Idioms/collocation Flashcards
(366 cards)
0
Q
Estar alerta
A
To keep your wits about sth
1
Q
2o año consecutivo
A
2nd year running
2
Q
Not to panic
A
To keep your head
3
Q
Casi nada
A
I’ve precious little to do
4
Q
Dejarse la piel
A
To play your hearts out
5
Q
Hacer todo lo necesario para conseguir un objetivo-jugar bien tus cartas
A
To play your cards right
6
Q
To propose
to present the argument for it
A
To put the case for something
7
Q
Run out of energy
A
To run out of steam
8
Q
Las emociones son muy intensas
A
Feelings are running high
9
Q
Totally believe in something or someone
Tener fe en algo
A
To put on one’s faith in something
10
Q
Sudden, Short pain
A
Twinge
I’ve got a slight twinge
11
Q
Flexible, in good condition
A
Supple
12
Q
You’re not allowed to do something
A
Ineligible
13
Q
Little fights
A
Scrimmages
14
Q
Fangoso, turbio
A
Murky
15
Q
Persistently (incesantemente)
A
Relentlessly
16
Q
Typical
A
Archetypal
17
Q
Self regarding
A
Solipsistic
18
Q
Argue about something trivial
A
Quibble
19
Q
Levantar la prohibición
A
To relax the ban on something
20
Q
Champion
A
Tittle holder
21
Q
Dejarse la piel-pelear con uñas y dientes
A
To fight to the nail
22
Q
Subcampeon
A
Runner up
23
Q
Formacion, alineacion
A
Line up
24
Cooperate
To play ball
25
Tener un buen perder
To be a good sport
26
La pelota está en tu tejado
The ball is in your court
27
Ganarle en su propio terreno
To beat him at his own game
28
Igualdad de oportunidades
To be a level playing field
29
Supremacy
To lead the field
30
Very well developed
Finely honed
31
To attack
Assail
32
In a precarious or risky situation
Skate on thin ice
33
To be ready and able
To be on the ball
34
Strategy
Game plan
35
About to be reprimanded or punished
Be for the high jump
36
Coger el toro por los cuernos
Take the bull by the horns
37
To follow and respect rules and regulations
To toe the line
38
Donde las dan Las toman
Two can play at that game
39
Es lo normal
That's par for the course
40
Independently
Off his own bat
41
To attract
To entice somebody
42
Tirar la toalla
Throw in the towel
43
Respaldar, dar la cara por alguien
Go to bat for someone
44
Empezar antes de tiempo
To jump the gun
45
Prosperar, medrar
To thrive
she seems to thrive on adversity parece que se crece en la adversidad
46
Regañar
Reprimand~scold~tell off
Reprimand you can use it in any context
Scold its for children and family
Tell somebody off: in any situation
47
Como estaba previsto
| Debidamente
Duly
The visitors were duly impressed
the point was duly noted in the minutes
48
Can't be defeated
Unassailable
49
To support
Underpin
He presented the figures to underpin his argument
50
To be elated
Fly high
They were flying high after their first child was born.
51
Que te engancha (película, libro)
A gripping film
52
Demostrar que es capaz de lidiar con un problema inesperado
To rise up to the challenge
53
En retrospectiva
In hindsight
| In retrospect
54
Arrepentido
Contrite
| he was very contrite~very apologetic
55
To accept
Come to terms with something/somebody
56
To delay, ir con pies de plomo
Drag somebody's feet
57
It's past the time when something should have happened
It's high time
58
Una gota en el océano
A drop in the ocean
59
Dominio público
Common knowledge
60
Seguir sus propias leyes, propias normas. Ser un caso aparte
To be a law unto herself
61
Hacer una montaña de un grano de arena
To make a mountain out of a molehill
62
Quedarse como visitante más de lo debido
Outstay his welcome
63
Abrir una brecha
To drive a wedge between
64
Hacerse el tonto
Turn a blind eye
65
Appeared to be valid sound and reasonable (A statement, line of reasoning)
Hold water
66
Esconder la cabeza
Bury one's head in the sand
67
to cause trouble
Put the cat among the pigeons
68
Uncertain, not decided
Open to debate
69
To damage ones hopes
Deal a blow to
70
Undecided
In the balance
71
Seriously
In earnest
72
To be intolerant with someone something
To be bigoted against
73
Desorden, confusión
Turmoil
74
Las bases de algo
The footing
75
Repartido, distribuido
Apportioned
76
Falso, fraudulento
Bogus
77
Inculcate
Instill
| Instilling: poner una idea en la mente de alguien
78
Evitar decir directamente lo que uno quiere decir
To beat about the bush
79
En cierta época
At one time
80
En el momento cumbre
