* por unos momentos = for a few moments, for a short time.

* por uno solo = solo.

* por un período de tiempo limitado = on a short-term basis.

* por un tiempo = for a time.

* por un tiempo indefinido = for an indefinite time to come, for indefinite time.

* por valor de + Cantidad = amounting to + Cantidad.

* por varias razones = for a variety of reasons, for a number of reasons.

* por varios motivos = for a number of reasons.

* por venganza = out of spite.

* por voluntad propia = voluntarily.

* quedar por ver = remain + to be seen.

* tirar dinero y esfuerzo por la borda = be money and effort down the drain.

* transporte por tierra = land transport.

* utilizar por primera vez = pioneer.

* venta al por mayor = wholesaling.

* * *

por

GUIA DE BUSQUEDA

Sentido I

A en relaciones causales

B según

C ¿por qué?

D en locuciones

E en expresiones concesivas

F

1 en expresiones de modo

2 indicando el medio

3 Educación

G

1 en relaciones de proporción

2 en multiplicaciones

H

1 en relaciones de sustitución etc

2 por ejemplo

I como

Sentido II

A al expresar finalidad, objetivo

B indicando consideración, favor

C indicando inclinación, elección

D en busca de

E en lo que respecta a

F indicando una situación pendiente

G estar por

Sentido III

A indicando lugar de acceso, salida

B

expresando lugar indeterminado

C expresando lugar determinado

D indicando extensión

Sentido IV

A expresando tiempo aproximado

B indicando una ocasión

C durante

prep

Sentido I

A (en relaciones causales) because of

he puesto esto aquí por el gato I've put this here because of the cat

nunca se lo dijo por miedo a perderla he never told her out of fear of losing her o because he was afraid of losing her

eso te pasa por crédulo that's what you get for being (so) gullible

lo conseguimos por él we got it thanks to him

ella es así por naturaleza she's like that by nature

lo hace por necesidad he does it out of necessity

no se acabó por falta de dinero it wasn't finished for o because of o owing to lack of money

el final no por conocido me resulta menos triste knowing how it ends doesn't make it any less sad

por su alto contenido en proteínas because of o owing to its high protein content

tanto por su precio como por su practicidad both for its price and its practical design

fue por eso por lo que no te llamé or fue por eso que no te llamé that was the reason o that was why I didn't call you

precisamente por eso no dije nada that's precisely why I didn't say anything

la muerte se produjo por asfixia he suffocated, death was caused by suffocation ( frml)

éste serviría si no fuera por el color this one would do if it weren't for the color

fue elogiado por su excelente actuación he was praised for his excellent performance

por + INF for -ING

me pidió perdón por haberme mentido he apologized for lying o for having lied to me

eso

B (según) from

por lo que he oído from what I've heard

por lo que parece no va a volver it seems o it would seem he's not coming back

por mi experiencia diría que … from my experience, I would say that …

C ( fam):

¿por? why?

¿con quién vas? — con Daniel ¿por? who are you going with? — with Daniel, why? o why do you want to know?

D ( en locuciones):

por qué why

¿por qué lloras? why are you crying?

¿por qué no vienes a almorzar a casa? why don't you come to my house for lunch?

por si in case

llévate una muda, por si tuvieras que quedarte take a change of clothes (just) in case you have to stay

acaso, mosca² (↑ mosca (2))

E (en expresiones concesivas) por … QUE:

por más que me esfuerzo me sigue saliendo mal no matter how hard I try o however hard I try, I still can't get it right

(+ subj): por (muy) fácil que se lo pongan, no creo que lo sepa hacer however easy o no matter how easy they make it for him I don't think he'll be able to do it

F

1

(en expresiones de modo): clasifícalos por tamaño classify them according to size o by size

colóquense por orden de altura line up in order of height

por adelantado in advance

por escrito in writing

2

(indicando el medio): se lo comunicaron por teléfono they told him over the phone

lo dijeron por la radio they said it on the radio

lo mandaron por avión/barco they sent it by air/sea

por carretera by road

la conocí por la voz I recognized the o her voice, I recognized her by her voice

me enteré por un amigo I heard from o through a friend

conocido por el nombre de Pancho known as Pancho

lo intenté por todos los medios I tried everything possible o every possible way

3 ( Educación):

es doctor honoris causa por Oxford he has an honorary doctorate from Oxford

un graduado en ciencias políticas por la universidad de Granada a graduate in political science from the university of Granada

G

1

(en relaciones de proporción): cobra $30 por clase he charges $30 a o per class

120 kilómetros por hora 120 kilometers an o per hour

lo venden por metro they sell it by the meter

tú comes por tres you eat enough for three people

había un hombre por cada dos mujeres there was one man to every two women

tiene tres metros de largo por uno de ancho it's three meters long by one meter wide

ya hemos hecho bastante por hoy we've done enough for today

los hizo entrar uno por uno she made them come in one by one o one at a time

examinar un escrito punto por punto to go through a document point by point

ciento² (↑ ciento (2))

2 [ Vocabulary notes (Spanish) ]

(en multiplicaciones): tres por cuatro (son) doce three times four is twelve, three fours are twelve

H

1

(en relaciones de sustitución, intercambio, representación): su secretaria firmó por él his secretary signed for him o on his behalf

yo puedo ir por ti I can go for you o in your place

por toda respuesta se encogió de hombros all he did was shrug his shoulders

tú podrías pasar por inglesa you could pass as English o for an Englishwoman

te dan uno nuevo por dos viejos they give you one new one in exchange for two old ones

es senador por Canarias he's a senator for the Canary Islands

2

(como): por ejemplo for example

¿acepta usted por esposa a Carmen? do you take Carmen to be your (lawful wedded) wife?

I (introduciendo el agente) by

un lugar frecuentado por muchos famosos a place frequented by many famous people

se vieron sorprendidos por una tormenta they were caught in a sudden storm

la ocupación de la fábrica por (parte de) los obreros the occupation of the factory by the workers

ver tb parte² f B. (↑ parte (2))

Sentido II

A

(al expresar finalidad, objetivo): se estaban peleando por la pelota they were fighting over the ball

lo hace por el dinero he does it for the money

te lo digo por tu bien I'm telling you for your own good

por + INF:

daría cualquier cosa por verte contento I'd give anything to see you happy

no entré por no molestar I didn't go in so as not to disturb him o because I didn't want to disturb him

eso es hablar por hablar that's talking for the sake of talking o for the sake of it

por QUE + SUBJ here por que can also be written porque:

estaba ansioso por que lo escucharan he was eager for them to listen to him

recemos por que lleguen a un acuerdo let's pray that they'll come to an agreement

siguieron luchando por que se hiciera justicia they continued fighting for justice to be done

B

(indicando consideración, favor): haría cualquier cosa por ti I'd do anything for you

intercede por nosotros intercede for us

por mí no lo hagas don't do it just for me o for my sake

C

(indicando inclinación, elección): su amor por la música her love of music

demostró gran interés por el cuadro he showed great interest in the painting

no siento nada por él I don't feel anything for him

opté por no ir I chose not to go

votó por ella he voted for her

¿por la afirmativa? all those in favor?

se manifestaron por el derecho al aborto they demonstrated for the right to abortion

estar por algn ( fam); to be crazy about sb

D

(en busca de): salió/fue poror ( Esp) a por pan he went (out) for some bread, he went (out) to get some bread

E

(en lo que respecta a): por mí no hay inconveniente I don't mind

que haga lo que le dé la gana, por mí … let him do what he likes, as far as I'm concerned …

F (indicando una situación pendiente) por + INF:

tengo toda la casa por limpiar I've got the whole house to clean

estos cambios aún están por hacer these changes have still not been made o are yet to be made

ver² vt C 1. (↑ ver (2))

G

( AmL) estar por + INF (estar a punto de): deben de estar por llegar they should be arriving any minute

la leche está por hervir the milk's about to boil

Sentido III

A

(indicando lugar de acceso, salida, trayectoria): entró por la ventana he came in through the window

sal por aquí go out this way

el acceso al edificio es por la calle Lamas you enter the building from Lamas Street

el piano no va a pasar por la puerta the piano won't go through the door

se cayó por la escalera he fell down the stairs

subieron por la ladera este they went up by the east face

¿el 121 va por (la) Avenida Rosas? does the 121 go along Rosas Avenue?

fuimos por el camino más largo we took the longer route

no vayas por ahí que te vas a perder don't go that way, you'll get lost

¿por dónde has venido? which way did you come?

¿puedes pasar por la tintorería? could you call in at o drop by the drycleaner's?

B

(expresando lugar indeterminado): está por ahí he's over there somewhere

¿por dónde está or queda el restaurante? whereabouts is the restaurant?

viven por el sur/por mi barrio they live in the south somewhere/around my area

hace mucho que no lo vemos por aquí we haven't seen him around here for ages

¿qué tal te fue por Londres? how did you get on in London?

C

(expresando lugar determinado): corta por aquí cut here

voy por la página 15 I'm up to o I'm on page 15

empieza por el principio start at the beginning

agárralo por el mango hold it by the handle

D

(indicando extensión): lo he buscado por todos lados or por todas partes I've looked everywhere for it

la epidemia se extendió por todo el país the epidemic spread throughout the (whole) country

estuvimos viajando por el norte de Francia we were traveling around o in the North of France

fuimos a caminar por la playa we went for a walk along the beach

pasa un trapo por el piso give the floor a quick wipe

ver tb afuera, adentro, dentro, fuera¹ adv A 1. (↑ fuera (1)), encima, por etc

Sentido IV

A

(expresando tiempo aproximado): por aquella época at that time

por aquel entonces vivían en Pozuelo at that time they were living in Pozuelo

sucedió por allá por 1960 it happened some time back around 1960

B ( Esp) (indicando una ocasión) for

me lo regalaron por mi cumpleaños they gave it to me for my birthday

por Semana Santa pensamos ir a Londres we're thinking of going to London for Easter

C (durante) for

por los siglos de los siglos for ever and ever

no se lo confío ni por un minuto I wouldn't trust him with it for a minute

puede quedar así por el momento or por ahora it can stay like that for the time being o for now

ver tb mañana³ (↑ mañana (3)), tarde² (↑ tarde (2)), noche

* * *

por preposición
1 ( causa) because of;
◊ por falta de dinero because of o owing to lack of money;

por naturaleza by nature;
por necesidad out of necessity;
por eso no dije nada that's why I didn't say anything;
fue por eso que no te llamé that was why I didn't call you;
si no fuera por mi hijo … if it wasn't for my son …;
me pidió perdón por haberme mentido he apologized for lying o for having lied to me
2 ( en locs)
◊ por qué why;

no dijo por qué he didn't say why;
¿por qué no vienes conmigo? why don't you come with me?;
por si in case;
por si no entiende in case he doesn't understand;
See Also→ acaso 2, mosca
3 ( en expresiones concesivas):
◊ por más que me esfuerzo however hard o no matter how hard I try;

por (muy) fácil que sea however easy o no matter how easy it is
4
a) ( modo):

◊ colócalos por orden de tamaño put them in order of size;

por adelantado in advance;
por escrito in writing
b) ( medio):

◊ se lo comunicaron por teléfono they told him over the phone;

lo dijeron por la radio they said it on the radio;
por avión by air;
la conocí por la voz I recognized her by her voice;
me enteré por un amigo I heard from o through a friend
5
a) ( proporción):

◊ cobra $30 por clase he charges $30 a o per class;

120 kilómetros por hora 120 kilometers an o per hour;
por metro/docena by the meter/dozen;
tú comes por tres you eat enough for three people;
tiene tres metros de largo por uno de ancho it's three meters long by one meter wide;
uno por uno one by one;
See Also→ ciento sustantivo masculino b
b) ( en multiplicaciones):

◊ tres por cuatro (son) doce three times four is twelve, three fours are twelve

6
a) ( sustitución) for;

◊ su secretaria firmó por él his secretary signed for him o on his behalf;

pasa por inglesa she passes for an Englishwoman
b) ( como):

◊ por ejemplo for example

7 ( introduciendo el agente) by;
◊ compuesto por Mozart composed by Mozart

1 (finalidad, objetivo):
◊ pelearse por algo to fight over sth;

lo hace por el dinero he does it for the money;
no entré por no molestarlo I didn't go in because I didn't want to disturb him;
por que + subj (here por que can also be written porque): estaba ansioso por que lo escucharan he was eager for them to listen to him
2 (indicando inclinación, elección):
◊ su amor por la música her love of music;

no siento nada por él I don't feel anything for him;
votó por ella he voted for her
3 ( en busca de): salió/fue por or (Esp) a por pan he went (out) for some bread, he went (out) to get some bread
4 ( en lo que respecta a):
◊ por mí que haga lo que quiera as far as I'm concerned, he can do what he likes

5 (esp AmL) estar por + inf ( estar a punto de) to be about to + inf;
◊ está por terminar he's about to finish;

deben (de) estar por llegar they should be arriving any minute
1
a) ( lugar):

◊ entró por la ventana he came in through the window;

sal por aquí go out this way;
se cayó por la escalera he fell down the stairs;
¿el 121 va por (la) Avenida Rosas? does the 121 go along Rosas Avenue?;
¿por dónde has venido? which way did you come?;
está por ahí he's over there somewhere;
¿por dónde está el hotel? whereabouts is the hotel?;
viven por mi barrio they live around my area;
voy por la página 15 I'm up to o I'm on page 15;
empieza por el principio start at the beginning;
agárralo por el mango hold it by the handle
b) ( indicando extensión): por todos lados or por todas partes everywhere;

◊ viajamos por el norte de Francia we traveled around o in the North of France;

ver tb dentro, fuera, encima, etc
2 ( tiempo) for;
◊ por un mes for a month;

por el momento or por ahora for the time being, for now;
ver tb mañana, tarde, noche
3 (Esp) ( ocasión) for;
◊ me lo regaló por mi cumpleaños she gave it to me for my birthday

por preposición
1 (autoría) by: está escrito por mí, it was written by me
2 (camino, lugar) through: viajamos por Castilla, we travelled round Castilla
3 (medio) lo enviaron por avión, they sent it by plane
me enteré por el periódico, I read about it in the newspaper
4 (motivo, causa) because of
por tu culpa, because of you
(en favor de) for: hazlo por ellos, do it for their sake
por la libertad, for freedom
5 (en torno a) por San Juan, near Saint John's Day
6 (durante) por la mañana/noche, in the morning/at night
por el momento, for the time being
7 (a través) entramos por la puerta, we got in through the door
miramos por la ventana, we looked out (of) the window
pasamos por la ciudad, we went through the town
8 (sobre, por encima de) cruzaremos por el puente, we'll cross the bridge
9 (delante de) paso todos los días por tu casa, I go by your house every day
10 (a cambio de) for: te doy mi helado por tu yogur, I'll swap you my ice-cream for your yoghurt
11 (en una distribución, cálculo) por cabeza, a head, per person
mil pesetas por hora, a thousand pesetas per hour
dos mil revoluciones por minuto, two thousand revolutions per minute
12 (en una multiplicación) dos por dos, cuatro, two times two is four
un diez por ciento, ten per cent
13 (con infinitivo) in order to, so as to
trabajar por trabajar, to work for the sake of it
♦ Locuciones: por así decirlo, so to speak
por más/mucho que..., no matter how...
por qué, why
' por' also found in these entries:
Spanish:
A
- abogar
- abonar
- abonarse
- abotargada
- abotargado
- abuelo
- acabar
- acaso
- accidente
- acercarse
- acertar
- aclamación
- acomplejada
- acomplejado
- acomplejarse
- acoquinar
- acostumbrar
- actual
- adelantada
- adelantado
- adivinar
- admitir
- adoración
- aérea
- aéreo
- afanarse
- afectada I
- afectado
- afición
- agradecer
- aguantar
- ahí
- ahogada
- ahogado
- ahora
- ahorcarse
- ahorrar
- aire
- alegrarse
- algo
- allá
- allí
- almacén
- alquiler
- alta
- alto
- aludida
- aludido
- amarga
English:
A
- aback
- ablaze
- about
- above
- absence
- absorb
- accident
- accidentally
- acclaim
- accompany
- accord
- accordingly
- account
- accustom
- actual
- actually
- add to
- advocate
- after
- afternoon
- again
- against
- air
- airmail
- alert
- allowance
- alone
- alphabetically
- alternately
- amble
- amends
- amok
- angry
- annihilate
- annoy
- answer for
- answering service
- antipathy
- anxious
- anywhere
- apologetic
- apologize
- appal
- appall
- apparently
- appearance
- appease
- appointment
- appreciate

* * *

por prep

1. [indica causa] because of;

llegó tarde por el tráfico she was late because of the traffic;

lo hizo por amor he did it out of o for love;

me disculpé por llegar tarde I apologized for arriving late;

miré dentro por simple curiosidad I looked inside out of pure curiosity;

accidentes por conducción temeraria accidents caused by reckless driving;

muertes por enfermedades cardiovasculares deaths from cardiovascular disease;

no quise llamar por la hora (que era) I didn't want to call because of the time;

cerrado por vacaciones/reformas [en letrero] closed for holidays/alterations;

por mí no te preocupes don't worry about me;
Esp
fue por eso por lo que tuvimos tantos problemas, Am [m5] fue por eso que tuvimos tantos problemas that's why we had so many problems;

eso te pasa por (ser tan) generoso that's what you get for being so generous;

la razón por (la) que dimite the reason (why) she is resigning;

¿por qué? why?;

¿por qué no vienes? why don't you come?;

¿por qué lo preguntas? – por nada why do you ask? – no reason;
Fam
¿por? why?;

por si in case;

por si se te olvida in case you forget

2. [indica indicio]
por lo que me dices/lo que he oído no debe de ser tan difícil from what you say/what I've heard, it can't be that difficult;

por lo que tengo entendido, viven juntos as I understand it, they live together, my understanding is that they live together;

por lo visto, por lo que se ve apparently

3. [indica finalidad] (antes de infinitivo) (in order) to;

* * *

por

prp

1 motivo for, because of;

lo hace por mí he does it for me;

lo hizo por amor she did it out of o for love;

luchó por sus ideales he fought for his ideals;

por miedo a ofenderle for fear of upsetting her;

vino por verme he came to see me

2 medio by;

por avión by air;

por correo by mail, Br

tb by post

3 tiempo

:

por un año/un segundo for a year/a second;

por la mañana in the morning;

por Navidad around Christmas

4 movimiento

:

por la calle down the street;

por un tunel through a tunnel;

por aquí this way

5 posición aproximada around, about;

está por aquí it’s around here (somewhere);

vive por el centro de la ciudad she lives somewhere around the center of town

6 cambio

:

por cincuenta pesos for fifty pesos;

por cabeza each, a head

7 otros usos

:

por hora an o per hour;

dos por dos two times two;

¿por qué? why?;

el motivo por el cual o

por el que … the reason why …;

esa factura aún está por pagar that invoice still has to be paid;

tomar por esposa marry;

por difícil que sea however difficult it might be

* * *

por prep

1) : for, during

se quedaron allí por la semana: they stayed there during the week

por el momento: for now, at the moment

2) : around, during

por noviembre empieza a nevar: around November it starts to snow

por la mañana: in the morning

3) : around (a place)

debe estar por allí: it must be over there

por todas partes: everywhere

4) : by, through, along

por la puerta: through the door

pasé por tu casa: I stopped by your house

por la costa: along the coast

5) : for, for the sake of

lo hizo por su madre: he did it for his mother

¡por Dios!: for heaven's sake!

6) : because of, on account of

llegué tarde por el tráfico: I arrived late because of the traffic

dejar por imposible: to give up as impossible

7) : per

60 millas por hora: 60 miles per hour

por docena: by the dozen

8) : for, in exchange for, instead of

su hermana habló por él: his sister spoke on his behalf

9) : by means of

hablar por teléfono: to talk on the phone

por escrito: in writing

10) : as for

por mí: as far as I'm concerned

11) : times

tres por dos son seis: three times two is six

12) según: from, according to

por lo que dices: judging from what you're telling me

13) : as, for

por ejemplo: for example

14) : by

hecho por mi abuela: made by my grandmother

por correo: by mail

15) : for, in order to

lucha por ganar su respeto: he struggles to win her respect

16)

estar por : to be about to

17)

por ciento : percent

18)

por favor : please

19)

por lo tanto : therefore, consequently

20)

¿por qué? : why?

21)

por que porque

22)

por... que : no matter how

por mucho que intente: no matter how hard I try

23)

por si or

por si acaso : just in case

* * *

por prep

1. (a través de) through

entra por la puerta de la derecha go in through the door on the right

por el bosque through the wood

2. (la calle) along / down

iba por la calle I was walking down the street

3. (indica camino) via / by

fuimos por la carretera comarcal we went by the B road

4. (indica una parte concreta) by

sujeta la cacerola por el asa hold the saucepan by its handle

5. (indica el tiempo)

por la mañana in the morning

por Navidades at Christmas

por la noche at night

por unos días for a few days

6. (a causa de) because of

suspendieron el concierto por la lluvia the concert was cancelled because of the rain

7. (a fin de) to / in order to

por complacer al padre in order to please her father

8. (indica el autor) by

el cuadro fue pintado por Picasso the picture was painted by Picasso

9. (en favor o defensa de) for

haría cualquier cosa por su hijo she'd do anything for her son

es por tu propio bien it's for your own good

10. (multiplicado) times

cuatro por cuatro son dieciséis four times four is sixteen

11. (a cambio de) for

lo compré por cien pesetas I bought it for a hundred pesetas

te doy este libro por esos sellos I'll give you this book for those stamps

12. (en vez de) instead of

ya jugaré yo por Jaime I'll play instead of Jaime

13. (indica que una acción todavía no está hecha)

las camas están por hacer the beds still have to be made

ir por / ir a por to fetch

¡ve a por mis zapatillas, por favor! fetch my slippers, please!

por + adjetivo however + adjective

por barato que parezca however cheap it may seem

por mucho que te quejes however much you complain

por aquí (cerca) near here (indicando camino) this way

por ciento per cent

por correo by post

por fin at last

por la fuerza by force

por lo general generally / usually

por lo menos at least

por mí as far as I'm concerned

por si... in case...

por sorpresa by surprise

por supuesto of course

por tanto therefore

por teléfono on the telephone

¿por qué? why?

Spanish-English dictionary > por
11 moins

moins [mwɛ̃]

━━━━━━━━━

1. adverb

2. preposition

3. masculine noun

4. compounds

━━━━━━━━━

1. <

   a. (comparatif) less

• beaucoup moins much less

• un peu moins a little less

• tellement moins so much less

• encore moins even less

• trois fois moins three times less

• non moins célèbre no less famous

• nous sortons moins we go out less

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

► moins se traduit souvent par not as.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

• c'est moins rapide it's not as fast

• il fait moins chaud ici it's not as hot in here

► moins... que less... than

• il est moins intelligent qu'elle he's less intelligent than her

• cela m'a coûté moins que rien it cost me next to nothing

• je l'ai eu pour moins que rien I got it for next to nothing

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

► Les expressions du type moins... que sont souvent traduites par l'équivalent anglais de pas aussi... que.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

• c'est moins grand que je ne croyais it's not as big as I thought it was

• il travaille moins que vous he doesn't work as hard as you

• j'aime moins la campagne en hiver qu'en été I don't like the countryside as much in winter as in summer

► moins de + nom non comptable less

• je mange moins de pain qu'avant I eat less bread than I used to► moins de + nom comptable

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

► Avec un nom comptable, la traduction correcte est fewer, mais la plupart des gens disent less.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ fewer less

• il y aura moins de monde demain there'll be fewer people tomorrow there'll be less people tomorrow

• mange moins de bonbons don't eat so many sweets

► moins de + nombre

• les moins de 25 ans the under-25s

• les enfants de moins de quatre ans children under four

• nous l'avons fait en moins de cinq minutes we did it in less than five minutes

• il y a moins de deux ans qu'il vit ici he's been living here for less than two years

• il était un peu moins de 6 heures it was just before 6 o'clock

• la frontière est à moins de 3 km the border is less than 3km away► deux fois moins

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

► deux fois moins se traduit souvent par half.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

• c'est deux fois moins grand it's half the size

• cela coûtait deux fois moins it was half the price

► moins... moins the less... the less ; (avec nom comptable) the fewer... the fewer

• moins je mange, moins j'ai d'appétit the less I eat, the less hungry I feel

• moins il y a de clients, moins j'ai de travail the fewer customers I have, the less work I have to do► moins... plus

• moins je fume, plus je mange the less I smoke, the more I eat► moins... mieux

• moins je fume, mieux je me porte the less I smoke, the better I feel

• moins j'ai de coups de fil, mieux je travaille the fewer phone calls I get, the more work I can do► à moins

• vous ne l'obtiendrez pas à moins you won't get it for less

• il est fatigué -- on le serait à moins he's tired -- that's hardly surprising► à moins de

• à moins d'un accident, ça devrait marcher barring accidents, it should work

• il jouera, à moins d'un imprévu he'll be playing unless something unexpected happens

• à moins de faire une bêtise, il devrait gagner unless he does something silly he should win► à moins que

• à moins qu'il ne vienne unless he comes► de moins

• il gagne 500 euros de moins qu'elle he earns 500 euros less than she does

• vous avez cinq ans de moins qu'elle you're five years younger than her► de moins en moins less and less

• c'est de moins en moins utile it's less and less useful

• il entend de moins en moins bien his hearing is getting worse and worse

• il a de moins en moins de clients he has fewer and fewer customers

• j'ai de moins en moins de temps libre I have less and less free time► en moins

• il y a trois verres en moins there are three glasses missing

• ça me fera du travail en moins ! that'll be less work for me!

• en moins de rien in next to no time

• en moins de deux (inf) in next to no time► pas moins

• pas moins de 40 km les sépare de la ville la plus proche they're at least 40km from the nearest town

• gravement malade, il n'en continue pas moins d'écrire despite being seriously ill, he still continues to write

• il n'en reste pas moins que... the fact remains that...

• il n'en est pas moins vrai que... it is no less true that...

   b. (superlatif) least

• le moins the least

► le moins, la moins, les moins (de plusieurs) the least ; (de deux) the less

• c'est le moins doué de mes élèves he's the least gifted of my pupils

• c'est le moins doué des deux he's the less gifted of the two

• les fleurs les moins chères the least expensive flowers► le moins + verbe the least

• c'est celle que j'aime le moins it's the one I like the least

• l'émission que je regarde le moins the programme I watch least often

• c'est bien le moins qu'on puisse faire it's the least one can do

• c'est le moins qu'on puisse dire ! that's putting it mildly!► le moins possible as little as possible

• je lui parle le moins possible I talk to him as little as possible

• j'y resterai le moins de temps possible I won't stay there any longer than I have to

2. <

   a. (soustraction, nombre négatif) minus

• 6 moins 2 font 4 6 minus 2 equals 4

• il fait moins 5 it's minus 5°

   b. (heure) to

• il est 4 heures moins 5 it's 5 to 4

• il est moins 10 (inf) it's 10 to (inf)

3. <

► au moins at least

• elle a payé cette robe au moins 3 000 € she paid at least 3,000 euros for that dress

• 600 au moins at least 600► du moins (restriction) at least

• il ne pleuvra pas, du moins c'est ce qu'annonce la radio it's not going to rain, at least that's what it says on the radio

• j'arriverai vers 4 heures, du moins si l'avion n'a pas de retard I'll be there around 4 o'clock - if the plane's on time, that is► pour le moins to say the least

• sa décision est pour le moins bizarre his decision is odd to say the least

4. <

► moins que rien (inf) masculine noun

( = minable) complete loser (inf)

• on les traite comme des moins que rien they're treated like scum ► moins-value feminine noun depreciation

* * *

I
1. mwɛ̃
préposition

1) ( dans une soustraction) minus

2) ( pour dire l'heure) to

il est huit heures moins dix — it's ten (minutes) to eight

il est moins vingt — (colloq) it's twenty to (colloq)

il était moins une (colloq) or moins cinq — (colloq) it was a close shave (colloq)

3) ( dans une température) minus

2.

adverbe

1) ( modifiant un verbe) ( comparatif) less; ( superlatif)

le moins — the least

ils sortent moins — they go out less often

c'est moins une question d'argent qu'une question de principe — it's not so much a question of money as a question of principle

de moins en moins — less and less

moins je sors, moins j'ai envie de sortir — the less I go out, the less I feel like going out

qui travaille le moins de tous? — who works the least of all?

le film qui m'a le moins plu — the film I liked the least

ce que j'aime le moins chez lui — what I like least about him

2) ( modifiant un adjectif) ( comparatif) less; ( superlatif)

le moins, la moins, les moins — ( de deux) the less; ( de plus de deux) the least

il est moins grand que son père — he's not as tall as his father

il est moins menteur que sa sœur — he's less of a liar than his sister

les jeunes et les moins jeunes — the young and the not so young

dans le livre il y a du bon et du moins bon — in the book, there are bits that are good and bits that are not so good

il n'en est pas moins vrai que — it's nonetheless true that

le même en moins gros — the same, only thinner

un individu des moins recommandables — a most unsavoury individual

3) ( modifiant un adverbe) ( comparatif) less; ( superlatif)

le moins — least

tu devrais rester moins longtemps dans le sauna — you shouldn't stay so long in the sauna

elle chante moins bien qu'avant — she doesn't sing as well as she used to

le moins souvent — (the) least often

3.

moins de déterminant indéfini

1) ( avec un nom)

moins de livres — fewer books

moins de graisses — less fat

moins de sucre/bruit — less sugar/noise

il a parlé avec moins de hargne — he spoke less aggressively

il y a moins de monde aujourd'hui qu'hier — there are fewer people today than there were yesterday

c'est lui qui a le moins d'expérience des trois — of the three he's the one with the least experience

2) ( avec un numéral)

en moins de trois heures — in less than three hours

il est moins de 3 heures — it's not quite 3 o'clock

les moins de 20 ans — people under 20, the under-twenties

4.

à moins locution adverbiale

on serait furieux à moins — it's more than enough to make one angry

5.

à moins de locution prépositive

à moins de partir maintenant — unless we/you etc leave now

à moins d'un miracle — unless there's a miracle

6.

à moins que locution conjonctive

à moins qu'il ne veuille venir — unless he wants to come

7.

à tout le moins locution adverbiale to say the least

8.

au moins locution adverbiale at least

tout au moins — at least

tu l'as remercié, au moins? — you did thank him, didn't you?

9.

de moins locution adverbiale

ça m'a pris deux heures de moins — it took me two hours less

le kilo de pêches valait dix centimes de moins que la veille — a kilo of peaches cost 10 cents less than it had the day before

j'ai un an de moins que lui — I'm a year younger than he is

il a obtenu 25% de voix de moins que son adversaire — he got 25% fewer votes than his opponent

10.

du moins locution adverbiale at least

c'est du moins ce qu'il m'a raconté — at least that's what he told me

si du moins tu es d'accord — that is if you agree

11.

en moins locution adverbiale

il y avait deux fourchettes en moins dans la boîte — there were two forks missing from the box

il est revenu du front avec une jambe en moins/avec un doigt en moins — he came back from the front with only one leg/with a finger missing

c'est tout le portrait de son père, la moustache en moins — he's the spitting image of his father without the moustache GB ou mustache US

12.

pour le moins locution adverbiale to say the least

II mwɛ̃
nom masculin invariable

1) Mathématique minus

le signe moins — the minus sign

2) (colloq) ( inconvénient) minus

•

Phrasal Verbs:

- moins que rien

••

moins I

Généralités

La traduction en anglais de moins est less. Cependant, elle n'est utilisée que dans un nombre de cas assez restreint: en moins de trois jours = in less than three days

Très souvent, même quand une traduction avec less est possible, l'anglais a recours à d'autres moyens. Certains sont réguliers: ma chambre est moins grande que la tienne = my bedroom isn't as big as yours; j'ai moins d'expérience que toi = I don't have as much experience as you (do), = I have less experience than you (do); c'est moins compliqué que vous ne le croyez = it's not as complicated as you think, = it's less complicated than you think

D'autres ne le sont pas: j'essaie de moins fumer = I'm trying to cut down on my smoking, = I'm trying to smoke less

moins de

Lorsque moins de, déterminant indéfini, est suivi d'un nom dénombrable, la règle voudrait que l'on traduise par fewer mais dans la langue parlée on utilise également less

Les expressions le moins possible, le moins du monde sont traitées respectivement sous possible et monde

On trouvera ci-dessous exemples et exceptions illustrant les différentes fonctions de moins

On pourra également se reporter aux notes d'usage portant notamment sur la quantité, l'expression de l'âge, etc. Consulter l'index

* * *
mwɛ̃
1. adv

1) (comparatif) less

moins que — less than

moins grand que — not as tall as

de moins — less

100 euros de moins — 100 euros less

3 jours de moins — 3 days less

Il a trois ans de moins que moi. — He's three years younger than me.

