by Peter Weibel
a pedir de boca to one’s heart’s content, for the asking, (to come up) roses, as much as one wishes, just the way you want it to, just fine, perfectly Ayer cenamos a pedir de boca. We dined to our heart’s content yesterday. Todo salió a pedir de boca. Everything or it all turned out perfectly or just fine or just the way we/etc. wanted it to. Everything came up roses.
estar en la boca del lobo (fig.) to be in great danger
meterse en la boca del lobo (fig.) to put one’s head in the lion’s mouth (fig.), to go/venture into the lion’s den (fig.)
quitarse algo de la boca (fig.) to go/do without, to scrimp and save El padre se lo quita todo de la boca para que su hijo estudie. The father does without in order to pay for his son’s [higher] education.
no tener qué llevarse a la boca to be on the breadline (fig., fam.), 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.)
Quien o el que tiene boca, se equivoca. (prov.) To err is human. (prov.)
En boca cerrada no entran moscas. (prov.) If you keep your mouth shut, you won’t put your foot in it. (fam.) Mum’s the word. (fam.) Silence is golden. (prov.)
Por la boca muere el pez. (prov.) Talking too much can be dangerous. Silence is golden. (prov.)
boca (de la abundancia del corazón habla la ~)
boca (dejar a alg. [con] mal sabor de ~)
boca (del plato a la ~ se pierde la sopa)
boca (echar candado a la ~)
boca (hacérsele a alg. la ~ agua)
boca (írsele a alg. la fuerza por la ~)
boca (sacar el hígado por la ~)
boca (tapar la ~ a alg.)
el bocado morsel, bite, mouthful
un buen bocado (fam.) (woman/girl): [real] smasher (Br.E.), [real] looker (fam.), real beauty
el bocado sin hueso sinecure, cushy job (sl., Br.E.), soft job
el/la bocazas (fig., fam.) gasbag (fam.), windbag (fam.), blabbermouth (fam.), bigmouth (fam.)
la boda wedding
No hay boda sin tornaboda. (prov.) There’s no rose without a thorn. (prov.)
boda (ser la vaca de la ~)
el bofia (fam.) cop (fam.), copper (fam.), pig (sl.)
la bofia (fam.) cops (fam.), fuzz (sl.), pigs (sl.), filth (sl., Br.E.), heat (sl., Am.E.)
la bola ball
dejar que ruede la bola to let things take their course
estar como [una] bola de billar (fig.) to be as bald as a coot (fam., Br.E.), to be as bald as a cue ball (Am.E.) or as a billiard ball (Br.E.)
dorar la bola a alg. (fig., fam.) to sweet-talk s.o. (fam.), to soft-soap s.o. (fam.)
no rascar bola (fam./vulg.) not to do a stroke of work
las bolas (pop.) (testicles) las canicas
estar/ir en bolas (fam./vulg.) to be starkers (fam., hum., Br.E.), to be stark naked (fam.) Fue a bañarse en bolas. He went skinny-dipping. (fam.)
estar hasta las bolas (fam./vulg.) to be pissed off (sl.)
darle por o romper las bolas a alg. (fig., fam./vulg.) to piss s.o. off (sl.), to get on s.o.’s tits (vulg.) or wick (fam.) (Br.E.), to get on s.o.’s nerves (fam.)
pillar a alg. en bolas (fam./vulg.) to catch s.o. with his pants (Am.E.) or with his trousers (Br.E.) down (fam.), to catch s.o. on the hop (fam.), to catch s.o. red-handed Estaba robando el contenido de la hucha de su hermano cuando la madre entró en el cuarto. Lo pilló en bolas. He was plundering his brother’s piggy bank when the mother entered the room. She caught him red-handed.
bola (no dar pie con ~)
la bolichada casting of the net
la bolichada (fig., fam.) stroke of luck, lucky break
la bolina lead, bowline
echar de bolina (fig., fam.) to talk/act big (fam.), to puff o.s. up (fig.), to act the big shot (fam.)
