by Peter Weibel
correrla (fam.), correr sus mocedades (fam.) (youth): to sow one’s wild oats Cuando éramos jóvenes la corríamos. When we were young or in our young days we were sowing our wild oats.
correr ( pelar: corre que se las pela)
correr a más no poder
correr como el diablo
correr como gato por ascuas
el/la correve[i]dile (fam.) (a) [old] gossip (fam.), tattletale (b) telltale, tattletale, informer, sneak (fam., Br.E.), grass (fam., Br.E.), snitch (fam.)
corrido worldly-wise
ser más corrido que un zorro viejo (fam.) to be as sly as they come (fam.), to know every trick in the book (fam.)
ser [un] toro corrido (fig.) to be an old hand, to be an old fox (fig.), to be a cunning old devil (fam.)
ser [una] liebre corrida (fig.) to be an old hand, to be an old fox (fig.), to be a cunning old devil (fam.)
corriente normal
corriente y moliente (fam.) ordinary, run-of-the-mill Fue una comida corriente y moliente. It was just an ordinary meal.
salir algo corriente y moliente (fam.) to go off smoothly, to go off without a hitch, to turn out well Todo salió corriente y moliente. Everything went off smoothly.
la corriente stream, current
tomar la corriente desde la fuente (fig.) to get to the bottom of it/s.th. (fig.)
llevar/seguir la corriente a alg. (a) to dance to s.o.’s tune (fig.) (b) to humor s.o., to play along with s.o., to give s.o. his head (fam.) Me seguía la corriente para que me callase o para que no protestase. He was humoring me to try to keep me quiet.
dejarse llevar de/por la corriente (fig.) to swim/go with the tide (fig.), to howl/run with the pack (fig.), to go along with the crowd, to follow the crowd
ir/navegar contra la corriente (fig.) to swim/go against the tide (fig.)
corriente (camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la ~)
el corro (of people): circle, ring
escupir en corro (fig., fam.) to put in one’s [own] two bits (fam.), to put in one’s two cents[’ worth] (fam., Am.E.), to chime in (fig.), to butt into the or in on the conversation (fam.), to join in the conversation Siempre tiene que escupir en corro. He always has to put in his own two bits or his two cents’ worth.
cortar (ni pinchar ni ~)
cortar algo de raíz
cortar las alas/los vuelos a alg.
cortar por lo sano
cortar trajes
cortar un traje a alg.
cortés polite
Lo cortés no quita lo valiente. Politeness and firmness aren’t mutually exclusive. Politeness doesn’t have to be a sign of weakness.
corto short
ser más corto que las mangas de un chaleco to be as thick as two short planks (fam., Br.E.) ser más tonto que Carracuca
corto ( largo: a la corta o a la larga)
corto (atar ~ a alg.)
cosechar to harvest
cosechar lo que uno ha sembrado (fig.) to reap what one has sown (fig.)
Se cosecha lo que se siembra. (prov.) As you sow, so you reap. (prov.) As ye sow, so shall ye reap. (fig.)
coser to sew
coser a alg. a tiros/balazos (fig.) to riddle s.o. with bullets (fig.) Cosieron al traidor a tiros. They riddled the traitor with bullets.
ser coser y cantar (fam.) to be child’s play (fig.), to be a cinch (sl.), to be a pushover (sl.), to be a doddle (fam., Br.E.), to be a breeze (fam., Am.E.), to be a piece of cake (fam.), to be as easy as falling off a log, to be as easy as pie (sl.), to be like shooting fish in a barrel (fig., Am.E.) El examen fue coser y cantar. The exam/test was child’s play.
coserse la boca
las cosquillas tickling
tener malas cosquillas, no sufrir cosquillas s.o. can’t take a joke
buscar las cosquillas a alg. to annoy s.o., to rile s.o. (fam.)
hacer cosquillas a alg. (fig.) to arouse/tickle s.o.’s curiosity (fig.)
los costados line of ancestors, ancestry
por los cuatro costados (fig.) thoroughly, wholly, through and through, to the core (fig.), true-blue, red-hot (fam.), dyed-in-the-wool (fig.), whole-hog (sl.), one hundred percent or per cent (Br.E.), out-and-out, confirmed, absolute, inveterate, hopeless Pepe es español por los cuatro costados. Pepe is Spanish through and through. Pepe is wholly or thoroughly Spanish. Pepe is Spanish to the core. un partidario por los cuatro costados a red-hot or dyed-in-the-wool supporter, a whole-hogger (sl.) una patriota por los cuatro costados a whole-hog patriot, a hundred-percenter (Am.E.) Es un solterón por los cuatro costados. He’s a confirmed bachelor. Es un malvado por los cuatro costados. He’s an out-and-out villain. Es una holgazana por los cuatro costados. She’s an absolute idler.
