by Peter Weibel
¡Vete a freír buñuelos! (fam.) Go fry an egg! (fam.) ¡Véte a freír espárragos!
la burra she-donkey
la burra (fam., Esp.) bicycle, bike, pushbike (Br.E.)
írsele a alg. la burra (fam.) to tell tales [out of school] (fig.), blab [it out] (fam.), not to keep it to o.s., not to keep one’s mouth shut (fam.) Se le fue la burra a ella. She didn’t keep her mouth shut.
burra (la panza de ~)
la burrada drove of donkeys
la burrada (fig.) silly/stupid thing [to do], stupid act/saying/etc.
costar una burrada (fig., fam.) to cost a tidy sum, to cost a pretty penny (fam.), to cost a packet (sl.), to cost a bomb (fam., Br.E.), to cost an arm and a leg (fam.), to cost a fortune, to be shockingly expensive (fam.)
burral (la edad ~)
el burro donkey
apearse de su burro (fig., fam.) to climb down (fig., fam.), to back down (fam.), to recognize one’s error/mistake, to think better of it
no apearse de su burro (fig., fam.) to persist in one’s error, to remain stubborn Aunque le aconsejaron que no lo hiciese, no se apeó de su burro. Even though they advised him not to do it, he persisted in his error.
no ver tres en un burro (fam.) (a) to be [as] blind as a bat (fam.) (b) (due to darkness/fog/etc.): s.o. can’t see his hand in front of his face, s.o. can’t see a thing Su abuelo no ve tres en un burro. His grandfather is blind as a bat. Está tan oscuro que no veo tres en un burro. It’s so dark that I can’t see my hand in front of my face. La niebla estuvo tan densa que no vimos tres en un burro. The fog was so thick that we couldn’t see a thing.
como un burro en una cacharrería (fig., fam.) like a bull in a china-shop (fig.) Se comportó como un burro en una cacharrería. He was like a bull in a china-shop.
[Una vez] puesto en el burro. (fam.) In for a penny, in for a pound. (Br.E.) In for a dime, in for a dollar. (Am.E.)
Quien nace [para] burro muere rebuznando. (prov.) A leopard never changes or cannot change its spots. (prov.)
burro (la panza de ~)
burro (no morir de cornada de ~)
burro (poner dos albardas a un ~)
buscar bronca/camorra
buscar el bulto a alg.
el busilis (fam., Esp.)
Ahí está el busilis. There’s or that’s the rub/snag. (fig.) That’s where the problem is/lies. That’s why [it doesn’t work/etc.].
dar en el busilis to hit the mark (fig.), to hit the nail on the head (fig.) Diste en el busilis con esa observación. You hit the mark with that remark.
C
caballero riding
estar caballero en su opinión (fig.) to stick firmly to one’s opinion
el caballero rider, knight, gentleman
Poderoso caballero es don Dinero. (prov.) Money talks. Money makes the world go round.
el caballo horse
ir/venir en el caballo de San Francisco (fam., hum.) to go/come on Shank’s pony (Br.E.) or on Shank’s mare (Am.E.) (hum.), to walk, to hoof it (fam.)
como un caballo en una cacharrería (fig., fam.) like a bull in a china-shop (fig.) Se comportó como un caballo en una cacharrería. He was like a bull in a china-shop.
A caballo regalado no hay que mirarle o no le mires el diente. (prov.) Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. (prov.)
caballo (dar un gallo para recibir un ~)
caballo (sota, ~ y rey)
el cabe stroke (refers to argolla, a game like croquet)
el cabe de pala (fig., fam.) unexpected opportunity/chance, lucky break, stroke of luck, chance piece of good luck
el cabello hair
partir/hender un cabello en el aire (fig.) to split hairs
no faltar un cabello a algo (fig.) to be [as good as] finished/complete/done
traer algo por los cabellos (fig.) to be far-fetched (fig.) Me parece traído por los cabellos. I think it’s far-fetched. Lo has traído por los cabellos. It (what you’ve said) is far-fetched.
llevar a alg. de un cabello (fig.) to twist s.o. [a]round one’s little finger
colgar/pender o estar colgado/pendiente de un cabello (fig.) to hang or be hanging by a hair/thread (fig.) El futuro de la firma cuelga de un cabello. The firm’s future hangs by a hair. Su vida pendía o estaba pendiente de un cabello. His/her life was hanging by a thread.
cabello (coger/asir la ocasión por los ~s)
caber to go or fit in/into
no caber en sí de alegría (fig.) to be beside o.s. with joy, to be overwhelmed or wild (fam.) with joy
caber (no ~ en el pellejo)
caber (no ~ en el pellejo de alegría/orgullo)
caber (no ~ ni un alfiler)
caber (no ~le a alg. en la cabeza)
el cabestro halter
llevar a alg. del cabestro (fig.) to lead s.o. by the nose (fam.)