la bollera (pop.) lesbian, dyke (sl.), dike (sl.)
el bollo bread roll
el bollo (pop., Esp.) (vagina) el conejo
bollo (¡no está el horno para ~ s!)
el bolo skittle
el bolo (pop., Esp.) (penis) el calvo
echar a rodar los bolos (fig., fam.) to kick up a row (fam.), to create a disturbance
el bolsillo pocket, purse
meterse a alg. en el bolsillo (fig.) to twist s.o. [a]round one’s little finger
consultar con el bolsillo (fam.) to count one’s cash, to do one’s sums (fam.), to consider one’s financial circumstances
rascar[se] el bolsillo (fig., fam.) to cough up (fam.), to fork out (fam.), to stump up (fam., Br.E.)
el bombero fireman, firefighter
un bombero (fam., Esp.) idiot, blockhead (fam.)
el golpe de bombero (fam., Esp.) real booboo (sl., Am.E.), nonsense, crazy idea
el bombo big drum
darse bombo (fig., fam.) to blow one’s own horn (Am.E.) or trumpet (fig.), to shoot a line (fam.), to puff o.s. up (fig.), to swank (fam.), to brag
dar bombo a alg. (fig., fam.) to give s.o. exaggerated praise, to praise s.o. to the skies (fam.), to write s.o. up in a big way
dar bombo a algo (fig., fam.) to [heavily] beat the drum for s.th. (fig.), to hype s.th. up (sl.), to crack s.th. up (fam.), to give s.th. a lot of hype (sl.), to ballyhoo s.th. (fam.)
a bombo y platillo (fig., fam.) with great/much fanfare (fig.), with a lot of hype (sl.), (to make) a great song and dance [about s.th.] (fig., fam.) El pacto se firmó a bombo y platillo. A great song and dance was made about the signing of the treaty. Lo anunciaron a bombo y platillo. It was announced with great fanfare. It was ballyhooed. (fam.)
el bonete cap, biretta
un gran bonete (fam.) bigwig (fam.), big shot (fam.), big noise (sl.), big cheese (sl.), big wheel (fam.), top nob (sl., Br.E.)
la boquilla mouthpiece
de boquilla (fig., fam.) (to [only] pay) lip service de boca para afuera Lo prometieron de boquilla. They made a promise they didn’t intend to keep.
el borbollón borbotón
el borbotón welling up, bubbling
hablar a borbotones o a borbollones (fam.) the words come tumbling or spluttering or gushing out, to talk in a torrent (fig.)
borracho (ser un ~ perdido)
el borrego lamb, yearling ram
No hay tales borregos. (fig., fam.) There isn’t any such thing. There’s no such thing. It’s nothing of the sort. It’s enough to make a cat laugh. (fam.)
el borrón blot, smudge
Borrón y cuenta nueva. (fig.) [Let’s] forget it. Let’s make a fresh start. Let bygones be bygones.
hacer borrón y cuenta nueva (fig.) to make a clean break with s.th. [and start again] (fig.), to wipe the slate clean [and start again] (fig.), to let bygones be bygones
la bota boot
morir con las botas puestas (fig.) to die with one’s boots on (fig.), to die in harness (fig.) Dice que prefiere morir con las botas puestas a morir en la cama. He says he prefers dying with his boots on to dying in bed.
ponerse las botas (fig., fam.) (a) to line one’s pockets, to feather one’s nest (fig.), to make one’s pile (fam.), to make a haul or a killing (fam.), to hit the jackpot (fig., fam.), to strike it rich (fig.), to rake it in (fig., fam.) (b) to enjoy o.s. immensely, to enjoy s.th. to the full (c) to make a pig of o.s. (fam.), to stuff o.s. (fam.), to have a blow-out (sl.) (d) to shamelessly take advantage of s.th. Con ese contrato se puso las botas. He made a killing with that contract. Cuando estábamos de vacaciones, nos poníamos las botas. We always enjoyed the vacation (Am.E.) or the holidays (Br.E.) to the full. Como pagaba otra persona se pusieron las botas. Somebody else was paying so they really stuffed themselves.