el costal sack, bag
ser un costal de mentiras (fig.) to be an out-and-out liar, to be a chronic liar
ser un o estar hecho un costal de huesos (fig.) to be a bag of bones (fam.), to be all skin and bone (fam.), to be nothing but skin and bone (fam.)
vaciar el costal (fig., fam.) to spill the beans (sl.), to talk (fam.), to blab (fam.)
costal (ser harina de otro ~)
costar la de San Quintín
costar los cinco sentidos
costar un dineral/huevo/pico/riñón/sentido
costar un huevo [+ infinitivo]
costar un ojo de la cara
costar una burrada/riñonada
la costilla rib
De tal costilla, tal astilla. (prov.) The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. (prov.) Like father like son. (prov.) A chip off the old block.
mi [cara] costilla (fig., fam., hum.) my better half (fam.)
medir las costillas a alg. (fam.) to give s.o. a thrashing (fam.) arrimar candela a alg.
tener a alg. sobre sus costillas (fam.) to be lumbered with s.o. (fam.)
costumbre (la ~ es otra/segunda naturaleza)
la costura seam
sentar las costuras a alg. (fig., fam.) to give s.o. a hiding (fam.) arrimar candela a alg.
meter a alg. en costura (fig.) to make s.o. listen to or see reason, to bring s.o. under control Tenemos que meterle en costura. We have to make him listen to reason.
el cotarro night shelter (for tramps/etc.)
el cotarro (pop.) clique
alborotar el cotarro (fig., fam.) to stir up trouble (fig.), to make trouble
ser el amo del cotarro (fam.), dirigir el cotarro (fam.) to rule the roost (fig.) llevar la batuta
la cotorra budgerigar, magpie
la cotorra (fig., fam.) gasbag (fam.), windbag (fam.), chatterbox (fam.)
hablar más que una cotorra (fig., fam.) s.o. wouldn’t stop talking, to just go on and on, to be a real chatterbox (fam.), to have a motormouth (fam.), to talk nineteen to the dozen (fam., Br.E.), to talk a mile a minute (fam., Am.E.), s.o. could talk the hind legs off a donkey (fam.)
la coyunda halter
la coyunda (fig., hum.) yoke of marriage (hum.)
la coz kick
soltar la/una coz a alg. (fam.) to be rude to s.o., to snap at s.o.
tratar a alg. a coces (fig.) to treat s.o. very badly/rudely, to treat s.o. like dirt (fam.), to be very rude to s.o.
dar coces contra el aguijón (fig.) to kick against the pricks (fig.), to rebel Los empleados dieron coces contra el aguijón cuando no recibieron el aumento salarial [que les habían] prometido. The employees kicked against the pricks when they didn’t get the wage increase promised them.
crecer como la espuma
creces ( pagar: ¡[Ya] me las pagarás con ~!)
el credo credo
en un credo (fig.) in next to no time, in a flash, in a jiffy (fam.), in a trice, in a tick (fam., Br.E.), before you can say Jack Robinson (fam.) Todo pasó en un credo. It was all over in a flash. Terminó el trabajo en un credo. He finished the work in next to no time.
creederas (fam.)
tener buenas creederas to swallow anything (fig.), to be terribly gullible
creer algo a puño cerrado
creer que
todo el monte es orégano
criar a alg. en estufa
criar a alg. entre algodones ( algodón)
criar callos
criar la víbora en el seno
criar moho (no ~)
criar moho (no dejar ~ a alg./algo)
la criba sieve
pasar algo por la criba (fig., fam.) to sift through s.th. (fig.), to go through/over s.th. with a fine-tooth comb (fig.), to scrutinize s.th. Pasaron las solicitudes por la criba. They sifted through the applications carefully.
estar hecho una criba (fig.) to be riddled with holes (fig.), to be full of holes
la crisma chrism, holy oil
la crisma (fam.) head
romper la crisma a alg. (fig., fam.) to knock s.o.’s block off (fam., Br.E.), to bash s.o.’s head in, to smash s.o.’s face in
romperse la crisma (fig., fam.) to break one’s neck, to crack one’s head open (fam.), to brain o.s. (fam.)
el cristal crystal, glass
verlo todo con cristal ahumado (fig.) to take a gloomy view of everything
cristiano Christian
en cristiano (fam.) in Spanish (lit.), in plain English or Spanish or German/etc. (fig.)
hablar en cristiano to speak Spanish (lit.), to say/tell s.th. in plain English or Spanish or German/etc. (fig.), to express o.s. clearly, to make sense with what one says Ahora estamos en España. ¡Habla en cristiano! We’re in Spain now. Speak Spanish! ¡Habla o dímelo en cristiano! Tell me or say it in plain English!