Nous avons trois jours de vacances de moins que l'an dernier. — We have three days holiday less than last year.

Il est moins intelligent que moi. — He's not as clever as me.

Moins je travaille, mieux je me porte. — The less I work, the better I feel.

2) (superlatif)

le moins — least, the least

le moins doué; la moins douée — the least gifted

C'est ce que j'aime le moins. — It's what I like least., It's what I like the least.

C'est l'album que j'aime le moins. — This is the album I like the least., This is the album I least like.

C'est le modèle le moins cher. — It's the least expensive model.

Ce sont les plages qui sont les moins polluées. — These are the least polluted beaches.

3)

moins de (livres, gens) — fewer, (sable, eau, sel) less

moins de sable — less sand

moins d'eau — less water

moins de 2 ans — less than 2 years

Ça coûte moins de deux cents euros. — It costs less than 200 euros.

moins de livres — fewer books

moins de gens — fewer people

Il y a moins de gens aujourd'hui. — There are fewer people today.

Il est moins de midi. — It's not yet midday.

4) (autres locutions)

en moins; de l'argent en moins — less money

Cette année nous avons trois jours de vacances en moins. — We have three days less holiday this year.

le soleil en moins — without the sun, minus the sun

L'endroit ressemble assez à la Côte d'Azur, le soleil en moins. — The place is quite like the Riviera, without the sun.

au moins — at least

Ne te plains pas: au moins il ne pleut pas! — Don't complain: at least it's not raining!

pour le moins — at the very least

à moins de; à moins que — unless

à moins de faire; à moins que tu ne fasses — unless you do

Je te retrouverai à dix heures à moins que le train n'ait du retard. — I'll meet you at 10 o'clock unless the train is late.

à moins d'un accident — barring accidents

de moins en moins — less and less

Il vient nous voir de moins en moins. — He comes to see us less and less often.

en moins de deux — in a flash

2. prép

1) (soustraction) minus

4 moins 2 — 4 minus 2

2) (température) minus

Il fait moins 5. — It's minus 5., It's 5 below., It's 5 degrees below freezing.

Il a fait moins cinq la nuit dernière. — It was minus five last night.

3) (heure)

dix heures moins cinq — five to ten

Il est cinq heures moins dix. — It's ten to five.

Il est moins cinq. — It's five to.

3. nm

(= signe) minus sign

* * *

I.

moins ⇒ Note d'usage

A prép

1 ( dans une soustraction) minus; 8 moins 3 égale 5 8 minus 3 is ou equals 5; il a retrouvé sa voiture, moins les roues he got his car back without ou minus hum the wheels;

2 ( pour dire l'heure) to; il est huit heures moins dix it's ten (minutes) to eight; il est moins vingt○ it's twenty to○, it's twenty minutes to the hour; il était moins une○ or moins cinq○ it was a close shave○;

3 ( dans une température) minus; il faisait moins 15 degrés it was minus 15 (degrees).

B adv

1 ( modifiant un verbe) ( comparatif) less; ( superlatif) le moins the least; je lis moins ces derniers temps I read less these days; ils sortent moins maintenant qu'ils ont un enfant they don't go out as much ou they go out less often now that they have a child; il importe moins de changer le règlement que de le faire appliquer changing the rule is less important than implementing it; je gagne moins qu'elle I earn less than she does, I don't earn as much as she does; c'est moins un artiste qu'un bon artisan he' s not so much an artist as a good craftsman; c'est moins une question d'argent qu'une question de principe it's not so much a question of money as a question of principle; de moins en moins less and less; moins je sors, moins j'ai envie de sortir the less I go out, the less I feel like going out; moins je le vois, mieux je me porte the less I see him, the better I feel; c'est lui qui travaille le moins de tous he's the one who works the least of all; le film qui m'a le moins plu the film I liked the least; ce que j'aime le moins chez lui what I like least about him;

2 ( modifiant un adjectif) ( comparatif) less; ( superlatif) le moins, la moins, les moins ( de deux) the less; ( de plus de deux) the least; il est moins grand/doué que son père he's not as tall/gifted as his father; c'est moins facile qu'il n'y paraît it's not as easy as it seems; il est moins menteur que sa sœur he's less of a liar than his sister; c'est moins problématique que je ne croyais it's less problematic ou less of a problem than I thought, it's not as problematic as I thought; les jeunes et les moins jeunes the young and the not so young; dans le livre il y a du bon et du moins bon in the book, there are bits that are good and bits that are not so good; il n'en est pas moins vrai que it's nonetheless true that; il ressemble à son frère en moins gros he looks like his brother, only thinner; ce sont les employés les moins compétents de l'entreprise they're the least competent employees in the company; un individu des moins recommandables a most unsavoury individual;

3 ( modifiant un adverbe) ( comparatif) less; ( superlatif) le moins least; tu devrais rester moins longtemps dans le sauna you shouldn't stay so long in the sauna; elle chante moins bien qu'avant she doesn't sing as well as she used to; il fait moins beau que l'an dernier the weather isn't as good as it was last year; c'est le moins bien payé des deux he's the less well-paid of the two; le moins souvent (the) least often.

C moins de dét indéf

1 ( avec un nom dénombrable) moins de livres/d'assiettes/d'arguments fewer books/plates/arguments; j'ai moins de livres que toi I don't have as many books as you ou I have fewer books than you; mangez moins de graisses eat less fat; il y a moins de candidats there are fewer candidates; ils ont moins de chances d'être élus they are less likely to be elected; les éditeurs publient moins de livres publishers are publishing fewer books; pas moins de no fewer than;

2 ( avec un nom non dénombrable) moins de sucre/vin/papier less sugar/wine/paper; moins de bruit/lumière less noise/light; il a parlé avec moins de hargne he spoke less aggressively; il y a moins de monde aujourd'hui qu'hier there are fewer people today than there were yesterday; pas moins de no less than; c'est lui qui a le moins d'expérience des trois of the three he's the one with the least experience;

3 ( avec un numéral) en moins de trois heures in less than three hours; dans moins de trois heures in less than three hours; le voyage a duré un peu moins de trois heures the journey took a bit less than ou just under three hours; il est moins de 3 heures it's not quite 3 o'clock; les enfants de moins de 6 ans children under 6; les moins de 20 ans people under 20, the under-twenties; une planche de moins de deux m ètres de long a plank less than two metres^GB long; moins de huit candidats fewer than eight candidates; tu ne trouveras rien à moins de 500 euros you won't find anything for less than 500 euros ou for under 500 euros; ça m'a coûté moins de 200 euros it cost me less than 200 euros ou under 200 euros.

D à moins loc adv on serait furieux à moins it's more than enough to make one angry.

E à moins de loc prép à moins de partir maintenant, il n'arrivera pas à l'heure unless he leaves now he won't get there on time; à moins d'un miracle il va échouer unless there's a miracle, he's going to fail.

F à moins que loc conj à moins qu'il ne veuille venir unless he wants to come.

G à tout le moins loc adv to say the least.

H au moins loc adv at least; tout au moins at least; il y avait au moins 3 000 personnes there were at least 3,000 people; au moins, lui, il a réussi dans la vie he, at least, succeeded in life; tu l'as remercié, au moins? you did thank him, didn't you?

I de moins loc adv ça m'a pris deux heures de moins it took me two hours less; le kilo de pêches valait deux euros de moins que la veille a kilo of peaches cost two euros less than it had the day before; j'ai un an de moins que lui I'm a year younger than he is; il a obtenu 25% de voix de moins que son adversaire he got 25% fewer votes than his opponent.

J du moins loc adv at least; c'est du moins ce qu'il m'a raconté at least that's what he told me; si du moins tu es d'accord that is if you agree.

K en moins loc adv il y avait deux fourchettes en moins dans la boîte there were two forks missing from the box; il est revenu du front avec une jambe en moins/avec un doigt en moins he came back from the front with only one leg/with a finger missing; c'est tout le portrait de son père, la moustache en moins he's/she's the spitting image of his/her father without the moustache GB ou mustache US.

L pour le moins loc adv to say the least; ton attitude est pour le moins étrange your attitude is strange to say the least (of it).

II.

moins nm inv

1 Math minus; le signe moins the minus sign;

2 ○( inconvénient) minus.

Composé

moins que rien nmf good-for-nothing, nobody.

[mwɛ̃] adverbe

A.[COMPARATIF D'INFÉRIORITÉ]

1. [avec un adjectif, un adverbe] less

cinq fois moins cher five times less expensive

deux fois moins cher half as expensive, twice as cheap

en moins rapide but not so ou as fast

c'est moins bien que l'an dernier it's not as good a last year

c'est le même appartement, en moins bien/grand it's the same flat only not as nice/not as big

beaucoup/un peu moins a lot/a little less

il est moins timide que réservé he's not so much shy as reserved

il n'en est pas moins vrai que... it is nonetheless true that...

non moins charmante que... just as charming as..., no less charming than...

2. [avec un verbe] less, not... so ou as much

je souffre moins I'm not in so much ou I'm in less pain

tu devrais demander moins you shouldn't ask for so much

moins tu parles, mieux ça vaut the less you speak, the better

j'y pense moins que tu ne le crois I think about it less than you think

B.[SUPERLATIF D'INFÉRIORITÉ]

1. [avec un adjectif, un adverbe]

c'est lui le moins riche des trois he's the least wealthy of the three

c'est elle la moins intelligente des deux she's the less intelligent of the two

c'est le sommet le moins élevé it's the lowest peak

c'est le modèle le moins cher qu'on puisse trouver it's the least expensive (that) you can find

le moins possible as little as possible

c'est lui qui habite le moins loin he lives the least far away ou the nearest

je ne suis pas le moins du monde surpris I'm not at all ou not in the least bit surprised

je vous dérange? — mais non, pas le moins du monde am I disturbing you? — of course not ou not in the slightest

2. [avec un verbe]

le moins (the) least

le moins qu'on puisse faire, c'est de les inviter the least we could do is invite them

c'est le moins qu'on puisse dire! that's the least you can say!

————————

[mwɛ̃] préposition

1. [en soustrayant]

dix moins huit font deux ten minus ou less eight makes two

on est seize: moins les enfants, ça fait douze there are sixteen of us, twelve not counting the children

2. [indiquant l'heure]

il est moins vingt it's twenty to

il est 3 h moins le quart it's (a) quarter to 3

il était moins une ou cinq (familier) that was a close call ou shave

3. [introduisant un nombre négatif]

moins 50 plus moins 6 égalent moins 56 minus 50 plus minus 6 is ou makes minus 56

il fait moins 25 it's 25 below ou minus 25

plonger à moins 300 m to dive to a depth of 300 m

————————

[mwɛ̃] nom masculin

minus (sign)

————————

à moins locution adverbiale

j'étais terrifié — on le serait à moins! I was terrified — and lesser things have frightened me!

————————

à moins de locution prépositionnelle

1. [excepté]

à moins d'un miracle short of ou barring a miracle

nous n'arriverons pas à temps, à moins de partir demain we won't get there on time unless we leave tomorrow

2. [pour moins de] for less than

3. [dans le temps, l'espace]

il habite à moins de 10 minutes/500 mètres d'ici he lives less than 10 minutes/500 metres from here

————————

à moins que locution conjonctive

unless

à moins que vous ne vouliez le faire vous-même... unless you wanted to do it yourself...

————————

au moins locution adverbiale

1. [en tout cas] at least

2. [au minimum] at least

ça fait au moins un mois qu'on ne l'a pas vu we haven't seen him for at least a month

————————

de moins locution adverbiale

il y a 100 euros de moins dans le tiroir there are 100 euros missing from the drawer

je me sens 10 ans de moins I feel 10 years younger

(en corrélation avec 'que')

j'ai un an de moins qu'elle I'm a year younger than her

j'ai une tête de moins qu'elle I'm shorter than her by a head

de moins en moins locution adverbiale

less and less

de moins en moins souvent less and less often

de moins en moins de locution déterminante

[suivi d'un nom comptable] fewer and fewer

[suivi d'un nom non comptable] less and less

il y a de moins en moins de demande pour ce produit there is less and less demand for this product

————————

des moins locution adverbiale

un accueil des moins chaleureux a less than warm welcome

————————

du moins locution adverbiale

at least

ils devaient venir samedi, c'est du moins ce qu'ils nous avaient dit they were supposed to come on saturday, at least that's what they told us

————————

en moins locution adverbiale

il y a une chaise en moins there's one chair missing, we're one chair short

————————

en moins de locution prépositionnelle

in less than

en moins de temps qu'il n'en faut pour le dire before you can say Jack Robinson

en moins de rien in no time at all

en moins de deux (familier) in a jiffy, in two ticks

————————

moins de locution déterminante

1. (comparatif) [avec un nom comptable] fewer

[avec un nom non comptable] less

un peu moins de bruit! a little less noise!

il a moins de 18 ans he's under 18

les moins de 18 ans the under 18's

il ne me faudra pas moins de 3 heures pour tout faire I'll need no less than ou at the very least 3 hours to do everything

2. (superlatif)

le moins de

a. [avec un nom comptable] the fewest

b. [avec un nom non comptable] the least

c'est ce qui consomme le moins d'énergie it uses the least amount of energy

————————

moins... moins locution correlative

the less... the less

moins il travaillera, moins il aura de chances de réussir à son examen the less he works, the less chance he'll have of passing his exam

————————

moins... plus locution correlative

the less... the more

————————

moins que rien locution adverbiale

next to nothing

————————

moins que rien nom masculin et féminin

nobody

c'est un/une moins que rien he's/she's a nobody

des moins que rien a useless bunch (of individuals)

on ne peut moins locution adverbiale

elle est on ne peut moins honnête she's as honest as they come

c'est on ne peut moins compliqué! it couldn't be less complicated!

pour le moins locution adverbiale

at the very least, to say the least

il y a pour le moins une heure d'attente there's an hour's wait at the very least

Dictionnaire Français-Anglais > moins

12 encore

encore [ɑ̃kɔʀ]

adverb

   a. ( = toujours) still

• il restait encore quelques personnes there were still a few people left

• ça ne s'était encore jamais vu it had never happened before

   b. ► pas encore not yet

• il n'est pas encore prêt he's not ready yet

   c. ( = pas plus tard que) only

• il me le disait hier encore he was saying that to me only yesterday

   d. ( = de nouveau) again

• encore une fois one more time

• encore une fois non ! how many times do I have to tell you: no!

• il a encore laissé la porte ouverte he has left the door open again

• encore vous ! you again!

• quoi encore ? what is it this time?

   e. ( = de plus, en plus) more

• encore un ! one more!

• encore une tasse ? another cup?

• encore un peu de thé ? more tea?

• encore quelques gâteaux ? more cakes?

• j'en veux encore I want some more

• encore un mot, avant de terminer one more word before I finish

• que te faut-il encore ? what else do you want?

• pendant encore deux jours for two more days

• mais encore ? could you explain further?

   f. (avec comparatif) even

• il fait encore plus froid qu'hier it's even colder than yesterday

• pire encore even worse

• encore autant as much again

   g. (restrictif) il en est sûrement capable, encore faut-il qu'il le fasse he's obviously capable, but whether he does it or not is another matter

• on t'en donnera peut-être 100 €, et encore they might give you 100 euros for it, if that

• c'est passable, et encore ! it's passable but only just!

• si encore je savais où ça se trouve if only I knew where it was

► encore que ( = quoique) even though

• encore que je n'en sache rien though I don't really know

* * *
ɑ̃kɔʀ
1.

adverbe

1) ( toujours) still

je m'en souviens encore — I still remember

il n'est encore que midi — it's only midday

tu en es encore là? — fig haven't you got GB ou gotten US beyond that by now?

qu'il soit impoli passe encore, mais... — the fact that he's rude is one thing, but...

encore heureux or une chance que je m'en sois aperçu — it's lucky that I realized

2) ( toujours pas)

pas encore — not yet

tu n'as encore rien vu — you haven't seen anything yet

cela ne s'est encore jamais vu/fait — it has never been seen/done before

les abricots ne sont pas encore assez mûrs — the apricots aren't ripe enough yet

3) ( de nouveau) again

les prix ont encore augmenté — prices have gone up again

encore toi! — you again!

encore! — ( à un spectacle) more!

encore une fois — once more

qu'est-ce que j'ai encore fait? — what have I done now?

elle s'est encore acheté une nouvelle robe — she has bought herself yet another new dress

4) ( davantage) more

j'en veux encore — I want some more

tu devrais encore raccourcir ta robe — you should take your dress up a little more

cela va encore aggraver les choses — it's going to make things even worse

c'est encore mieux/moins — it's even better/less

5) ( en plus)

encore un gâteau? — another cake?

pendant encore trois jours — for another three days

il me reste encore 50 euros — I've still got 50 euros left

que dois-je prendre encore? — what else shall I take?

qu'est-ce qu'il te faut encore? — fig what more do you need ou want?

et puis quoi encore! — (colloq) what next! (colloq)

que dire encore? — what else can be said?

ou encore — or else

6) ( toutefois)

il ne suffit pas d'avoir de bonnes idées, encore faut-il savoir les exprimer — it's not enough to have good ideas, one must be able to articulate them

encore faut-il qu'elle accepte — but she still has to accept

si encore il était généreux! — if he were at least generous!

7) ( seulement) only, just

il y a encore trois mois — only ou just three months ago

2.

et encore locution adverbiale if that

3.

encore que locution conjonctive ( bien que) even though

••

Lorsqu'il signifie toujours, encore se traduit généralement par still dans une phrase affirmative ou interrogative: il était encore étudiant quand il s'est marié = he was still a student when he got married; habite-t-elle encore ici? = does she still live here?; pas encore se traduit par not yet: elle n'était pas encore mariée quand elle a eu son premier bébé = she wasn't yet married when she had her first baby, she still wasn't married when she had her first baby; il n'est pas encore rentré = he hasn't come home yet, he still hasn't come home; dans ce dernier cas, still marque l'étonnement ou l'exaspération, alors que yet indique un énoncé neutre des faits

Des exceptions aux traductions fournies ci-dessus et les autres sens de encore sont traités dans l'article ci-contre

* * *
ɑ̃kɔʀ adv
1) (continuation) still

Il y travaille encore. — He's still working on it.

Il est encore au travail. — He's still at work.

pas encore — not yet

Il n'est pas encore rentré. — He isn't home yet.

2) (= de nouveau) again

Il m'a encore demandé de l'argent. — He asked me for money again.

J'irai encore demain. — I'll go again tomorrow.

3) (= de plus)

encore un...; encore une... — one more..., another...

encore un effort — one last effort

encore un verre — another glass

encore deux jours — two more days

Encore un peu de gâteau? — Would you like some more cake?

Il reste encore deux morceaux de gâteau. — There are two pieces of cake left.

encore une fois — once again

encore! (insatisfaction) — not again!

quoi encore? — what now?

4) (intensif) even, still

encore plus fort — even louder, louder still

encore mieux — even better, better still

hier encore — as recently as yesterday

non seulement..., mais encore... — not only..., but also...

5)

si encore — if only

encore que — although

* * *

encore ⇒ Note d'usage

A adv

1 ( toujours) still; je m'en souviens encore I still remember; il n'est encore que midi it's only midday; tu en es encore là? fig haven't you got GB ou gotten US beyond that by now?; il se plaignait, encore et toujours he was complaining as usual; hier soir encore elle allait bien only yesterday evening she was fine; qu'il soit impoli passe encore, mais je n'accepte pas sa méchanceté the fact that he's rude is one thing, but I won't tolerate his nastiness; encore heureux ou une chance que je m'en sois aperçu it's lucky that I realized;

2 ( toujours pas) pas encore not yet; tu n'as encore rien vu you haven't seen anything yet; cela ne s'est encore jamais vu/fait it has never been seen/done before; je n'ai encore jamais pu être tranquille ici up to now, I've never had any peace here; les abricots ne sont pas encore mûrs the apricots aren't ripe yet; les abricots ne sont pas encore assez mûrs the apricots aren't ripe enough yet; il n'était pas encore célèbre à cette époque at that time he wasn't yet famous; le nom de son remplaçant n'est pas encore connu the name of his replacement is still not known; ce n'est pas encore de leur âge they're not old enough yet; on n'en est pas encore là we haven't got to that stage yet; ce n'est pas encore sûr it still isn't definite, it's not definite yet;

3 ( de nouveau) again; les prix ont encore augmenté prices have gone up again; encore toi! you again!; elle a encore gagné/perdu she has won/lost again; encore de la purée! not mashed potatoes again!; encore! ( à un spectacle) encore!; encore une fois ou un coup once again, one more time; c'est encore une histoire d'amour it's another love story; qu 'est-ce que j'ai encore fait? what have I done now?; il m'en reste encore autant à faire I've still got as much to do again; j'ai encore cassé une assiette I've broken another plate; elle s'est encore acheté une nouvelle robe she has bought herself yet another new dress; son dernier livre est encore un roman policier his/her last book is also a ou is another detective novel; là encore, fais attention ( à cet endroit aussi) be careful there too ou as well; là encore, tu dois utiliser le subjonctif there again, you must use the subjunctive; ici encore on retrouve le thème de la mort here again we find the theme of death;

4 ( davantage) more; j'en veux encore I want some more; mange encore un peu have some more to eat; mange encore un peu d'agneau have some more lamb; je vais travailler encore un peu I'm going to do a little more work; tu devrais encore raccourcir ta robe you should take your dress up a little more; cela va encore aggraver les choses it's going to make things even worse; c'est encore mieux/pire it's even better/worse; encore moins/plus even less/more; il fait encore plus froid que d'habitude it's even colder than usual; elle est encore plus grande que moi she's even taller than me;

5 ( en plus) veux-tu encore un gâteau? would you like another cake?; pendant encore trois jours for another three days; tu as encore 10 minutes you've still got 10 minutes, you've got another 10 minutes; on a encore 100 km à faire we (still) have another 100 km to do; il me reste encore 100 euros I've still got 100 euros left; que dois-je prendre encore? what else shall I take?; qu'est-ce qu'il te faut encore? fig what more do you need ou want?; et puis quoi encore○! what next○! ; quoi encore! what now!; qui encore! who is it now!; mais encore? which is to say?; que dire encore? what else can be said?; ou encore or else; vous pouvez pratiquer la natation, la plongée sous-marine ou encore vous initier à la voile you can swim, go scuba diving, or else learn to sail;

6 ( toutefois) il ne suffit pas d'avoir de bonnes idées, encore faut-il savoir les exprimer it's not enough to have good ideas, one must be able to articulate them; encore faut-il qu'elle accepte but she still has to accept; encore, s'il voulait travailler, ce serait déjà bien if he were at least prepared to work, it would be something; si encore il était généreux, cela compenserait if he were at least generous, that would make up for a lot;

7 ( seulement) only, just; il était pratiquement inconnu il y a encore trois mois he was practically unknown only ou just three months ago.

B et encore loc adv if that; c'est tout au plus mangeable, et encore! it's only just edible, if that!; en voyage, elle n'emporte que sa brosse à dents, et encore! when she travels, she only takes her toothbrush with her, if that!

C encore que loc conj ( bien que) even though; encore qu'il soit jeune, il a déjà beaucoup de talent even though he's young, he's already very talented; ce n'est pas mal, encore que cela pourrait être mieux it's not bad, but it could still be better.

[ɑ̃kɔr] adverbe

1. [toujours] still

ils en sont encore à taper tout à la machine they're still using typewriters

2. [pas plus tard que] only

ce matin encore, il était d'accord only this morning he was in agreement

3. [dans des phrases négatives]

pas encore not yet

je n'ai pas encore fini I haven't finished yet

encore rien still nothing, nothing yet

vous n'avez encore rien vu! you haven't seen anything yet!

je n'avais encore jamais vu ça! I'd never seen anything like it before!

4. [de nouveau]

tu manges encore! you're not eating again, are you!

je me suis coupé — encore! I've cut myself — not again!

encore une fois, c'est non! the answer's still no!

si tu fais ça encore une fois... if you do that again ou one more time ou once more...

encore de la glace? some more ou a little more ice-cream?

je te sers encore un verre? will you have another drink?

quoi encore?

a. [dans une énumération] what else?

b. (familier) [ton irrité] now what?

qu'est-ce qu'il y a encore? what is it this time?

et puis quoi encore?

a. [dans une émunération] what else?

b. (ironique) will that be all?

c. [marquant l'incrédulité] whatever next?

elle est bien élevée, charmante, mais encore? she's well brought-up and charming, and (apart from that)?

encore un qui ne sait pas ce qu'il veut! another one who doesn't know what he wants!

5. [davantage]

il va grandir encore he's still got a bit more growing to do

réduisez-le encore reduce it even more

il faudra encore travailler cette scène that scene still needs more work on it

[devant un comparatif]

il est encore plus gentil que je n'imaginais he is even nicer than I'd imagined (he'd be)

encore autant as much again

encore pire even ou still worse

6. [introduisant une restriction]

c'est bien beau d'avoir des projets, encore faut-il les réaliser it's all very well having plans, but the important thing is to put them into practice

si encore il ou encore s'il était franc, on lui pardonnerait if only ou if at least he was honest you could forgive him

je t'en donne 100 euros, et encore! I'll give you 100 euros for it, if that!

et encore, on ne sait pas tout! and even then we don't know the half of it!

encore heureux! thank goodness for that!

encore une chance qu'il n'ait pas été là! thank goodness ou it's lucky he wasn't there!

encore que locution conjonctive

j'aimerais y aller, encore qu'il soit tard I'd like to go even though it's late

Dictionnaire Français-Anglais > encore

13 tout

c black tout, toute [tu, tut]

━━━━━━━━━

1. adjective

2. indefinite pronoun

3. adverb

4. masculine noun

━━━━━━━━━

(masculine plural tous, feminine plural toutes)

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

► Lorsque tout fait partie d'une locution comme en tout cas, tout le temps, reportez-vous aussi à l'autre mot.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

1. <

   a. ( = entier)

• tout le all the

• toute la all the

• tout le reste all the rest

• il a tout le temps qu'il lui faut he has all the time he needs

• toute la France regardait le match the whole of France was watching the match

• pendant tout le voyage during the whole trip

• il a plu toute la nuit it rained all night

• il a dépensé tout son argent he has spent all his money

• il a passé toutes ses vacances à lire he spent all his holidays reading

► tout le monde everybody everyone

• tout le monde le sait everybody knows

• ils veulent vivre comme tout le monde they want to live like everybody else

• il ne fait jamais comme tout le monde he always has to be different► tout, toute + nom

• il a lu tout Balzac he has read all of Balzac

   b. ( = unique) only

• c'est tout l'effet que ça lui fait that's all the effect it has on him

• c'est là tout le problème that's the whole problem

• pour tout mobilier, il avait un lit et une table the only furniture he had was a bed and a table

   c. (indéfini)

► tout, toute + nom singulier ( = n'importe quel) any

• toute personne susceptible de nous aider any person able to help us

• à tout âge at any age

• pour tout renseignement, téléphoner... for information, ring...► à toute ! (inf) see you later!

► tous les, toutes les + nom pluriel ( = chaque) every ; ( = la totalité des) all the

• tous les jours every day

• tous les deux jours every two days

• tous les 10 mètres every 10 metres

• toutes les trois heures every three hours

• tous les enfants étaient à l'école all the children were at school

• tous les enfants ont besoin d'amour all children need love

• toutes les personnes que nous connaissons all the people that we know

• toutes les fois que je le vois every time I see him

• il avait toutes les raisons d'être mécontent he had every reason to be displeased

• un film tous publics a U film (Brit) a G film (US)► tous, toutes + nombre

• tous les deux both of them

• tous les trois all three of them

• tous deux both of them

2. <

   a. (singulier) everything

• il a tout organisé he organized everything

• on ne peut pas tout faire you can't do everything

• tout va bien everything's fine

• il mange tout et n'importe quoi he eats absolutely everything

• ses enfants mangent de tout her children will eat anything

• il vend de tout he sells everything

• il a tout pour réussir he's got everything going for him

• il a tout pour plaire (inf) he's got nothing going for him

• tout a une fin everything comes to an end

• tout est bien qui finit bien all's well that ends well

• être tout pour qn to be everything to sb

► tout ce qui

• tout ce qui lui appartient everything that belongs to him► tout ce que

• tout ce que je sais, c'est qu'il est parti all I know is that he's gone

• c'est tout ce qu'il m'a dit that's all he told me

• ne croyez pas tout ce qu'il raconte don't believe everything he tells you► tout ce qu'il y a de ( = extrêmement) most

• il a été tout ce qu'il y a de gentil he couldn't have been kinder

• c'était tout ce qu'il y a de chic it was the last word in chic► avoir tout de + nom

• elle a tout d'une star she's every inch a star

• ça a tout d'un canular it's obviously a practical joke

• l'organisation a tout d'une secte the organization is nothing less than a sect► à tout va (inf) [licencier, investir, recruter] like mad (inf) ; [libéralisme, communication, consommation] unbridled

• à l'époque, on construisait à tout va at that time there were buildings going up everywhere► en tout ( = au total) in all

• nous étions 16 en tout there were 16 of us in all

• ça coûte 1 000 € en tout it costs 1,000 euros in all

• leurs programmes politiques s'opposent en tout their political programmes clash in every way► en tout et pour tout all in all

• il lui reste 150 euros en tout et pour tout he only has a total of 150 euros left► et tout (inf) and everything

• avec les vacances et tout, je n'ai pas eu le temps what with the holidays and all (inf), I didn't have time

• j'avais préparé le dîner, fait le ménage et tout et tout I'd made the dinner, done the housework and everything► c'est + tout

• c'est tout that's all

• ce sera tout ? will that be all?

• et ce n'est pas tout ! and that's not all!

• c'est pas tout ça, mais il est tard (inf) all this is very nice, but it's getting late► ce n'est pas tout de

• ce n'est pas tout de faire son métier, il faut le faire bien it's not enough just to do your job, you have to do it well

• ce n'est pas tout d'en parler there's more to it than just talking about it► pour tout dire

• cette idée avait surpris et pour tout dire n'avait pas convaincu this idea surprised everybody and, to be honest, wasn't convincing

c black   b. (pluriel) tous

• toutes ( = l'ensemble des personnes) all

• tous sont arrivés they have all arrived

• il les déteste tous he hates them all

• écoutez bien tous ! listen, all of you!

• tous ensemble all together

• nous avons tous nos défauts we all have our faults

• vous toutes qui m'écoutez all of you who are listening to me

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

✦ The final s of tous is pronounced only when it is a pronoun.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

3. <

   a. ► tout + adjectif ( = très) very ; ( = entièrement) quite

• il est tout étonné he's very surprised

• c'est une toute jeune femme she's a very young woman

• elles étaient toutes contentes they were very pleased

• les toutes premières années the very first years

• c'est tout autre chose that's quite another matter

• c'est tout naturel it's quite natural

• toute petite, elle aimait la campagne as a very small child she liked the country► tout (+ en) + nom

• je suis tout ouïe ! I'm all ears!

• tout en laine all wool

• habillé tout en noir dressed all in black

• un jeu tout en douceur a very delicate style of play

• le jardin est tout en fleurs the garden is a mass of flowers► tout + adverbe

• tout près very near

• tout là-bas right over there

• tout en bas de la colline right at the bottom of the hill

• tout au fond right at the bottom

• tout simplement quite simply

• tout plein de (inf) loads (inf) of

• il est mignon tout plein (inf) he's very sweet

   b. ( = déjà) tout prêt

• tout préparé ready-made

• phrases toutes faites set phrases

• idées toutes faites preconceived ideas

   c. ► tout en + participe présent

• tout en marchant while walking

• je suis incapable de travailler tout en écoutant de la musique I can't work and listen to music at the same time

• tout en prétendant le contraire il voulait être élu although he pretended otherwise he wanted to be elected

   d. (locutions)

► tout à fait quite

• ce n'est pas tout à fait la même chose it's not quite the same thing

• c'est tout à fait faux it's quite wrong

• il est tout à fait charmant he's quite charming

• je suis tout à fait d'accord avec vous I totally agree with you

• vous êtes d'accord ? -- tout à fait ! do you agree? -- absolutely!► tout à l'heure ( = plus tard) later ; ( = peu avant) a short while ago

• je repasserai tout à l'heure I'll come back later

• tout à l'heure tu as dit que... you said earlier that...