bota (gota a gota se llena la ~)
el bote thrust, jump, can, boat
dar el bote a alg. (fig., pop.) (to dismiss): to chuck/boot s.o. out (fam.), to fire s.o. (fam.), to sack s.o. (fam.), to give s.o. the chuck/boot/sack (fam.), to give s.o. the kiss-off (sl., Am.E.), to send s.o. packing (fig.), to give s.o. the pink slip (Am.E.), to giv
e s.o. his marching orders (fam.)
darse el bote (pop.) to beat it (sl.), to split (sl.)
tener a alg. en el bote (fam.) to carry/have s.o. in one’s pocket (fig.) Don Corleone tiene muchos jueces y políticos en el bote. Don Corleone carries/has many judges and politicians in his pocket.
tener algo en el bote (fam.) s.th. (contract/etc.) is in the bag (fig., fam.), s.th. is buttoned up (fig., fam.), to have s.th. all sewn up (fam.)
chupar del bote (fig., fam.) (a) to scrounge (fam.), to sponge (fam.) (b) to line one’s pockets, to feather one’s nest (fig.), to look after Number One (fam.) (c) to curry favor [with s.o.], to creep [into s.o.’s favor] (fig.)
estar de bote en bote (sala/tren/cine/etc.) (hall/train/cinema/etc.): to be absolutely packed, to be packed out, to be jam-packed (fam.), to be jam-full (fam.), to be crowded out, to be chock-a-block (fam.), there’s no room to swing a cat (fam.) El restaurante estaba de bote en bote. The restaurant was chock-a-block.
bote (ser tonto del ~)
la botella bottle
la media botella (fig., fam., hum.) nipper (fam., Br.E.), little lad
darle a la botella (fam.) to drink, to hit the bottle (fam.)
botella ( temblar: dejar una ~ temblando)
botella ( temblar: una ~ está temblando)
botella (gafas de culo de ~)
Botero (las calderas de Pe[d]ro ~)
la botica (fam.) pharmacy, fly/flies (on pants/trousers)
tener la botica abierta (fam., hum.) to have one’s fly/flies undone
boticario (encajar/caer como pedrada en ojo de ~)
boticario (venir como pedrada en ojo de ~)
la botija bulbous, earthenware jug
estar hecho una botija (fam.) to be as fat as a pig/sow (fam., pej.), to be as round as a barrel (fam.), to be a tub of lard (fam.), to be a fatso (sl., pej.)
las bragas panties (Am.E.), knickers (Br.E.)
pillar a alg. en bragas (fam.) to catch s.o. with his pants (Am.E.) or with his trousers (Br.E.) down (fam.), to catch s.o. on the hop (fam.) ¡Será posible! Trató de mangar un collar de perlas. El joyero la pilló en bragas. Would you believe it! She tried to walk off with a pearl necklace. The jewel[l]er caught her with her pants down.
estar hecho una braga (fam.) to be completely exhausted, to be knackered (sl., Br.E.) estar hecho cisco
bragas (no se pescan truchas a ~ enjutas)
la bragueta fly/flies (on pants/trousers)
tener braguetas (vulg.) to be a real man
el braguetazo (pop.) marriage for money
dar un/el braguetazo to marry for money, to marry a rich woman
la brasa live coal, ember
estar [como] en brasas (fig.) to be on tenterhooks (fig.), to be/sit on pins and needles (fig., Am.E.), to cool/kick one’s heels (fam.) Mientras esperábamos las noticias estábamos como en brasas. We were sitting on pins and needles while [we were] waiting for the news.