At their peak
81
Abundar, estar lleno de algo
To abound in
82
Doubtful
Dubious
83
Despectivo
Contemptuous
Have contempt for a person
84
Ausencia sin permiso
Truancy
85
There is no law, no regulation
Lawless
Lawlessness
Lawless person Rebelde, que rechaza la ley
Lawless country ingobernable, anárquico
86
Against the law, law forbids it
Unlawful
Unlawfulness
Lawful: legitimated, valid
87
To put something (a law) into effect
Enactment-to enact
88
El alcance y la profundidad de algo
The breadth and depth of something
89
Extenderse, impregnar, estar generalizado
Pervade
This must pervade our entire society
Pervasive
In recent times doping has become increasingly pervasive and insidious
90
To complain
To bemoan
People bemoan a situation
People moan about a situation
91
Revision
Overhauling
The system is widely outdated and needs strong overhauling
92
To put a limit to something
To curb
It is generally recognized that the long-term measures to curb the demand for illegal trade will have to be a concert of economic, political, security sector reform and rule of law programs.
93
Es de la máxima importancia
Its of the upmost importance
94
(= follow) seguir(se);
| = result) resultar (from de
Ensued
In the discussion that ensued the following issues were raised
95
Insensible, cruel
Callous
Callous and cowardly
Callous disregard
96
Prevent sth to happen
To check
To check scarcity
97
Encourage relationships
Foster relationships
98
To humiliate
To pour scorn on sth
99
To be dismissive and cruel
To have a scornful attitude
100
Evitar la responsabilidad echando la culpa a otros
Pass the buck
101
Tener por delante una tarea complicada
To have your work cut out for
You'll have your work cut out for you getting this presentation ready for Friday
102
Give up/stop
Call it quits
After 35 years he decided to call it quits
103
Very good job
Whale of a job
You've done a whale of a job with this
104
In Conclusion
Bottom line
The bottom line is that we needed
105
Boring, monotonous work
Donkey work
My boss is giving me all the donkey work
106
Ruthless competition
Dog eat dog
It's a dog eat dog business
107
Puede hacer de todo
Jack of all trades
He's a handyman he is a jack of all trades
108
Find something difficult to do
Have a job
I had a job finding this place
109
Assess a situation
Take stock
We need to take stock of the situation after his latest report
110
Compensación económica la jubilación
Golden handshake
111
Menos mal que
It's a good job
It's a good job you came
It's a good job I had my umbrella with me
112
Es perfecto para algo
Just the job for something
These gadget is just the job for chopping carrots
113
To resign
Hand in a notice
114
Get fired
To be given the sack
115
Cero profit/cero balance
To break even
116
Trabajo en turnos
Shift work
117
The workforce
Shopfloor
118
To avoid something
Shy away from something
119
Viajar cada día el trabajo
To commute
120
Tener mucha experiencia
have a wealth of experience
121
Benefit officially included in the contract like a company car
Fringe benefit
122
A not official benefit
Perk
For a baker a perk of the job is to take bread home
123
Cadena de montaje
Assembly line
124
Relaciones laborales
Industrial relations
125
Comercio minorista
Retail trade
126
Mano de obra barata
Cheap labour
127
Salario mínimo
Minimum wage
128
Paro
Unemployment benefit
129
Pensión estatal
State pension
130
Deslocalizar
Offshore
An offshore service centre
131
La cola del paro
The dole queue
132
You've heard a rumour
To have got wind of
133
1. Soborno
2. pagar a plazos
3. despedir
Pay off
134
Estar en número rojos
-Overdraft
to have an overdraft: tener la cuenta en descubierto
-To be overdrawn
your account is overdrawn (by £50)
135
Reembolso
Rebate
Proof of purchase is necessary to obtain a rebate
136
Anacronismo pintoresco
Quaint anachronism
137
Ser ganador/triunfar
Come out on top
Argentina could come out on top
138
Estruendo, estrépito
Clatter
139
Alejarse, retroceder, disminuir
Recede
140
Sonreír radiantemente
Beam
141
Mirada feroz
Glare
142
Sonrisa de satisfacción
Smirk
143
Mueca de dolor
Wince
144
Mueca
Grimace
145
Severo
Stern
146
Fruncir el ceño
Scowl
147
Abuchear, burlarse
Jeer
148
Sonreír tontamente
Simper
149
Mascar
Munch
150
Desorden, lío
Muddle
151
Mirar boquiabierto
Gape
152
