by Peter Weibel
marea (contra viento y ~)
la margarita daisy, pearl oyster
deshojar la margarita (fig.) to play “she loves me, she loves me not”
echar margaritas a los puercos (fig., fam.) to cast pearls before swine (fig.) No se interesan por vino. Servirles un Burdeos es como echar margaritas a los puercos. They don’t care about wine. To serve them a Bordeaux is like casting pearls before swine.
la marica magpie
el marica (fam.) (gay): queer/fairy/faggot (sl., pej.), pansy (fam., pej.), queen (sl.), poof[ter] (sl., pej., Br.E.), fag (sl., pej., Am.E.), arse bandit (vulg., Br.E.)
Maricastaña (fam.)
año de/tiempo[s] de/días de Maricastaña donkey’s years ago/old (fam.), [very] long ago, [in/from] the year dot (fam.), out of/with the Ark (fam.), prehistoric (fig., hum.), very old-fashioned En tiempos de o en los días de Maricastaña fabricaron mejores coches. They made better cars donkey’s years ago or in the year dot. Tienen un televisor del año de Maricastaña. They have a television [set] that is out of the Ark/that is donkey’s years old. They have a prehistoric television [set]. Este traje es/viene del tiempo de Maricastaña. This suit is from the year dot. This suit looks as if it came out of the Ark. This suit is really old-fashioned.
el maricón (pop.) (gay): queer/fairy/faggot (sl., pej.), pansy (fam., pej.), queen (sl.), poof[ter] (sl., pej., Br.E.), fag (sl., pej., Am.E.), arse bandit (vulg., Br.E.)
el marinero seaman, sailor
el marinero de agua dulce (fig.) landlubber (fam.)
la mariposa butterfly
el mariposa (fam., euph.) (gay): queer/fairy/faggot (sl., pej.), pansy (fam., pej.), queen (sl.), poof[ter] (sl., pej., Br.E.), fag (sl., pej., Am.E.), arse bandit (vulg., Br.E.)
las marmellas (pop.) (breasts): knockers (sl.), tits (fam.), boobs (fam.), hooters (sl., Am.E.)
marras (fam.)
de marras said, in question, agreed, you-know-who, that you/etc. know all about el día de marras the agreed day el problema de marras same old problem Lo hizo el individuo de marras. The said individual did it. You-know-who did it.
Martín San Martín
la masa dough, paste
coger a alg. con las manos en la masa (fig.) to catch s.o. red-handed, to catch s.o. in the act, to catch s.o. with his hand in the cookie jar (fig.) Lo cogieron con las manos en la masa. He was caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Estaba robando el contenido de la hucha de su hermano cuando la madre entró en el cuarto. Lo cogió con las manos en la masa. He was plundering his brother’s piggy bank when the mother entered the room. She caught him red-handed.
la máscara mask
quitarse la máscara (fig.) to drop the mask (fig.), to show [o.s. in] one’s true colors Nunca se sabe qué piensa ese tío. No se quita la máscara. You can never tell what that guy is thinking. He doesn’t show his true colors.
quitarle la máscara a alg. (fig.) to unmask s.o. (fig.), to expose s.o.
la mata shrub, bush
ser más tonto que una mata de habas (fam.) to be as thick as they come (fam.) ser más tonto que Carracuca
el mátalas callando (fam.) sly sort (fam.), smooth type (fam.), wolf in sheep’s clothing (fig.)
matanza (cebarse en la ~)
matar to kill
matarlas callando (fig.) to be insidious, to go about things slyly or on the quiet (fam.), to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing (fig.) Las mata callando. He goes about things slyly. Ten cuidado con el director. Parece que no le cabe el corazón en el pecho, pero las mata callando. Beware of the manager. He seems to be the very soul of kindness, but he’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
matar (el que a hierro mata, a hierro muere)
matar (ser incapaz de ~ una mosca)
matar a alg. a fuego lento/a pedradas
mayo (venir como agua de ~)
mazo (a Dios rogando y con el ~ dando)
la meada (pop., vulg.) piss (vulg.)
echar una meada to take/have (Br.E.) a leak (sl., hum.), to have a slash (sl., Br.E.), to have a piss (vulg.)
mear (pop., vulg.) to piss (vulg.), to have a piss (vulg.), to have a slash (sl., Br.E.)
mearse (fam.) to wet o.s.