brasa (huir de la[s] ceniza[s] y caer/dar en la[s] ~[s])
brasa (huir del fuego y caer en las ~ s)
brasa (salir de las llamas y caer en las ~ s)
el brazo arm
no dar su brazo a torcer (fig.) not to let s.o. twist one’s arm (fig.), to stand fast (fig.), to hold/stand one’s ground (fig.), not to give in
estar/quedarse con los brazos cruzados (fig.) to sit back and do nothing, to sit on one’s hands (fig., fam., Am.E.), to twiddle one’s thumbs (fig.), to watch with one’s arms crossed, to stand/sit around doing nothing
luchar a brazo partido (fig.) to fight bitterly (fig.), to fight tooth and nail (fig.), to go at it hammer and tongs (fam.)
estar hecho un brazo de mar (fam.) to be immaculately dressed, to be dressed up to the nines (fam.), to be dressed to kill (fam.)
brazo (darle a alg. la/una mano y se toma el ~)
la breva early fig
la breva (fig., fam.) (a) luck, stroke of luck, lucky break, chance piece of good luck (b) plum job (fig., fam.)
No caerá esa breva. There’s no such luck. That’s an illusion. A fat chance you’ve/etc. got. (sl., iron.)
Está madura la breva. (fig.) The time is ripe. Estuvo madura la breva para un cambio. The time was ripe for change. Actuaré cuando esté madura la breva. I will act when the time is ripe.
ser una breva (fam.) to be child’s play (fig.), to be a cinch (sl.), to be a pushover (sl.), to be a piece of cake (fam.), to be a snap or a breeze (fam., Am.E.), to be a doddle (fam., Br.E.), to be as easy as pie (sl.) El examen fue una breva. The exam/test was child’s play.
chuparse [una] buena breva (fam.) to cream off the best (fig., fam., Br.E.), to skim the cream off (fig.)
pescar una buena breva (fam.) to do [very] well, to come off [very] well
breva (de higos a ~ s)
breve (lo bueno, si ~, dos veces bueno)
Briján
saber más que Briján (fam.) to be very smart, to know every trick in the book (fam.), to know the lot (fam.)
brillar alg./algo por su ausencia
brincar to jump up and down, to hop
estar alg. que brinca (fig., fam.) to be hopping mad (fam.) estar hecho un basilisco Tu amigo está que brinca. Your friend’s hopping mad.
la broma joke, fun
no estar para bromas to be in no mood for jokes/laughter
estar de bromas to be in a joking mood
entre bromas y veras half-joking[ly], half-serious[ly] Lo dijeron entre bromas y veras. They said it kind of half-jokingly, half-seriously.
mezclar bromas con veras (fig.) to apply a carrot-and-stick policy or a policy of the carrot and the stick (fig.) El gobierno mezcló bromas con veras para cambiar la opinión del pueblo. The government applied a policy of the carrot and the stick in order to change the people’s opinion.
la bronca (fam.) (a) row (fam.), set-to (fam.), racket (fam.), scrap (sl.) (b) ticking-off/telling-off (fam., Br.E.), scolding Anoche se armó una bronca bestial. There was an almighty row last night. buscar bronca to look for trouble, to look for a fight echar la gran bronca a alg. to give s.o. a terrific telling-off/ticking-off or bollocking (sl., Br.E.), to come down on s.o. like a ton of bricks (fam.), to really bite s.o.’s head off (fam.)
bruto brute
estar bruto (pop.) to be randy (fam.), to be horny (sl., vulg.)
ponerse bruto (pop.) to get randy (fam.), to get horny (sl., vulg.)
bruto (ser más ~ que la pila de un pozo)
el buche crop (bird), maw (cow/etc.)
llenarse el buche (fam.) to stuff o.s. (fam.), to make a [real] pig of o.s. (fam.)
sacar el buche a alg. (fig.) to get s.th. out of s.o., to make s.o. talk
no caberle algo a alg. en el buche (fig.) s.o. can’t keep s.th. to himself, s.o. can’t keep his mouth shut (fam.) No le cabe nada en el buche a él. He can’t keep anything to himself. He can never keep his mouth shut.
bueno good
Lo bueno, si breve, dos veces bueno. (prov.) Brevity is the soul of wit. (prov.)