• à tout à l'heure ! see you later!► tout de suite straightaway

• j'ai tout de suite compris I understood straightaway

• ce n'est pas pour tout de suite ( = ce n'est pas près d'arriver) it won't happen overnight ; ( = c'est improbable) it's hardly likely to happen

4. <

   a. ( = ensemble) whole

• ces éléments forment un tout these elements make up a whole

• prendre le tout to take all of it (or them)

• jouer le tout pour le tout to stake one's all

• mon tout est un roi de France my whole is a king of France

   b. ( = essentiel) le tout c'est de faire vite the main thing is to be quick about it

• c'est pas le tout mais j'ai du travail (inf) this is all very well but I've got work to do

• ce n'est pas le tout de s'amuser, il faut travailler there's more to life than enjoying yourself, people have got to work

   c. (locutions)

► du tout

• pas du tout ! not at all!

• il n'y a plus du tout de pain there's no bread left at all

• je ne vois rien du tout I can't see a thing► du tout au tout ( = complètement) completely

• il avait changé du tout au tout he had changed completely

* * *
tu
1.

toute tut, mpl tous tu adj, tus pron, fpl toutes tut pronom indéfini

1) tout ( chaque chose) everything; ( n'importe quoi) anything; ( l'ensemble) all

tout est prêt — everything is ready

tout peut arriver — anything can happen

tout est prétexte à querelle(s) — any pretext will do to start a quarrel

tout n'est pas perdu — all is not lost

en tout — ( au total) in all; ( entièrement) in every respect

en tout et pour tout — all told

tout bien compté or pesé or considéré — all in all

tout est là — fig that's the whole point

c'est tout dire — I need say no more

et tout et tout — (colloq) and all that sort of thing

ce n'est pas tout (que) de commencer un travail, il faut le finir — it's not enough ou it's all very well to start off a job, it's got to be finished

avoir tout d'un assassin — to look just like a murderer

2) tous tus, toutes ( la totalité des êtres ou choses) all; (la totalité des éléments d'une catégorie, d'un groupe) all of them/us/you

tous ensemble — all together

tous ne sont pas d'accord — not all of them agree

toutes tant qu'elles sont — all of them, each and every one of them

est-ce que ça conviendra à tous? — will it suit everybody ou everyone?

2.

adjectif

1) ( exprimant la totalité)

bois tout ton lait — drink all your milk, drink up your milk

tout le reste — everything else

manger tout un pain — to eat a whole loaf

tout Pompéi a été enseveli — the whole of Pompeii was buried

je ne l'ai pas vu de tout l'été — I haven't seen him all summer

tout le problème est là — that's where the problem lies

tout cela ne compte pas — none of that counts

tout le monde — everybody

2) ( véritable)

c'est tout un travail/événement — it's quite a job/an event

3) (devant ce qui/que/dont) ( l'ensemble) all; ( toutes les choses) everything; ( sans discrimination) anything

tout ce dont j'ai besoin — all I need

j'ai acheté tout ce qui était sur la liste — I bought everything that was on the list

il dit tout ce qui lui passe par la tête — he says anything that comes into his head

tout ce qu'il dit n'est pas vrai — not all of what he says is true

être tout ce qu'il y a de plus serviable — to be most obliging

c'est tout ce qu'on fait de mieux — it's the best there is

‘tu en es sûr?’ - ‘tout ce qu'il y a de plus sûr’ — ‘are you sure?’ - ‘as sure as can be’

4) ( n'importe quel) any

à tout âge — at any age

à tout moment — ( n'importe quand) at any time; ( sans cesse) constantly

toute publicité est interdite — all advertising is prohibited

5) ( total)

en toute innocence/franchise — in all innocence/honesty

en toute liberté — with complete freedom

en toute hâte — in a great hurry

de toute beauté — most beautiful

6) (unique, seul)

il a souri pour toute réponse — his only reply was a smile, he smiled by way of a reply

on lui donne quelques légumes pour tous gages — all that he gets in the way of wages is a few vegetables

7) tous, toutes ( les uns et les autres sans distinction) all, every (+ sg)

en toutes choses — in all things, in everything

toutes les pages sont déchirées — all the pages are torn, every page is torn

tous les prétextes leur sont bons — they'll use any excuse ( pour to)

meubles tous budgets — furniture to suit every pocket

nous irons tous les deux — both of us will go, we'll both go

je les prends tous les quatre — I'm taking all four (of them)

8) ( chaque) tous/toutes les every

à tous les coins de rue — on every street corner

tous les jours — every day

tous les deux jours — every other day

tous les combien? — how often?

3.

adverbe (normally invariable, but agrees in gender and in number with feminine adjective beginning with consonant or h-aspirate)

1) (très, extrêmement) very, quite; ( entièrement) all

tout doucement — very gently

tout étonnées/toutes honteuses — very surprised/ashamed

tout enfant, elle aimait déjà dessiner — as a small child she already liked to draw

c'est tout naturel — it's quite natural

des yeux tout ronds de surprise — eyes wide with surprise

être tout mouillé/sale — to be all wet/dirty

faire quelque chose tout seul — to do something all by oneself

c'est tout autre chose, c'est une tout autre histoire — it's a different matter altogether

2) ( devant un nom)

c'est tout le portrait de sa mère — she's the spitting ou very image of her mother

c'est tout l'inverse or le contraire — it's the very opposite

ça m'en a tout l'air — it looks very much like it to me

tu as tout le temps d'y réfléchir — you've got plenty of time to think it over

avec toi, c'est tout l'un ou tout l'autre — you see everything in black and white

3) ( tout à fait)

la toute dernière ligne — the very last line

tout à côté de/contre/en haut — right by/against/at the top

il les a mangés tout crus — he ate them raw

j'en sais tout autant que lui — I know just as much as he does

maison tout en longueur — very long and narrow house

ils étaient tout en sang/en sueur — they were covered in blood/bathed in sweat

être tout en larmes — to be in floods of tears

la colline est tout en fleurs — the hill is a mass of flowers

elle est tout(e) à son travail — she's totally absorbed in her work

4) ( d'avance)

tout prêt — ready-made

des légumes tout épluchés — ready-peeled vegetables

5) ( en même temps) while; ( bien que) although

il lisait tout en marchant — he was reading as he walked

elle le défendait tout en le sachant coupable — she defended him although she knew he was guilty

6) (marquant la concession: quoique)

tout aussi étrange que cela paraisse — however strange it may seem

tout malin/roi qu'il est, il... — he may be clever/a king, but he...

7) ( rien d'autre que)

je suis tout ouïe — hum I'm all ears

veste tout cuir — all leather jacket

4.

du tout locution adverbiale

(pas) du tout, (point) du tout — not at all

sans savoir du tout — without knowing at all

5.

nom masculin (pl touts)

1) ( ensemble)

former un tout — to make up ou form a whole

mon tout — ( charade) my whole, my all

du tout au tout — completely

2)

le tout — ( la totalité) the whole lot, the lot; ( l'essentiel) the main thing

vendre le tout pour 50 euros — to sell the (whole) lot for 50 euros

le tout est de réussir — the main ou most important thing is to succeed

ce n'est pas le tout! — (colloq) this is no good!

6.

Tout- (in compounds)

le Tout-Paris/-Londres — the Paris/London smart set

Phrasal Verbs:

- tout à coup

- tout d'un coup

- tout à fait

- tout à l'heure

- tout de même

- tout de suite

••

être tout yeux tout oreilles — to be very attentive

••

Quand tout fait partie d'une locution figée comme tous feux éteints, à tout hasard, de toute(s) part(s), tout compte fait, après tout etc, qu'il est fréquemment associé à un adjectif ou un adverbe donné comme tout nu, tout neuf, tout plein, tout simplement etc, la traduction sera donnée sous le terme principal

Remarques sur l'adjectif

1. Lorsque tout, adjectif singulier, exprime la totalité, plusieurs traductions sont possibles mais non toujours interchangeables. De manière générale

On emploiera all lorsque le mot qualifié est non dénombrable: tout le vin/l'argent = all the wine/the money; tout ce bruit/leur talent = all that noise/their talent; c'est tout ce que je sais = that's all I know

On emploiera the whole si tout peut être remplacé par entier: tout le gâteau/groupe = the whole cake/group

tout un dans le sens de entier se traduit toujours par a whole: tout un livre = a whole book

Mais: connaître tout Zola/le Japon = to know the whole of Zola/Japan; lire tout ‘Les Misérables’ = to read the whole of ‘Les Misérables’; pendant tout mon séjour = for the whole of my stay

Avec certains mots, en particulier les mots désignant la durée ( journée, mois, saison, vie, vacances etc), les collectifs tels que famille, on pourra employer all ou the whole, la seconde traduction étant légèrement plus emphatique: toute ma vie = all my life, the whole of my life

tout le pays/toute la ville = all the country/town ou = the whole country/town lorsque ces mots désignent la population; au sens géographique, seule la deuxième traduction convient

2. throughout (ou all through) signifie du début à la fin, d'un bout à l'autre. On l'emploie souvent pour insister sur la durée ou l'étendue devant un terme singulier ou pluriel qui désigne l'espace de temps ou l'événement pendant lequel un fait a lieu, ou encore le territoire sur lequel il a lieu: pendant tout le match/tous ces mois = throughout the match/those months; la rumeur se répandit dans toute la province = the rumour [BrE] spread throughout the province; faire tout le trajet debout = to stand throughout the journey (ou for the whole journey); il neige sur toute la France = it's snowing throughout France (ou all over France)

Au pluriel, tous, toutes se traduiront par all pour exprimer la totalité, par every pour insister sur les composants d'un ensemble, ou encore par any pour indiquer l'absence de discrimination. On notera que every and any sont suivis du singulier

••

Quand tout fait partie d'une locution figée comme tous feux éteints, à tout hasard, de toute(s) part(s), tout compte fait, après tout etc, qu'il est fréquemment associé à un adjectif ou un adverbe donné comme tout nu, tout neuf, tout plein, tout simplement etc, la traduction sera donnée sous le terme principal

Remarques sur l'adjectif

1. Lorsque tout, adjectif singulier, exprime la totalité, plusieurs traductions sont possibles mais non toujours interchangeables. De manière générale

On emploiera all lorsque le mot qualifié est non dénombrable: tout le vin/l'argent = all the wine/the money; tout ce bruit/leur talent = all that noise/their talent; c'est tout ce que je sais = that's all I know

On emploiera the whole si tout peut être remplacé par entier: tout le gâteau/groupe = the whole cake/group

tout un dans le sens de entier se traduit toujours par a whole: tout un livre = a whole book

Mais: connaître tout Zola/le Japon = to know the whole of Zola/Japan; lire tout ‘Les Misérables’ = to read the whole of ‘Les Misérables’; pendant tout mon séjour = for the whole of my stay

Avec certains mots, en particulier les mots désignant la durée ( journée, mois, saison, vie, vacances etc), les collectifs tels que famille, on pourra employer all ou the whole, la seconde traduction étant légèrement plus emphatique: toute ma vie = all my life, the whole of my life

tout le pays/toute la ville = all the country/town ou = the whole country/town lorsque ces mots désignent la population; au sens géographique, seule la deuxième traduction convient

2. throughout (ou all through) signifie du début à la fin, d'un bout à l'autre. On l'emploie souvent pour insister sur la durée ou l'étendue devant un terme singulier ou pluriel qui désigne l'espace de temps ou l'événement pendant lequel un fait a lieu, ou encore le territoire sur lequel il a lieu: pendant tout le match/tous ces mois = throughout the match/those months; la rumeur se répandit dans toute la province = the rumour [BrE] spread throughout the province; faire tout le trajet debout = to stand throughout the journey (ou for the whole journey); il neige sur toute la France = it's snowing throughout France (ou all over France)

Au pluriel, tous, toutes se traduiront par all pour exprimer la totalité, par every pour insister sur les composants d'un ensemble, ou encore par any pour indiquer l'absence de discrimination. On notera que every and any sont suivis du singulier

* * *
tu, tut tout, -e tous mpl toutes fpl
1. adj

1) (avec article singulier) all

tout le lait — all the milk

tout le livre — the whole book

tout un pain — a whole loaf

toute la journée — all day

toute la nuit — all night, the whole night

tout le temps — all the time, the whole time

tout le monde — everybody

c'est tout le contraire — it's quite the opposite

c'est toute une affaire; c'est toute une histoire — it's quite a business, it's a whole rigmarole

2) (avec article pluriel) (= chaque) every, (idée d'intégralité) all

toutes les filles — all the girls

tous les livres — all the books

tous les jours — every day

toutes les nuits — every night

toutes les fois — every time

toutes les deux semaines — every other week, every two weeks

toutes les trois semaines — every three weeks, every third week

tous les deux jours — every two days

tous les deux; Nous y sommes allés tous les deux. — We both went., Both of us went.

Nous y sommes allés tous les trois. — All three of us went.

Je les ai invités tous les trois. — I invited all three of them.

3) (sans article) (= n'importe quel)

à tout âge — at any age

à toute heure du jour ou de la nuit — at any time of the day or night, (= seul)

pour toute nourriture, il avait... — his only food was..., (= chaque)

de tous côtés; de toutes parts (= de partout) — from everywhere, from every side, (= partout) all around

2. pron

tout — everything

tous; toutes — all

Il a tout fait. — He did everything.

Il a tout organisé. — He organized everything.

Je les vois tous. — I can see them all., I can see all of them.

Je les connais tous. — I know them all., I know all of them.

Nous y sommes tous allés. — We all went., All of us went.

Nous y sommes toutes allées. — We all went., All of us went.

tout ou rien — all or nothing

c'est tout — that's all

tout de...; Elle a tout d'une mère. — She's a real mother., She's a true mother.

en tout — all together, altogether

Ça fait combien en tout? — How much is that altogether?

en tout et pour tout — all in all

tout ce que...; tout ce qu'il sait — all he knows

C'était tout ce qu'il y a de plus chic. — It was the last word in chic., It was the ultimate in chic.

3. nm

un tout — a whole

Ceci forme un tout. — It forms a whole.

le tout — all of it

Je prends le tout. — I'll take it all., I'll take the whole lot.

le tout est de... — the main thing is to...

pas du tout — not at all

du tout au tout — completely

4. adv

1) (= très, complètement) very

tout près; tout à côté — very near

Elle habite tout près. — She lives very near.

le tout premier; la toute première — the very first

tout seul; toute seule — all alone

Il est tout seul. — He's all alone.

Elle est toute seule. — She's all alone.

Il était tout rouge. — He was all red in the face.

Elle était toute rouge. — She was all red in the face.

parler tout bas — to speak very quietly

le livre tout entier — the whole book

l'histoire tout entière — the whole story

tout en haut — right at the top

tout droit — straight ahead

tout de suite — immediately, straight away

2)

tout en... — while...

tout en travaillant — while working

Il a fait son travail tout en chantant. — He sang as he worked., He sang while he worked.

3) (autres locutions)

tout d'abord — first of all

tout à coup; tout d'un coup — suddenly

tout à fait — absolutely

tout à fait! — exactly!

tout de même — all the same

tout simplement — quite simply

tout court; Charles-Henri, pouvez-vous... — Je vous en prie, appelez-moi Charles tout court. — Charles-Henri, could you... — Please, just call me Charles.

communication par internet, mais aussi communication tout court — communication via the internet, but also simply communication

tout à l'heure (passé) — just now, a short while ago

Je l'ai vu tout à l'heure. — I saw him just now., (futur) shortly, in a moment

Je finirai ça tout à l'heure. — I'll finish it in a moment.

à tout à l'heure! — see you later!

* * *

tout ⇒ Note d'usage, toute, mpl tous, fpl toutes

A pron indéf

1 tout ( chaque chose) everything; ( n'importe quoi) anything; ( l'ensemble) all; penser à tout to think of everything; tout est prêt everything is ready; le sucre, les graisses, le sel, tout me fait mal sugar, fat, salt, everything is bad for me; être tout pour qn to be everything to sb; tout peut arriver anything can happen; le chien mange (de) tout the dog will eat anything; tout est prétexte à querelle(s) any pretext will do to start a quarrel; tout n'est pas perdu all is not lost; tout ou rien all or nothing; tout ou partie de qch all or part of sth; tout va bien all's well, everything's fine; en tout ( au total) in all; ( entièrement) in every respect; en tout et pour tout all told; et tout ça parce que/pour and all because/for; tout bien compté or pesé or considéré all in all; tout est là fig that's the whole point; c'est tout dire I need say no more; et tout et tout○ and all that sort of thing; et ce n'est pas tout! and that's not all!; ce n'est pas tout (que) de commencer un travail, il faut le finir it's not enough ou it's all very well to start off a job, it's got to be finished; avoir tout d'un singe/assassin to look just like a monkey/murderer; ⇒ bien, monde, salaire, or;

2 tous, toutes ( la totalité des êtres ou choses) all; (la totalité des éléments d'une catégorie, d'un groupe) all of them/us/you; nous sommes tous des pécheurs we are all sinners; le film n'est pas à la portée de tous the film is not accessible to all; merci à tous thank you all; tous ensemble all together; ce sont tous d'anciens soldats all of them are ou they are all former soldiers; il les a tous cassés he has broken all of them, he's broken them all; il l'a dit devant nous tous he said it in front of all of us; leurs enfants, tous musiciens de talent their children, all of them talented musicians; tous ne sont pas d'accord not all of them agree; toutes tant qu'elles sont all of them, each and every one of them; vous tous qui le connaissez all of you who know him; écoutez-moi tous listen to me, all of you; est-ce que ça conviendra à tous? will it suit everybody ou everyone?

B adj

1 ( exprimant la totalité) bois tout ton lait drink all your milk, drink up your milk; tout le reste est à jeter everything else is to be thrown away; manger tout un pain to eat a whole loaf; tout Pompéi a été enseveli the whole of Pompeii was buried; tout Nice se réjouit the whole of ou all Nice rejoiced; il a plu toute la journée it rained all day (long) ou the whole day; pendant toute une année for a whole year; la semaine se passa toute à attendre the whole ou entire week was spent waiting; j'ai passé tout mon dimanche à travailler I spent the whole of ou all Sunday working; je ne l'ai pas vu de tout l'été I haven't seen him all summer; cet enfant est toute ma vie this child is my whole life; c'est tout le plaisir que tu y trouves? is that all the pleasure ou the only pleasure it gives you?; tout le problème est là that's where the problem lies; tout cela ne compte pas none of that counts; le meilleur dentiste de toute la ville the best dentist in town; tout le monde everybody; ⇒ cœur, monde, temps;

2 ( véritable) c'est tout un travail/événement it's quite a job/an event; il a fait toute une histoire he made a real ou big fuss, he made quite a fuss; c'est tout un art there's a whole art to it;

3 tout ce qui/que/dont ( l'ensemble) all; ( toutes les choses) everything; ( sans discrimination) anything; tout ce qui compte all that matters; c'est tout ce que je fais that's all I do; tout ce dont j'ai besoin all I need; j'ai acheté tout ce qui était sur la liste I bought everything that was on the list; il dit tout ce qui lui passe par la tête he says anything that comes into his head; tout ce qu'il dit n'est pas vrai not all of what he says is true; tout ce que le village compte d'enfants, tout ce qu'il y a d'enfants dans le village all the children in the village; être tout ce qu'il y a de plus serviable to be most obliging; c'est tout ce qu'on fait de mieux it's the best there is; ‘tu en es sûr?’-‘tout ce qu'il y a de plus sûr’ ‘are you sure?’-‘as sure as can be’, ‘absolutely sure’;

4 ( n'importe quel) any; à tout âge at any age; de toute nature of any kind; à toute heure du jour ou de la nuit at all times of the day or night; ‘service à toute heure’ ‘24 hour service’; à tout moment ( n'importe quand) at any time; ( sans cesse) constantly; tout prétexte leur est bon they'll jump at any excuse; toute personne qui anyone ou anybody who; toute autre solution serait rejetée any other solution would be rejected; tout autre que lui/toi aurait abandonné anybody else would have given up; toute publicité est interdite all advertising is prohibited; pour toute réclamation, s'adresser à… all complaints should be addressed to…; tout billet n'est pas valable not all tickets are valid; ⇒ vérité;

5 (sans déterminant: total) en toute innocence/franchise in all innocence/honesty; en toute liberté with complete freedom; donner toute satisfaction to give complete satisfaction; c'est tout bénéfice it's all profit; il aurait tout intérêt à placer cet argent it would be in his best interests to invest this money; partir en toute hâte to leave in a great hurry; un jardin de toute beauté a most beautiful garden; être à toute extrémité to be close to death; ⇒ épreuve, hasard, prix, vitesse;

6 (unique, seul) il a souri pour toute réponse his only reply was a smile, he smiled by way of a reply; on lui donne quelques légumes pour tous gages all that he gets in the way of wages is a few vegetables; elle a un chien pour toute compagnie the only company she has ou all she has for company is a dog;

7 tous, toutes ( les uns et les autres sans distinction) all, every (+ v sg); ceci vaut pour tous les candidats this applies to all candidates ou to every candidate; en tous pays in all countries, in every country; en toutes choses in all things, in everything; toutes les pages sont déchirées all the pages are torn, every page is torn; les lettres ont toutes été signées the letters have all been signed; j'ai toutes les raisons de me plaindre I have every reason to complain; tous les hommes sont mortels all men are mortal; il a fait tous les métiers he's done all sorts of jobs; tous les prétextes leur sont bons they'll use any excuse (pour to); meubles tous budgets furniture to suit every pocket; tous deux se levèrent both of them got up, they both got up; nous irons tous les deux both of us will go, we'll both go; je les prends tous les trois/quatre etc I'm taking all three/four etc (of them);

8 ( chaque) tous/toutes les every; à tous les coins de rue on every street corner; saisir toutes les occasions to seize every opportunity; tous les jours/mois/ans every day/month/year; tous les quarts d'heure/10 mètres every quarter of an hour/10 metres; un cachet toutes les quatre heures one tablet every four hours; tous les deux jours/mois every other day/month; tous les combien? how often?

C adv (normally invariable, but agrees in gender and in number with feminine adjective beginning with consonant or h-aspirate)

1 (très, extrêmement) very, quite; ( entièrement) all; tout doucement very gently; ils sont tout contents they are very happy; elles sont tout étonnées/toutes honteuses they are very surprised/ashamed; être tout excité to be very ou all excited; être tout jeune/petit to be very young/small; tout enfant, elle aimait déjà dessiner as a small child she already liked to draw; c'est tout naturel it's quite natural; des yeux tout ronds de surprise eyes wide with surprise; être tout mouillé/sale to be all wet/dirty; tout seul dans la vie all alone in life; faire qch tout seul to do sth all by oneself; c'est tout autre chose, c'est une tout autre histoire it's a different matter altogether;

2 ( devant un nom) c'est tout le portrait de sa mère she's the spitting ou very image of her mother; c'est tout l'inverse or le contraire it's the very opposite; ça m'en a tout l'air it looks very much like it to me; tu as tout le temps d'y réfléchir you've got plenty of time to think it over; avec toi, c'est tout l'un ou tout l'autre you see everything in black and white;

3 ( tout à fait) la toute dernière ligne the very last line; les tout premiers fruits de l'été the very first fruits of summer; j'habite tout près I live very close by ou very near; tout près de very close to, very near; tout à côté de/contre/en haut right by/against/at the top; il les a mangés tout crus he ate them raw; un gâteau tout entier a whole cake; j'en sais tout autant que lui I know just as much as he does; c'est tout aussi cher it's just as expensive; vêtue tout de noir, tout de noir vêtue dressed all in black; maison tout en longueur very long and narrow house; un jeu tout en finesse a very subtle game; une semaine toute de fatigue a very tiring week; une vie toute de soucis a life full of worry; ils étaient tout en sang/en sueur they were covered in blood/bathed in sweat; être tout en larmes to be in floods of tears; la colline est tout en fleurs the hill is a mass of flowers; elle est tout(e) à son travail she's totally absorbed in her work;

4 ( d'avance) tout prêt ready-made; sauces/idées toutes faites ready-made sauces/ideas; des légumes tout épluchés ready-peeled vegetables; ⇒ cuit, vu;

5 ( en même temps) while; ( bien que) although; il lisait tout en marchant he was reading as he walked; elle le défendait tout en le sachant coupable she defended him although she knew he was guilty; ⇒ en;

6 (marquant la concession: quoique) tout aussi étrange que cela paraisse however strange it may seem; tout prudemment que l'on conduise however carefully one drives; tout malins qu'ils sont, ils… clever though they may be, they…, they may be clever, but they…; toute reine qu'elle est, elle ne peut pas faire ça she may be a queen, but she can't do that;

7 ( rien d'autre que) être tout énergie/muscle to be all energy/muscle; être tout sourires to be all smiles; je suis tout ouïe hum I'm all ears; veste tout cuir/laine all leather/wool jacket; ⇒ feu, sucre.

D du tout loc adv pas du tout, point du tout liter not at all; sans savoir du tout without knowing at all; je ne le vois plus du tout I don't see him at all now; il ne m'en reste plus du tout I have none left at all; crois-tu qu'il m'ait remercié? du tout! do you think he thanked me? not at all!

E nm (pl touts)

1 ( ensemble) former un tout to make up ou form a whole; mon tout ( charade) my whole, my all; du tout au tout completely;

2 le tout ( la totalité) the whole lot, the lot; ( l'essentiel) the main thing; vendre le tout pour 200 euros to sell the (whole) lot for 200 euros; le tout est de réussir/qu'il réussisse the main ou most important thing is to succeed/that he should succeed; le Grand Tout Relig the Great Whole; ce n'est pas le tout○! this is no good!

F tout- ( in compounds) le Tout-Paris/-Londres the Paris/London smart set.

Composés

tout à coup suddenly; tout d'un coup ( soudain) suddenly; ( à la fois) all at once; tout à fait ( entièrement) quite, absolutely; ce n'est pas tout à fait vrai/pareil it's not quite true/the same thing; c'est tout à fait vrai it's quite ou absolutely true; ‘tu es d'accord?’-‘tout à fait’ ‘do you agree?’-‘absolutely’; il est tout à fait charmant he's absolutely ou perfectly charming; être tout à fait pour/contre to be totally for/against; tout à l'heure ( bientôt) in a moment; ( peu avant) a little while ago, just now; à tout à l'heure! see you later!; tout de même ( quand même) all the same, even so; ( indigné) tout de même! really!, honestly!; ( vraiment) quite; tu aurais tout de même pu faire attention! all the same ou even so you might have been careful!; c'est tout de même un peu fort! really ou honestly, it's a bit much!; c'est tout de même bizarre que it's quite strange that; tout de suite at once, straight away; ce n'est pas pour tout de suite ( ce n'est pas pressé) there's no rush; ( ce sera long) it's going to take some time.

Idiomes

tout est bien qui finit bien all's well that ends well; être tout yeux tout oreilles to be very attentive.

[tu, devant voyelle ou h muet tut ] ( féminin toute [tut], pluriel masculin tous [ adjectif tu, pronom tus], pluriel féminin toutes [tut]) adjectif qualificatif (au singulier)

1. [entier] all (the), the whole (of the)

toute la nuit all night

elle a parcouru toute la distance en 2 heures she covered the full distance in 2 hours

il se plaint toute la journée he complains all the time ou the whole day long

tout le village a participé the whole village took part

toute une journée a whole day

tout ceci/cela all (of) this/that

tout ce travail pour rien! all this work for nothing!

j'ai tout mon temps I've plenty of time ou all the time in the world

toute ma fortune my whole fortune

ils se sont aimés toute leur vie they loved each other all their lives

avec lui, c'est tout l'un ou tout l'autre with him, it's either (all) black or (all) white

2. [devant un nom propre] all

j'ai visité tout Paris en huit jours I saw all ou the whole of Paris in a week

3. [devant un nom sans article]

on a tout intérêt à y aller it's in our every interest to go

c'est en toute liberté que j'ai choisi I made the choice completely of my own free will

rouler à toute vitesse to drive at full ou top speed

en toute franchise/simplicité in all sincerity/simplicity

c'est de toute beauté it's extremely beautiful

4. [avec une valeur emphatique]

c'est toute une affaire! it's quite a to-do!

c'est toute une expédition pour y aller! getting there involves quite a trek!

5. (comme adverbe) [entièrement] completely

elle était toute à son travail she was completely absorbed in her work

6. [unique, seul] only

c'est tout l'effet que ça te fait? is that all it means to you?

ma fille est tout mon bonheur my daughter is my sole ou only source of happiness

pour tout remerciement on m'a renvoyé by way of thanks I got fired

pour toute famille il n'avait qu'une cousine éloignée one distant cousin was all the family he had

7. [suivi d'une relative]

tout ce qu'on dit everything people say

tout ce qui me gêne, c'est la différence d'âge the only thing ou all I'm worried about is the age difference

tout ce que l'entreprise compte de personnel qualifié the company's entire qualified workforce

ils s'amusaient tout ce qu'ils savaient they were having a whale of a time

tout ce qu'il y a de: ses enfants sont tout ce qu'il y a de bien élevés his children are very well-behaved ou are models of good behaviour

ce projet est tout ce qu'il y a de plus sérieux this project couldn't be more serious

————————

[tu, devant voyelle ou h muet tut ] ( féminin toute [tut], pluriel masculin tous [ adjectif tu, pronom tus], pluriel féminin toutes [tut]) déterminant (adjectif indéfini)

A.[AU SINGULIER] [chaque, n'importe quel] any, all, every

tout citoyen a des droits every citizen has rights, all citizens have rights

toute personne ayant vu l'accident any person who witnessed the accident

tout changement les inquiète the slightest change worries them

pour tout renseignement, écrivez-nous for further information, write to us

à tout âge at any age

à toute heure du jour et de la nuit at any hour of the day or night

de tout temps since time immemorial, from the beginning of time

en tout temps throughout ou all through history

tout autre anybody else

tout autre que lui aurait refusé anyone other than him ou anybody else would have refused

toute peine mérite salaire (proverbe) the labourer is worthy of his hire (proverb)

B.[AU PLURIEL]

1. [exprimant la totalité] all

tous les hommes all men, the whole of mankind

tous les gens everybody, everyone

je veux tous les détails I want all the details ou the full details

ça se vend maintenant à tous les coins de rue it's now sold on every street corner

2. [devant un nom sans article]

ils étaient 150 000, toutes disciplines/races confondues there were 150,000 of them, taking all disciplines/races together

champion toutes catégories overall champion

il roulait tous feux éteints he was driving with his lights off

je dois le rencontrer toutes affaires cessantes I must meet him forthwith

il est mon préféré à tous égards I like him best in every respect

3. [exprimant la périodicité] every

tous les jours every day

toutes les deux semaines every other week, every second week, every two weeks

à prendre toutes les quatre heures to be taken every four hours ou at four-hourly intervals

toutes les fois qu'on s'est rencontrés every time we've met

————————

[tu, devant voyelle ou h muet tut ] ( féminin toute [tut], pluriel masculin tous [ adjectif tu, pronom tus], pluriel féminin toutes [tut]) pronom indéfini

A.[AU SINGULIER] everything, all

[n'importe quoi] anything

j'ai tout jeté I threw everything away

dis-moi tout tell me all about it

t'as tout compris! (familier) that's it!, that's right!

c'est tout dire that says it all

il mange de tout he eats anything

il est prêt à tout he's ready for anything

capable de tout capable of anything

c'est tout that's all

ce sera tout? [dans un magasin] will be that all?, anything else?

ce n'est pas tout that's not all

ce n'est pas tout de faire des enfants, il faut les élever ensuite having children is one thing, but then you've got to bring them up

être tout pour quelqu'un to be everything for somebody, to mean everything to somebody

et tout et tout (familier) and all that (sort of thing)

on aura tout vu! now I've ou we've seen everything!

tout est là

a. [objets] that's everything

b. [problème] that's the whole point ou the crux of the matter

vous serez remboursé tout ou partie you'll get all or part of your money back

avec toi c'est tout ou rien with you, it's all or nothing ou one extreme or the other

c'est tout sauf du foie gras it's anything but foie gras

il est tout sauf un génie call him anything but not a genius

tout se passe comme si... it's as though...

à tout faire [produit] all-purpose

tout bien considéré, tout bien réfléchi all things considered

tout bien pesé after weighing up the pros and the cons

il a tout de son père he's every bit like his father

B.[AU PLURIEL]

1. [désignant ce dont on a parlé]

il y a plusieurs points de vue, tous sont intéressants there are several points of view, they are all interesting

j'adore les prunes — prends-les toutes I love plums — take them all ou all of them

2. [avec une valeur récapitulative] all

Jean, Pierre, Jacques, tous voulaient la voir Jean, Pierre, Jacques, they all wanted to see her

c'est tous feignants et compagnie! (familier) they're just a bunch of idlers!

3. [tout le monde]

vous m'entendez tous? can you all hear me?