la cabeza head
un[a] cabeza de corcho (fam.) numskull (fam.), blockhead (fam.) un [pedazo de] alcornoque
un[a] cabeza torcida (fam.) hypocrite
un[a] cabeza de turco (fig., fam.) scapegoat, fall guy (fam., Am.E.), whipping boy (fig.)
un[a] cabeza de chorlito (fig., fam.) scatterbrain
tener la cabeza a pájaros to be a scatterbrain, to be scatty (fam., Br.E.), to be scatterbrained or featherbrained
tener la cabeza llena de pájaros (fig., fam.) to be living in cloud-cuckoo-land, to be living in never-never land, to be living in a dream/fantasy world
La cabeza blanca y el seso por venir. There’s no fool like an old fool. (prov.)
no estar bueno de la cabeza (fam.), estar ido/mal/tocado de la cabeza (fam.), tener pájaros en la cabeza (fig., fam.) to be crazy (fam.), to be nuts (fam.), to be off one’s nut (fam., Br.E.), to be off one’s rocker (fam.), to be as nutty as a fruitcake (fam., hum.), to be off one’s head (fam.), to be soft in the head (fam.), to be round the bend (fam., Br.E.), to have lost one’s marbles (fam., hum., Br.E.), to have bats in one’s/the belfry
apostar[se] la cabeza a que … (fam.) to bet s.o. anything he likes [that] …, you can bet your life (fam.) or your bottom dollar (fam., Am.E.) [that] …, it’s dollars to doughnuts [that] … (fam., Am.E.) Me apuesto la cabeza a que no lo hacen. I bet you anything you like they don’t do it. You can bet your life they won’t do it.
Apostaría la cabeza. (fam.) You can bet your life on that. (fam.) You can bet your bottom dollar on that. (fam.)
afirmar con la cabeza to nod [yes]
negar con la cabeza to shake one’s head
dar con la cabeza en las paredes (fig.) (a) to get furious, to get mad (fam.), to tear one’s hair [out] (fig.), to go spare (fam., Br.E.), (s.th. is enough) to drive s.o. spare or up the wall (fam.), s.o. could kick himself or feels like kicking himself (fam.) (b) to be pig-headed, to be as stubborn as a mule (fig.) … y encima he perdido el tren. ¡Podría dar con la cabeza en las paredes! … and on top of everything I’ve missed the train. It’s enough to drive me spare! I feel like kicking myself! I could tear my hair out!
calentar la cabeza a alg. (fig., fam.) to fill s.o.’s head (with s.th.), (s.th.) makes s.o.’s head spin (fig.) Esas fórmulas matemáticas nos calentaron la cabeza. These mathematical formulas made our heads spin. El profesor nos calentó la cabeza con esas fórmulas matemáticas. The teacher filled our heads with these mathematical formulas.
calentarse la cabeza (fig., fam.) s.o.’s head is/starts spinning (fig.), to get tired out, to get fagged out (fam., Br.E.) Me calenté la cabeza con tanto estudiar. I studied so hard that my head started spinning or that I got fagged out.
quebrarse/romperse la cabeza (fig., fam.) to rack one’s brains (fig.)
esconder/meter la cabeza bajo el ala (fig.) to bury one’s head in the sand (fig.) Acepta la realidad. No metas la cabeza bajo el ala. Face [up to] the facts. Don’t bury your head in the sand.
meterse de cabeza en algo (fig., fam.) to throw o.s. or plunge into s.th. (work/etc.) (fig.)
no saber dónde volver la cabeza not to know any more whether one is coming or going,
to have an awful lot on one’s plate (fam.) or on one’s mind Estoy hasta aquí de trabajo. ¡Ya no sé dónde volver la cabeza! I’m up to my neck/eyeballs in work. I don’t know any more whether I’m coming or going.
andar/ir de cabeza con algo (fam.) to be up to one’s eyeballs or eyes or ears or neck in s.th. (work/debt/etc.), to be snowed under with s.th. (fig.) Ando de cabeza con tanto trabajo. I’m up to my eyes in work. I’m snowed under with work.
levantar/alzar cabeza (fig., fam.) to get on one’s feet again (after a business failure/etc.) (fig.), to recover (from s.th.), to pick o.s. up (fig.), to get back on one’s feet (after an illness) (fig.), to recover one’s health Ha sufrido varios fracasos profesionales. Pasará algún tiempo antes de que levante cabeza. He’s had several failures in his work. It will take him some time to recover from them or to get on his feet again.