Cristo; el cristo Christ, crucifix
vivir/estar donde Cristo dio las tres voces o donde Cristo perdió la alpargata/la gorra (fam.) to live/be: at the back of beyond (fam.), in the middle of nowhere (fam.), [way] out in the sticks (fam.), [way] out in the boonies (sl., hum., Am.E.) or boondocks (fam., hum., Am.E.), at a godforsaken place (fam.) Ya hace mucho tiempo que viven donde Cristo dio las tres voces. They’ve been living at the back of beyond for a long time now.
¡Hasta verte, Cristo mío! (fam.) Cheers! (fam.) Down the hatch! (fam.) Bottoms up! (fam.)
Cristo y la madre (fam.), todo cristo (pop.) everyone, everybody todo bicho viviente
poner a alg. como un Cristo (fam.) to call s.o. all the names under the sun, to heap abuse on s.o.
sentarle algo a alg. como a un santo cristo un par de pistolas (fam., hum.) s.th. doesn’t suit s.o. at all, s.th. looks awful on s.o. Esta camisa te sienta como a un santo cristo un par de pistolas. This shirt doesn’t suit you at all. This shirt looks awful on you.
Cristo (armar la de Dios es ~)
Cristo (¡Por los clavos de ~!)
crudo (comerse a alg. ~)
la cruz cross
besar la cruz (fig.) to bow to the inevitable (fig.)
ser una cruz para alg. (fig.) to be a millstone [a]round s.o.’s neck (fig.)
Cada uno lleva su cruz. (fig.) Each of us has his cross to bear. (fig.)
meter la espada/etc. hasta la cruz en algo to drive the sword/etc. up to its handle into s.th.
desde la cruz hasta la fecha from A to Z, from beginning to end
¡Cruz y raya! (fam.) Stop it! Enough of that! That’s quite enough!
cuajado curdled, coagulated
cuajado de (fig.) full of, covered with, studded (fig.) or dotted with (stars or flowers or animals/etc.), bristling with (mistakes/etc.), swarming or crawling with (insects/people), teeming with (mistakes or animals or people), thick or caked with (dirt/etc.), interlarded with (quotations/etc.) El cielo está cuajado de estrellas. The sky is studded with stars. La playa está cuajada de turistas. The beach is teeming or crawling or swarming with tourists. La Pradera estaba cuajada de bisontes. The prairie was dotted with bison. El suelo está cuajado de hormigas. The ground is crawling with ants. Sus pantalones están cuajados de suciedad. His pants (Am.E.)/trousers (Br.E.) are thick with dirt or filth. Una corona cuajada de joyas. A crown covered with jewels. Tiene la frente cuajada de gotas de sudor. His forehead is dotted with beads of sweat. El texto está cuajado de faltas. The text is bristling with mistakes.
cuarenta (cantar las ~ a alg.)
la cuaresma Lent
ser más largo que una cuaresma (fig.) to just go on and on, to take forever (fam.), not to half take a long time (fam., Br.E.) La reunión fue más larga que una cuaresma. The meeting just went on and on. Esto sí que es más largo que una cuaresma. This is really taking forever. It doesn’t half take a long time.
el cuarto quarter, fourth part
el cuarto (histórico) ancient coin
[los] cuartos (fam.) (money): dough (sl., Am.E.), bread (sl.), sugar (sl.), brass/dosh/lolly (sl., Br.E.), wampum (sl., Am.E.)
tener muchos cuartos to be rolling in money (fam.), to have pots of money (fam.), to be loaded (fam.), to be stinking rich (fam.)
administrar/manejar los cuartos to hold the purse strings
estar sin un cuarto o no tener [ni] un cuarto (fam.) to be [absolutely/flat] broke (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.), not to have a bean (sl., Br.E.), to be on the rocks (fam.)
echar su cuarto a espadas to put in one’s [own] two bits (fam.), to put in one’s two cents[’ worth] (fam., Am.E.), to put/stick/shove one’s oar in (fam.) Siempre tiene que echar su cuarto a espadas. He’s always got to stick his oar in. He always has to put in his own two bits or his two cents’ worth.
dar un cuarto al pregonero (fig.) to tell the world [about it/s.th.], to tell all and sundry [about it/s.th.], to tell everyone one’s private business Yo que tú no daría un cuarto al pregonero. I would keep quiet about it if I were you.