à vous tous qui m'avez aidé, merci to all of you who helped me, thank you

des émissions pour tous programmes suitable for all (audiences)

tous ensemble all together

tous tant ou autant que nous sommes all of us, every (single) one of us

tout ( féminin toute, pluriel féminin toutes) adverbe (s'accorde en genre et en nombre devant un adjectif féminin commençant par une consonne ou un h aspiré)

1. [entièrement, tout à fait] quite, very, completely

ils étaient tout seuls they were quite ou completely alone

la ville tout entière the whole town

tout neuf brand new

tout nu stark naked

tout cru (totally) raw

un tout jeune homme a very young man

sa chevelure était toute hérissée his/her hair was all messy

ses tout premiers mots his/her very first words

les tout premiers temps at the very beginning

une robe tout en dentelle a dress made of lace

le jardin est tout en longueur the garden is just one long strip

un de nos tout meilleurs acteurs one of our very best actors

tout mouillé wet ou soaked through, drenched

être tout occupé à faire quelque chose to be very busy doing something

je t'aime tout autant qu'autrefois I love you just as much as I did before

tout simplement/autrement quite simply/differently

téléphone-moi, tout simplement just phone me, that's the easiest (way)

une toile tout coton a 100% cotton cloth, an all cotton material

il est toute bonté/générosité he is goodness/generosity itself

ça, c'est tout lui! that's typical of him ou just like him!

2. [en intensif]

tout en haut/bas right at the top/bottom

c'est tout près it's very close

tout à côté de moi right next to me

tout contre le mur right up against the wall

c'est tout le contraire! it's quite the opposite!

3. [déjà]

tout prêt ou préparé ready-made

tout bébé, elle dansait déjà even as a baby, she was already dancing

on verra — c'est tout vu! we'll see — it's already decided!

4. (avec un gérondif) [indiquant la simultanéité]

on mangera tout en marchant we'll eat while we're walking

[indiquant la concession]

tout en avouant son ignorance dans ce domaine, il continuait à me contredire although he'd confessed his ignorance in that field, he kept on contradicting me

tout nom masculin

1. [ensemble] whole

former un tout to make up a whole

mon tout est un instrument de musique [dans une charade] my whole ou all is a musical instrument

2. [l'essentiel]

le tout the main ou the most important thing

le tout c'est de ne pas bafouiller the most important thing is not to stutter

ce n'est pas le tout, mais je dois partir (familier) that's all very well, but I've got to go now

ce n'est pas le tout de critiquer, il faut pouvoir proposer autre chose it's not enough to criticize, you've got to be able to suggest something else

jouer ou risquer le tout pour le tout to risk (one's) all

tenter le tout pour le tout to make a (final) desperate attempt ou a last ditch effort

c'est un tout it's all the same, it makes no difference

à quand le tout informatique? when will everything be computerized?

la politique du tout ou rien an all-or-nothing policy

changer du tout au tout to change completely

————————

du tout locution adverbiale

not at all

je vous dérange? — du tout, du tout! am I disturbing you? — not at all ou not in the least!

elle finissait son café sans du tout se soucier de notre présence she was finishing her coffee without paying any attention to us at all ou whatsoever

————————

en tout locution adverbiale

1. [au total] in total, in all

cela fait 95 euros en tout that comes to 95 euros in all ou in total

2. [exactement] exactly, entirely

la copie est conforme en tout à l'original the copy matches the original exactly

en tout et pour tout locution adverbiale

(all) in all

en tout et pour tout, nous avons dépensé 300 euros all in all, we've spent 300 euros

tout à coup locution adverbiale

all of a sudden, suddenly

tout à fait locution adverbiale

1. [complètement] quite, fully, absolutely

en es-tu tout à fait conscient? are you fully aware of it?

je vous comprends tout à fait I understand you perfectly well

ce n'est pas tout à fait exact it's not quite correct

n'ai-je pas raison? — tout à fait! am I right? — absolutely!

2. [exactement] exactly

c'est tout à fait ce que je cherche/le même it's exactly what I've been looking for/the same

3. [oui] certainly

vous faites les retouches? — tout à fait do you do alterations? — certainly (we do)

————————

tout de même locution adverbiale

1. [malgré tout] all the same, even so

j'irai tout de même all the same, I'll still go

2. [en intensif]

tout de même, tu exagères! steady on!, that's a bit much!

————————

tout de suite locution adverbiale

1. [dans le temps] straight away, right away, at once

apporte du pain — tout de suite! bring some bread — right away!

2. [dans l'espace] immediately

tournez à gauche tout de suite après le pont turn left immediately after the bridge

————————

tout... que locution conjonctive

tout directeur qu'il est ou qu'il soit,... he may well be the boss,...

Dictionnaire Français-Anglais > tout

14 FYRIR

for

* * *

prep.

I. with dat.

1) before, in front of (ok vóru fyrir honum borin merkin);

fyrir dyrum, before the door;

2) before one, in one’s presence;

hón nefndist fyrir þeim Gunnhildr, she told them that her name was G.;

3) for;

hann lét ryðja fyrir þeim búðina, he had the booth cleared for them, for their reception;

4) before one, in one’s way;

fjörðr varð fyrir þeim, they came to a fjord;

sitja fyrir e-m, to lie in wait for one;

5) naut. term. before, off;

liggja fyrir bryggjum, to lie off the piers;

fyrir Humru-mynni, off the Humber;

6) before, at the head of, over;

vera fyrir liði, to be over the troops;

vera fyrir máli, to lead the case;

sitja fyrir svörum, to undertake the defence;

7) of time, ago;

fyrir þrem nóttum, three nights ago;

fyrir stundu, a while ago;

fyrir löngu, long ago;

vera fyrir e-u, to forebode (of a dream);

8) before, above, superior to;

Hálfdan svarti var fyrir þeim brœðrum, H. was the foremost of the brothers;

9) denoting disadvantige, harm, suffering;

þú lætr Egil vefja öll mál fyrir þér, thou lettest E. thwart all thy affairs;

tók at eyðast fyrir herm lausa-fé, her money began to fail;

10) denoting obstacle, hindrance;

mikit gøri þer mér fyrir þessu máli, you make this case hard for me;

varð honum lítit fyrir því, it was a small matter for him;

Ásgrími þótti þungt fyrir, A. thought that things looked bad;

11) because of, for;

hon undi sér hvergri fyrir verkjum, she had no rest for pains;

fyrir hræðslu, for fear;

illa fœrt fyrir ísum, scarcely, passable for ice;

gáðu þeir eigi fyrir veiðum at fá heyjanna, because of fishing, they neglected to make hay;

fyrir því at, because, since, as;

12) against;

gæt þín vel fyrir konungi ok hans mönnum, guard thee well against the king and his men;

beiða griða Baldri fyrir alls konar háska, against all kinds of harm;

13) fyrir sér, of oneself;

mikill fyrir sér, strong, powerful;

minnstr fyrir sér, smallest, weakest;

14) denoting manner or quality, with;

hvítr fyrir hærum, while with hoary hair;

II. with acc.

1) before, in front of;

halda fyrir augu sér, to hold (one’s hands) before one’s eyes;

2) before, into the presence of;

stefna e-m fyrir dómstól, before a court;

3) over;

hlaupa fyrir björg, to leap over a precipice;

kasta fyrir borð, to throw overboard;

4) in one’s way, crossing one’s way;

ríða á leið fyrir þá, to ride in their way, so as to meet them;

5) round, off;

sigla fyrir nes, to weather a point;

6) along, all along;

fyrir endilangan Noreg, all along Norway, from one end to the other;

draga ör fyrir odd, to draw the arrow past the point;

7) of time, fyrir dag, before day;

fyrir e-s minni, before one’s memory;

8) for, on behalf of;

vil ek bjóða at fara fyrir þik, I will offer to go for thee, in thy stead;

lögvörn fyrir mál, a lawful defence for a case;

9) for, for the benefit of;

þeir skáru fyrir þá melinn, they cut the lyme-grass for them (the horses);

10) for, instead of, in place of, as;

11) for, because of (vilja Gunnar dauðan fyrir höggit);

fyrir þín orð, for thy words (intercession);

fyrir sína vinsæld, by reason of his popularity;

12) denoting value, price;

fyrir þrjár merkr, for three marks;

fyrir hvern mun, by all means, at any cost;

13) in spite of, against (giptast fyrir ráð e-s);

14) joined with adverbs ending in -an, governing acc. (fyrir austan, vestan, sunnan, norðan, útan innan, framan, handan, ofan, neðan);

fyrir austan, sunnan fjall, east, south of the fell;

fyrir neðan brú, below the bridge;

fyrir handan á, beyond the river;

fyrir innan garð, inside the fence;

III. as adverb or ellipt.

1) ahead, before, opp. to eptir;

þá var eigi hins verra eptir ván, er slíkt fór fyrir, when this came first, preceded;

2) first;

mun ek þar eptir gera sem þér gerit fyrir, I shall do to you according as you do first;

3) at hand, present, to the fore;

föng þau, er fyrir vóru, stores that were at hand;

þar var fyrir fjöldi boðsmanna, a host of guests was already present (before the bride and bridegroom came);

4) e-m verðr e-t fyrir, one takes a certain step, acts so and so;

Kolbeini varð ekki fyrir, K. was at a loss what to do;

e-t mælist vel (illa) fyrir, a thing is well (ill) spoken or reported of (kvæðit mæltist vel fyrir).

* * *

prep., in the Editions spelt differently; in MSS. this word is usually abbreviated either  (i. e. firir), or Ꝼ̆, fur͛, fvr͛ (i. e. fyrir); in some MSS. it is idiomatically spelt with i, fir͛, e. g. Arna-Magn. 382 (Bs. i. 263 sqq.); and even in the old Miracle-book Arna-Magn. 645 (Bs. i. 333 sqq.), just as ifir is written for yfir ( over); in a few MSS. it is written as a monosyllable fyr, e. g. D. I. i. 475, Mork. passim; in Kb. (Sæm.-Edda) occurs fyr telia, Vsp. I; fyr norðan, 36; fyr dyrum, Gm. 22; fyr vestan ver, Hkv. 2. 8; in other places as a dissyll. fyrir, e. g. Hm. 56, Gm. 54, Skm. 34, Ls. 15, Am. 64, Hkv. 2. 2, 19 (quoted from Bugge’s edition, see his preface, p. xvi); fyr and fyrir stand to one another in the same relation as ept to eptir, und to undir, of ( super) to yfir: this monosyllabic form is obsolete, save in the compds, where ‘for-’ is more common than ‘fyrir-;’ in some cases both forms are used, e. g. for-dæming and fyrir-dæming; in others only one, but without any fixed rule: again, the forms fyri, fyre, or fire, which are often used in Edd., are just as wrong, as if one were to say epti, undi, yfi; yet this spelling is found now and then in MSS., as, fyre, Ó. H. (facsimile); fire, Grág. Sb. ii. 288 (also facsimile): the particles í and á are sometimes added, í fur, Fms. iv. 137; í fyrir, passim; á fur, Haustl. 1. [Ulf. faur and faura; A. S. fore and for; Engl. for and fore-; Germ. für and vor; Dan. for; Swed. för; Gr. προ-; Lat. pro, prae.]

WITH DAT., chiefly without the notion of movement.

A. LOCAL:

I. before, in front of; fyrir dyrum, before the doors, at the doors, Nj. 14, Vsp. 53, Hm. 69, Edda 130; niðr f. smiðju-dyrum, Eg. 142:—ahead, úti fyrir búðinni, Nj. 181; kómusk sauðirnir upp á fjallit f. þeim, ahead of them, 27; vóru fyrir honum borin merkin, the banner was borne before him, 274; göra orð fyrir sér, to send word before one, Fms. vii. 207, Hkr. iii. 335 (Ó. H. 201, l. c., frá sér):—also denoting direction, niðri í eldinum f. sér, beneath in the fire before them, Nj. 204; þeir sá f. sér bæ mikinn, they saw before them a great building, i. e. they came to a great house, Eg. 546; öðrum f. sér ( in front) en öðrum á bak sér, Grág. i. 5.

2. before one, before one’s face, in one’s presence; úhelgaða ek Otkel f. búum, before the neighbours, Nj. 87; lýsi ek f. búum fimm, 218; lýsa e-u ( to proclaim) f. e-m, Ld. 8; hann hermdi boð öll f. Gizuri, Nj. 78; hón nefndisk f. þeim Gunnhildr, told them that her name was G., Fms. i. 8; kæra e-t f. e-m, Ó. H. 60; slíkar fortölur hafði hann f. þeim, Nj. 200; the saying, því læra börnin málið að það er f. þeim haft, bairns learn to speak because it is done before them, i. e. because they hear it; hafa gott (íllt) f. e-m, to give a good (bad) example, e. g. in the presence of children; lifa vel f. Guði, to live well before God, 623. 29; stór ábyrgðar-hluti f. Guði, Nj. 199; sem þeir sjá réttast f. Guði, Grág. i. (pref.); fyrir öllum þeim, Hom. 89; á laun f. öðrum mönnum, hidden from other men, unknown to them, Grág. i. 337, Jb. 378; nú skaltú vera vin minn mikill f. húsfreyju minni, i. e. when you talk to my wife, Nj. 265; fyrir Drottni, before the Lord, Merl. 2. 78.

3. denoting reception of guests, visitors; hann lét ryðja f. þeim búðina, he had the room cleared for them, for their reception, Nj. 228; Valhöll ryðja fyr vegnu fólki, i. e. to clear Valhalla for slain folk, Em. I; ryðja vígvöll f. vegundum, Nj. 212; ljúka upp f. e-m, to open the door for one, Fms. xi. 323, Stj. 5; rýma pallinn f. þeim, Eg. 304; hann lét göra eld f. þeim, he had a fire made for them, 204; þeir görðu eld. f. sér, Fms. xi. 63; … veizlur þar sem fyrir honum var búit, banquets that were ready for him, Eg. 45.

II. before one, in one’s way; þar er díki varð f. þeim, Eg. 530; á (fjörðr) varð f. þeim, a river, fjord, was before them, i. e. they came to it, 133, 161; at verða eigi f. liði yðru, 51; maðr sá varð f. Vindum, that man was overtaken by the V., Hkr. iii. 363; þeirra manna er f. honum urðu, Eg. 92.

2. sitja f. e-m, to lie in wait for one, Ld. 218, Nj. 107; lá f. henni í skóginum, Edda (pref.); sitja f. rekum, to sit watching for wrecks, Eg. 136 (fyrir-sát).

3. ellipt., menn urðu at gæta sín er f. urðu, Nj. 100; Egill var þar f. í runninum, E. was before (them), lay in ambush, Eg. 378; hafði sá bana er f. varð, who was before (the arrow), i. e. he was hit, Nj. 8.

4. verða f. e-u, to be hit, taken, suffer from a thing; ef hann verðr f. drepi, if he be struck, Grág. ii. 19; verða f. áverka, to be wounded, suffer injury, Ld. 140; verða f. reiði konungs, to fall into disgrace with the king, Eg. 226; verða f. ósköpum, to become the victim of a spell, spell-bound, Fas. i. 130; sitja f. hvers manns ámæli, to be the object of all men’s blame, Nj. 71; vera eigi f. sönnu hafðr, to be unjustly charged with a thing, to be innocent.

III. a naut. term, before, off; liggja f. bryggjum, to lie off the pier, Ld. 166; skip fljóta f. strengjum, Sks. 116; þeir lágu f. bænum, they lay off the town, Bs. i. 18; liggja úti f. Jótlands-síðu, off Jutland, Eg. 261; hann druknaði f. Jaðri, off the J., Fms. i. II; þeir kómu at honum f. Sjólandi, off Zealand, x. 394; hafa úti leiðangr f. landi, Hkr. i. 301; f. Humru-minni, off the Humber, Orkn. 338, cp. Km. 3, 8, 9, 13, 19, 21; fyrir Nesjum, off the Ness, Vellekla; fyrir Tungum, Sighvat; fyrir Spáni, off Spain, Orkn. 356.

IV. before, at the head of, denoting leadership; smalamaðr f. búi föður síns, Ver. 26 (of king David); vera f. liði, to be over the troops, Eg. 292, Nj. 7; vera f. máli, to lead the case, Band. 8; vera forstjóri f. búi, to be steward over the household, Eg. 52; ráða f. landi, ríki, etc., to rule, govern, Ó H. 33, Nj. 5; hverr f. eldinum réði, who was the ringleader of the fire, Eg. 239; ráða f. e-u, to rule, manage a thing, passim: the phrase, sitja f. svörum, to respond on one’s behalf, Ölk. 36, Band. 12; hafa svör f. e-m, to be the chief spokesman, Fms. x. 101, Dipl. v. 26.

V. special usages; friða f. e-m, to make peace for one, Fms. vii. 16, Bs. i. 65; bæta f. e-m, to make things good for one, Hom. 109; túlka, vera túlkr, flytja (etc.) f. e-m, to plead for one, Fms. iii. 33, Nj. 128,—also spilla f. e-m, to disparage one, Eg. 255; haga, ætla f. e-u, to manage, arrange for one, Ld. 208, Sturl. i. 14, Boll. 356; rífka ráð f. e-m, to better one’s condition, Nj. 21; ráða heiman-fylgju ok tilgjöf f. frændkonu sinni, Js. 58; standa f. manni, to stand before, shield a man, stand between him and his enemy, Eg. 357, Grág. ii. 13; vera skjöldr f. e-m, 655 xxxii. 4; hafa kostnað f. e-u, to have the expences for a thing, Ld. 14; vinna f. e-m, to support one by one’s work, Sks. 251; starfa f. fé sínu, to manage one’s money, Ld. 166; hyggja f. e-u, to take heed for a thing, Nj. 109; hyggja f. sér, Fs. 5; hafa forsjá f. e-m, to provide for one, Ld. 186; sjá f. e-u, to see after, Eg. 118, Landn, 152; sjá þú nokkut ráð f. mér, Nj. 20: ironic. to put at rest, Háv. 40: ellipt., sjá vel f., to provide well for, Nj. 102.

B. TEMP. ago; fyrir þrem nóttum, three nights ago; fyrir stundu, a while ago, Nj. 80; fyrir litlu, a little while ago, Fms. i. 76, Ld. 134; fyrir skömmu, a sbort while ago; fyrir löngu, a long while ago, Nj. 260, Fms. i. 50; fyrir öndverðu, from the beginning, Grág. i. 80, ii. 323, 394, Finnb. 342; fyrir þeim, before they were born, Fms. i. 57.

2. the phrase, vera f. e-u, to forebode; vera f. stórfundum, Nj. 107, 277; þat hygg ek vera munu f. siða-skipti, Fms. xi. 12; þessi draumr mun vera f. kvámu nökkurs manns, vii. 163; dreyma draum f. e-u, 8; fyrir tiðendum, ii. 65:—spá f. e-m, to ‘spae’ before, prophecy to one, Nj. 171.

C. METAPH.:

I. before, above; þóttu þeir þar f. öllum ungum mönnum, Dropl. 7; þykkisk hann mjök f. öðrum mönnum, Ld. 38; ver f. hirðmönnum, be first among my herdsmen, Eg. 65; Hálfdan svarti var f. þeim bræðrum, H. was the foremost of the brothers, Fms. i. 4; þorgrímr var f. sonum Önundar, Grett. 87; var Haraldr mest f. þeim at virðingu, Fms. i. 47.

II. denoting help, assistance; haun skal rétta vættið f. þeim, Grág. i. 45 (vide above A. IV and V).

2. the following seem to be Latinisms, láta lífit f. heilagri Kristni, to give up one’s life for holy Christianity, = Lat. pro, Fms. vii. 172; ganga undir píslir fyrir Guðs nafni, Blas. 38; gjalda önd mína f. önd þinni, Johann. 17; gefa gjöf f. sál sinni ( pro animâ suâ), H. E. i. 466; fyrir mér ok minni sál, Dipl. iv. 8; færa Guði fórnir f. e-m, 656 A; heita f. e-m, biðja f. e-m, to make a vow, pray for one (orare pro), Fms. iii. 48, Bs. i. 70; biðja f. mönnum, to intercede for, 19, Fms. xi. 287: even with a double construction, biðja f. stað sinn (acc., which is vernacular) ok heilagri kirkju (dat., which is a Latinism), x. 127.

III. denoting disadvantage, harm, suffering; þú lætr Egil vefja öll mál fyrir þér, thou lettest Egil thwart all thy affairs, Eg. 249; únýtir hann þá málit fyrir sér, then he ruins his own case, Grág. i. 36, Dropl. 14, 16; Manverjar rufu safnaðinn f. Þorkatli, the Manxmen broke up the assembly, i. e. forsook Thorkel, Fms. ix. 422; kom upp grátr f. henni, she burst into tears, 477; taka fé f. öðrum, to take another’s money, N. G. L. i. 20; knörr þann er konungr lét taka fyrir Þórólfi, Landn. 56; ef hross verðr tekit f. honum, if a horse of his be taken, Grág. i. 436; hann tók upp fé fyrir öllum, he seized property for them all, Ó. H. 60; e-t ferr ílla f. e-m, a thing turns out ill for one; svá fór f. Ólófu, so it came to pass for O., Vígl. 18; loka dyrr f. e-m, to lock the door in one’s face, Edda 21: þeir hafa eigi þessa menn f. yðr drepit, heldr f. yðrar sakir þessi víg vegit, i. e. they have not harmed you, but rather done you a service in slaying those men, Fbr. 33; tók at eyðask f. henni lausa-fé, her money began to fail, Nj. 29; rak á f. þeim storma ok stríðviðri, they were overtaken by gales and bad weather, Vígl. 27; Víglundr rak út knöttinn f. Jökli, V. drove the ball for J., i. e. so that he had to run after it, 24; sá er skar tygil f. Þóri, he who cut Thor’s line, Bragi; sverð brast f. mér, my sword broke, Korm. 98 (in a verse); brjóta e-t f. e-m, to break a thing for one, Bs. i. 15 (in a verse); Valgarðr braut krossa fyrir Merði ok öll heilög tákn, Nj. 167; árin brotnaði f. honum, his oar broke; allar kýrnar drápust fyrir honum, all his cows died.

2. denoting difficulty, hindrance; sitja f. sæmd e-s, to sit between oneself and one’s honour, i. e. to hinder one’s doing well, Sturl. 87; mikit göri þér mér f. þessu máli, you make this case sore for me, Eb. 124; þér er mikit f. máli, thy case stands ill, Fms. v. 325; ekki er Guði f. því, it is easy for God to do, 656 B. 9; varð honum lítið f. því, it was a small matter for him, he did it easily, Grett. III; mér er minna f. því, it is easier for me, Am. 60; þykkja mikit f. e-u, to be much grieved for a thing, do it unwillingly, Nj. 77; Icel. also say, þykja fyrir (ellipt.), to feel hurt, be displeased:—ellipt., er þeim lítið fyrir at villa járnburð þenna, it is a small matter for them to spoil this ordeal, Ó. H. 140; sem sér muni lítið f. at veiða Gunnar, Nj. 113; fast mun f. vera, it will be fast-fixed before (one), hard to move, Ld. 154; Ásgrími þótti þungt f., A. thought that things looked sad (heavy), Nj. 185; hann var lengi f., he was long about it, Fms. x. 205; hann var lengi f. ok kvað eigi nei við, he was cross and said not downright no, Þorf. Karl. 388.

IV. in a causal sense, for, because of, Lat. per, pro; sofa ek né mákat fugls jarmi fyrir, I cannot sleep for the shrill cry of birds, Edda 16 (in a verse); hon undi sér hvergi f. verkjum, she had no rest for pains, Bjarn. 69; fyrir gráti, tárum, = Lat. prae lacrymis; fyrir harmi, for sorrow; f. hlátri, for laughter, as in Engl.; þeir æddust f. einni konu, they went mad for the sake of one woman, Sól. 11; ílla fært f. ísum, scarce passable for ice, Fms. xi. 360; hætt var at sitja útar f. Miðgarðs-ormi, Edda 35; hann var lítt gengr f. sárinu, he could hardly walk for the wound, Fbr. 178; fyrir hræðslu, for fear, Hbl. 26; heptisk vegrinn f. þeim meinvættum sem …, Fs. 4; gáðu þeir eigi f. veiðum at fá heyjanna, because of fishing they took no care to make hay, Landn. 30; fyrir riki konungs, for the king’s power, Eg. 67, 117; fyrir ofríki manna, Grág. i. 68; fyrir hví, for why? Eluc. 4; fyrir hví þeir væri þar, Eg. 375; fyrir því, at …, for that, because, Edda 35, Fms. i. 22, vii. 330, Ld. 104; en fyrir því nú at, now since, Skálda 171; nú fyrir því at, id., 169: the phrase, fyrir sökum, for the sake of, because of, passim; vide sök.

V. by, by the force of; öxlin gékk ór liði fyrir högginu, the shoulder was disjointed by the force of the stroke, Háv. 52.

2. denoting contest; falla f. e-m, to fall before one, i. e. fighting against one, Fms. i. 7, iv. 9, x. 196; verða halloki f. e-m, to be overcome in fighting one, Ld. 146; látask f. e-m, to perish by one, Eb. 34; hafa bana f. e-m, to be slain by one, Nj. 43; þeir kváðu fá fúnað hafa f. honum, 263; mæddisk hann f. þeim, he lost his breath in fighting them, Eg. 192; láta ríki f. e-m, to lose the kingdom before another, i. e. so that the latter gains it, 264; láta lausar eignir mínar f. þér, 505; láta hlut sinn f. e-m, Fs. 47; standask f. e-m, to stand one’s ground before one, Edda (pref.); hugðisk hann falla mundu f. sjóninni einni saman, that he would sink before his glance, 28, Hým. 12; halda hlut f. e-m, Ld. 54; halda frið ok frelsi f. várum óvinum, Fms. viii. 219; fara mun ek sem ek hefi áðr ætlað f. þínum draum ( thy dream notwithstanding), Ld. 216; þér farit hvárt er þér vilit f. mér, you go wherever you like for me, so far as I am concerted, Fær. 37; halda vöku f. sér, to keep oneself awake, Fms. i. 216.

β. with verbs, flýja, hlaupa, renna, stökkva f. e-m, to fly, leap, run before one, i. e. to be pursued, Bs. i. 774, Grág. ii. 359; at hann rynni f. þrælum hans, Ld. 64; fyrir þessum úfriði stökk Þangbrandr til Noregs, 180; skyldi hann ganga ór á f. Hofsmönnum, Landn. 178; ganga f. e-u, to give way before, yield to a thing, Fms. i. 305, x. 292; vægja f. e-m, to yield to one, give way, Eg. 21, 187, Nj. 57, Ld. 234.

VI. against; verja land f. e-m, Eg. 32; verja landit f. Dönum ok öðrum víkingum, Fms. i. 23; til landvarnar f. víkingum, Eg. 260; landvarnar-maðr f. Norðmönnum, Fms. vi. 295; gæta brúarinnar f. bergrisum, Edda 17; gæt þín vel f. konungi ok hans mönnum, guard thee well against the king and his men, Eg. 113; góð aðstoð f. tröllum ok dvergum, Bárð. 163; beiða Baldri griða f. allskonar háska, Edda 36; auðskæðr f. höggum, Eg. 770.

VII. in the sense of being driven before; fyrir straumi, veðri, vindi, before the stream, wind, weather (forstreymis, forvindis), Grág. ii. 384, Fms. vii. 262; halda f. veðri, to stand before the wind, Róm. 211.

2. rýrt mun verða f. honum smá-mennit, he will have an easy game with the small people, Nj. 94: ellipt., hafði sá bana er f. varð, 8; sprakk f., 16, 91.

VIII. fyrir sér, of oneself, esp. of physical power; mikill f. sér, strong, powerful; lítill f. sér, weak, feeble, Nj. 20, Ísl. ii. 368, Eg. 192; þér munuð kalla mik lítinn mann f. mér, Edda 33; minnstr f. sér, smallest, weakest, Eg. 123; gildr maðr f. sér, Ísl. ii. 322, Fms. ii. 145; herðimaðr mikiil f. sér, a hardy man, Nj. 270; hvat ert þú f. þér, what kind of fellow art thou? Clem. 33; vera einn f. sér, to be a strange fellow, Grett. 79 new Ed.; Icel. also say, göra mikið (lítið) f. sér, to make oneself big ( little).

β. sjóða e-t f. sér, to hesitate, saunter, Nj. 154; mæla f. munni, to talk between one’s teeth, to mutter, Orkn. 248, Nj. 249.

IX. denoting manner or quality; hvítr f. hærum, white with hoary hairs, Fms. vi. 95, Fas. ii. 540; gráir fyrir járnum, grey with steel, of a host in armour, Mag. 5; hjölt hvít f. silfri, a hilt white with silver = richly silvered, Eb. 226.

X. as adverb or ellipt.,

1. ahead, in front, = á undan, Lat. prae, opp. to eptir; þá var eigi hins verra eptir ván, er slíkt fór fyrir, as this came first, preceded, Nj. 34; at einhverr mundi fara heim fyrir, that some one would go home first (to spy), Eg. 580; Egill fór f., E. went in before, id.; at vér ríðim þegar f. í nótt, 283.

β. first; hann stefndi f. málinu, en hann mælti eptir, one pronounced the words first, but the other repeated after him, Nj. 35; mun ek þar eptir göra sem þér gerit f., I shall do to you according as you do first, 90:—temp., sjau nóttum f., seven nights before, Grág. ii. 217.

2. to the fore, at hand, present; þar var fyrir fjöldi boðsmanna, a host of guests was already to the fore, i. e. before the bride and bridegroom came, Nj. 11; úvíst er at vita hvar úvinir sitja á fleti fyrir, Hm. 1; skal þá lögmaðr þar f. vera, he shall be there present, Js. 3; heima í túni fyrir, Fær. 50; þar vóru fyrir Hildiríðar-synir, Eg. 98; var honum allt kunnigt fyrir, he knew all about the localities, 583; þeim ómögum, sem f. eru, who are there already, i. e. in his charge, Grág. i. 286: of things, föng þau er f. vóru, stores that were to the fore, at hand, Eg. 134.

3. fore, opp. to ‘back,’ of clothes; slæður settar f. allt gullknöppum, Eg. 516; bak ok fyrir, back and front, = bak ok brjóst, Mar.

XI. in the phrase, e-m verðr e-t fyrir, a thing is before one, i. e. one takes that and that step, acts so and so in an emergency; nú verðr öðrum þeirra þat f., at hann kveðr, now if the other part alleges, that …, Grág. i. 362; Kolbeini varð ekki f., K. had no resource, i. e. lost his head, Sturl. iii. 285:—the phrase, e-t mælisk vel (ílla) fyrir, a thing is well ( ill) reported of; víg Gunnars spurðisk ok mæltisk ílla fyrir um allar sveitir, Nj. 117, Sturl. ii. 151; mun þat vel f. mælask, people will like it well, Nj. 29, Þórð. 55 new Ed.; ílla mun þat f. mælask at ganga á sættir við frændr sína, Ld. 238; ok er lokit var, mæltisk kvæðit vel f., the people praised the poem, Fms. vii. 113.

XII. in special senses, either as prep. or adv. (vide A. V. above); segja leið f. skipi, to pilot a ship, Eg. 359; segja f. skipi, to say a prayer for a new ship or for any ship going to sea, Bs. i. 774, Fms. x. 480; mæla f. e-u, to dictate, Grág. ii. 266; mæla f. minni, to bring out a toast, vide minni; mæla f. sætt, i. 90; skipa, koma e-u f., to arrange, put right; ætla f. e-u, to make allowance for; trúa e-m f. e-u, to entrust one with; það fer mikið f. e-u (impers.), it is of great compass, bulky; hafa f. e-u, to have trouble with a thing; leita f. sér, to enquire; biðjask f., to say one’s prayers, vide biðja; mæla fyrir, segja f., etc., to order, Nj. 103, Js. 3: of a spell or solemn speaking, hann mælti svá f., at …, Landn. 34; spyrjask f., to enquire, Hkr. ii. 333; búask f., to prepare, make arrangement, Landn. 35, Sks. 551; skipask f., to draw up, Nj. 197; leggjask f., to lie down in despair, Bs. i. 194; spá fyrir, to ‘spae’ before, foretell; þeir menn er spá f. úorðna hluti, Fms. i. 96; segja f., to foretell, 76, Bb. 332; Njáll hefir ok sagt f. um æfi hans, Nj. 102; vita e-t f., to ‘wit’ beforehand, know the future, 98; sjá e-t f., to foresee, 162; ef þat er ætlat f., fore-ordained, id.

WITH ACC., mostly with the notion of movement.

A. LOCAL:

I. before, in front of; fyrir dyrrin, Nj. 198; láta síga brýnn f. brár, Hkv. Hjörv. 19; halda f. augu sér, to hold (one’s hands) before one’s eyes, Nj. 132; leggja sverði fyrir brjóst e-m, to thrust a sword into his breast, 162, Fs. 39.