Comerse con los ojos
Ogle-ogling
153
Ojear
Glance
154
Contar un secreto
Let you in on a secret
155
Decir una opinión sin consideración de sí ofende o no al contrario
Not mince somebody's words
156
Por el boca-boca
By word of mouth
157
Decir lo que se piensa
Speak your mind
158
Hombre pocas palabras
A man of few words
159
Conversación de ascensor
Make small talk
160
Morderse la lengua
Hold your tongue
161
Ser la comidilla
Be The talk of the town
162
Hablar es barato
Talk is cheap
163
De las fuentes directas
Straight from the horse's mouth
164
Poner palabras en boca de alguien
Put words in one's mouth
165
Lo dejan claro, lo dicen todo de algo
Speak volumes
Their joy speak volumes about how respected he was
166
Morderse la lengua
Bite your tongue
167
Discutir con alguien
Have words with somebody
168
Habla sin parar durante mucho tiempo
Talk the hind leg off a donkey
169
Tener un pavo en la garganta
Have a frog in one's throat
170
Hablar bien, persuasiva mente
To have the gift of the gab
171
Es obvio, no hace falta decirlo
Go without saying
172
Intern (hospital)
Houseman
173
Echarse atrás
Go back on one's word
174
Director de tesis
Supervisor of your thesis
175
Los que corrigen un examen
Marker of an exam
176
Tutor personal
A private tutor
177
Los que avalan
An academic referee
178
Jefe de departamento
Head of the department
179
Asesor externo
External assessors
180
Orientador profesional
A career advisor
181
Internado
Boarding School
182
Master
Master's degree
183
Vacaciones escolares
School holidays
184
Curso intensivo
Crash course
185
Tener un título universitario
Hold a degree
186
Dejar los estudios
School leaver
187
Hacer novillos
Play truant
188
Stay up late
Burning the midnight oil
He's been Burning the midnight oil preparing for the exams
189
Managing on little money
Live on a shoestring
He's been living on a shoestring since he lost his job
190
Homeless person
A down-and-out
She's been living like a down-and-out
191
Solucionar
Suss out
I cant suss out this calculus problem
192
Avid reader
To be a bookworm
193
Go to bed early
Have an early night
I'm going to have an early night I'm tired
194
Brains, intelligence
Grey matter
This equation makes you use your grey matter
195
Darse prisa
Get a move on
You'd better get a move on or you'll miss the bus
196
Abarcar más allá de las capacidades de uno
Bite off more than you can chew
She is bitten off more than she could chew by singing up to too many classes
197
Con vistas a hacer algo
With a view to doing something
She is studying medicine with a view to being a doctor
198
With great success
With flying colours
Passed his exams with flying colours
199
No entender nada, me suena chino
It's all Greek to me
200
Make a greater effort
Pull one's socks up
He'll have to pull his socks up if he wants to pass the exam
201
Estar desprovisto de
To be bereft of
202
Engatusar
Coax
203
Obligar
Impel
I feel impelled to say something
204
Locutor de anuncios
Announcer
205
Comentarista
Commentator
206
Tópico, lugar común
Platitude
Political platitude
207
Comienzo, el principio
Inception
208
Tener un interés personal en algo
Have a vested interest in something
209
Abrigar (miedo, esperanzas), dar refugio
Harbour
210
Artículo de fondo
A feature
211
Magazine pequeño
Fanzine
212
Panfleto
Flyer
213
Locutor de noticias
Newscaster
214
Quedarse atras
Fall behind with
She has fallen behind with her work
215
Buy new equipment
Get something fitted out
We have to get the office fitted out
216
Seguir las cosas hasta el final
Follow things through
He then doesn't follow things through
217
Amplia cobertura
Extensive/full coverage
218
Drama crudo, emocionante
Gritty/gripping drama
219
Comentarios en vivo
Live/running commentary
220
Prensa local, popular
Popular/local press
221
Hombre mujer del tiempo
Weather man/girl
222
Crudo, persona enérgica
Gritty
223
Pesado
Grinding
-the work was such a grind
el trabajo era tan pesado
-the daily grind
la rutina diaria
224
Emocionante
Gripping
225
Difficult to understand
| Greedy
Grasping
grasping - understanding with difficulty; "the lecture was beyond his most strenuous graspings"
grasping - immoderately desirous of acquiring e.g. wealth; She is a grasping and manipulative young woman
226
irritating; abrasive:
Grating
a grating personality.