Cuba Cuba
Más se perdió en Cuba. (hum., Esp.) It’s not the end of the world. (fam.) It could be worse. It could have been worse. Worse things happen at sea. (fam., Br.E.) Ayer me dieron el bote. Más se perdió en Cuba. I was fired yesterday. That’s not the end of the world.
la cuba wine cask
estar hecho una cuba (fam.) to be [completely] sloshed (fam.), to be three sheets to or have three sheets in the wind (sl.) estar hecho un cesto
cubero (a ojo de buen ~)
el cubo bucket
llover a cubos (fig.) to rain in torrents, to come down in buckets/sheets, to rain cats and dogs, to be pouring [down or with rain], to be bucketing down (Br.E.), the floodgates of heaven open (fig.) Ayer llovió a cubos. The rain or it came down in buckets yesterday. It was bucketing down yesterday. The floodgates of heaven opened yesterday.
la cuchara spoon
meter su cuchara (fam.) to chime in (fig.), to put in one’s [own] two bits (fam.), to put in one’s [two] pennyworth (fam., Br.E.), to put in one’s two cents[’ worth] (fam., Am.E.), to butt into or in on (a conversation/etc.) (fam.), to put/stick/shove one’s oar in (a conversation/an affair/etc.) (fam.), to get in on the act (fam.) Siempre tiene que meter su cuchara. He’s always got to stick his oar in. He always has to put in his own two bits or his two cents’ worth.
meter algo a alg. con cuchara (fam.) to spoon-feed s.o. with s.th. (fig.), to have a hard job getting s.o. to understand s.th. Se lo metimos con cuchara. We spoon-fed him with it. We had a hard job getting him to understand it.
un oficial de cuchara (fig., fam.) (in the military): an officer who has risen from the ranks, a ranker
el cucharón ladle
servirse/despacharse con el cucharón (fig.) to make sure one gets the lion’s share, to look after Number One (fam.)
el cuchillo knife
remover el cuchillo en la llaga (fig.) to turn the knife in the wound (fig.), to rub salt in[to] the wound (fig.) Juan se siente muy abatido porque ha perdido mucho dinero al póquer. Paco está removiendo el cuchillo en la llaga diciendo cuánto ganaron los otros jugadores. Juan is feeling miserable about losing a lot of money at poker, and Paco is rubbing salt into the wound by saying how much the other gamblers won.
cuchillo (en casa de herrero, ~ de palo)
el cuello neck
apostar[se] el cuello 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 el cuello 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.
cuello (estar con el agua/el dogal/la soga al ~)
cuello (tener a alg. con el agua al ~)
la cuenta count[ing], bill
La cuenta es cuenta. (prov.) Business is business. (prov.)
la cuenta de la vieja (fig.) counting on one’s fingers
pasar la cuenta a alg. (fig.) to make s.o. pay for it (fig.)
ajustar cuentas con alg. (fig.) to get even with s.o. (fig.), to settle a score with s.o. (fig.) ¡Ya ajustaré cuentas con él! I’ll get even with him!
tener cuentas pendientes con alg. (fig.) to have accounts or an account to settle with s.o. (fig.), to have a bone to pick with s.o., to have a crow to pluck with s.o.
dar cuenta de alg. (pop.) to bump s.o. off (sl.)
dar en la cuenta de algo to get wise to s.th. (fam.)
Ahora caigo en la cuenta o me doy cuenta. [Now] the penny has dropped. (hum., Br.E.)
Por fin cayó en la cuenta o se dio cuenta. The penny finally dropped. (hum., Br.E.)
Está con la cuenta. (fam.) She has the curse [of Eve]. (fam.) She has the rag on. (sl.) She’s on the rag. (sl., Br.E.)
cuenta (echar la ~ sin la huéspeda)
cuenta ([hacer] borrón y ~ nueva)
cuenta (hacer las ~s de la lechera)
cuenta (la ~ de la lechera)
el cuentagarbanzos (hum.) miser, penny-pincher (fam.), skinflint (fam.), tightwad (fam., Am.E.), scrooge (fig., fam.)
el cuento story, tale
el cuento chino (fam.) lie, hoax, canard, load of baloney (sl.), load of bull (sl., Am.E.), load of rubbish (fam., Br.E.), cock-and-bull story (fam.), tall story (fam.)
el cuento de viejas (fam.) old wives’ tale
la cuerda rope, cord, string, spring (in a watch)
apretar la cuerda (fig.) to take a tougher line, to tighten up (fig.)
aflojar la cuerda (fig.) to ease up
estirar la cuerda (fig.) to go too far, to overdo it (fig.)
bailar en la cuerda floja (fig.) to perform a skillful balancing act (fig.), to keep it with both sides/parties El negociador bailó en la cuerda floja. The negotiator performed a skillful balancing act.