no levantar/alzar cabeza (fig., fam.) (a) not to get on one’s feet again (after a business failure/a setback/etc.) (fig.), not to recover (from a business failure/a setback/etc.) (b) to be totally depressed or dejected, to be down in the dumps/mouth (fam.) (c) to be very ill/sick (d) to keep one’s head down, to have one’s head buried in one’s work, to be totally engrossed in or wrapped up in (fam.) one’s work
no caberle a alg. en la cabeza (fig., fam.) s.o. [just] doesn’t/can’t understand No me cabe en la cabeza que no le guste ir a España. I just can’t understand that he doesn’t feel like going to Spain.
subírsele algo a alg. a la cabeza (fig.) s.th. (wine/success/etc.) goes to s.o.’s head El éxito se le ha subido a la cabeza. His/her success has gone to his/her head.
vestirse por la cabeza (fam., hum.) to be a female, to be a cleric, to be a clergyman ¿Quién es? Se viste por la cabeza. Who is it? It’s a woman.
tener la cabeza en su sitio o bien puesta (fam.) to have one’s head screwed on (Br.E.) or screwed on tight (Am.E.) (fam.), to be no fool
llevarse las manos a la cabeza to throw one’s hands in the air, to throw up one’s hands (in dismay/shock/etc.)
llevar de cabeza a alg. (fig., fam.) to drive s.o. crazy/mad (fam.), to drive s.o. round the bend (fam., Br.E.) Lleva de cabeza a todo el mundo. He drives everybody crazy.
bailarle algo a alg. por la cabeza (fig.) s.th. goes round and round in s.o.’s head La idea me baila todavía por la cabeza. The idea is still going round and round in my head.
Más vale ser cabeza de ratón que cola de león. (prov.) It’s better to be a big fish/frog in a small pond than a small fish/frog in a big pond. (prov.) It’s better to be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion. (prov.)
cabeza ( nacer: nació alg. de ~)
cabeza (llevar a alg. la ~)
cabeza (no tener pies ni ~)
cabeza (tener la ~ como una olla de grillos)
cabeza (tener la ~ llena de serrín)
cabeza (tener la ~ más dura que un picador)
cabeza (tirarse los trastos a la ~)
cabeza ajena ( escarmentar: nadie escarmienta en ~)
cabeza ajena (escarmentar en ~)
la cabezada butt (with the head), nod[ding], nodding off
darse de cabezadas (fam.) to rack one’s brains (fig.)
echar una cabezada o cabezadita (fam.) to have/take a nap, to have a snooze (fam.), to get a bit of or some shut-eye (fam.), to have/get forty winks (fam.), to catch some Zs (sl., Am.E.)
cabezadita (echar una cabezada o ~)
el/la cabezota (fam.) pig-headed person, mule (fig.)
el cable cable, hawser
echar un cable a alg. (fam.) to give s.o. a helping hand, to help s.o. out of a jam/fix (fam.), to help s.o. out of a tight spot (fam.), to get s.o. off the hook (fam.), to bail s.o. out (fig.)
el cabo end, point
estar al cabo de algo o de la calle (fig., fam.) to know all about s.th., to know what the score is (fam.), to know what’s going on, to have got/gotten (Am.E.) to the bottom of s.th. Estoy al cabo de lo que están tramando. I know exactly what they’re up to. Estamos al cabo de la calle. We know what the score is. We’ve got to the bottom of it.
no tener cabo ni cuerda to make no sense whatsoever, there’s no rhyme or reason [to s.th.], s.o. can’t make head[s] or tail[s] of s.th. (fam.), to be absurd, to be ridiculous Para mi/nosotros esto no tiene cabo ni cuerda. I/we can’t make head or tail of it. Este plan no tiene cabo ni cuerda. This plan makes no sense whatsoever. This is an absurd plan.
atar/unir cabos (fam.) to put two and two together (fig.), to tie up loose ends (fig.), to draw conclusions, to make sense, to make head[s] or tail[s] of it (fam.) ¿Puedes atar cabos? Can you make head or tail of it?
al fin y al cabo (fam.) at long last, in the end, after all, when all is said and done, at the end of the day (fig.) Al fin y al cabo no se divorciaron. They didn’t get divorced after all. Es inútil darles consejos. Al fin y al cabo hacen siempre lo que quieren. It is pointless/useless to give them advice. In the end they always do as they please.
de cabo a cabo, de cabo a rabo (fam.), de punta a cabo from A to Z, from beginning to end, from start to finish, from cover to cover, inside out (to know), like the back of one’s hand (to know) Leí ese libro de cabo a cabo. I read that book from cover to cover. Conoce la ciudad de cabo a rabo. He knows the city like the back of his hand.
la cabra goat
la cabra (fam.) motorbike, motorcycle
estar como una cabra (fam.) to be crazy no estar bueno de la cabeza
estar más loco que una cabra (fam.) to be completely crazy/nuts (fam.), to be as mad as a hatter (Br.E.), to be as mad as a March hare (fam.)
meter las cabras en el corral a alg. (fam.) to intimidate s.o., to cow s.o.