Bueno está lo bueno [pero no lo demasiado]. (fam.) Leave well enough alone. You can have too much of a good thing. You can take things too far.
Lo que es bueno para uno es bueno para el otro. What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
ser bueno como el oro (negocio o método o éxito/etc.) to be a sure-fire … (fam.) (business or method or success/etc.)
a la buena de Dios (fam.) trusting to luck, on the off-chance, on a wing and a prayer, at random Fuimos a Sevilla a la buena de Dios. We went to Seville on the off-chance [of finding good weather/a hotel room/etc.].
por las buenas o por las malas willy-nilly, by hook or by crook, like it or not, whether one likes it or not, by fair means or foul Tienes que hacerlo por las buenas o por las malas. You have to do it willy-nilly. You have to do it whether you like it or not.
de buenas a primeras just like that, suddenly, all of a sudden, without [any] warning, right off the bat (Am.E.), out of the blue No puedo tomar una decisión así, de buenas a primeras. I can’t ma
ke/take (Br.E.) a decision just like that.
de los buenos (fam.) tremendous, terrific, good, real, decent, sound, severe (all: fam.) Nos echó un sermón de los buenos. He gave us a terrific/severe wigging or lecture. Es una mentira de las buenas. It’s a great big lie. (fam.) It’s a whopping great lie. (fam.)
bueno (no estar ~ de la cabeza)
el buey ox
trabajar como un buey (fig.) to work very hard, to work like an ox or like a bull (fig.) echar/sudar la hiel
Habló el buey y dijo mu. (un dicho; hum.) What did you/etc. expect of him/etc.? (iron.) Disparataron de lo lindo. Habló el buey y dijó mu. They talked utter nonsense. What did you expect of them?
a paso de buey (fig.) at a snail’s pace (fig.), [as] slow as or slower than molasses [in January] (fig., Am.E.) Allí hay una cola de coches que se extiende hasta 10 millas. Se puede ir sólo a paso de buey. There’s a 10-mile traffic jam. You can only drive at a snail’s pace. The traffic is as slow as molasses in January. Estoy impaciente esperando las noticias. El tiempo parece pasar a paso de buey. I’m anxiously awaiting the news. Time seems to be moving at a snail’s pace.
el bulto vague/indistinct shape
buscar el bulto a alg. (fig., fam.) (a) to crowd s.o. (fam., Am.E.), to push s.o. (fig.) (b) to have it in for s.o. (fam.), to be out for s.o.’s blood (fig.)
coger/pescar el bulto a alg. (fam.) to collar s.o., to nab s.o. (fam.)
menear/sacudir el bulto a alg. (fam.) to thrash s.o. (fig.), to give s.o. a thrashing arrimar candela a alg.
escurrir/escapar/huir el bulto (fam.) to dodge (fig.), to duck out [of it] (fam.), to cop out [of it] (sl.), to skive off (fam., Br.E.), to make o.s. scarce (fam.), to sneak away De nuevo escurrió el bulto. He skived off again. Cada vez que teníamos mucho que hacer, ese tío escurría el bulto. Whenever we had a lot to do, that guy ducked out.
sacar el bulto (pop.) to beat it (sl.), to clear off (fam.), to skin out (sl., Am.E.)
el buñuelo (Spain): fritter, doughnut
el buñuelo (fig., fam.) bad or botched (fam.) job, botch (fam.), botch-up (fam.)
mandar a alg. a freír buñuelos (fam.) to tell s.o. to go fry an egg (fam.) mandar a alg. a freír espárragos