we took half a million pesos (

la caja tonta — * (=tele) the box *, the goggle-box *, the idiot box (EEUU) *

caja de cerillas — [llena] box of matches; [vacía] matchbox

caja de sorpresas — (=juego) jack-in-the-box

caja negra — [de avión] black box

para pagar, pase por caja — please pay at the cash desk o till o checkout

• entrar en caja, ha entrado muy poco dinero en caja — takings have been low

• hacer caja — to cash up

• ingresar en caja, hemos ingresado 5.000 euros en caja — we have taken (in) 5,000 euros

caja B — B account, secret account o fund, slush fund

Caja Postal de Ahorros — ≈ Post Office Savings Bank

caja de cambios — (Mec) gearbox

caja de resonancia — [de un instrumento] soundbox

caja de ritmos — drum machine, beatbox *

caja de dientes — * set of choppers *

caja de muerto — coffin, casket (EEUU)

• entrar en caja — to join up, enlist

una caja de fósforos — ( con fósforos) a box of matches; ( vacía) a matchbox

echar or despedir a algn con cajas destempladas — to send sb packing (colloq)

sírvase pagar en or pasar por caja — pay at the cash desk o till

hicimos una caja de medio millón — we took half a million pesos (o euros etc)

entrar en caja — to be drafted o called up

una caja de fósforos — ( con fósforos) a box of matches; ( vacía) a matchbox

echar or despedir a algn con cajas destempladas — to send sb packing (colloq)

sírvase pagar en or pasar por caja — pay at the cash desk o till

hicimos una caja de medio millón — we took half a million pesos (o euros etc)

entrar en caja — to be drafted o called up

Ex: Other necessary equipment is a punch and a light box.

Ex: A British politician is usually caught with his hand up a woman's skirt while a Canadian politician is usually caught with his hand in the till.

• menos aún — even less

• menos de — [con sustantivos incontables, medidas, dinero, tiempo] less than; [con sustantivos contables] fewer than

llegamos en menos de diez minutos — we got there in less than o in under ten minutes

• en menos de nada — in no time at all

• menos que — less than

• al menos — at least

• 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

• echar de menos a algn — to miss sb

• ir a menos — to come down in the world

• lo menos diez — at least ten

• eso es lo de menos — that's the least of it

• ¡menos mal! — thank goodness!

• 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!"

• 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!

• menos... que, A tiene menos ventajas que B — A has fewer advantages than B

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

cinco menos dos — five minus o less two

• a menos que — unless

ahora lo vemos menos — we don't see him so often o we don't see so much of him now

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

cuando menos lo esperábamos — when we were least expecting it; para locs ver menos III 2)

ya hace menos frío — it's not as o so cold now

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

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

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

ahora lo vemos menos — we don't see him so often o we don't see so much of him now

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

cuando menos lo esperábamos — when we were least expecting it; para locs ver menos III 2)

ya hace menos frío — it's not as o so cold now

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

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

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

Ex: Service to the whole community implies positive discrimination towards those who through social or educational deprivation are least adept at using information tools.

esa tontería le valió un rapapolvo — that piece of stupidity got o earned him a telling-off

su ausencia le valió la pérdida del contrato — his absence lost o cost him the contract

este coche vale muy caro — this car is very expensive o costs a lot of money

vale mucho como intérprete — he's an excellent o first-rate interpreter

su última película no vale gran cosa — his latest film is not up to much o is not much good

• hacer valer, hizo valer su derecho al veto — he exercised his veto

• hacerse valer — to assert o.s.

• valer por — (=equivaler a) to be worth

cada cupón vale por un paquete de azúcar — each coupon is worth o can be exchanged for one bag of sugar

cuatro fichas azules valen por una negra — four blue counters equal o are worth one black one

• eso no vale — that's no good o use

ya no me vale — it's no good o use to me now

• valer para algo, es viejo, pero vale para la lluvia — it's old, but it'll do for when it rains

este sombrero me vale aún — I can still wear o use this hat

me vale la ropa de mi hermana — my sister's clothes do for *o fit me as well

su situación privilegiada no le valió — his privileged position was no help o use to him

no le valdrán excusas — excuses won't help him o do him any good

el chico no vale para el trabajo — the boy is no good o not right for the job

• no vales para nada — you're hopeless o useless, you're a dead loss *

• valga la expresión — for want of a better way of putting it

-¡pero querido! -¡no hay querido que valga! — "but darling!" - "don't darling me!" *

más vale que me vaya — I'd o I had better go

más vale que te lleves el abrigo — you'd o you had better take your coat

-le han dado el trabajo al hijo del jefe -¡pues, eso no vale! — "they've given the job to the boss's son" - "that's not on!" *o"they can't do that!"

-¿vamos a tomar algo? -¡vale! — "shall we go for a drink?" - "OK!" o"all right!"

vale que discutan, pero que se peguen es imperdonable — having an argument is one thing but hitting each other is another matter entirely o is inexcusable

esta obra le valió un premio — this play earned o won her a prize

hacer valer algo — < derecho> to assert, enforce

hizo valer su autoridad — he used o imposed his authority

no valer para algo — to be useless o no good at something

sus consejos me valieron de mucho — her advice was very useful o valuable to me

¿valer así? — is that OK o enough?

valga la comparación — if you know o see what I mean

... y valga la expresión —... for want o lack of a better expression

a mí eso me vale — I don't give a damn about that (colloq)

mi coche ya valió — my car's had it (colloq)

se valió de sus apellidos para conseguirlo — he took advantage of o used the family name to obtain it

valerse solo or por sí mismo — to look after oneself