mearse [de risa] (fam.) to wet o.s. laughing, to pee (fam.) or piss (vulg.) o.s. laughing
Meca (andar de la Ceca a la ~)
la mecha wick, fuse
aguantar [la] mecha (fig., fam.) to grin and bear it [patiently}, to stand the gaff (fam., Am.E.)
a toda mecha (fam.) in a great hurry, like greased lightning (fam.), like the clappers (fam., Br.E.) Salió a toda mecha de la casa. He left the house like greased lightning. Corrió a toda mecha. He went like the clappers.
medianoche (entre gallos y ~)
medida (colmar la ~)
Méjico (el unto de ~)
la melena mane
soltarse la melena (fig.) to drop all scruples, to drop all restraint
la mella notch
hacer mella en/a alg. (fig.) to make an impression on s.o.
el melón melon
el melón (fig., fam.) nut (sl.) la cebolla
estrujarse el melón (fig., fam.) to rack one’s brains (fig.)
un melón (fig., fam.) idiot un [pedazo de] alcornoque
la melopea (fam., Esp.) drunkenness
coger una melopea to get canned (sl., Br.E.), to get tight (fam.) cocerse (a)
menda (pop.) I, yours truly (fam., hum.), muggins (fam., Br.E.) Lo ha hecho el/la menda. I did it. Yours truly did it. ¿Y quién tuvo que pagar? El/la menda. And who had to pay? Yours truly. Muggins here.
menear to shake
Peor es meneallo. (fig.) Mejor es no meneallo. (fig.) Más vale no meneallo. (fig.) It’s best to leave that alone. It’s best not to touch on that. It’s best not to stir [all] that up. (fig.) Let sleeping dogs lie. No vuelvas a sacar ese mal asunto. Más vale no meneallo. Don’t bring that nasty business up again. Let sleeping dogs lie.
menear (si le/etc. meanean, da bellotas)
menear el bigote/esqueleto
menear el bulto/zarzo a alg.
el meneo shake
dar un meneo a alg. (fig., fam.) (a) to thrash s.o., to give s.o. a thrashing (b) to give s.o. a dressing-down (fam.), to give s.o. a telling-off (fam.)
mentir to lie
mentir más que hablar o más que la Gaceta (fig.) to lie through one’s teeth (fam.)
mentir con toda la barba/boca
mentir más que un sacamuelas
mentir por los codos
mentir que se las pela ( pelar)
mentira (ser un costal de ~s)
mentira (ser una ~ de padre y muy señor mío)
mentira (ser una solemne ~)
mentirosa (ser una ~ de siete suelas)
merecer una estatua
la merluza hake
coger una merluza (fig., pop.) to get canned (sl., Br.E.), to get tight (fam.) cocerse (a)
un merluzo (fam., pej.) idiot, bonehead (fam., Am.E.) un [pedazo de] alcornoque
el/la metepatas (fam.) person who is always putting his foot in it (fam.), person who is always dropping a clanger (sl.), person who is always making gaffes, person who has foot-in-mouth disease (fam., hum.) Es una metepatas. She’s always putting her foot in it. She has foot-in-mouth disease.
meter to put/place (in/into)
meterse alg. donde no le llaman to poke one’s nose into other people’s business ¡No te metas donde no te llaman! Mind your own business!
estar metido para dentro (fig.) to be introverted, to be introspective, to be reserved (fig.)
estar [muy] metido en algo (a) to be [very/deeply] involved in s.th. (b) to be [very] involved in s.th., to be mixed up (fig.) or caught up in s.th. Están muy metidos en política. They’re very involved in/with politics. Está muy metido en ese asunto. He’s deeply involved in that matter. He’s mixed up in that affair.
estar muy metido con alg. (fig.) to be deeply involved with s.o., to be well in with s.o.
el mico long-tailed monkey
dar mico
a alg. (fig., fam.) to stand s.o. up (fam.)
correr un mico (fam.) to be/feel ashamed [of o.s.]
miedo (caerse [muerto] de ~)
miedo (cagarse/ciscarse de ~)
miedo (dar un susto al ~)
miedo (estar muerto de ~)
miedo (morirse de ~)
la miel honey
No hay miel sin hiel. (prov.) There’s no rose without a thorn. (prov.)
hacerse de miel (fig.) to be excessively kind
ser miel sobre hojuelas (fig., fam.) to be wonderful, to be marvelous, to be fantastic, to be even better [than s.o. expected], to be almost too much of a good thing ¡Es miel sobre hojuelas! It’s really marvelous! It’s better still! Es una gran casa y el sitio es miel sobre hojuelas. It’s a magnificent house and its location is even better than we expected.