2. before one, before a court; stefna e-m f. dómstól, Fms. xi. 444; ganga, koma f. e-n, to go, come before one, Fms. i. 15, Eg. 426, Nj. 6, 129, passim; fyrir augu e-s, before one’s eyes, Stj. 611.

3. before, so as to shield; hann kom skildinum f. sik, he put the shield before him, Nj. 97, 115; halda skildi f. e-n, a duelling term, since the seconder had to hold one’s shield, Ísl. ii. 257.

4. joined to adverbs such as fram, aptr, út, inn, ofan, niðr, austr, vestr, suðr, norðr, all denoting direction; fram f., forward; aptr f., backward, etc.; hann reiddi öxina fram f. sik, a stroke forward with the axe, Fms. vii. 91; hann hljóp eigi skemra aptr en fram fyrir sik, Nj. 29; þótti honum hann skjóta brandinum austr til fjallanna f. sik, 195; komask út f. dyrr, to go outside the door, Eg. 206:—draga ofan f. brekku, to drag over the hill, Ld. 220; hrinda f. mel ofan, to thrust one over the gravel bank, Eg. 748; hlaupa f. björg, to leap over a precipice, Eb. 62, Landn. 36; elta e-n f. björg, Grág. ii. 34; hlaupa (kasta) f. borð, to leap ( throw) overboard, Fms. i. 178, Hkr. iii. 391, Ld. 226; síga ( to be hauled) niðr f. borgar-vegg, 656 C. 13, Fms. ix. 3; hlaupa niðr f. stafn, Eg. 142; niðr f. skaflinn, Dropl. 25; fyrir brekku, Orkn. 450, Glúm. 395 (in a verse).

II. in one’s way, crossing one’s way; þeir stefndu f. þá, Fms. ix. 475; ríða á leið f. þá, to ride in their way, so as to meet them, Boll. 348; hlaupa ofan f. þá, Nj. 153; vóru allt komin f. hann bréf, letters were come before him, in his way, Fms. vii. 207; þeir felldu brota f. hann, viz. they felled trees before him, so as to stop him, viii. 60, ix. 357; leggja bann f. skip, to lay an embargo on a ship, Ld. 166.

III. round, off a point; fyrir nesit, Nj. 44; út f. Holm, out past the Holm, Fms. vii. 356: esp. as a naut. term, off a point on the shore, sigla f. England, Norðyrnbraland, Þrasnes, Spán, to sail by the coast of, stand off England, Northumberland, … Spain, Orkn. 338, 340, 342, 354; fyrir Yrjar, Fms. vii. (in a verse); fyrir Siggju, Aumar, Lista, Edda 91 (in a verse); er hann kom f. Elfina, when be came off the Gotha, Eg. 80; leggja land f. skut, to lay the land clear of the stern, i. e. to pass it, Edda l. c.; göra frið f. land sitt, to pacify the land from one end to another, Ld. 28; fyrir uppsprettu árinnar, to come to ( round) the sources of the river, Fms. iii. 183; fyrir garðs-enda, Grág. ii. 263; girða f. nes, to make a wall across the ness, block it up, cp. Lat. praesepire, praemunire, etc., Grág. ii. 263; so also binda f. op, poka, Lat. praeligare, praestringere; hlaða f. gat, holu, to stop a hole, opening; greri f. stúfinn, the stump (of the arm or leg) was healed, closed, Nj. 275; skjóta slagbrandi f. dyrr, to shoot a bolt before the door, to bar it, Dropl. 29; láta loku (lás) f. hurð, to lock a door, Gísl. 28; setja innsigli f. bréf, to set a seal to a letter, Dipl. i. 3: ellipt., setr hón þar lás fyrir, Ld. 42, Bs. i. 512.

2. along, all along; f. endilanga Danmörk, f. endilangan Noreg, all along Denmark, Norway, from one end to the other, Fms. iv. 319, xi. 91, Grett. 97:—öx álnar f. munn, an axe with an ell-long edge, Ld. 276; draga ör f. ödd, to draw the arrow past the point, an archer’s term, Fms. ii. 321.

IV. with verbs, fyrir ván komit, one is come past hope, all hope is gone, Sturl. i. 44, Hrafn. 13, Fms. ii. 131; taka f. munn e-m, to stop one’s mouth; taka f. háls, kverkar, e-m, to seize one by the throat, etc.; taka mál f. munn e-m, ‘verba alicujus praeripere,’ to take the word out of one’s mouth, xi. 12; taka f. hendr e-m, to seize one’s hands, stop one in doing a thing, Eb. 124; mod., taka fram f. hendrnar á e-m.

B. TEMP.: fyrir dag, before day, Eg. 80; f. miðjan dag, Ld. 14; f. sól, before sunrise, 268; f. sólar-lag, before sunset; f. miðjan aptan, Nj. 192; f. náttmál, 197; f. óttu, Sighvat; f. þinglausnir, Ölk. 37; f. Jól, Nj. 269; f. fardaga, Grág. ii. 341; viku f. sumar, 244; f. mitt sumar, Nj. 138; litlu f. vetr, Eg. 159; f. vetrnætr, Grág. ii. 217; f. e-s minni, before one’s memory, Íb. 16.

C. METAPH.:

I. above, before; hann hafdi mest fyrir aðra konunga hraustleikinn, Fms. x. 372.

II. for, on behalf of; vil ek bjóða at fara f. þik, I will go for thee, in thy stead, Nj. 77; ganga í skuld f. e-n, Grág. i. 283; Egill drakk … ok svá f. Ölvi, Eg. 210; kaupa e-t f. e-n, Nj. 157; gjalda gjöld f. e-n, Grág. i. 173; verja, sækja, sakir f. e-n, Eg. 504; hvárr f. sik, each for oneself, Dipl. v. 26; sættisk á öll mál f. Björn, Nj. 266; tók sættir f. Björn, Eg. 168; svara f. e-t, Fms. xi. 444; hafa til varnir f. sik, láta lýrit, lög-vörn koma f.; færa vörn f. sik, etc.; verja, sækja sakir f. sik, and many similar law phrases, Grág. passim; biðja konu f. e-n, to woo a lady for another, Fms. x. 44; fyrir mik, on my behalf, for my part, Gs. 16; lögvörn f. mál, a lawful defence for a case, Nj. 111; hafa til varnar f. sök, to defend a case, Grág. i. 61; halda skiladómi f. e-t, Dipl. iv. 8; festa lög f. e-t, vide festa.

III. in a distributive sense; penning f. mann, a penny per man, K. Þ. K. 88; fyrir nef hvert, per nose = per head, Lv. 89, Fms. i. 153, Ó. H. 141; hve f. marga menn, for how many men, Grág. i. 296; fyrir hverja stiku, for each yard, 497.

IV. for, for the benefit of; brjóta brauð f. hungraða, Hom. 75; þeir skáru f. þá melinn, they cut the straw for them (the horses), Nj. 265; leggja kostnað f. e-n, to defray one’s costs, Grág. i. 341.

V. for, instead of; hann setti sik f. Guð, Edda (pref.); hafa e-n f. Guð (Lat. pro Deo), Stj. 73, Barl. 131; geta, fá, kveðja mann f. sik, to get a man as one’s delegate or substitute, Grág. i. 48 passim; þeir höfðu vargstakka f. brynjur, Fs. 17; manna-höfuð vóru f. kljána, Nj. 275; gagl f. gás ok grís f. gamalt svín, Ó. H. 86; rif stór f. hlunna, Háv. 48; buðkr er f. húslker er hafðr, Vm. 171; auga f. auga, tönn f. tönn, Exod. xxi. 24; skell f. skillinga, Þkv. 32.

VI. because of, for; vilja Gunnar dauðan fyrir höggit, Nj. 92, Fms. v. 162; eigi f. sakleysi, not without ground, i. 302; fyrir hvat (why, for what) stefndi Gunnarr þeim til úhelgi? Nj. 101; ok urðu f. þat sekir, Landn. 323; hafa ámæli f. e-t, Nj. 65, passim.

2. in a good sense, for one’s sake, for one; fyrir þín orð, for thy words, intercession, Ísl. ii. 217; vil ek göra f. þín orð, Ld. 158, Nj. 88; fyrir sína vinsæld, by his popularity, Fms. i. 259: the phrase, fyrir e-s sök, for one’s sake, vide sök: in swearing, a Latinism, fyrir trú mína, by my faith! (so in Old Engl. ‘fore God), Karl. 241; fyrir þitt líf, Stj. 514; ek særi þik f. alla krapta Krists ok manndóm þinn, Nj. 176. VII. for, at, denoting value, price; fyrir þrjár merkr, for three marks, Eg. 714; er sik leysti út f. þrjú hundruð marka, Fms. ix. 421; ganga f. hundrað, to pass or go for a hundred, D. I. i. 316:—also of the thing bought, þú skalt reiða f. hana þrjár merkr, thou shall pay for her three marks, Ld. 30; fyrir þik skulu koma mannhefndir, Nj. 57; bætr f. víg, Ísl. ii. 274; bætr f. mann, Eg. 259, passim; fyrir áverka Þorgeirs kom legorðs-sökin, Nj. 101:—so in the phrase, fyrir hvern mun, by all means, at any cost; fyrir öngan mun, by no means, Fms. i. 9, 157, Gþl. 531:—hafði hverr þeirra mann f. sik, eða tvá …, each slew a man or more for himself, i. e. they sold their lives dearly, Ó. H. 217.

2. ellipt., í staðinn f., instead of, Grág. i. 61; hér vil ek bjóða f. góð boð, Nj. 77; taka umbun f., Fms. vii. 161; svara slíku f. sem …, Boll. 350; þér skulut öngu f. týna nema lífinu, you shall lose nothing less than your head, Nj. 7.

VIII. by means of, by, through; fyrir þat sama orð, Stj.; fyrir sína náttúru, Fms. v. 162; fyrir messu-serkinn, iii. 168; fyrir þinn krapt ok frelsis-hönd, Pass. 19. 12; svikin f. orminn, by the serpent, Al. 63,—this use of fyrir seems to be a Latinism, but is very freq. in eccl. writings, esp. after the Reformation, N. T., Pass., Vídal.; fyrir munn Davíðs, through the mouth of David, etc.:—in good old historical writings such instances are few; þeir hlutuðu f. kast ( by dice), Sturl. ii. 159.

IX. in spite of, against; fyrir vilja sinn, N. G. L. i. 151; fyrir vitorð eðr vilja e-s, against one’s will or knowledge, Grág. ii. 348; kvángask (giptask) f. ráð e-s, i. 177, 178, Þiðr. 190; nú fara menn f. bann ( in spite of an embargo) landa á milli, Gþl. 517; hann gaf henni líf f. framkvæmd farar, i. e. although she had not fulfilled her journey ( her vow), Fms. v. 223; fyrir várt lof, vi. 220; fyrir allt þat, in spite of all that, Grett. 80 new Ed.; fyrir ráð fram, heedlessly; fyrir lög fram, vide fram.

X. denoting capacity, in the same sense as ‘at,’ C. II, p. 27, col. 1; scarcely found in old writers (who use ‘at’), but freq. in mod. usage, thus, eigi e-n f. vin, to have one for a friend, in old writers ‘at vin;’ hafa e-n f. fífl, fól, to make sport of one.

2. in old writers some phrases come near to this, e. g. vita f. vist, to know for certain, Dipl. i. 3; vita f. full sannindi, id., ii. 16; hafa f. satt, to take for sooth, believe, Nj. 135; koma f. eitt, to come ( turn) all to one, Lv. 11, Nj. 91, Fms. i. 208; koma f. ekki, to come to naught, be of no avail, Ísl. ii. 215; fyrir hitt mun ganga, it will turn the other way, Nj. 93; fyrir hann er einskis örvænt orðs né verks, from him everything may be expected, Ísl. ii. 326; hafa e-s víti f. varnað, to have another’s faults for warning, Sól. 19.

XI. joined with adverbs ending in -an, fyrir austan, vestan, sunnan, norðan, útan, innan, framan, handan, ofan, neðan, either with a following acc. denoting. direction, thus, fyrir austan, sunnan … fjall, east, south of the fell, i. e. on the eastern, southern side; fyrir neðan brú, below the bridge; fyrir útan fjall = Lat. ultra; fyrir innan fjall = Lat. infra; fyrir handan á, beyond the river; fyrir innan garð, inside the yard; fyrir ofan garð, above, beyond the yard, etc.; vide these adverbs:—used adverb., fyrir sunnan, in the south; fyrir vestan, in the west; fyrir norðan, in the north; fyrir austan, in the east,—current phrases in Icel. to mark the quarters of the country, cp. the ditty in Esp. Árb. year 1530; but not freq. in old writers, who simply say, norðr, suðr …, cp. Kristni S. ch. 1: absol. and adverb., fyrir ofan, uppermost; fyrir handan, on the other side:—fyrir útan e-t, except, save, Anal. 98, Vkv. 8; fyrir fram, vide fram.

☞ For- and fyrir- as prefixes, vide pp. 163–167 and below:

I. fore-, for-, meaning before, above, in the widest sense, local, temp., and metaph. furthering or the like, for-dyri, for-nes, for-ellri, for-beini, etc.

β. before, down, for-brekkis, -bergis, -streymis, -vindis, -viðris, etc.

2. in an intens. sense = before others, very, but not freq.; for-dyld, -góðr, -hagr, -hraustr, -kostuligr, -kuðr, -lítill, -ljótr, -prís, -ríkr, -snjallr.

II. (cp. fyrir, acc., C. IX), in a neg. or priv. sense; a few words occur even in the earliest poems, laws, and writers, e. g. for-að, -átta, -dæða, -nám, -næmi, -sending, -sköp, -verk, -veðja, -viða, -vitni, -ynja, -yrtir; those words at least seem to be original and vernacular: at a later time more words of the same kind crept in:

1. as early as writers of the 13th and 14th centuries, e. g. for-boð, -bænir, -djarfa, -dæma (fyrir-dæma), -taka (fyrir-taka), -þóttr; fyrir-bjóða, -fara, -göra, -koma, -kunna, -líta, -muna, -mæla, -vega, -verða.

2. introduced in some words at the time of the Reformation through Luther’s Bible and German hymns, and still later in many more through Danish, e. g. for-brjóta, -drífa, -láta, -líkast, -merkja, -nema, -sorga, -sóma, -standa, -svara, -þénusta, and several others; many of these, however, are not truly naturalised, being chiefly used in eccl. writings:—it is curious that if the pronoun be placed after the verb (which is the vernacular use in Icel.) the sense is in many cases reversed; thus, fyrir-koma, to destroy, but koma e-u fyrir can only mean to arrange; so also fyrir-mæla, to curse, and mæla fyrir, to speak for; for-bænir, but biðja fyrir e-m, etc.; in the latter case the sense is good and positive, in the former bad and negative; this seems to prove clearly that these compds are due to foreign influence.

Íslensk-ensk orðabók > FYRIR

15 compensar

v.

1 to make up for (valer la pena).

no me compensa (perder tanto tiempo) it's not worth my while (wasting all that time)

2 to compensate, to balance, to compensate for, to make for.

El dinero compensa la pérdida The money compensates the loss.

El jefe compensa a la chica The boss compensates the girl.

El juez compensó a María por el accidente The judge compensated Mary for...

3 to clear.

El juez compensó el caso de Ricardo The judge cleared John's case.

* * *

compensar

► verbo transitivo

1 (pérdida, error) to make up for

2 (indemnizar) to compensate, indemnify

■ nos compensaron con quinientos euros they gave us five hunderd euros in compensation

3 TÉCNICA to balance, compensate

4 familiar (merecer la pena) to be worth one's while

■ este trabajo no me compensa this job's not worth my while

* * *

verb

1) to compensate (for)

2) make up (for)

* * *

1. VT

1) (=indemnizar) to compensate ( por for)

compensar económicamente a algn — to compensate sb financially

lo compensaron con 100 dólares por los cristales rotos — he received 100 dollars compensation for the broken windows

¿cómo puedo compensarte por lo que has hecho por mí? — how can I repay you for what you have done for me?

2) (=equilibrar) [+ pérdida, falta] to compensate for, make up for; [+ efecto, bajada] to compensate for, offset; [+ gastos] to repay, reimburse; [+ error] to make amends for

le ponen luz artificial para compensar la falta de sol — they put in artificial lighting to compensate for o make up for the lack of sunlight

espero que el resultado le compense la molestia — I hope the result makes it worth your trouble

3) (Mec) [+ ruedas] to balance

4) (Econ) [+ cheque] to clear

2.

VI

no compensa — it's not worth it, it's not worthwhile

te compensa hacerlo — it's worth you doing it, it's worth your while doing it o to do it

compensa gastarse más dinero ahora y ahorrarlo después — it pays to spend more now and save money later, it's worth spending more now to save money later on

el esfuerzo no compensa — it's not worth the effort

no me compensa el tiempo que he invertido — it isn't worth the time I've spent on it

* * *
1.
verbo intransitivo

no compensa hacer un viaje tan largo — it's not worth making such a long journey; (+ me/te/le etc)

no me compensa hacerlo por tan poco dinero — it's not worth my while doing it for so little money
2.
compensar vt

1)

a) ( contrarrestar) <pérdida/deficiencia> to compensate for, make up for; < efecto> to offset

su entusiasmo compensa su falta de experiencia — his enthusiasm makes up for his lack of experience

b) < persona>

compensar a alguien por algo — to compensate somebody for something

la compañía nos compensará por el retraso — the company will compensate us for the delay

lo compensaron con $2.000 por los daños — he was awarded $2,000 compensation in damages

quisiera compensarte de alguna manera por la molestia — I would like to repay you in some way for all your trouble

2) < cheque> to clear
3.
compensarse v pron

a) fuerzas (recípr) to compensate each other, cancel each other out

b) pérdida/efecto

compensarse con algo — to be offset by something

se compensa con una rebaja en los impuestos — it is offset by o compensated for by tax cuts

* * *

= compensate, offset, repay, even out, balance, make + amends (for/to), balance out, requite.

Ex. Whatever the immediate difficulties may be, they will be more than compensated for by the long-term benefits of automated bibliographic control.

Ex. Space requirements are less and capital outlay is considerably less, though this is offset by the higher maintenance costs.

Ex. The administrator will be more than repaid by high staff morale for all the trouble-shooting and unglamorous behind-the-scenes planning.

Ex. But damp paper was still preferred for much ordinary printing until late in the nineteenth century, partly because it evened out the minor inequalities of used type in the days before the introduction of hot-metal composing machines which cast type afresh for each job.

Ex. It often requires careful diplomacy by acquisitions librarians to balance sharp faculty interests.

Ex. The scholarships were established in 1979 to help make amends for the state's history of excluding blacks from the university.

Ex. If you do this it should balance out some of the negative thoughts you're having and know that in the end que sera sera, what's meant to be will be.

Ex. The sultan requited the king of China's present by sending him ten swords with scabbards encrusted in pearls.

----

* compensar a Alguien = make + it + up to + Alguien.

* compensar por = make up for, outweigh, outbalance.

* * *
1.
verbo intransitivo

no compensa hacer un viaje tan largo — it's not worth making such a long journey; (+ me/te/le etc)

no me compensa hacerlo por tan poco dinero — it's not worth my while doing it for so little money
2.
compensar vt

1)

a) ( contrarrestar) <pérdida/deficiencia> to compensate for, make up for; < efecto> to offset

su entusiasmo compensa su falta de experiencia — his enthusiasm makes up for his lack of experience

b) < persona>

compensar a alguien por algo — to compensate somebody for something

la compañía nos compensará por el retraso — the company will compensate us for the delay

lo compensaron con $2.000 por los daños — he was awarded $2,000 compensation in damages

quisiera compensarte de alguna manera por la molestia — I would like to repay you in some way for all your trouble

2) < cheque> to clear
3.
compensarse v pron

a) fuerzas (recípr) to compensate each other, cancel each other out

b) pérdida/efecto

compensarse con algo — to be offset by something

se compensa con una rebaja en los impuestos — it is offset by o compensated for by tax cuts

* * *

= compensate, offset, repay, even out, balance, make + amends (for/to), balance out, requite.

Ex: Whatever the immediate difficulties may be, they will be more than compensated for by the long-term benefits of automated bibliographic control.

Ex: Space requirements are less and capital outlay is considerably less, though this is offset by the higher maintenance costs.

Ex: The administrator will be more than repaid by high staff morale for all the trouble-shooting and unglamorous behind-the-scenes planning.

Ex: But damp paper was still preferred for much ordinary printing until late in the nineteenth century, partly because it evened out the minor inequalities of used type in the days before the introduction of hot-metal composing machines which cast type afresh for each job.

Ex: It often requires careful diplomacy by acquisitions librarians to balance sharp faculty interests.

Ex: The scholarships were established in 1979 to help make amends for the state's history of excluding blacks from the university.

Ex: If you do this it should balance out some of the negative thoughts you're having and know that in the end que sera sera, what's meant to be will be.

Ex: The sultan requited the king of China's present by sending him ten swords with scabbards encrusted in pearls.

* compensar a Alguien = make + it + up to + Alguien.

* compensar por = make up for, outweigh, outbalance.

* * *

compensar [A1 ]

vi

no compensa hacer un viaje tan largo para quedarse sólo tres días it's not worth making such a long journey just to stay three days

(+ me/te/le etc): no me compensa hacerlo por tan poco dinero it's not worth my while doing it for so little money

no creo que le compense venirse hasta aquí para trabajar dos horas I don't think it's worth her coming here (just) to work two hours

■ compensar

vt

A

1 ‹pérdida› to compensate for, make up for; ‹efecto› to offset

2 ‹persona› compensar a algn POR algo to compensate sb FOR sth

lo compensaron con $2.000 por los daños he was awarded $2,000 compensation in damages

quisiera compensarte de alguna manera por la molestia I would like to repay you in some way for all your trouble

B ‹cheque› to clear

■ compensarse

v pron

1 «fuerzas» ( recípr) to compensate each other, cancel each other out

2

«pérdida/efecto»: compensarse CON algo: esto se compensa con una rebaja en los impuestos this is offset by o compensated for by tax cuts

* * *

compensar ( conjugate compensar) verbo intransitivo:
◊ no compensa hacer un viaje tan largo it's not worth making such a long journey;

no me compensa it's not worth my while
verbo transitivo
1
a) ( contrarrestar) ‹pérdida/deficiencia› to compensate for, make up for;

‹ efecto› to offset;
◊ su entusiasmo compensa su falta de experiencia his enthusiasm makes up for his lack of experience

b) ‹ persona› compensar a algn por algo ‹por pérdidas/retraso› to compensate sb for sth;

◊ lo compensaron con $2.000 por los daños he was awarded $2,000 compensation in damages

2 ‹ cheque› to clear
compensarse verbo pronominal [ fuerzas] ( recípr) to compensate each other, cancel each other out
compensar
I verbo transitivo
1 (equilibrar) to make up for
2 (indemnizar) to compensate (for)
II verbo intransitivo (merecer la pena) to be worthwhile: no me compensa vivir tan lejos, it's not worth my while to live so far away
' compensar' also found in these entries:
Spanish:
amortizar
- comida
- comido
- gratificar
- suplir
- recuperar
- resarcir
English:
amends
- atone
- compensate
- good
- hedge
- make up
- make up for
- offset
- redeem
- cancel
- even
- off

* * *

compensar

♦ vt

1. [contrarrestar] to make up for;

su talento compensa la falta de educación formal her talent makes up for the fact that she lacks a formal education;

compensaron las pérdidas con las ganancias the profit they made cancelled out their losses

2. [indemnizar]
compensar a alguien (de o [m5] por) to compensate sb (for);

la compensaron con 2 millones she got 2 million in compensation;

te compensaré por el esfuerzo I'll make it worth your while

♦ vi

to be worthwhile;

no compensa it's not worth it;

no me compensa (perder tanto tiempo) it's not worth my while (wasting all that time);

compensa más comprarlo a granel it pays o it's more economical to buy it in bulk

♦ See also the pronominal verb compensarse

* * *

compensar

I v/t compensate ( por for)

II v/i fig

be worthwhile

* * *

compensar vt

: to compensate for, to make up for

compensar vi

: to be worth one's while

* * *

compensar vb

1. (contrarrestar) to make up for / to compensate

el jefe nos compensará las horas extras con un aumento de sueldo the boss will compensate us for the overtime with a pay rise

2. (indemnizar) to pay compensation [pt. & pp. paid]

el seguro me compensó por las pérdidas the insurance paid me compensation for the losses

3. (valer la pena) to be worth your while

le ha compensado estudiar tanto it was worth her while studying so hard

Spanish-English dictionary > compensar

16 aller

aller [ale]

━━━━━━━━━

1. intransitive verb

2. impersonal verb

3. auxiliary verb

4. reflexive verb

5. masculine noun

━━━━━━━━━

➭ TABLE 9

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

► aller is conjugated with être.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

1. <

   a. (déplacement) to go

• où vas-tu ? where are you going?

• vas-y ! go on!

• on y va ? (avant un départ) shall we go? ; (avant d'agir) shall we start?

• allons-y ! let's go!

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

► aller se traduit souvent par un verbe plus spécifique en anglais.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

• j'allais par les rues désertes I wandered through the empty streets

• aller quelque part en voiture to drive somewhere

• aller quelque part en avion to fly somewhere

► aller et venir (entre deux endroits) to come and go ; (dans une pièce) to pace up and down

► aller + préposition

• aller à to go to

• il est allé à Caen he went to Caen

• ils sont allés à la campagne they went to the country

• aller à l'école to go to school

• l'argent ira à la restauration du clocher the money will go towards restoring the bell tower

• aller chez le boucher to go to the butcher's

• aller chez un ami to go to a friend's

• aller en France to go to France

• je vais sur or vers Lille (en direction de) I'm going towards Lille ; (but du voyage) I'm going to Lille

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

► Lorsque être allé à/en signifie avoir visité, il se traduit par to have been to.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

• je ne suis jamais allé à New York I've never been to New York

• étiez-vous déjà allés en Sicile ? had you been to Sicily before?

   b. (évolution) on va à la catastrophe we're heading for disaster

• aller sur ses 30 ans to be getting on for 30 (Brit) to be going on 30 (US)

► plus ça va

• plus ça va, plus les gens s'inquiètent people are getting more and more worried

• plus ça va, plus je me dis que j'ai eu tort the more I think about it, the more I realize how wrong I was► aller en + participe présent

• aller en empirant to get worse and worse

• aller en augmentant to keep increasing

   c. ( = durer) l'abonnement va jusqu'en juin the subscription lasts till June

• la période qui va du 22 mai au 15 juillet the period from 22 May to 15 July

   d. (état, santé) comment allez-vous ? how are you?

• il va bien he's fine

• il va mal he's in a bad way

• comment ça va ? -- ça va how are you doing? -- fine

• ça va mieux maintenant I'm feeling better now

• non mais ça va pas ! (inf) are you out of your mind? (inf)

• comment vont les affaires ? -- elles vont bien how's business? -- fine

• ça va mal en Russie Russia is in a bad way

• ça va mal aller si tu continues there's going to be trouble if you carry on like that

• l'économie va mieux the economy is doing better

   e. ( = convenir) ça ira comme ça ? is it all right like that?

• aller avec to go well with

• aller bien ensemble [couleurs, styles] to go well together

• ils vont bien ensemble [personnes] they make a nice couple

► aller à qn (forme, mesure) to fit sb ; (style, genre) to suit sb

• cette robe te va très bien (couleur, style) that dress really suits you ; (taille) that dress fits you perfectly

• rendez-vous demain 4 heures ? -- ça me va (inf) tomorrow at 4? -- OK, fine (inf)

• ça lui va mal de critiquer les autres he's got a nerve (inf) criticizing other people

   f. (exclamations) allons !

• allez ! go on!

• allez la France ! come on France!

• allons, allons, il ne faut pas pleurer come on, don't cry

• ce n'est pas grave, allez ! come on, it's not so bad!

• va donc, eh crétin ! you stupid idiot! (inf)

• allez-y, c'est votre tour go on, it's your turn

• allez-y, vous ne risquez rien go on, you've nothing to lose

• non mais vas-y, insulte-moi ! (inf) go on, insult me!

► allons bon !

• allons bon ! qu'est-ce qui t'est encore arrivé ? now what's happened?

• allons bon, j'ai oublié mon sac ! oh dear, I've left my bag behind!► ça va ! (inf) ( = assez) that's enough! ; ( = d'accord) OK, OK! (inf)

• tes remarques désobligeantes, ça va comme ça ! I've had just about enough of your nasty comments!

• alors, tu viens ? -- ça va, j'arrive ! are you coming then? -- OK, OK (inf), I'm coming!

• ça fait dix fois que je te le dis -- ça va, je vais le faire ! I've told you ten times -- look, I'll do it, OK? (inf)► va pour (inf)

va pour 30 € ! OK, 30 euros then!

• j'aimerais aller à Tokyo -- alors va pour Tokyo ! I'd like to go to Tokyo -- Tokyo it is then!

2. <

• il y va de votre vie your life is at stake

• il en va de même pour tous les autres the same goes for all the others

• ça y va le whisky chez eux ! they certainly get through a lot of whisky!

• ça y allait les insultes ! you should have heard the abuse!

3. <

► aller + infinitif

   a. (futur)

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

► Lorsque aller + infinitif sert à exprimer le futur, il se traduit par will + infinitif ; will est souvent abrégé en 'll.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

• il va descendre dans une minute he'll come down in a minute

• je vais le faire tout de suite I'll do it right away

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

► La forme du futur to be going to s'utilise pour mettre qn en garde.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

• tu vas être en retard you're going to be late

• je vais le dire à ton père I'll tell your father ; ( = menace) I'm going to tell your father

   b. (intention) il est allé se renseigner he's gone to get some information ; (a obtenu les informations) he went and got some information

• aller voir qn à l'hôpital to go and visit sb in hospital

   c. (locutions) n'allez pas vous imaginer que... don't you go imagining that...

• allez savoir ! (inf) who knows?

• va lui expliquer ça, toi ! you try explaining that to him!

4. <

► s'en aller

   a. ( = partir) to go

• bon, je m'en vais right, I'm going

• elle s'en va en vacances demain she is going on holiday tomorrow

• va-t'en ! go away!

   b. ( = disparaître) [tache] to come off ; (sur tissu) to come out

• ça s'en ira au lavage [boue] it'll wash off ; [tache] it'll wash out

5. <

   a. ( = billet) single (ticket) (Brit), one-way ticket (US)

   b. ( = trajet) outward journey

• l'aller s'est bien passé the outward journey went well

• trois allers (simples) pour Tours three singles (Brit) or one-way tickets (US) to Tours

► aller et retour return (ticket) (Brit) round-trip ticket (US)

• l'aller et retour Paris-New York coûte 2 500 € Paris-New York is 2,500 euros return (Brit) or round-trip (US)

• je ne fais que l'aller et retour I'm just going there and back

• j'ai fait plusieurs allers et retours entre chez moi et la pharmacie I made several trips to the chemist's

• le dossier a fait plusieurs allers et retours entre nos services the file has been shuttled between departments

* * *

I
1. ale
verbe auxiliaire

1) ( marque le futur)

je vais rentrer chez moi — I'm going home

j'allais partir — I was just leaving

j'allais partir quand il est arrivé — I was about to leave when he arrived

l'homme qui allait inventer la bombe atomique — the man who was to invent the atomic bomb

il va le regretter — he'll regret it

ça va aller mal — (colloq) there'll be trouble

tu vas me laisser tranquille? — will you please leave me alone!

2) ( marque le futur programmé)

je vais leur dire ce que je pense — I'm going to tell them what I think

3) ( marque le mouvement)

aller rouler de l'autre côté de la rue — to go rolling across the street

aller atterrir (colloq) sur mon bureau — to end up on my desk

4) ( marque l'inclination)

va savoir! — who knows?

qu'es-tu allé te mettre en tête? — where did you pick up that idea?

qui irait le soupçonner? — who would suspect him?

pourquoi es-tu allé faire ça? — why did you have to go and do that?

allez-y comprendre quelque chose! — just try and work that out!

5) ( marque l'évolution)

la situation va (en) se compliquant — the situation is getting more and more complicated

aller (en) s'améliorant — to be improving

la tristesse ira (en) s'atténuant — the grief will diminish

2.

verbe intransitif

1) (se porter, se dérouler, fonctionner)

comment vas-tu, comment ça va? — how are you?