227
Por escrito
In black-and-white
I didn't believe it until it appeared in black-and-white
228
De improviso, sin preparar
Off the cuff
He did an off the cuff remark
229
Hacer cualquier cosa
Go to any lengths
He will go to any lengths to get his story
230
Acalorarse
Get a bit hot under the collar
The politician got a bit hot under the collar
231
Creas una reputación
Make a name for oneself
Steve jobs made a name of himself as a genius
232
Estar equívocado
Bark up the wrong tree
He was barking up the wrong tree with his critics
233
Dejar de emitir
Off the air
This series was pulled off the air
234
La punta del iceberg
The tip of the iceberg
The scandal turned up to be the tip of the iceberg
235
Estar nervioso, tener mariposas en el estómago
Have butterflies in one's stomach
I was so nervous I had butterflies in my stomach
236
Disminuir con el tiempo
Die down
This is not going to die down overnight
237
Hacerse pesado e interminable
Drag on
The speech is really dragging on
238
Un salvavidas
Something to fall back on
I had those savings to fall back on
242
Inflexible
Unyielding
243
1. Ceder, rendirse
| 2. producir
Yield
1. to yield to sb
2. the shares yield 5%
266
Expertos
Pundit
267
Reunir
Muster
People mustered outside
268
Cuidadosamente seleccionados
Hand-picked
269
Supervisar
Oversee
270
Pasar por alto
Overlook
Look over-supervisar
271
Chaparrón
Downpour
272
Volcarse
Tip over
I tipped my cup of coffee over
273
To be full of something, especially something unpleasant or bad
To be riddled with
The old regime was riddled with corruption
274
Contratiempo
Mishap
We have a slight mishap
275
Bajo ningún concepto
By no stretch of the imagination
276
Estrecho/periodo de tiempo
Stretch
Walk a 7 km stretch
For a long stretch of time
277
Legar
Bequeath
278
Legado
Bequest
279
Descongelar
Thaw
280
Become more friendly
Thaw out
281
Saliente (balcon, ramas)
Overhanging
282
Emphasise
Underscore
283
Girar en torno a algo
To revolve around
284
Transatlántico
Ocean liner
285
Cubierta superior
Upper deck
286
Sala de espera aeropuerto
Departure lounge
287
Patinar el coche
Skid on ice
288
Dar la vuelta conduciendo, andando
Reverse round a corner
289
Anular un anticipo
Reverse a down payment
290
Dar vueltas rápidas
Twirl
291
Espiral
Coil
292
Carril exterior/central
Outside/middle lane
293
Arcén
Hard shoulder
294
Ramal, carretera de acceso
Slip Road
295
Intersección
Junction
296
La mediana
Central Reservation
297
Quitamiedos
Crash barrier
298
Adelantar
Overtake
Overtake on the right
299
Dar intermitentes
Put the hazard lights on
300
Apartaderos
Lay-by
301
Señalizar
Signal
302
Dar paso
Give way
303
Ser tremendamente aburrido
To be bored stiff
304
En ninguna circunstancia
For love nor money
305
Los ánimos se caldearon
Tempers fray
306
Desalentar, impedir
Deter
307
Elemento disuasorio
Deterrent
These penalties are not deterrents to me
308
No te preocupes
Don't fret
309
A la larga
In the long run
Getting a new car will be a good decision in the long run
310
Irritar mucho
Drive somebody up the wall
He's behaviour drives me up the wall
311
Undecided
Up in the air
My plans for this summer are still up in the air
312
Dirigiendo algo
In the driving seat
My mum was in the driving seat during the trip
313
Get fired
Get your walking papers
She got her walking papers last Friday
314
Hacer lo indecible
Go the extra mile
She went the extra mile to make us feel okay
315
Rehearsal
Dry run
The dry run of the new system went well
316
Poner pies en polvorosa
Take to one's heels
The pickpocket took to his heels
317
Negociaciones duras
Drive a hard bargain
The council drove a very hard bargain
318
Estamos en la misma situación
In the same boat
We all were in the same boat
319
Engañar
To take somebody for a ride
He took us for a ride when he sold us the tickets
320
Estar exultante
To walk on air
I'm walking on air with my new job
321
Hacer lo máximo posible
To go to great lengths