La cabra siempre tira al monte. (prov.) A leopard never changes or cannot change its spots. (prov.)
cabrillas (a) fleecy or cotton-wool clouds, cirrocumuli (b) (waves): white horses
cabrillas (pedir leche a las ~)
cabrito (apartar las ovejas de los ~s)
el cabrón billy goat
el cabrón (vulg.) (abuse): swine (fam.), bastard (sl.), son of a bitch (vulg., Am.E.) El muy cabrón me robó el coche. The bastard stole my car.
la caca (fam., en lengua infantil) poop (Am.E.) or pooh (Br.E.) (used to or by children), excrement
la caca (fig.) filth (fig.)
ocultar/tapar la caca (fig., fam.) to cover s.th. up (fig.), to hush s.th. up
cacarear to cackle, to crow
cacarear algo (fig., fam.) to [boastfully] broadcast s.th. (fig., fam.), to crow about s.th., to boast about s.th., to brag about s.th. La estrella de la pantalla cacareó su propia fama. The movie star (Am.E.)/film star broadcasted her own fame or crowed about her own fame. Fue un triunfo muy cacareado. It was a much-vaunted or much-trumpeted triumph. There was a lot of boasting or crowing about the triumph. La tan cacareada hospitalidad dejó mucho que desear. The much-praised or much-ballyhooed (fam.) hospitality left much to be desired. Siempre cacareaban. They were always bragging.
cacarear y no poner huevos (fig., fam.) to be nothing but or just empty boasting, to be nothing but or just braggadocio, to be all mouth and no trousers (fam., Br.E.), to be all talk and no action Su hermano siempre cacarea y no pone huevos. Everything that comes out of his brother’s mouth is just empty boasting. His brother is all mouth and no trousers.
la cacha haunch (small game), hilt, handle
las cachas (pop.) buttocks
meter el cuchillo hasta las cachas en algo to stab the knife up to the hilt into s.th.
estar metido hasta las cachas en algo (fig., fam.) to be up to one’s eyeballs/eyes/ears in s.th. (work/debt/etc.)
meterse hasta las cachas en algo (fig., fam.) to be totally wrapped up in s.th. (work/etc.) (fam.)
cacharrería (como un burro/caballo/elefante en una ~)
el cadáver corpse
tener un cadáver en el armario (fig.) to have a skeleton in the cupboard (Br.E.) or in the closet (Am.E.) (fig.)
caer (llegar como caído del cielo)
caerse to fall [over]
caerse de cansancio/sueño (fam.) to be ready to drop (fam.), to be dead on one’s feet (fig., fam.), to be dog-tired (fam.)
caerse de tonto/etc. (fam.) to be very stupid/etc.
caerse [muerto] de miedo (fam.) to be scared to death (fam.), to be terrified
no tener donde caerse muerto not to have a penny or a red cent to one’s name, not to have two [brass] farthings to rub together (Br.E.), to be as poor as a church mouse (fig.)
caerse de/por su propio peso to be obvious, to be self-evident, to go without saying
caerse [a/en pedazos] de viejo (fam.) Se cae de viejo. He’s very old and frail. He’s so old he can hardly walk. Su bicicleta se cae a pedazos de vieja. His bicycle is so old it is falling to pieces or it is falling apart.
caérsele a alg. el alma a los pies
caérsele a alg. la baba con/por alg./algo
caérsele a alg. la cara de vergüenza
caérsele a alg. la casa encima/a cuestas
caérsele a alg. la venda de los ojos
caérsele a alg. las alas [del corazón]
caérsele a alg. los anillos ([no] ~)
el café coffee
estar de mal café (fig., fam.) to be in a bad mood
tener mal café (fig., fam.) to have bad/evil intentions, to have a nasty temper, to have a spiteful/nasty nature or disposition, to be a nasty piece of work (fam.), to be a bastard (fam.)
la cafetera coffee pot
la cafetera [rusa] (fam.) (car): jalop[p]y, old heap of metal (fam.), old crock (fam., Br.E.), old banger (fam.) ¿A esa cafetera rusa le llamas coche? Do you call that old heap of metal a car?
estar como una cafetera (fam.) to be crazy, to be nuts (fam.) no estar bueno de la cabeza
el cagachín (fig., pop.) swine (fam.), bastard (fam.), son of a bitch (vulg., Am.E.)
la cagalera (pop., vulg.) (diarrhea): trots (fam.), runs (fam., Br.E.), shits (sl., vulg.), Montezuma’s revenge (hum.)
cagar (pop., vulg.) to shit (vulg.), to take or have (Br.E.) a shit/crap (vulg.)
cagar algo (pop., vulg.) to make a botch of s.th. (fig.), to mess s.th. up (fig., fam.), to cock s.th. up (sl., Br.E.), to ball or balls (Br.E.) s.th. up (sl.)