ça va (bien) — I'm fine

les enfants vont bien? — are the children all right?

comment va la santé? — how are you keeping?

aller beaucoup mieux — to be much better

bois ça, ça ira mieux — drink this, you'll feel better

tout va bien? — is everything going all right?

vous êtes sûr que ça va? — are you sure you're all right?

les affaires vont bien — business is good

ça va l'école? — how are things at school?

ça ne va pas très fort — ( ma santé) I'm not feeling very well; ( la vie) things aren't too good; ( le moral) I'm feeling a bit low

ça va mal entre eux — things aren't too good between them

qu'est-ce qui ne va pas? — what's the matter?

la voiture a quelque chose qui ne va pas — there's something wrong with the car

tout est allé si vite! — it all happened so quickly!

ne pas aller sans peine or mal — not to be easy

ça va de soi or sans dire — it goes without saying

l'amour ne va jamais de soi — love is never straightforward

ça va tout seul — ( c'est facile) it's a doddle (colloq) GB, it's easy as pie

les choses vont très vite — things are moving fast

on fait aller — (colloq) struggling on (colloq)

ça peut aller — (colloq)

ça ira — (colloq) could be worse (colloq)

ça va pas, non (colloq) or la tête? — (colloq) are you mad (colloq) GB ou crazy? (colloq)

2) ( se déplacer) to go

allez tout droit — go straight ahead

aller et venir — ( dans une pièce) to pace up and down; ( d'un lieu à l'autre) to run in and out

la liberté d'aller et venir — the freedom to come and go at will

les nouvelles vont vite — news travels fast

où vas-tu? — where are you going?, where are you off (colloq) to?

aller en Pologne/au marché — to go to Poland/to the market

je suis allé de Bruxelles à Anvers — I went from Brussels to Antwerp

allons-y! — let's go!

je l'ai rencontré en allant au marché — I met him on the way to the market

aller sur or vers Paris — to head for Paris

aller vers le nord — to head north

va-t-on vers une nouvelle guerre? — are we heading for another war?

j'y vais — ( je m'en occupe) I'll get it; ( je pars) (colloq) I'm going, I'm off (colloq)

où va-t-il? — where is he off to? (colloq)

où va-t-on? — (colloq)

où allons-nous? — (colloq) fig what are things coming to?, what's the world coming to?

3) ( pour se livrer à une activité)

aller au travail — to go to work

aller à la chasse — to go hunting

aller au pain — (colloq) to go and get the bread

aller aux courses (colloq) or commissions — (colloq) to go shopping

aller aux nouvelles — to go and see if there's any news

4) ( s'étendre dans l'espace)

la route va au village — the road leads to the village

la rue va de la gare à l'église — the street goes from the station to the church

5) ( convenir)

ma robe, ça va? — is my dress all right?

ça va, ça peut aller — (colloq) ( en quantité) that'll do; ( en qualité) it'll do

ça va comme ça — it's all right as it is

ça ne va pas du tout — that's no good at all

la traduction n'allait pas — the translation was no good

une soupe, ça (te) va? — how about some soup?

va pour une soupe — (colloq) soup is okay (colloq)

ça va si je porte un jean? — can I wear jeans?

si le contrat ne te va pas, ne le signe pas — don't sign the contract if you're not happy with it

si ça va pour toi, ça va pour moi — (colloq) if it's okay by you, it's okay by me (colloq)

ma scie ne va pas pour le métal — my saw is no good for metal

ça te va bien de faire la morale — (colloq) iron you're hardly the person to preach

6) (être de la bonne taille, de la bonne forme)

aller à quelqu'un — to fit somebody

7) (flatter, mettre en valeur)

aller à quelqu'un — to suit somebody

ta cravate ne va pas avec ta chemise — your tie doesn't go with your shirt

les meubles vont bien ensemble — the furniture all matches

je trouve que ta sœur et son petit ami vont très bien ensemble — I think your sister and her boyfriend are ideally suited

8) ( se ranger) to go

les assiettes vont dans le placard — the plates go in the cupboard

9) ( faculté)

pouvoir aller dans l'eau — to be waterproof

le plat ne va pas au four — the dish is not ovenproof

10) ( dans une évaluation)

la voiture peut aller jusqu'à 200 km/h — the car can do up to 200 kph

certains modèles peuvent aller jusqu'à 1000 francs — some models can cost up to 1,000 francs

11) ( en arriver à)

aller jusqu'au président — to take it right up to the president

aller jusqu'à tuer — to go as far as to kill

leur amour est allé jusqu'à la folie — their love bordered on madness

12) ( dans le temps)

aller jusqu'en 1914 — to go up to 1914

la période qui va de 1918 à 1939 — the period between 1918 and 1939

le contrat allait jusqu'en 1997 — the contract ran until 1997

aller sur ses 17 ans — to be going on 17

13) (agir, raisonner)

vas-y doucement, le tissu est fragile — careful, the fabric is delicate

tu vas trop vite — you're going too fast

vas-y, demande-leur! — ( incitation) go on, ask them!

vas-y, dis-le! — ( provocation) come on, out with it!

allons, allez! — (pour encourager, inciter) come on!

si tu vas par là, rien n'est entièrement vrai — if you take that line, nothing is entirely true

14) ( contribuer)

y aller de sa petite larme — to shed a little tear

y aller de son petit discours — to do one's party piece

y aller de ses économies — to dip into one's savings

y aller de sa personne — to pitch in

15) (colloq) ( se succéder)

ça y va la vodka avec lui — he certainly gets through the vodka

ça y allait les coups — the fur was flying (colloq)

16) ( servir)

l'argent ira à la réparation de l'église — the money will go toward(s) repairing the church

l'argent est allé dans leurs poches — they pocketed the money

17) ( enfreindre)

aller contre la loi — [personne] to break the law; [acte] to be against the law

je ne peux pas aller contre ce qu'il a décidé — I can't go against his decision

3.

s'en aller verbe pronominal

1) (partir, se rendre)

il faut que je m'en aille — I must go ou leave

va-t'en! — go away!

s'en aller au travail — to go off to work

2) ( disparaître)

les nuages vont s'en aller — the clouds will clear away

la tache ne s'en va pas — the stain won't come out

avec le temps, tout s'en va — everything fades with time

3) fml ( mourir) to pass away

4) (avoir l'intention de, essayer)

je m'en vais leur dire ce que je pense — I'm going to tell them what I think

va-t'en savoir! — who knows?

4.

verbe impersonnel

1) ( être en jeu)

il y va de ta santé — your health is at stake

2) ( se passer)

il en va souvent ainsi — that's often what happens

il en va de même pour toi — that goes for you too

il en va autrement en Corée — things are different in Korea

3) Mathématique

40 divisé par 12 il y va 3 fois et il reste 4 — 12 into 40 goes 3 times with 4 left over

II ale
nom masculin

1) ( trajet)

j'ai fait une escale à l'aller — I made a stopover on the way out

j'ai pris le bus à l'aller — ( en allant là) I took the bus there; ( en venant ici) I took the bus here

l'aller a pris trois heures — the journey there took three hours

il n'arrête pas de faire des allers et retours entre chez lui et son bureau — he keeps running to and fro from his house to the office

billet aller — gén single ticket GB, one-way ticket US; ( d'avion) one-way ticket

billet aller (et) retour — return ticket GB, round trip (ticket) US

match aller — first leg

2) ( ticket)

aller (simple) — single (ticket) GB, one-way ticket ( pour to)

aller (et) retour — return ticket

••

Lorsque aller fait partie d'une expression figée comme aller dans le sens de, aller de pair avec etc, l'expression est traitée sous l'entrée sens, pair etc

On notera les différentes traductions de aller verbe de mouvement indiquant: un déplacement unique dans le temps: je vais au théâtre ce soir = I'm going to the theatre [BrE] this evening; ou une habitude: je vais au théâtre tous les lundis = I go to the theatre [BrE] every Monday

aller + infinitif

la traduction dépend du temps: je vais apprendre l'italien = I'm going to learn Italian; il est allé voir l'exposition = he went to see the exhibition; j'allais me marier quand la guerre a éclaté = I was going to get married when the war broke out; va voir = go and see; va leur parler = go and speak to them; j'irai voir l'exposition demain = I'll go and see the exhibition tomorrow; je vais souvent m'asseoir au bord de la rivière = I often go and sit by the river; il ne va jamais voir une exposition = he never goes to see exhibitions

On notera que pour les activités sportives on peut avoir: aller nager/faire du vélo = to go swimming/cycling ou to go for a swim/on a bike ride

On trouvera ci-dessous des exemples et des exceptions illustrant aller dans ses différentes fonctions verbales

* * *
ale
1. nm

1) (= trajet) outward journey

L'aller nous a pris trois heures. — The journey there took us three hours., The outward journey took us three hours.

2) (= billet) single Grande-Bretagne ticket, one-way ticket

Je voudrais un aller pour Angers. — I'd like a single to Angers.

2. vi

1) (déplacement) to go

Je suis allé à Londres. — I went to London.

Elle ira le voir. — She'll go and see him.

La boulangerie? Je dois justement y aller. — The baker's? That's just where I need to go.

aller à la chasse — to go hunting

aller à la pêche — to go fishing

aller voir qn — to go and see sb

aller chercher qn — to go and get sb

pour aller à Conflans? — how do I get to Conflans?

2) (= convenir)

aller à qn [couleur, style] — to suit sb, [forme, pointure] to fit sb, [dispositions, date] to suit sb

cela me va [couleur, vêtement] — it suits me, (pointure, taille) it fits me, [projet, dispositions] it suits me, that's OK by me

Cette robe te va bien. — That dress suits you.

aller avec qch [couleurs, style] — to go with sth

bien aller avec qch — to go well with sth

3) (= se sentir)

"Comment allez-vous? " - - "Je vais bien." — "How are you?" - - "I'm fine."

Il va bien. — He's fine.

Il va mal. — He's not well.

aller mieux — to be better

4) (= marcher, se passer)

comment ça va? — how are you?, how are things?

"ça va?" - - "oui ça va!" — "how are things?" - - "fine!"

ça va bien — things are going well

ça va mal — things aren't going well

tout va bien — everything's fine

cela ne va pas sans difficultés — it's not without difficulties

5) (exhortation)

allez! (encouragement) — go on!, (avec impatience) come on!

Allez! Dépêche-toi! — Come on, hurry up!

allez, au revoir — OK then, bye-bye

6) (autres locutions)

y aller; allons-y! — let's go!

vas-y! — go on!

Je dois y aller. — I've got to go.

y aller un peu fort — to go a bit far

Tu y vas un peu fort. — You're going a bit too far., You're going a bit far.

il y va de leur vie — their lives are at stake

aller jusqu'à — to go as far as

Nous sommes allés jusqu'à Angers. — We went as far as Angers.

J'irais jusqu'à dire qu'il est trop tard. — I would go so far as to say that it's too late.

se laisser aller — to let o.s. go

ça va de soi; ça va sans dire — that goes without saying

ça va comme ça (= c'est suffisant) — that's fine, (impatience) that's enough

3. vb aux

(futur immédiat)

Je vais le faire. — I'm going to do it.

Je vais me fâcher. — I'm going to get angry.

Je vais écrire à mes cousins. — I'm going to write to my cousins.

* * *

I.

aller ⇒ Note d'usage verb table: aller

A v aux

1 ( marque le futur) je vais partir I'm leaving; je vais rentrer chez moi/me coucher I'm going home/to bed; j'allais partir I was just leaving; j'allais partir quand il est arrivé I was about to leave when he arrived; l'homme qui allait inventer la bombe atomique the man who was to invent the atomic bomb; il allait le regretter he was to regret it; il va le regretter he'll regret it; elle va avoir un an she'll soon be one; il va faire nuit it'll soon be dark; ça va aller mal○ there'll be trouble; tu vas me laisser tranquille? will you please leave me alone!;

2 ( marque le futur programmé) je vais leur dire ce que je pense I'm going to tell them what I think; elle va peindre sa cuisine en bleu she's going to paint her kitchen blue; j'allais te le dire I was just going to tell you;

3 ( marque le mouvement) aller rouler de l'autre côté de la rue to go rolling across the street; aller valser○ à l'autre bout de la pièce to go flying across the room; aller atterrir○ en plein champ/sur mon bureau to end up in the middle of a field/on my desk;

4 (marque l'inclination, l'initiative) qu'est-ce que tu vas imaginer là? what a ridiculous idea!; va savoir! who knows?; va or allez (donc) savoir ce qui s'est passé who knows what happened?; qu'es-tu allé te mettre en tête? where did you pick up that idea?; qui irait le soupçonner? who would suspect him?; vous n'iriez pas leur dire ça? you're not going to go and say that, are you?; pourquoi es-tu allé faire ça? why did you have to go and do that?; n'allez pas croire une chose pareille! ( pour réfuter) don't you believe it!; ( pour tempérer l'enthousiasme) don't get carried away!; allez y comprendre quelque chose! just try and work that out!;

5 ( marque l'évolution) la situation va (en) se compliquant the situation is getting more and more complicated; aller (en) s'améliorant/s'aggravant to be improving/getting worse; la tristesse ira (en) s'atténuant the grief will diminish.

B vi

1 (se porter, se dérouler, fonctionner) comment vas-tu, comment ça va? how are you?; ça va (bien) I'm fine; les enfants vont bien? are the children all right?; et ta femme/ton épaule, comment ça va? how's your wife/your shoulder?; comment va la santé? how are you keeping?; ça va la vie○? how's life○?; ça va les amours○? how's the love life going?; aller beaucoup mieux to be much better; bois ça, ça ira mieux drink this, you'll feel better; tout va bien pour toi? is everything going all right?; si tout va bien if everything goes all right; vous êtes sûr que ça va? are you sure you're all right?; les affaires vont bien/mal business is good/bad; ça va l'école? how are things at school?; ça ne va pas très fort or bien ( ma santé) I'm not feeling very well; ( la vie) things aren't too good; ( le moral) I'm feeling a bit low; ça pourrait aller mieux, ça va plus ou moins ( réponse) so-so; ça va mal entre eux things aren't too good between them; qu'est-ce qui ne va pas? what's the matter?; la voiture a quelque chose qui ne va pas there's something wrong with the car; tout va pour le mieux everything's fine; tout est allé si vite! it all happened so quickly!; ne pas aller sans peine or mal not to be easy; ne pas aller sans hésitations to take some thinking about; ça va de soi or sans dire it goes without saying; ça devrait aller de soi it should be obvious; ainsi vont les choses that's the way it goes; ainsi va le monde that's the way of the world; ainsi allait la France this was the state of affairs in France; l'amour ne va jamais de soi love is never straightforward; ça va tout seul ( c'est facile) it's a doddle○ GB, it's as easy as pie; ça ne va pas tout seul it's not that easy, it's no picnic○; les choses vont très vite things are moving fast; on fait aller○ struggling on○; ça peut aller○, ça ira○ could be worse○; ça va pas, non○ or la tête○? are you mad○ GB ou crazy○?; ça va pas, non, de crier or gesticuler comme ça○? what's the matter with you, carrying on like that○?; ⇒ pis;

2 ( se déplacer) to go; tu vas trop vite you're going too fast; allez tout droit go straight ahead; aller et venir ( dans une pièce) to pace up and down; ( d'un lieu à l'autre) to run in and out; la liberté d'aller et venir the freedom to come and go at will; je préfère aller à pied/en avion I'd rather walk/fly; les nouvelles vont vite news travels fast; aller d'un pas rapide to walk quickly; je sais aller à bicyclette/cheval I can ride a bike/horse; où vas-tu? where are you going?, where are you off○ to?; je vais en Pologne I'm going to Poland; aller au marché/en ville to go to the market/into town; aller chez le médecin/dentiste to go to the doctor's/dentist's; va dans ta chambre go to your room; je suis allé de Bruxelles à Anvers I went from Brussels to Antwerp; je suis allé jusqu'en Chine/au marché ( et pas plus loin) I went as far as China/the market; ( et c'était loin) I went all the way to China/the market; je préfère ne pas y aller I'd rather not go; allons-y! let's go!; je l'ai rencontré en allant au marché I met him on the way to the market; aller vers le nord to head north; j'y vais ( je m'en occupe) I'll get it; ( je pars)○ I'm going, I'm off○; où va-t-il encore? where is he off to now○?; aller sur or vers Paris to head for Paris; où va-t-on○?, où allons-nous○? fig what are things coming to?, what's the world coming to?; va donc, eh, abruti○! get lost○, you idiot!; ⇒ cruche;

3 (pour se livrer à une activité, chercher un produit) aller à l'école/au travail to go to school/to work; aller à la chasse/pêche to go hunting/fishing; allez-vous à la piscine? do you go to the swimming pool?; il est allé au golf/tennis he's gone to play golf/tennis; aller aux champignons/framboises to go mushroom-/raspberry-picking; aller au pain○ to go and get the bread; dans quelle boulangerie allez-vous? which bakery do you go to?; aller aux courses○ or commissions○ to go shopping; aller au ravitaillement to go and stock up; aller aux nouvelles or informations to go and see if there's any news;

4 ( s'étendre dans l'espace) la route va au village the road leads to the village; la rue va de la gare à l'église the street goes from the station to the church;

5 ( convenir) ma robe/la traduction, ça va? is my dress/the translation all right?; ça va, ça ira○, ça peut aller○ ( en quantité) that'll do; ( en qualité) it'll do; ça va comme ça it's all right as it is; ça ne va pas du tout that's no good at all; ça ne va pas du tout, tu dois mettre une cravate you can't go like that, you have to wear a tie; la traduction n'allait pas the translation was no good; lundi ça (te) va? would Monday suit you ou be okay○?; une soupe, ça (te) va? how about some soup?; va pour une soupe○ soup is okay○; ça irait si on se voyait demain? would it it be all right if we met tomorrow?; ça va si je porte un jean? can I wear jeans?; si le contrat ne te va pas, ne le signe pas don't sign the contract if you're not happy with it; si ça va pour toi, ça va pour moi○ or ça me va○ if it's okay by you, it's okay by me○; ça n'irait pas du tout ( inacceptable) that would never do; ma scie ne va pas pour le métal my saw is no good for metal; ça te va bien de faire la morale/parler comme ça○ iron you're hardly the person to preach/make that sort of remark;

6 (être de la bonne taille, de la bonne forme) aller à qn to fit sb; tes chaussures sont trop grandes, elles ne me vont pas your shoes are too big, they don't fit me; cette vis/clé ne va pas this screw/key doesn't fit;

7 (flatter, mettre en valeur) aller à qn to suit sb; le rouge ne me va pas or me va mal red doesn't suit me; sa robe lui allait (très) bien her dress really suited her; le rôle t'irait parfaitement the part would suit you perfectly; ta cravate ne va pas avec ta chemise your tie doesn't go with your shirt; les tapis vont bien ensemble the rugs go together well; les meubles vont bien ensemble the furniture all matches; je trouve que ta sœur et son petit ami vont très bien ensemble I think your sister and her boyfriend are ideally suited;

8 ( se ranger) to go; les assiettes vont dans le placard the plates go in the cupboard; la chaise pliante va derrière la porte de la cuisine the folding chair goes behind the kitchen door;

9 ( faculté) pouvoir aller dans l'eau to be waterproof; le plat ne va pas au four the dish is not ovenproof;

10 ( dans une évaluation) la voiture peut aller jusqu'à 200 km/h the car can do up to 200 km/h; certains modèles peuvent aller jusqu'à 1 000 euros some models can cost up to 1,000 euros; une peine allant jusqu'à cinq ans de prison a sentence of up to five years in prison;

11 ( en arriver à) aller jusqu'au président to take it right up to the president; aller jusqu'à mentir/tuer to go as far as to lie/kill; leur amour est allé jusqu'à la folie their love bordered on madness;

12 ( dans le temps) aller jusqu'en 1914 to go up to 1914; pendant la période qui va du 8 février au 13 mars between 8 February and 13 March; la période qui va de 1918 à 1939 the period between 1918 and 1939; l'offre va jusqu'à jeudi the offer lasts until Thursday; le contrat allait jusqu'en 1997 the contract ran until 1997; va-t-on vers une nouvelle guerre? are we heading for another war?; aller sur ses 17 ans to be going on 17;

13 (agir, raisonner) vas-y doucement or gentiment, le tissu est fragile careful, the fabric is delicate; ils n'y sont pas allés doucement avec les meubles○ they were rather rough with the furniture; tu vas trop vite you're going too fast; vas-y, demande-leur! ( incitation) go on, ask them!; vas-y, dis-le! ( provocation) come on, out with it!; allons, allez! (pour encourager, inciter) come on!; j'y vais○ ( je vais agir) here we go!; si tu vas par là or comme ça, rien n'est entièrement vrai if you take that line, nothing is entirely true;

14 ( contribuer) y aller de sa petite larme to shed a little tear; y aller de sa petite chanson to do one's party piece; y aller de ses économies to dip into one's savings; y aller de sa personne to pitch in; y aller de 100 euros Jeux to put in 100 euros;

15 ○( se succéder) ça y va la vodka avec lui he certainly gets through the vodka; ça y allait les coups the fur was flying○;

16 ( servir) où est allé l'argent? where has the money gone?; l'argent ira à la réparation de l'église the money will go toward(s) repairing the church; l'argent est allé dans leurs poches they pocketed the money;

17 ( enfreindre) aller contre la loi [personne] to break the law; [acte] to be against the law; je ne peux pas aller contre ce qu'il a décidé I can't go against his decision.

C s'en aller vpr

1 (partir, se rendre) il faut que je m'en aille I must go ou leave; je m'en vais en Italie cet été I'm going to Italy this summer; je m'en vais du Japon l'année prochaine I'll be leaving Japan next year; va-t'en! go away!; s'en aller faire les courses/en vacances/au travail to go off to do the shopping/on vacation/to work; ils s'en allaient chantant† they went off singing;

2 ( disparaître) les nuages vont s'en aller the clouds will clear away; la tache ne s'en va pas the stain won't come out; avec le temps, tout s'en va everything fades with time; les années s'en vont the years go by;

3 fml ( mourir) to pass away;

4 (avoir l'intention de, essayer) je m'en vais leur dire ce que je pense I'm going to tell them what I think; ne t'en va pas imaginer une chose pareille ( pour réfuter) don't you believe it!; ( pour tempérer l'enthousiasme) don't get carried away!; va-t'en savoir ce qu'il a voulu dire! who knows what he meant?

D v impers

1 ( être en jeu) il y va de ma réputation my reputation is at stake; il y va de ta santé your health is at stake, you're putting your health at risk;

2 ( se passer) il en va souvent ainsi that's often what happens; tout le monde doit aider et il en va de même pour toi everyone must help, and that goes for you too; il en ira de même pour eux the same goes for them; il en va autrement en Corée things are different in Korea; il en ira de lui comme de ses prédécesseurs he'll go the same way as his predecessors;

3 Math 40 divisé par 12 il y va 3 fois et il reste 4 12 into 40 goes 3 times with 4 left over.

II.

aller nm

1 ( trajet) j'ai fait une escale à l'aller I made a stopover on the way out; j'ai pris le bus à l'aller ( en allant là) I took the bus there; ( en venant ici) I took the bus here; l'aller a pris trois heures the journey there took three hours; il n'arrête pas de faire des allers et retours entre chez lui et son bureau he keeps running to and fro from his house to the office; je suis pressé, je ne fais que l'aller et le retour○ I'm in a hurry, I've just popped in○; billet aller gén single ticket GB, one-way ticket US; ( d'avion) one-way ticket; billet aller (et) retour return ticket GB, round trip (ticket) US;

2 ( ticket) aller (simple) single (ticket); deux allers (pour) Lille two singles to Lille; aller (et) retour return ticket;

3 Sport ( match) first leg; à l'aller in the first leg; match or rencontre aller first leg.

I

[ale] nom masculin

1. [voyage] outward journey

je suis passé les voir à l'aller I dropped in to see them on the way (there)

l'avion était en retard à l'aller et au retour the flight was delayed both ways

un aller (et) retour a round trip

faire des allers et retours [personne, document] to go back and forth, to shuttle back and forth

ne faire qu'un ou que l'aller et retour: je vais à la banque mais je ne fais qu'un aller et retour I'm going to the bank, but I'll be right back

2. [billet]

aller (simple) single (ticket) (UK), one-way ticket (US)

aller (et) retour return (UK) ou round-trip (US) (ticket)

3. (familier)

aller et retour [gifle] slap

II

[ale] verbe auxiliaire

1. (suivi de l'infinitif) [exprime le futur proche] to be going ou about to

tu vas tomber! you're going to fall!, you'll fall!

attendez-le, il va arriver wait for him, he'll be here any minute now

j'allais justement te téléphoner I was just going to phone you, I was on the point of phoning you

il va être 5 h it's going on 5

[pour donner un ordre]

tu vas faire ce que je te dis, oui ou non? will you do as I say or won't you?

2. (suivi de l'infinitif) [en intensif] to go

ne va pas croire/penser que... don't go and believe/think that...

tu ne vas pas me faire croire que tu ne savais rien! you can't fool me into thinking that you didn't know anything!

que n'iront-ils pas s'imaginer! God knows what they'll think!

où est-elle? — allez savoir! where is she? — God knows!

allez expliquer ça à un enfant de 5 ans! try and explain ou try explaining that to a 5-year-old!

3. [exprime la continuité] (suivi du gérondif)

aller en: aller en s'améliorant to get better and better, to improve

aller en augmentant to keep increasing

aller en diminuant: le bruit allait en diminuant the noise was getting fainter and fainter

(suivi du participe présent)

aller croissant

a. [tension] to be rising

b. [nombre] to be rising ou increasing

————————

[ale] verbe intransitif

A.[EXPRIME LE MOUVEMENT]

1. [se déplacer] to go

qui va là? who goes there?

va vite!

a. hurry up!

b. [à un enfant] run along (now)!

vous alliez à plus de 90 km/h [en voiture] you were driving at ou doing more than 90 km/h

aller (et) venir

a. [de long en large] to pace up and down

b. [entre deux destinations] to come and go, to go to and fro

je n'ai fait qu'aller et venir toute la matinée I was in and out all morning

2. [se rendre - personne]

aller à to go to

en allant à Limoges on the way to Limoges

aller à la mer/à la montagne to go to the seaside/mountains

aller à l'université

a. [bâtiment] to go to the university

b. [institution] to go to university ou college

aller à la chasse/pêche to go hunting/fishing

où vas-tu? where are you going?

comment y va-t-on? how do you get there?

y aller: il y est allé en courant he ran there

on y va! let's go!

j'irai en avion/voiture I'll fly/drive, I'll go by plane/car

aller chez: aller chez un ami to go to see a friend, to go to a friend's

tu n'iras plus chez eux, tu m'entends? you will not visit them again, do you hear me?

aller dans: il a peur d'aller dans l'eau he's afraid to go into the water

je vais dans les Pyrénées I'm going to the Pyrenees

aller en: aller en Autriche to go ou to travel to Austria

aller en haut/bas to go up/down

aller vers: j'allais vers le nord I was heading ou going north

3. (suivi de l'infinitif) [pour se livrer à une activité]

aller faire quelque chose to go and do something, to go do something (US)

je vais faire mes courses tous les matins I go shopping every morning

va ramasser les poires dans le jardin go and pick the pears in the garden

va voir là-bas si j'y suis! (très familier) push off!, clear off!

va te faire voir (très familier) ou te faire foutre! (vulgaire) get lost! ou (UK) stuffed! (très familier), go to hell!

4. [mener - véhicule, chemin] to go

cette rue va vers le centre this street leads towards the city centre

aller droit au cœur de quelqu'un to go straight to somebody's heart

5. [fonctionner - machine] to go, to run ; [ - moteur] to run ; [ - voiture, train] to go

6. [se ranger - dans un contenant] to go, to belong ; [ - dans un ensemble] to fit

7. [être remis]

aller à to go to

l'argent collecté ira à une œuvre the collection will go ou be given to a charity

B.[S'ÉTENDRE]

1. [dans l'espace]

aller de... à...: leur propriété va de la rivière à la côte their land stretches from the river to the coast

le passage qui va de la page 35 à la page 43 the passage which goes from page 35 to page 43

aller jusqu'à

a. [vers le haut] to go ou to reach up to

b. [vers le bas] to go ou to reach down to

c. [en largeur, en longueur] to go to, to stretch as far as

2. [dans le temps]

aller de... à... to go from... to...

aller jusqu'à [bail, contrat] to run till

3. [dans une série]

aller de... à... to go ou to range from... to...

aller jusqu'à: les prix vont jusqu'à 8.000 euros prices go as high as 8,000 euros

C.[PROGRESSER]

1. [se dérouler]

aller vite/lentement to go fast/slow

plus ça va...: plus ça va, moins je comprends la politique the more I see of politics, the less I understand it

plus ça va, plus je l'aime I love her more each day

2. [personne]

aller jusqu'à: j'irai jusqu'à 1.000 euros pour le fauteuil I'll pay ou go up to 1,000 euros for the armchair

j'irais même jusqu'à dire que... I would even go so far as to say that...

sans aller jusque-là without going that far

aller sur ou vers [approcher de]: il va sur ou vers la cinquantaine he's getting on for ou going on 50

elle va sur ses cinq ans she's nearly ou almost five, she'll be five soon

aller à la faillite/l'échec to be heading for bankruptcy/failure

aller à sa ruine to be on the road to ruin

où va-t-on ou allons-nous s'il faut se barricader chez soi? what's the world coming to if people have to lock themselves in nowadays?

allons (droit) au fait let's get (straight) to the point

aller au plus pressé to do the most urgent thing first

D.[ÊTRE DANS TELLE OU TELLE SITUATION]

1. [en parlant de l'état de santé]

bonjour, comment ça va? — ça va hello, how are you? — all right

comment va la santé?, comment va? (familier) how are you keeping?

ça va? [après un choc] are you all right?

ça ne va pas du tout I'm not at all well

aller bien: je vais bien I'm fine ou well

ça va bien? are you OK?

aller mieux: elle va beaucoup mieux she's (feeling) much better

aller mal: il va mal he's not at all well, he's very poorly

ça va pas (bien) ou la tête!, ça va pas, non? (familier) you're off your head!, you must be mad!

ça va? — on fait aller (familier) ou il faut faire aller (familier) how are you? — mustn't grumble

2. [se passer]

comment vont les affaires? — elles vont bien how's business? — (it's doing) OK ou fine

ça va de moins en moins bien entre eux things have gone from bad to worse between them

les choses vont ou ça va mal things aren't too good ou aren't going too well

obéis-moi ou ça va mal aller (pour toi)! do as I say or you'll be in trouble!

comment ça va dans ton nouveau service? how are you getting on ou how are things in the new department?

quelque chose ne va pas? is there anything wrong ou the matter?

ça ne va pas tout seul ou sans problème it's not an ou it's no easy job

et le travail, ça va comme tu veux? (familier) is work going all right?

E.[EXPRIME L'ADÉQUATION]

1. [être seyant]

aller (bien) à quelqu'un

a. [taille d'un vêtement] to fit somebody

b. [style d'un vêtement] to suit somebody

le bleu lui va blue suits her, she looks good in blue

ça ne te va pas de parler vulgairement coarse language doesn't suit ou become you

ça te va bien de donner des conseils! (ironique) you're a fine one to give advice!

cela te va à ravir ou à merveille that looks wonderful on you, you look wonderful in that

2. [être en harmonie]

aller avec: aller avec quelque chose to go with ou to match something

j'ai acheté un chapeau pour aller avec ma veste I bought a hat to go with ou to match my jacket

aller ensemble

a. [couleurs, styles] to go well together, to match

b. [éléments d'une paire] to belong together

ils vont bien ensemble, ces deux-là! those two make quite a pair!

je trouve qu'ils vont très mal ensemble I think (that) they're an ill-matched couple ou they make a very odd pair

3. [convenir]

la clé de 12 devrait aller spanner number 12 should do (the job)

nos plats vont au four our dishes are oven-proof

tu veux de l'aide? — non, ça ira! do you want a hand? — no, I'll manage ou it's OK!

tu ne rajoutes pas de crème? — ça ira comme ça don't you want to add some cream? — that'll do (as it is) ou it's fine like this

ça ira pour aujourd'hui that'll be all for today, let's call it a day

pour un studio, ça peut aller as far as bedsits (UK) ou studio apartments (US) go, it's not too bad

aller à quelqu'un: on dînera après le spectacle — ça me va we'll go for dinner after the show — that's all right ou fine by me ou that suits me (fine)

F.[LOCUTIONS]

allez, un petit effort come on, put some effort into it

allez, je m'en vais! right, I'm going now!

zut, j'ai cassé un verre! — et allez (donc), le troisième en un mois! damn! I've broken a glass! — well done, that's the third in a month!

allez ou allons donc! [tu exagères] go on ou get away (with you)!,come off it!

allez-y! go on!, off you go!

allons-y! let's go!

allons-y, ne nous gênons pas! (ironique) don't mind me!

allons bon, j'ai perdu ma clef maintenant! oh no, now I've lost my key!

allons bon, voilà qu'il recommence à pleurer! here we go, he's crying again!

c'est mieux comme ça, va! it's better that way, you know!