To go to any length
To go the extra mile
The staff went to great lengths to ensure that everything was okay
322
Deja que pase un tiempo
To let things ride
Don't take action now. just let things ride
323
Tejemanejes
Wheeling and dealing
There has been a lot of wheeling and dealing behind-the-scenes
324
Vuelve loco alguien
To drive somebody round the bend
She was driving me round the bend yesterday
325
Perder la paciencia de repente
To fly off the handle
Don't understand why she flew off the handle
326
Molestar, agitar
To rock the boat
I'll stay silent, I don't want to rock the boat
327
Hardly any
Little if any
328
To focus on
To home in on
329
I cant understand
I cant fathom you
330
Fundamentalmente distintos o incompatibles
Just chalk and cheese
331
Autoritario, despótico
Overbearing
332
Arremeter contra alguien
To lash out at somebody
333
Mofa, burla
Derision
Derisively: burlonamente
334
Completamente
Well and truly
335
As well as
Over and above
336
All of them
Each and every
337
De forma que
In such a way as to ...
The moving parts of machinery must be designed and constructed in such a way as to prevent risks
338
Tirar el dinero
Throw your money down the drain
339
Húmedo
Damp
340
Añoranza
Wistful
| Pensive
341
Defectos
Shortcoming
342
Despistar,
Sidetrack
The conversation got sidetracked
343
Si a caso
If any
344
Tener reputación de algo
To be reputed to be
345
De no ser por
But for
346
Todas y cada una de las veces
Each and every time
347
En caso de
In the event of
348
It is of no consequence to me
I don't mind
349
It's only a matter of time before...
One day she will do...
350
De una manera u otra
One form or another
351
Ya sea...o...
Whether...or
352
Lo último q el quiere su madre es q el...
The last thing her mother wants is for him...
353
Algo intermedio
Something in between the two
354
Alla en 1950
As far back as 1950
355
En todo caso
If at all
356
Mientras
Whereas
357
Por lo tanto
Therefore
358
En eso
Therein
Therein lies the danger
359
Ademas
Furthermore
In addition
Besides
360
Mientras tanto
Meanwhile
361
Despues de todo
After all
362
Al lado de
Alongside
363
Hasta ahora
To date
Until now
Hitherto
364
Por la presente
Hereby
365
De hoy en adelante, en lo sucesivo
Henceforth
From now on
In future
As from today
366
Con la presente
Herewith
I enclose herewith a letter
367
Aca y acullá
Hither and thither
368
Por lo tanto
Hence
Hence my letter
Hence the fact that
2.from now
Five years hence
369
De aca para alla
Back and forth
| To and fro
370
En adelante
Forth
From this day forth
371
Y asi sucesivamente
And so forth
372
Medios
Ways and means
373
O algo x el estilo
In some such idea
374
Tal o cual
Such and such
She lives in such and such a street
375
A la vista de esto...sería una buena idea
On the face of it...it world be a good idea...
376
One advantage
One plus factor
377
Someone that plays the same role as you in other part
Counterpart
378
No tiene ninguna objeción a que...
He has no objection to our leaving work early on Friday
379
Permits me concluir
Let me draw to a close
| As I draw to a close (para concluir)
380
Intervenir
Take part
| Mediate, intercede
381
Sea como fuere
Be that as it may
382
In general
By and large
383
To find the time to do sth
Get round
384
Pase lo q pase
Come what may
385
Inconveniente
Drawback
386
Aparcar en doble fila
Double park
The police have asked that parents not block traffic by double parking to pick up their children
387
Fuerzas armadas
| Cuerpos de seguridad
Armed forces
| Security forces
388
Policía
► police force N cuerpo m de policía
► policía antidisturbios riot police ► policía de barrio community police ► policía de tráfico, policía de tránsito (LAm) traffic police
► policía municipal local police (in charge of traffic and local matters)
389
* (= take over) adquirir, apoderarse de
| * (= obtain) procurarse, conseguir
Get hold of sth
390
Dar un paso adelante
Take a step forward/back