(espèce de) frimeur, va! (familier) you show-off!

va donc, eh minable! (familier) get lost, you little creep!

ça va (familier) , ça va bien (familier) , ça va comme ça (familier) OK

je t'aurai prévenu! — ça va, ça va! don't say I didn't warn you! — OK, OK!

ça va comme ça hein, j'en ai assez de tes jérémiades! just shut up will you, I'm fed up with your moaning!

y aller (familier) : une fois que tu es sur le plongeoir, il faut y aller! once you're on the diving board, you've got to jump!

quand faut y aller, faut y aller when you've got to go, you've got to go

y aller [le faire]: vas-y doucement, c'est fragile gently ou easy does it, it's fragile

vas-y mollo avec le vin! (familier) go easy on the wine!

comme tu y vas (familier) /vous y allez (familier) : j'en veux 30 euros — comme tu y vas! I want 30 euros for it — isn't that a bit much?

ça y va: (familier) ça y va, les billets de 10 euros! 10 euro notes are going as if there was no tomorrow!

y aller de: aux réunions de famille, il y va toujours d'une ou de sa chansonnette every time there's a family gathering, he sings a little song

elle y est allée de sa petite larme (humoristique) she had a little cry

il ou cela ou ça va de soi (que) it goes without saying (that)

il ou cela ou ça va sans dire (que) it goes without saying (that)

il y va de: il y va de ta vie/carrière/réputation your life/career/reputation is at stake

il en va de... comme de...: il en va de la littérature comme de la peinture it's the same with literature as with painting

il en va de même pour: il n'en va pas de même pour toi the same doesn't apply to you

il en va autrement: il en irait autrement si ta mère était encore là things would be very different if your mother was still here

va pour le Saint-Émilion! (familier) all right ou OK then, we'll have the Saint-Emilion!

tout le monde est égoïste, si tu vas par là! everybody's selfish, if you look at it like that!

————————

s'en aller verbe pronominal intransitif

1. [partir - personne] to go

je lui donnerai la clé en m'en allant I'll give him the key on my way out

va-t'en! go away!

tous les jeunes s'en vont du village all the young people are leaving the village

va-t'en de là! get away from there!

2. [se défaire, se détacher] to come undone

3. (soutenu) [mourir - personne] to die, to pass away

4. [disparaître - tache] to come off, to go (away) ; [ - son] to fade away ; [ - forces] to fail ; [ - jeunesse] to pass ; [ - lumière, soleil, couleur] to fade (away) ; [ - peinture, vernis] to come off

ça s'en ira au lavage/avec du savon it'll come off in the wash/with soap

leur dernière lueur d'espoir s'en est allée their last glimmer of hope has gone ou vanished

5. (suivi de l'infinitif) [en intensif]

il s'en fut trouver le magicien off he went to find the wizard

je m'en vais lui dire ses quatre vérités! (familier) I'm going to tell her a few home truths!

Dictionnaire Français-Anglais > aller

17 more

more [mɔ:(r)]

plus de ⇒ 1 (a), 6 1 davantage de ⇒ 1 (a) plus ⇒ 2 (a), 2 (b), 3 (a), 3 (b) davantage ⇒ 2 (a), 3 (b) encore ⇒ 2 (b) plutôt ⇒ 3 (c) de plus en plus ⇒ 4 plus que ⇒ 6 2

1 adjective

(a) (compar of many, much) (larger quantity or number of) plus de, davantage de;

∎ there were more boys than girls il y avait plus de garçons que de filles;

∎ there's much or a lot or far more room in the other building il y a beaucoup plus de place dans l'autre bâtiment

(b) (additional quantity or number of)

∎ you should eat more fish tu devrais manger davantage de ou plus de poisson;

∎ I need more time j'ai besoin de plus de temps;

∎ three more people arrived trois autres personnes sont arrivées;

∎ there's only one more problem to solve il n'y a plus qu'un problème à résoudre;

∎ do you have any more questions? avez-vous d'autres questions?;

∎ do you have any more stamps? est-ce qu'il vous reste des timbres?;

∎ I have no more money je n'ai plus d'argent;

∎ is there any more butter? est-ce qu'il reste du beurre?;

∎ just wait a few more minutes patiente encore quelques instants;

∎ a little more sugar? encore un peu de sucre?;

∎ have some more wine reprends du vin;

∎ there are no more or there aren't any more green lampshades il n'y a plus d'abat-jour verts;

∎ no more talking maintenant, taisez-vous ou silence!;

∎ there'll be no more skiing this winter le ski est fini pour cet hiver;

∎ there have been several more incidents in the same area plusieurs autres incidents se sont produits dans le même quartier;

∎ bring me some more potatoes, please apporte-moi encore des pommes de terre, s'il te plaît;

∎ there's some more paper in that drawer il y a encore du papier dans ce tiroir;

∎ would you like some more soup? voulez-vous un peu plus de soupe?

2 pronoun

(a) (compar of many, much) (larger amount) plus, davantage; (greater number) plus;

∎ he earns more than I do or than me il gagne plus que moi;

∎ I wish I could do more for her j'aimerais pouvoir l'aider plus ou davantage;

∎ it'll take a lot more than that to persuade them il en faudra bien plus (que ça) ou bien davantage pour les convaincre;

∎ some opted for A, but many more chose B certains ont choisi A, mais ceux qui ont choisi B étaient bien plus nombreux;

∎ there are more of them than there are of us ils sont plus nombreux que nous;

∎ he's even more of a coward than I thought il est encore plus lâche que je ne pensais;

∎ it's more of a problem now than it used to be ça pose plus de problèmes maintenant qu'avant;

∎ she's more of a singer than a dancer c'est une chanteuse plus qu'une danseuse

(b) (additional amount) plus, encore;

∎ there's more if you want it il y en a encore si tu veux;

∎ he asked for more il en redemanda;

∎ I couldn't eat any more, thanks je ne pourrais plus rien avaler, merci;

∎ she just can't take any more elle n'en peut vraiment plus;

∎ please can I have some more? (food) puis-je en reprendre, s'il vous plaît?;

∎ there are some more here that you haven't washed il en reste ici que tu n'as pas lavés;

∎ I could say more, but… je pouvais en dire plus mais…;

∎ something/nothing more quelque chose/rien de plus;

∎ I have something/nothing more to say j'ai encore quelque chose/je n'ai plus rien à dire;

∎ he's just a good friend, nothing more c'est un bon ami, rien de plus;

∎ what more can I say? que puis-je dire de plus?;

∎ what more do you want? que voulez-vous de plus?;

∎ familiar what more could you ask for! que demande le peuple!;

∎ but more of that later… mais nous reparlerons de ça plus tard…;

∎ I want no more of this defeatist talk je ne veux plus de ces discours défaitistes;

∎ that's more like it! voilà, c'est mieux!;

∎ no more no less ni plus ni moins;

∎ more of the same la même chose;

∎ the government simply promises more of the same le gouvernement se contente de refaire les mêmes promesses;

∎ there's plenty more where that came from si vous en revoulez, il n'y a qu'à demander;

∎ need I say more? si tu vois ce que je veux dire;

∎ familiar say no more! cela suffit!, n'en dis pas plus!

(c) familiar (additional people)

∎ any more for the ferry? qui d'autre prend le ferry?^□ ;

∎ humorous any more for any more? (food) est-ce que quelqu'un veut du rab?

3 adverb

(a) (forming comparatives) plus;

∎ more intelligent plus intelligent;

∎ more comfortably plus confortablement

(b) (to a greater extent or degree) plus, davantage;

∎ you should read more tu devrais lire plus ou davantage;

∎ it worries me more than it used to ça m'inquiète plus qu'avant;

∎ this more than makes up for it ça fait plus que compenser;

∎ I like wine more than beer je préfère le vin à la bière, j'aime mieux le vin que la bière;

∎ I would think more of her if she owned up j'aurais une plus haute opinion d'elle si elle avouait;

∎ he's intelligent but his sister is more so il est intelligent mais sa sœur l'est davantage;

∎ I'll give you £20, not a penny more je te donnerai 20 livres, pas un sou de plus

(c) (rather) plutôt;

∎ she was more disappointed than angry elle était plus déçue que fâchée;

∎ do it more like this fais-le plutôt comme ceci;

∎ it's more a question of who foots the bill il s'agit plutôt de savoir qui paiera la facture

(d) (again)

∎ once/twice more encore une/deux fois

4 more and more

1 adjective

de plus en plus;

∎ more and more people are using it de plus en plus de gens l'utilisent

2 adverb

de plus en plus;

∎ more and more interesting de plus en plus intéressant;

∎ I was growing more and more tired j'étais de plus en plus fatigué;

∎ I like him more and more each time I see him à chaque fois que je le vois je l'apprécie davantage

5 more or less adverb

(a) (roughly) plus ou moins;

∎ that's more or less what I expected c'est plus ou moins ce à quoi je m'attendais;

∎ is that correct? - well, more or less est-ce que c'est vrai? - plus ou moins, oui

(b) (almost) presque;

∎ we've more or less finished nous avons presque terminé

6 more than

1 preposition

(with numbers, measurements etc) plus de;

∎ more than 500 people plus de 500 personnes;

∎ it costs much or a lot more than $50 ça coûte bien plus de 50 dollars;

∎ for little more than £500 pour à peine plus de 500 livres;

∎ I won't be more than two hours je n'en ai pas pour plus de deux heures, j'en ai pour deux heures au maximum

2 adverb

plus que;

∎ I'd be more than happy to do it je serais ravi de le faire;

∎ you've been more than generous vous avez été plus que généreux;

∎ that's more than enough c'est plus qu'il n'en faut;

∎ this more than makes up for his previous mistakes voilà qui rachète largement ses anciennes erreurs

7 more than a little adverb

vraiment;

∎ we were more than a little shocked nous étions vraiment choqués

8 no more adverb

(a) (neither) non plus;

∎ he doesn't believe the rumours and no more do I il ne croit pas les rumeurs et moi non plus

(b) (as little) pas plus;

∎ she's no more a spy than I am! elle n'est pas plus espionne que moi!;

∎ I would no more have suspected him than I would my own mother je ne l'aurais pas soupçonné davantage que ma propre mère;

∎ it's no more dangerous than crossing the street ce n'est pas plus dangereux que de traverser la rue;

∎ familiar they can no more act than fly in the air ils jouent comme des pieds

(c) literary (no longer)

∎ no more will she grace our company plus jamais elle ne nous tiendra compagnie;

∎ the Empire is no more l'Empire n'est plus

9 not…any more adverb

∎ we don't go there any more nous n'y allons plus;

∎ he still works here, doesn't he? - not any more (he doesn't) il travaille encore ici, n'est-ce pas? - non, plus maintenant

10 the more adverb

formal d'autant plus;

∎ I was the more disappointed j'étais d'autant plus déçu;

∎ they went the more willingly on that account ils y sont allés d'autant plus volontiers;

∎ the more so because… d'autant plus que…

11 the more…the more conjunction

plus…plus;

∎ the more they have, the more they want plus ils en ont, plus ils en veulent;

∎ the more I see him, the more I like him plus je le vois, plus il me plaît

12 what is more, what's more adverb

qui plus est

Un panorama unique de l'anglais et du français > more

18 mayor

adj.

1 bigger.

2 grown-up (adulto).

cuando sea mayor when I grow up

ser mayor de edad to be an adult

3 older (no joven).

una mujer mayor an older woman

ser muy mayor to be very old

las personas mayores the elderly (los ancianos)

4 main (principal) (plaza, calle, palo).

5 major, main, chief, leading.

f. & m.

1 major (military).

2 head.

* * *

mayor

► adjetivo

1 (comparativo) bigger, greater, larger; (persona) older; (hermanos, hijos) elder, older

■ necesito una talla mayor I need a larger size

■ tengo dos hermanos mayores I have two older brothers

■ mi hermano mayor vendrá a la fiesta my elder brother will come to the party

2 (superlativo) biggest, greatest, largest; (persona) oldest; (hermanos, hijos) eldest, oldest

■ el mayor gato que jamás he visto the biggest cat I've ever seen

■ su mayor preocupación her biggest worry

■ este es mi hijo mayor this is my eldest son

3 (de edad) mature, elderly

■ la gente mayor elderly people

■ mi padre está ya muy mayor my father is very old now

4 (adulto) grown-up

■ ya eres mayor, así que defiéndete tú solo you are old enough to stand up for yourself now

■ siéntate como una persona mayor sit up properly

5 (principal) main

6 MÚSICA major

► nombre masculino

1 MILITAR major

2 mayor que MATEMÁTICAS (signo) more than

► nombre masculino plural los mayores

1 (adultos) grown-ups, adults; (antepasados) ancestors

► nombre masculino,nombre femenino el/la mayor

1 (entre varios) the oldest; (entre hermanos, hijos) the eldest, the oldest

\

FRASEOLOGÍA

al por mayor wholesale

hacerse mayor to grow up

no ir/pasar a mayores not to come to anything, not to be anything serious

ser mayor de edad to be of age

calle mayor high street, US main street

* * *
1. noun mf.
adult
2. adj.
1) main, major

2) bigger, biggest

3) larger, largest

4) greater, greatest

5) elder, oldest

•

- al por mayor

* * *

1. ADJ

1) [comparativo]

a) (=más grande)

necesitamos una habitación mayor — we need a bigger o larger room

un mayor número de visitantes — a larger o greater number of visitors, more visitors

son temas de mayor importancia — they are more important issues, they are issues of greater importance

sin mayores complicaciones — without further ado

• la mayor parte de los ciudadanos — most citizens

• ser mayor que algo, mi casa es mayor que la suya — my house is bigger o larger than his

el índice de paro es mayor que hace un año — unemployment is higher than (it was) a year ago

- llegar a mayores

b) (=de más edad) older

es mi hermana mayor — she's my older o elder sister

Emilio es el mayor de los dos — Emilio is the older of the two

• mayor que algn — older than sb

Paco es mayor que Nacho — Paco is older than Nacho

es tres años mayor que yo — he is three years older than me

vivió con un hombre muchos años mayor que ella — she lived with a man many years her senior, she lived with a man who was several years older than her

2) [superlativo]

a) (=más grande)

esta es la mayor iglesia del mundo — this is the biggest o largest church in the world

su mayor problema — his biggest o greatest problem

su mayor enemigo — his biggest o greatest enemy

viven en la mayor miseria — they live in the greatest o utmost poverty

hacer algo con el mayor cuidado — to do sth with the greatest o utmost care

b) (=de más edad) oldest

Juan es el mayor — Juan is the oldest

mi hijo (el) mayor — my oldest o eldest son

3) (=principal) [plaza, mástil] main; [altar, misa] high

calle mayor — high street, main street (EEUU)
colegio 1), libro 2)
4) (=adulto) grown-up, adult

nuestros hijos ya son mayores — our children are grown-up now

las personas mayores — grown-ups, adults

ya eres muy mayor para hacer esas tonterías — you're too old now to do silly things like that

• ser mayor de edad — to be of age

• hacerse mayor — to grow up

5) (=de edad avanzada) old, elderly

mis padres son muy mayores — my parents are very old

6) (=jefe) head antes de s

el cocinero mayor — the head chef

montero mayor — head huntsman

7) (Mús) major

2. SMF

1) (=adulto) grown-up, adult

los mayores se fueron a una fiesta — the grown-ups o adults went to a party

los mayores no hacen cosas así — grown-ups don't do things like that

mayor de edad — adult, person who is legally of age

2) (=anciano)

los mayores — elderly people

¡más respeto con los mayores! — be more respectful to your elders (and betters)!

3) LAm (Mil) major

3.

SM

• al por mayor — wholesale

vender al por mayor — to sell wholesale

repartir golpes al por mayor — to throw punches left, right and centre

* * *
I
adjetivo

1)

a) ( comparativo de grande)

vuelan a mayor altura — they fly at a greater height

un material de mayor flexibilidad — a more flexible material

a mayor escala — on a larger scale

en otros países el índice es aún mayor — in other countries the rate is even higher

beneficios aún mayores — even greater benefits

mayor que algo — greater than something

un número mayor que 40 — a number bigger o greater than 40

b) ( superlativo de grande)

tienen el mayor número de accidentes — they have the greatest o highest number of accidents

su mayor preocupación — her greatest o biggest worry

a la mayor brevedad posible — (Corresp) as soon as possible o (frml) at your earliest convenience

la mayor parte de los estudiantes — most students, the majority of students

viven en la mayor pobreza — they live in the most terrible poverty

2) ( en edad)

a) ( comparativo) older

¿tienes hermanos mayores? — do you have any older o elder brothers or sisters?

mayor que alguien — older than somebody

soy dos meses mayor que tú — I am two months older than you

b) ( superlativo)

es la mayor de las dos — she is the older o elder of the two

mi hijo mayor — my eldest o oldest son

el mayor de los residentes — the oldest of the residents

c) ( anciano) elderly

d) ( adulto)

hay que respetar a las personas mayores — you should treat adults o (colloq) grown-ups with respect

cuando sea mayor — when I grow up

ya eres mayorcito para estar haciendo esas cosas — you're a bit old to be doing things like that

ser mayor de edad — (Der) to be of age

soy mayor de edad y haré lo que quiera — I'm over 18 (o 21 etc) and I'll do as I please

3) (en frases negativas) ( grande)

no requiere mayores explicaciones — this doesn't need much in the way of explanation

no tengo mayor interés en el tema — I'm not particularly interested in the subject

no me produjo mayor inquietud — it did not worry me particularly

sin mayores contratiempos — without any serious o major hitches

no pasar or llegar a mayores: tuvo un novio, pero el asunto no pasó a mayores she had a boyfriend, but it didn't come to anything; afortunadamente la cosa no llegó a mayores — fortunately it was nothing serious

4) ( en nombres) ( principal) main

Calle Mayor — Main Street ( in US), High Street ( in UK)

5) (Mús) major

6) (Com)

(al) por mayor — wholesale

hubo problemas (al) por mayor — there were innumerable problems
II
masculino y femenino

1) ( adulto) adult, grown-up (colloq)

sólo para mayores — adults only

deben ir acompañados de un mayor — they must be accompanied by an adult

mis/tus mayores — my/your elders

- mayor de edad

2) mayor masculino (AmL) (Mil) major

* * *
I
adjetivo

1)

a) ( comparativo de grande)

vuelan a mayor altura — they fly at a greater height

un material de mayor flexibilidad — a more flexible material

a mayor escala — on a larger scale

en otros países el índice es aún mayor — in other countries the rate is even higher

beneficios aún mayores — even greater benefits

mayor que algo — greater than something

un número mayor que 40 — a number bigger o greater than 40

b) ( superlativo de grande)

tienen el mayor número de accidentes — they have the greatest o highest number of accidents

su mayor preocupación — her greatest o biggest worry

a la mayor brevedad posible — (Corresp) as soon as possible o (frml) at your earliest convenience

la mayor parte de los estudiantes — most students, the majority of students

viven en la mayor pobreza — they live in the most terrible poverty

2) ( en edad)

a) ( comparativo) older

¿tienes hermanos mayores? — do you have any older o elder brothers or sisters?

mayor que alguien — older than somebody

soy dos meses mayor que tú — I am two months older than you

b) ( superlativo)

es la mayor de las dos — she is the older o elder of the two

mi hijo mayor — my eldest o oldest son

el mayor de los residentes — the oldest of the residents

c) ( anciano) elderly

d) ( adulto)

hay que respetar a las personas mayores — you should treat adults o (colloq) grown-ups with respect

cuando sea mayor — when I grow up

ya eres mayorcito para estar haciendo esas cosas — you're a bit old to be doing things like that

ser mayor de edad — (Der) to be of age

soy mayor de edad y haré lo que quiera — I'm over 18 (o 21 etc) and I'll do as I please

3) (en frases negativas) ( grande)

no requiere mayores explicaciones — this doesn't need much in the way of explanation

no tengo mayor interés en el tema — I'm not particularly interested in the subject

no me produjo mayor inquietud — it did not worry me particularly

sin mayores contratiempos — without any serious o major hitches

no pasar or llegar a mayores: tuvo un novio, pero el asunto no pasó a mayores she had a boyfriend, but it didn't come to anything; afortunadamente la cosa no llegó a mayores — fortunately it was nothing serious

4) ( en nombres) ( principal) main

Calle Mayor — Main Street ( in US), High Street ( in UK)

5) (Mús) major

6) (Com)

(al) por mayor — wholesale

hubo problemas (al) por mayor — there were innumerable problems
II
masculino y femenino

1) ( adulto) adult, grown-up (colloq)

sólo para mayores — adults only

deben ir acompañados de un mayor — they must be accompanied by an adult

mis/tus mayores — my/your elders

- mayor de edad

2) mayor masculino (AmL) (Mil) major

* * *

mayor¹

¹ = senior, elderly, eldest.

Nota: Referido a edad.

Ex: If we instruct it to ponder this question more leisurely, it will quickly try the user's patience with digressions concerning the less illustrious senior MOZART, LEOPOLD.

Ex: To the general public 'the female librarian is still angular, elderly, acidulous and terrifying', to use Geoffrey Langley's words, 'and a male librarian is impossible under any hypothesis'.

Ex: When her eldest son developed a glaucoma she became aware of the lack of suitable books.

* apto para mayores de 13 años o menores acompañados = PG-13.

* asistencia social para los mayores = elderly care, elder care [eldercare].

* centro de día para mayores = day centre for the elderly.

* cuidado de los mayores = kinkeeping.

* cuidados de los mayores = elderly care, elder care [eldercare].

* cuidados para personas mayores = elderly care, elder care [eldercare].

* familiar que cuida de los mayores = kinkeeper.

* gente mayor = elderly people.

* hombre mayor = elderly man.

* mayor de 25 años = mature adult.

* mayores, los = elderly, the.

* muy mayor = over the hill.

* pesonas mayores = elderly people.

* ser mayor = be older.

mayor²

² = largest, greater, heightened, increased.

Ex: Together they constitute the world's largest data base.

Ex: The likelihood of data transmission errors is greater, however, and it is not recommended for constant use.

Ex: The heightened level of community awareness has led some local authorities to take the initiative and to become information disseminators in their own right.

Ex: Information networks are critical tools to ensure the exchange, transfer, and use of information which will facilitate the increased quality and quantity of agricultural production.

* admitir un número de reservas mayor a las plazas existentes = overbook.

* alcanzar mayores cotas = rise to + greater heights.

* al por mayor = in bulk.

* cada vez en mayor grado = ever-increasing.

* cada vez mayor = escalating, ever-growing, ever-increasing, expanded, growing, increasing, mounting, rising, spiralling [spiraling, -USA], deepening, rapidly growing, expanding, constantly rising, swelling, ever larger [ever-larger], galloping, steadily rising, steadily growing, mushrooming, ever greater, rapidly expanding, ever-widening, burgeoning, heightening.

* cada vez mucho mayor = fast-increasing, exploding.

* calle mayor, la = main street, the.

* causa de fuerza mayor = act of God.

* colegio mayor = residence hall, dormitory [dorm, -abbr.], student residence.

* comprar al por mayor = buy + in bulk.

* con el mayor cuidado = with utmost care.

* con el mayor secreto = a veil of secrecy.

* con mayor detalle = in greater detail.

* con mayor profundidad = in most detail, in more detail.

* con un mayor nivel educativo = better educated [better-educated].

* dar mayor importancia a = give + pride of place to.

* demasiado mayor en relación con Algo = overage.

* demasiado mayor para su curso = overage for grade.

* de mayor edad = senior.

* de mayor o menor importancia = great and small.

* desajuste cada vez mayor entre... y = widening of the gap beween.... and, widening gap between... and.

* descuento por compra al por mayor = bulk deal, bulk rate, bulk rate discount.

* diferencia cada vez mayor entre... y = widening of the gap beween.... and, widening gap between... and.

* distanciamiento cada vez mayor entre... y, = widening gap between... and, widening of the gap beween.... and.

* durante la mayor parte de = for much of.

* durante la mayor parte del año = for the best part of the year.

* en caso de fuerza mayor = in the event of circumstances beyond + Posesivo + control.

* en el mayor secreto = a veil of secrecy.

* en la mayor parte de = in the majority of.

* en mayor grado = to a greater degree, a fortiori, to a greater extent, to a larger degree, to a larger extent.

* en mayor medida = to a greater extent, to a greater degree, a fortiori, to a larger degree, to a larger extent.

* en mayor o menor grado = to a greater or lesser degree.

* en mayor o menor medida = to a greater or lesser extent.

* en su mayor parte = largely, mostly, for the most part.

* en un número cada vez mayor = in increasing numbers.

* fuerza mayor = force majeure.

* hora de mayor demanda = peak time.

* importancia cada vez mayor = growing importance, growing significance.

* interés cada vez mayor = growing interest.

* jefe del estado mayor = Chief of Staff.

* la mayor parte de = the majority of, the main bulk of, the lion's share of.

* la mayor parte de las veces = more often than not.

* la proporción mayor de = the lion's share of.

* libro de mayor venta = bestseller [best seller/best-seller].

* material de tamaño mayor de lo normal = outsize material.

* mayor + Nombre = longer + Nombre.

* mayor rendimiento = efficiencies of scale.

* mucho mayor = far greater, far larger, very much greater.

* obtener el mayor rendimiento posible = maximise + opportunities.

* para mayor información sobre = for details of.

* para mayor información véase + Nombre = see + Nombre + for further details.

* para mayor inri = to cap it all (off), on top of everything else, on top of everything else, but to make things worse, but to make matters worse.

* período de mayor demanda = peak time.

* precio al por mayor = block rate, wholesale price, bulk rate.

* precio especial por compra al por mayor = bulk deal.

* preocupación cada vez mayor (por) = growing concern (about).

* problema cada vez mayor = growing problem.

* problemas cada vez mayores = mounting problems.

* programación televisiva de mayor audiencia = prime time television.

* programa de mayor audiencia = prime time programme, prime time show.

* sacar el mayor partido al dinero de uno = get + the most for + Posesivo + money.

* sacar mayor partido a = squeeze + more life out of.

* sacar mayor provecho = stretch + further.

* separación cada vez mayor entre... y = widening gap between... and.

* ser el que con mayor frecuencia = be (the) most likely to.

* símbolo de mayor-que (>) = greater-than sign (>), greater-than symbol (>), right angled bracket (>).

* suministro al por mayor = bulk supply.

* tonto de marca mayor = prize idiot.

* una mayor variedad de = a wider canvas of.

* una necesidad cada vez mayor = a growing need.

* un conjunto cada vez mayor de = a growing body of.

* un grupo cada vez mayor de = a growing body of.

* un número cada vez mayor = growing numbers.

* un número cada vez mayor de = a growing number of, a growing body of.

* vender al por mayor = sell + in bulk, wholesale.

* venta al por mayor = wholesaling, wholesale.

* * *

mayor¹

adjective

A

1 (comparativo de grande¹ (↑ grande (1))):

pueden volar a mayor altura they can fly at a greater height

estas tablas le dan mayor amplitud a la falda these pleats make the skirt fuller

un material de mayor flexibilidad a more flexible material

en otros países el índice de mortalidad infantil es aún mayor in other countries the infant mortality rate is even higher

esto podría reportar beneficios aún mayores this could bring even greater benefits

mayor QUE algo:

una superficie cuatro veces mayor que la de nuestro país a surface area four times greater than that of our country

cualquier número mayor que 40 any number above 40 o greater than 40 o higher than 40

X > Z ( Mat) (read as: equis es mayor que zeta) X > Z (léase: x is greater than z)

2 (superlativo de) grande)

el mayor país de América Latina the biggest country in Latin America

el mayor número de accidentes de Europa the greatest o highest number of accidents in Europe

ésa ha sido siempre su mayor preocupación that has always been her greatest worry

le ruego lo envíe a la mayor brevedad posible ( Corresp) please send it as soon as possible o ( frml) at your earliest convenience

la mayor parte de los argentinos most Argentinians, the majority of Argentinians

B ((en edad) [ Vocabulary notes (Spanish) ]

1 (comparativo) older

¿tienes hermanos mayores? do you have any older o elder brothers or sisters?

mayor QUE algn older THAN sb

soy dos meses mayor que tú I am two months older than you

2

(superlativo): ¿quién de los dos es el mayor? who is the older o elder of the two?

éste es mi hijo mayor this is my eldest o oldest son

el mayor de todos los residentes the oldest of all the residents

3 (viejo) elderly

ya es muy mayor y no puede valerse sola she's very old o ( colloq) she's getting on and she can't manage on her own

4

(adulto): no se les habla así a las personas mayores you shouldn't talk to adults o grown-ups like that

cuando sea mayor quiero ser bombero when I grow up I want to be a fireman

vamos, que ya eres mayorcito para estar haciendo esas cosas come on, you're a bit old to be doing things like that

cuando sea mayor de edad ( Der) when he reaches the age of majority

soy mayor de edad y haré lo que quiera I'm over 18 ( o 21 etc) and I'll do as I please

C ( en frases negativas)

(grande): no creo que esto requiera mayores explicaciones I don't think this needs much in the way of explanation

no tengo mayor interés en el tema I'm not particularly interested in o I don't have any great interest in the subject

la noticia no me produjo mayor inquietud the news did not worry me particularly o unduly

se llevó a cabo sin mayores contratiempos it was carried out without any serious o major hitches

no pasar or llegar a mayores: tuvo un pretendiente, pero la cosa no pasó a mayores she had a boyfriend, but it didn't come to anything o but nothing came of it

hubo una pelea pero no llegó a mayores there was a fight but it was nothing serious

D (en nombres)

(principal): Calle Mayor Main Street ( in US), High Street ( in UK)

E ( Mús) major

F ( Com):

(al) por mayor wholesale

[ S ] venta sólo (al) por mayor wholesale only

los compran (al) por mayor they buy them wholesale

hubo problemas (al) por mayor there were innumerable problems

mayor²

masculine and feminine

A

1

(adulto): no te metas en las conversaciones de los mayores don't interrupt when the adults o grown-ups are talking

cada niño debe ir acompañado de un mayor each child must be accompanied by an adult

2 mayores mpl

mis/tus mayores my/your elders

Compuesto:

mayor de edad

masculine and feminine person who is legally of age o who has reached the age of majority

B

mayor masculine ( AmL) ( Mil) major

* * *

mayor adjetivo
1
a) ( comparativo de

◊ grande) ‹número/porcentaje› greater, higher;

‹ beneficio› greater;
◊ vuelan a mayor altura they fly at a greater height;

a mayor escala on a larger scale;
un número mayor que 40 a number greater than 40
b) ( superlativo de

◊ grande): el mayor número de accidentes the greatest o highest number of accidents;

su mayor preocupación her greatest o biggest worry;
a la mayor brevedad posible as soon as possible;
la mayor parte de los estudiantes most students, the majority of students
2 ( en edad)
a) ( comparativo) older;

mayor que algn older than sb
b) ( superlativo):

◊ es la mayor de las dos she is the older o elder of the two;

mi hijo mayor my eldest o oldest son
c) ( anciano) elderly

d) ( adulto):

◊ las personas mayores adults, grown-ups (colloq);

cuando sea mayor when I grow up;
ser mayor de edad (Der) to be of age;
soy mayor de edad y haré lo que quiera I'm over 18 (o 21 etc) and I'll do as I please
3 ( en nombres) ( principal) main;
◊ Calle Mmayor Main Street ( in US), High Street ( in UK)

4 (Mús) major
5 (Com):
◊ (al) por mayor wholesale

■ sustantivo masculino y femenino ( adulto) adult, grown-up (colloq);
◊ solo para mayores adults only;

mis/tus mayores my/your elders;
mayor de edad person who is legally of age
mayor
I adjetivo
1 (comparativo de tamaño) larger, bigger: necesitas una talla mayor, you need a larger size
(superlativo) largest, biggest: ésa es la mayor, that is the biggest one
2 (comparativo de grado) greater: su capacidad es mayor que la mía, his capacity is greater than mine
la ciudad no tiene mayor atractivo, the town isn't particularly appealing
(superlativo) greatest: ésa es la mayor tontería que he oído nunca, that is the most absurd thing I've ever heard
3 (comparativo de edad) older: es mayor que tu madre, she is older than your mother
(superlativo) oldest
el mayor de los tres, the oldest one 4 está muy mayor, (crecido, maduro) he's quite grown-up
(anciano) he looks old
ser mayor de edad, to be of age
(maduro) old: es un hombre mayor, he's an old man
eres mayor para entenderlo, you are old enough to understand it
5 (principal) major, main: tu mayor responsabilidad es su educación, the thing that's most important to you is her education; la calle mayor, the main street
6 Mús major
7 Com al por mayor, wholesale
II sustantivo masculino
1 Mil major 2 mayores, (adultos) grownups, adults
(ancianos) elders
♦ Locuciones: al por mayor, wholesale
ir/pasar a mayores, to become serious: discutió con su marido, pero el asunto no pasó a mayores, she had an argument with her husband but they soon forgot about it

' mayor' also found in these entries:
Spanish:
abundar
- adicta
- adicto
- afán
- alcalde
- alcaldía
- almacén
- amable
- brevedad
- burgomaestre
- calle
- caza
- colegio
- confluencia
- desarrollar
- edad
- engrandecer
- escaparate
- estado
- Excemo.
- Excmo.
- fuerza
- gruesa
- grueso
- hacer
- hacerse
- inri
- obra
- osa
- palo
- persona
- plana
- polemizar
- predilección
- re
- safari
- salir
- sol
- teniente
- vender
- venta
- abuelo
- ama
- anhelo
- atractivo
- audiencia
- cazar
- ciudad
- compás
- de
English:
act
- address
- adult
- big
- bomb
- bulk
- capacity
- cash-and-carry
- claw back
- densely
- dipper
- dormitory
- elaborate
- elder
- eldest
- few
- frisky
- grow up
- growing
- high street
- hill
- inquest
- lion
- little
- main
- major
- mayor
- mostly
- much
- nominee
- often
- old
- outflow
- outweigh
- over
- part
- perpendicular
- residence
- senior
- sergeant major
- spur
- staff
- trade price
- utmost
- wholesale
- wholesale trade
- wholesaler
- worship
- abject
- cash

* * *

mayor

♦ adj

1. [comparativo] [en tamaño] bigger ( que than); [en edad] older ( que than); [en importancia] greater ( que than); [en número] higher ( que than);
este puente es mayor que el otro this bridge is bigger than the other one;

mi hermana mayor my older sister;

es ocho años mayor que yo she's eight years older than me;

un mayor número de víctimas a higher number of victims;

una mayor tasa de inflación a higher rate of inflation;

en mayor o menor grado to a greater or lesser extent;

no creo que tenga mayor interés I don't think it's particularly interesting;

no te preocupes, no tiene mayor importancia don't worry, it's not (all) that important;

apartamentos mayores de 100 metros cuadrados Br flats o US apartments of over 100 square metres;

subsidios para parados mayores de cuarenta y cinco años benefits for unemployed people (of) over forty-five;

la mayor parte de most of, the majority of;

la mayor parte de los británicos piensa que… most British people o the majority of British people think that…;
Mat
mayor que greater than

2. [superlativo]
el/la mayor… [en tamaño] the biggest…;
[en edad] the oldest…; [en importancia] the greatest…; [en número] the highest…;
la mayor de las islas the biggest island, the biggest of the islands;

la mayor crisis que se recuerda the biggest crisis in living memory;

el mayor de todos nosotros/de la clase the oldest of all of us/in the class;

el mayor de los dos hermanos the older of the two brothers;

vive en la mayor de las pobrezas he lives in the most abject poverty

3. [más] further, more;

para mayor información solicite nuestro catálogo for further o more details, send for our catalogue

4. [adulto] grown-up;

cuando sea mayor when I grow up;

hacerse mayor to grow up;

ser mayor de edad to be an adult

5. [no joven] older;
[anciano] elderly;
una mujer ya mayor an older woman;

ser muy mayor to be very old;

hay que escuchar a las personas mayores you should listen to older people;

la gente mayor, las personas mayores [los ancianos] the elderly

6. [principal] major, main;

la plaza mayor the main square;

la calle mayor the main street;

el palo mayor the main mast

7. Mús major;

en do mayor in C major

8. Com
al por mayor wholesale;

un almacén de venta al por mayor a wholesaler's

♦ nmf

el/la mayor [hijo, hermano] the eldest;

mayores [adultos] grown-ups;
[antepasados] ancestors, forefathers;
es una película/revista para mayores it's an adult movie o Br film/magazine;

respeta a tus mayores you should respect your elders;

la cosa no llegó o [m5] pasó a mayores the matter didn't go any further

♦ nm
Mil major
* * *

mayor

I adj

1 comp: en tamaño larger, bigger; en edad older; en importancia greater;

mayor que greater than, larger than;

ser mayor de edad be an adult;

ser (muy) mayor be (very) elderly;

mayor que older than

2 sup

:

el mayor en edad the oldest o eldest; en tamaño the largest o

biggest; en importancia the greatest;

los mayores the adults;

la mayor parte the majority

3 MÚS tono, modo

major;

do mayor MÚS C major

4 COM

:

al por mayor wholesale

II m MIL major

III

:

ir o

pasar a mayores get serious

* * *

mayor adj

1) (comparative of grande) : bigger, larger, greater, elder, older

2) (superlative of grande) : biggest, largest, greatest, eldest, oldest

3) : grown-up, mature

4) : main, major

5)

mayor de edad : of (legal) age

6)

al por mayor or

por mayor : wholesale

mayor nmf

1) : major (in the military)

2) : adult

* * *

mayor¹ adj

1. (que tiene más edad) older

es mayor que tú he's older than you

mi hermano mayor my older brother

2. (más grande) bigger

necesito una talla mayor I need a bigger size

un tiburón es mayor que una piraña a shark is bigger than a piranha

3. (él de más edad) oldest

nuestro hijo mayor our oldest son

4. (anciano) old / elderly

mi padre ya es mayor my father is quite old now

5. (adulto) grown up

cuando sea mayor seré bombero I'm going to be a fireman when I grow up

6. (principal) main

la plaza mayor the main square

la calle mayor the high street

al por mayor wholesale

mayor² n

1. (que tiene más años) oldest

¿cuántos años tiene el mayor? how old is the oldest?

2. (adulto) grown up

los mayores comieron después the grown ups ate afterwards

de mayor when I grow up / when you grow up etc.

hacerse mayor to grow up [pt. grew; pp. grown]

ser mayor de edad to be an adult

Spanish-English dictionary > mayor

19 DRAGA

tow

* * *

I)

(dreg; dró, drógum; dreginn), v.

1) to draw, drag, pull;

draga heim viðinn, to drag the logs home;

draga árar, to pull the oars;

absol., drógu þeir skjótt eptir, they soon pulled up to them;

draga boga, to draw the bow;

draga segl, to hoist sails (= draga upp segl);

draga fisk, to catch, pull up fish with a line;

draga kvernstein, to turn the millstone, to grind;

við ramman mun reip at draga, it will be pulling a rope against a strong man, i. e. it will be a difficult task;

2) to draw, inhale (draga úþefjan með nösum);

draga nasir af e-u, to smell a thing;

draga öndina, to breathe, live;

3) to procure, earn, gain (þegar hann hafði fé dregit sem hann vildi);

draga e-m e-t, to procure (or get) one a thing (eigi sögðust þeir vita, at hann drœgi Haraldi ríki);

4) to employ as a measure (draga kvarða við viðmál);

5) to prolong protract (dvalir þessar drógu tímann);

6) to delay, put off, defer;

vil ek þessi svör ekki láta draga fyrir mér lengi, I will not wait long for these answers;

hann dró um þat engan hlut, he made no subterfuge;

7) to delineate, draw a picture (var dregit á skjöldinn leo með gulli);

í þann tíma sem hann dregr klæðaföllin (the folds);

8) to trim or line garments (treyjan var dregin útan ok innan við rauða silki);

with dat., hjálmr hans var dreginn leiri (overlaid with clay), er áðr var (dreginn) gulli;

9) intrans to move, draw;

drógu þeir þeim svá nær (came so near to them), at;

10) with preps.:

draga föt, skóklædi af e-m, to pull off one’s clothes, shoes;

draga hring af hendi sér, to take off a ring from one’s hand;

dró hann þá grunninu, he pulled them off the shallow;

draga e-t af e-u, to draw, derive from a source;

draga e-t af, to take off (Þ. hafði látit af draga brúna);

draga e-t af við e-n, to keep back, withhold, from one;

man héðan af eigi af dregit við oss, henceforth we shall no be neglected, stinted;

Egill dró at sér skipit, E. pulled the ship close up to himself;

draga vél at e-m, to draw wiles around one;

draga spott, skaup, at e-u, to hold a thing up to ridicule;

draga at lið, föng, to collect troops, stores;

dró at honum sóttin, the illness drew closer to him, he grew worse;

impers., dró at mætti hans, dró at um matt hans, his strength declined (fell off);

til þess er dró at degi, till the day drew near;

þá er dregr at jólum, when Yule drew near;

dró at því (the time drew near). at hann væri banvænn;

tók þá at draga fast at heyjum hans, his stock of hay was rapidly diminishing;

svá dregr at mér af elli, svengd, þorsta, I am so overcome by old age, hunger, thirst;

nú þykki mér sem fast dragi at þér, that thou art sinking fast;

draga hring á hönd sér, to put a ring on one’s hand;

draga (grun) á e-t, to suspect;

draga á vetr, to rear through the winter (Hrafnkell dró á vetr kálf ok kið);

impers., dregr á tunglit, the moon is obscured (= dregr myrkr á tunglit);

dimmu þykkir draga á ráðit Odds, it looks as if a cloud was drawing over Odds’ affairs;

dregr á gleði biskups, the bishop’s gladness was obscured;

draga eptir e-m, to gain on one (Þórarinn sótti ákaft róðrinn ok hans menn, ok drógu skjótt eptir þeim Steinólfi ok Kjallaki);

draga eptir e-m um e-t, to approach one, to be nearly equal to one, in a thing;

um margar íþróttir (in many accomplishments) dró hann fast eptir Ólafi konungi;

draga e-t fram, to produce, bring forward (draga fram athugasamlig dœmi); to further, promote (draga fram hlut e-s);

draga fram kaupeyri sinn, to make money;

draga fram skip, to launch a ship;

impers., dregr frá, (cloud darkness) is drawn off;

hratt stundum fyrir, en stundum dró frá, (clouds) drew sometimes over, sometimes off;

dregr fyrir sól, tungl, the sun, moon is obscured by clouds or eclipse (tunglskin var ljóst, en stundum dró fyrir);

ok er í tók at draga skúrirnar, when showers began to gather;

draga e-ð saman, to collect, gather (draga lið, her, skip saman);

impers., saman dró kaupmála með þeim, they struck a bargain;

saman dró hugi þeirra, their hearts were drawn together;

dregr þá saman or dregr saman með þeim, the distance between them grows less;

draga e-t í sundr, to draw asunder, disjoin (vil ek eigi draga í sundr sættir yðrar);

impers., dregr þá í sundr or dregr í sundr með þeim, the distance between them increases;

draga e-n til e-s, to move, prompt, induce;

engi ofkæti dregr mik til þessarar ferðar, it is not from wantonness that I undertake this journey;

slíkt dregr hann til vinsældar, this furthers his popularity;

ef hann drógi ekki til, if he was not concerned;

draga e-t til dœmis um e-t, to adduce as a proof of;

hann hét at draga allt til sætta (to do everything in his power for reconciliation) með þeim Skota konungi;

impers., nema til verra dragi, unless matters turn out for the worse;

with dat., þat samband þeirra, er þeim dregr báðum til bana, which will prove fatal to both of them;

at hér mundi til mikillar úgiptu draga um kaup þessi, that much mischief would arise from this bargain;

dró þá enn til sundrþykkju með þeim Svíum, the old feud with the Swedes began all over again;

svá er þat, segir R., ef ekki dregr til, unless some unforesceen thing happens;

draga e-t undan e-m, to seek to deprive one of a thing (þeir hafa bundizt í því at draga bœndr undan þér);

draga e-t undan, to delay (drógu Skotar undan sættina);

hví dregr þú undan at bjóða mér til þín? why dost thou put off inviting me to come?;

draga rót undan (tölu), to extract the root;

draga undan e-m, to escape from one (nú lægir seglin þeirra ok draga þeir undan oss);

impers., hann (acc.) dró undan sem nauðuligast, he had a narrow escape;

lítt dró enn undan við þik, there was little chance of drawing out of thy reach;

draga e-t undir sik, to apropriate or take fraudulently to oneself (hafði dregit undir sik finnskattinn);

impers., dró yðr (acc.) undir hrakningina, en oss (acc.) undan, you came in for hard uasge but we escaped;

draga upp skip, to drag a ship ashore;

draga upp segl, to hoist a sail (sails);

draga upp fisk, to pull up fish with a line;

impers., þoku dregr upp, fog is coming on;

11) refl., dragast.

II)

f. only in pl. ‘drögur’,

1) timber carried on horseback and trailing along the ground;

2) metric term, repetition, anadiplosis (when a stanza begins with the last word of the preceding one).

* * *

pret. dró, pl. drógu; part. dreginn; pres. dreg: pret. subj. drægi: [Lat. trahere; Ulf. dragan, but only once or twice, = επισωρεύειν in 2 Tim. iv. 3; Hel. dragan = portare, ferre (freq.); A. S. dragan; Germ. tragen; the Engl. distinguishes between to drag and draw, whence the derived words to draggle, trail, drawl; Swed. draga; the Danes have drage, but nearly obliterated except in the special sense to travel,—otherwise they have trække, formed from the mod. Germ. tragen]:—to draw, drag, carry, pull.

A. ACT., with acc.

I. to drag, carry, pull; hann dró þau öll út, Nj. 131; djöfla þá er yðr munu d. til eilífra kvala, 273; d. heim við, to drag the logs home, 53; d. sauði, to pick sheep out of a fold, Bs. i. 646, Eb. 106; d. skip fram, to launch a ship; d. upp, to draw her up, drag her ashore, Grág. ii. 433; dró Þorgils eptir sér fiskinn, Fs. 129; Egill dró at sér skipit, E. pulled the ship close up to himself, Eg. 221, 306; dró hann þá af grunninu, Fms. vii. 264; hann hafði dregit ( pulled) hött síðan yfir hjálm, Eg. 375, cp. Ad. 3; d. föt, skóklæði af e-m, to draw off clothes, shoes; þá var dregin af ( stripped off) hosa líkinu, Fms. viii. 265; dró hann hana á hönd ser, he pulled it on his hand, Eg. 378; d. hring á hönd sér, to put a ring on one’s hand, 306; (hann) tók gullhring, ok dró ( pulled) á blóðrefilinn, id.: phrases, er við ramman reip at d., ’tis to pull a rope against the strong man, i. e. to cope with the mighty, Fms. ii. 107, Nj. 10,—the metaphor from a game; d. árar, to pull the oars, Fms. ii. 180, Grett. 125 A: absol. to pull, ok drógu skjótt eptir, they soon pulled up to them, Gullþ. 24, Krók. 52: metaph., um margar íþróttir dró hann fast eptir Ólafi, in many accomplishments he pressed hard upon Olave, Fms. iii. 17: d. boga, to draw the bow, x. 362, but more freq. benda ( bend) boga: d., or d. upp segl, to hoist the sails, Eg. 93, Fms. ix. 21, x. 349, Orkn. 260: d. fiska, or simply draga (Luke v. 7), to fish with a hook, to pull up fish with a line (hence fisk-dráttr, dráttr, fishing), Fms. iv. 89, Hým. 21, 23, Fs. 129, Landn. 36, Fas. ii. 31: d. drátt, Luke v. 4; d. net, to fish with a drag-net; also absol., draga á (on or in) á ( a river), to drag a river; hence the metaphor, d. langa nót at e-u, = Lat. longae ambages, Nj. 139: d. steina, to grind in a hand-mill, Sl. 58, Gs. 15: d. bust ór nefi e-m, vide bust: d. anda, to draw breath; d. öndina um barkann, id., (andar-dráttr, drawing breath); d. tönn, to draw a tooth.

2. phrases mostly metaph.; d. seim, prop. to draw wire, metaph. to read or talk with a drawling tone; d. nasir af e-u, to smell a thing, Ísl. ii. 136; d. dám af e-u, to draw flavour from; draga dæmi af e-u, or d. e-t til dæmis, to draw an example from a thing, Stj. 13, cp. Nj. 65; d. þýðu eðr samræði til e-s, to draw towards, feel sympathy for, Sks. 358; d. grun á e-t, to suspect, Sturl.; d. spott, skaup, gys, etc. at e-u, to hold a thing up to ridicule, Bs. i. 647; d. á sik dul ok dramb, to assume the air of…, 655 xi. 3; d. á sik ofbeldi ok dramb, Fms. vii. 20; d. e-n á talar, to deceive one, metaphor from leading into a trap, 2 Cor. xii. 17; d. vél at e-m, to deceive one, draw a person into wiles, Nj. 280, Skv. i. 33; d. á vetr, to get one’s sheep and cattle through the winter; Hrafnkell dró á vetr kálf ok kið hin firstu misseri, Hrafn. 22, cp. Germ. anbinden, and in mod. Icel. usage setja á vetr; d. nafn af e-m, to draw, derive the name from, Eb. 126 (App.) new Ed.; the phrase, (hann skyldi ekki) fleiri ár yfir höfuð d., more years should not pass over his head, he must die, Þórð.

II. to draw a picture; kross let hann d. í enni á öllum hjálmum með bleiku, Fms. iv. 96; þá dró Tjörvi líkneski þeirra á kamarsvegg, Landn. 247; var dregit á skjöldinn leo með gulli, Ld. 78, Pr. 428; í þann tíma sem hann dregr ( draws) klæða-föllin (the folds), Mar. (Fr.): d. til stafs (mod.), to draw the letters, of children first trying to write; d. fjöðr yfir e-t, a metaph. phrase, to draw a pen over or through, to hide, cloak a thing: gramm. to mark a vowel with a stroke,—a long vowel opp. to a short one is thus called ‘dreginn;’ hljóðstafir hafa tvenna grein, at þeir sé styttir ( short) eða dregnir (drawn, marked with a stroke), ok er því betr dregit yfir þann staf er seint skal at kveða, e. g. ári Ari, ér er-, mínu minni, Skálda 171: to measure, in the phrases, draga kvarða við vaðmál, Grág. i. 497, 498; draga lérept, N. G. L. i. 323.

III. to line clothes, etc.; treyja var dregin utan ok innan við rauðu silki, Flov. 19.

IV. metaph. to delay; dró hann svá sitt mál, at…, Sturl. iii. 13; hann dró um þat engan hlut, he made no subterfuge, Hkr. ii. 157; Halldórr dró þá heldr fyrir þeim, H. then delayed the time, Ld. 322; vil ek ekki lengr d. þetta fyrir þér, 284; vil ek þessi svör eigi láta d. fyrir mér lengr, Eb. 130.

V. with prepp. af, at, á, fram, frá, saman, sundr, etc., answering to the Lat. attrahere, abstrahere, protrahere, detrahere, distrahere, contrahere, etc.; d. at lið, to collect troops; d. saman her, id., Eg. 172, 269, Nj. 127; d. at föng, to collect stores, 208, 259: metaph., þá dró at honum sóttin, the sickness drew nearer to him, he grew worse, Grett. 119; d. af e-m, to take off, to disparage a person, Fms. vi. 287; d. af við e-n, ok mun héðan af ekki af dregit við oss, we shall not be neglected, stinted, Bjarn. 54: mathem. term, to subtract, Rb. 118: d. fram, to bring forward, promote; d. fram þræla, Fms. x. 421, ix. 254, Eg. 354; skil ek þat, at þat man mína kosti hér fram d. (it will be my greatest help here), at þú átt ekki vald á mér; d. fram kaupeyri, to make money, Fms. vi. 8; d. saman, to draw together, collect, join, Bs. ii. 18, Nj. 65, 76; d. sundr, to draw asunder, disjoin; d. e-t á, to intimate, (á-dráttr) drag eigi á þat, Sturl. iii. 110; d. undan, to escape; kómu segli við ok drógu undan, Fms. iv. 201; nú lægir segl þeirra ok d. þeir nú undan oss, v. 11: metaph. to delay, Uspakr dró þó undan allt til nætr, Nj. 272; hirðin sá þetta at svá mjök var undan dregit, Fms. ix. 251 (undan-dráttr, delay); hví dregr þú undan at bjóða mér til þín, Glúm. 326, Fms. ix. 251, Pass. 16. 13: mathem., d. rót undan, to extract a root, Alg. 366; d. upp, to draw a picture (upp-dráttr, a drawing), to pull up, Edda I; to pull out of the snow, Eg. 546; d. út, to extract, draw out, 655 xxxii. 2; d. undir sik, to draw under oneself, to embezzle, Eg. 61, Fms. vii. 128; d. upp akkeri, to weigh anchor, Jb. 403; d. upp segl, to hoist sail, vide above; ljós brann í stofunni ok var dregit upp, Sturl. i. 142; þar brann ljós ok var dregit upp, en myrkt hit neðra, ii. 230; ok er mönnum var í sæti skipat vóru log upp dregin í stofunni, iii. 182; herbergis sveinarnir drógu upp skriðljósin, Fas. iii. 530, cp. Gísl. 29, 113,—in the old halls the lamps (torches) were hoisted up and down, in order to make the light fainter or stronger; d. e-n til e-s, to draw one towards a thing; mikit dregr mik til þess, Fs. 9; engi ofkæti dregr mik til þessarar ferðar, i. e. it is not by my own choice that I undertake this journey, Fms. ix. 352; slíkt dró hann til vinsældar, this furthered him in popularity, vii. 175, Sks. 443 B; mun hann slíkt til d., it will move, influence him, Nj. 210; ef hann drægi ekki til, if he was not concerned, 224.

2. draga til is used absol. or ellipt., denoting the course of fate, and many of the following phrases are almost impers.; nema til verra dragi, unless matters turn out worse, Nj. 175; búð, dragi til þess sem vera vill, Lat. fata evenient, 185; ef honum vill þetta til dauða d., if this draw to his death, prove fatal to him, 103, Grett. 114; þat samband þeirra er þeim dregr báðum til bana, which will be fatal to both of them, Nj. 135; enda varð þat fram at koma sem til dró, Ísl. ii. 263; sagði Kveldúlfr at þá ( then) mundi þar til draga sem honum hafði fyrir boðat, Eg. 75; dró til vanda með þeim Rúti ok Unni, it was the old story over again, Nj. 12; dró til vanda um tal þeirra, 129; at hér mundi til mikillar úgiptu draga um kaup þessi, that mickle mischief would arise from this bargain, 30; dró þá enn til sundrþykkju með þeim Svíum, the old feud with the Swedes began over again, Fms. x. 161; ok er úvíst til hvers um dregr, Fs. 6; svá er þat, segir Runólfr, ef ekki dregr til, unless some unforeseen things happen, Nj. 75; hón kvað eigi úlíkligt at til mikils drægi um, Ísl. ii. 19; þá dró nú til hvárttveggja. Bret.; hence til-drög. n. pl. cause.

B. IMPERS.

1. of clouds, shade, darkness, to be drawn before a thing as a veil; dimmu (acc.) þykir á draga ráðit Odds, it looked as if gloom were drawing over Odd’s affairs, Band. 10; ok er í tók at draga skúrirnar (acc.), it began to draw into showers, i. e. clouds began to gather, Fms. iii. 206: often ellipt., hratt stundum fyrir en stundum dró frá, [ clouds] drew sometimes over, sometimes off, of the moon wading through them, Grett. 114; dregr fyrir sól, [ a veil] draws over the sun, he is hid in clouds; ský vónarleysu döpur drjúgum dró fyrir mína gleði-sól, Bb. 2. 9; dregr á gleði biskups, [ clouds] drew over the bishop’s gladness, it was eclipsed, Bs. ii. 79; eclipsis heitir er fyrir dregr sól eðr tungl, it is called an eclipse when [ a veil] draws over the sun or moon, 1812. 4; tunglskin var ljóst, en stundum dró fyrir, the moonshine was clear, and in turn [ a veil] drew over it, Nj. 118; þá sá lítið af tungli ljóst ok dró ymist til eðr frá, Ísl. ii. 463; þat gerðisk, at á dregr tunglit, ok verðr eclipsis, Al. 54.

2. in various connections; dró yðr (acc.) undir hrakningina, en oss (acc.) undan, you were drawn into a thrashing (i. e. got one), but we escaped, Nj. 141; hann (acc.) dró undan sem nauðuligast, he had a narrow escape, Fms. ix. 392: absol., a noun or personal pronoun in acc. being understood, lítt dró enn undan við þik, there was little power of drawing out of thy reach, i. e. thy blow did its work right well. Nj. 199, 155; hvárki dró sundr né saman með þeim, of two running a dead heat: metaph. phrases, mun annarsstaðar meira slóða (acc.) draga, there will be elsewhere a greater trial left, i. e. the consequences will be still worse elsewhere, 54; saman dró hugi þeirra, their hearts were drawn together, of a loving pair, Bárð. 271; saman dró kaupmála með þeim, they struck a bargain, literally the bargain was drawn tight, Nj. 49; hann hreinsar þat skjótt þóat nokkut im (acc.) hafi á oss dregit af samneyti ( although we have been a little infected by the contact with) annarlegs siðferðis, Fms. ii. 261; allt slafr (acc.) dró af Hafri, i. e. H. became quite mute, Grett. (in a verse): in a temp. sense, til þess er dró at degi, till the day drew nigh, Fms. x. 138; þá er dró at miðri nótt, Grett. 140; þá er dregr at Jólum, Yule drew nigh, Fbr. 138; dregr at hjaldri, the battle-hour draws nigh, Fms. vi. (in a verse); dró at því (the time drew nigh), at hann var banvænn, Eg. 126: of sickness, hunger, or the like, to sink, be overcome by, svá dregr at mér af elli, svengd ok þorsta, at…, Fms. iii. 96; nú þykki mér sem fast dragi at þér, thou art sinking fast, Fas. ii. 221; ok er lokið var kvæðinu dregr at Oddi fast, O. was sinking fast, 321: of other things, tók þá at d. fast at heyjum hans, his stock was very low, Fms. iii. 208; þoku dregr upp, a fog draws on, rises, 97 (in a verse), but ok taki sú poka (nom.) fyrir at d. norðrljósit, Sks. an (better þá þoku, acc.)

C. REFLEX, to draw oneself, move; ef menn dragask til föruneytis þeirra ( join them) úbeðit, Grág. ii. 270; Sigvaldi dregsk út frá flotanum, S. draws away from the fleet, Fms. xi. 140; ofmjök dragask lendir menn fram, i. e. the barons drew far too forward, vii. 22; hyski drósk á flótta, they drew away to flight, Fms. vi. (in a verse); skeiðr drógusk at vígi, the ships drew on to battle, iii. 4 (in a verse); dragask undir = draga undir sik, to take a thing to oneself, Grág. ii. 150; dragask á hendr e-m, drógusk opt þeir menn á hendr honum er úskilamenn voru, Sturl. i. 136; dragask e-n á hendr, hann kvað þess enga ván, at hann drægisk þá á hendr, ii. 120; dragask aptr á leið, to remain behind, Rb. 108; dragask út, to recede, of the tide, 438; dragask saman, to draw back, draw together, be collected, Fms. i. 25, Bs. i. 134; e-m dragask penningar, Fms. vi. 9; d. undan, to be delayed, x. 251; the phrase, herr, lið dregsk e-m, the troops draw together, of a levy, i. 94, vii. 176, Eg. 277; dragask á legg, to grow up, Hkr. iii. 108; sem aldr hans ok vitsmunir drógusk fram, increased, Fms. vi. 7; þegar honum drósk aldr, when he grew up, Fs. 9; dragask á legg, to grow into a man; dragask við e-t, to become discouraged, Fms. viii. 65; d. vel, illa, to do well, ill, Fs. 146: to be worn out, exhausted, drósk þá liðit mjök af kulda, Sturl. iii. 20; drósk hestr hans, ii. 75: part. dreginn, drawn, pinched, starved, hestar mjök dregnir, Fms. ix. 276; görðisk fénaðr dreginn mjök, drawn, thin, iii. 208; stóð þar í heykleggi einn ok dregit at öllu megin, a tapering hayrick, Háv. 53: of sickness, Herra Andrés lagðisk sjúkr, ok er hann var dreginn mjök, Fms. ix. 276.

β. recipr., þau drógusk um einn gullhring, they fought, pulled. Fas. iii. 387. From the reflex. probably originates, by dropping the reflex. suffix, the mod. Swed. and Dan. at draga = to go, esp. of troops or a body of men; in old writers the active form hardly ever occurs in this sense (the reading drógu in the verse Fms. iii. 4 is no doubt false); and in mod. usage it is equally unknown in Icel., except maybe in allit. phrases as, e. g. út á djúpið hann Oddr dró, Snot 229 new Ed.; to Icel. ears draga in this sense sounds strange; even the reflex. form is seldom used in a dignified sense; vide the references above.

Íslensk-ensk orðabók > DRAGA

20 still

I.

still adv

1 ( up to and including a point in time) toujours, encore ; she still doesn't like eggs elle n'aime toujours pas les œufs ; he's still as crazy as ever! il est toujours aussi fou! ; that's still not good enough for you! tu n'es toujours pas content! ; we're still waiting for a reply nous attendons toujours une réponse ; they're still in town ils sont encore en ville ; you have to eat this bread while it's still fresh il faut manger ce pain pendant qu'il est encore frais ; you're still too young tu es encore trop jeune ; the ruins are still to be seen on peut encore voir les ruines ; I still have some money left il me reste encore de l'argent ;

2 ( expressing surprise) toujours, encore ; he still hasn't come back il n'est toujours pas revenu ; I still can't believe it! je n'arrive toujours pas à le croire! ; are you still here? tu es toujours or encore là? ;

3 ( referring to something yet to happen) encore ; it has still to be decided c'est encore à décider ; I have four exams still to go j'ai encore quatre examens à passer ; still to come, a report on… Radio, TV dans quelques instants, un reportage sur… ;

4 ( expressing probability) encore ; you could still be a winner vous pouvez encore gagner ; there is still a chance that il est encore possible que (+ subj) ; prices are still expected to rise on prévoit encore une augmentation des prix ; if I'm still alive si je suis encore en vie ;

5 ( nevertheless) quand même ; he's unarmed but he's still dangerous il n'est pas armé mais il est quand même or toujours dangereux ; it still doesn't explain why cela n'explique quand même or toujours pas pourquoi ; it was very dear, still it was worth it c'était très cher, ça valait quand même le coup ○ ; still, it's the thought that counts enfin, c'est l'intention qui compte ; still and all ○ quand même ;

6 (with comparatives: even) encore ; faster still, still faster encore plus rapide ; stranger still was the fact that ce qui était encore plus étrange c'était que ; still more surprising encore plus étonnant ; still more money was spent on a dépensé encore plus d'argent ; still less encore moins ; there is little sense of an objective, still less how to achieve it on n'a pas une idée très précise de l'objectif et encore moins de la manière d'y arriver ; better/worse still encore mieux/pire ;

7 (emphasizing quantity, numbers: yet) encore ; still another way to do encore une autre façon de faire ; many died, still more/still others emigrated beaucoup sont morts mais beaucoup plus encore/beaucoup d'autres encore ont émigré.

II.

still

A n

1 ( for making alcohol) ( apparatus) alambic m ; ( distillery) distillerie f ;

2 Cin, Phot photographie f or photo f de plateau ; a still from a film une photo extraite d'un film ;

3 ( calmness) ( lack of motion) calme m ; ( lack of noise) tranquillité f ; the still of the night/forest le silence de la nuit/forêt.

B adj

1 ( motionless) [air, day, water] calme ; [hand, person] immobile ; absolutely ou totally still immobile ;

2 ( peaceful) [countryside, house, streets] tranquille ;

3 Culin, Wine [drink, fruit juice] non gazeux/-euse ; [water] plat ; [wine] tranquille.

C adv

1 ( immobile) [lie, stay] immobile ; to hold [sth] still ne pas bouger [camera, mirror, plate] ;

2 ( calmly) to sit still se tenir tranquille ; to keep ou stand still ne pas bouger.

D vtr

1 ( silence) faire taire [critic, voice] ;

2 ( calm) calmer [crowd, doubt, fear].

Idiom

still waters run deep il faut se méfier de l'eau qui dort.

Big English-French dictionary > still

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less — [[t]le̱s[/t]] ♦ (Less is often considered to be the comparative form of little.) 1) DET: DET n uncount You use less to indicate that there is a smaller amount of something than before or than average. You can use a little , a lot , a bit , far ,… … English dictionary

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Словари и энциклопедии на Академике

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they have little money but we have even less

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Словари и энциклопедии на Академике

Перевод: со всех языков на все языки

they have little money but we have even less

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