dejar a alg. con la miel en los labios (fig.) to snatch s.th. away from under s.o.’s nose Quise conseguir ese trabajo, pero un tío me dejó con la miel en los labios. I wanted to get that job, but a guy snatched it away from under my nose.
quedarse con la miel en los labios (fig.) to come close to success without attaining it; close, but no cigar (sl.)
las mieles del triunfo (fig.) sweets of victory/success (fig.) Saboreamos las mieles del triunfo. We savored the sweets of victory. (fig.)
miel (la dedada de ~)
miel (la luna de ~)
la mierda shit (vulg.)
la mierda (pop., Esp.) (marijuana): shit/grass/weed (sl.), hash/pot (fam.), tea (sl., Am.E.)
mandar a alg. a la mierda (vulg.) to tell s.o. to go to hell (fam.), to tell s.o. to piss off (vulg.), to tell s.o. to screw himself (vulg.)
la miga crumb
tener [su] miga (fig.) to be more in/to it than meets the eye, not to be easy, to have its difficulties Esto tiene su miga. There’s more in this than meets the eye. This isn’t easy.
hacer buenas/malas migas con alg. (fig.) to get along/on well/badly with s.o., to hit it off with s.o./not to hit it off with s.o.
estar hecho migas (fig.) to be shattered (fam., Br.E.) estar hecho cisco
mil thousand
Preso por mil, preso por mil quinientos. (fam.) In for a penny, in for a pound. (Br.E.) In for a dime, in for a dollar. (Am.E.)
a las mil y quinientas (fam.) very late, terribly late (fam.) Llegó a las mil y quinientas. He arrived terribly late.
mina de oro
mirada (acaparar todas las ~s)
la miranda
estar de miranda (pop.) to be idle, to stand idly by while others are working
mirar to look at, to watch
mirar bien/mal a alg. (fig.) [not] to like s.o., to dislike s.o.
de mírame y no me toques (fig., fam.) very delicate, very fragile Esta figurilla de porcelana es de las de mírame y no me toques. This porcelain figurine is very delicate/fragile. You only have to look at this porcelain figurine and it breaks. (fig.)
la miseria destitution, poverty, want
vender algo por una miseria (fig.) to sell s.th. for a song (fig., fam.)
cobrar/ganar una miseria (fig.) to work for peanuts (fam.), to earn a pittance
mistar (sin chistar ni ~)
mixto mixed
el mixto (fam.) match
la mocada (pop.) blowing one’s nose
echar una mocada to blow one’s nose
mocar (pop.) to blow one’s nose
mocarse to blow one’s nose
el mochuelo little owl
cada mochuelo a su olivo everyone to his place Ya es muy tarde, ¡cada mochuelo a su olivo! It’s very late now. Let’s all go home!
cargar con el mochuelo (fig., fam.) to be left holding the bag (Am.E.) or the baby (Br.E.) (fam.), to [have to] carry the can (fam., Br.E.), to get landed with it (fam.)
cargar el mochuelo a alg. (fig., fam.) (a) to pass the buck to s.o. (fig., fam.), to pin the blame on s.o., to leave s.o. holding the bag (Am.E.) or the baby (Br.E.) (fam.) (b) to lumber (Br.E.) or land or saddle s.o. with s.th. (fam.), to unload s.th. on [to] s.o. (fam.) (c) to frame s.o. [up] (fam.), to pin s.th. (crime/etc.) on s.o. Me cargaron el mochuelo y se fueron a la playa. They lumbered me with the job/etc. and went to the beach. Los bofias colocaron pruebas para poder cargar el mochuelo a ese pobre diablo. The cops planted evidence, so that they could frame that poor devil or pin the crime on that poor devil.
el moco snot (vulg.), nasal mucus
caérsele a alg. el moco (fig., fam.) to be [still] a [real] greenhorn Se le cae el moco a él. He’s still a real greenhorn.
llorar a moco tendido o a moco y baba (fam.) to sob one’s heart out, to cry one’s eyes out, to sob/cry uncontrollably
sorberse los mocos (fig., fam.) to sniffle
quitar los mocos a alg. (fig., pop.) to bash s.o.’s face in (fam.), to put s.o.’s face out of joint (sl.) Si vuelves a hacerlo, te voy a quitar los mocos. If you do it again, I’ll put your face out of joint.
no saber ni siquiera quitarse los mocos (fig., pop.) to be as thick as they come (fam.) ser más tonto que Carracuca
el moco de pavo caruncle (turkey)
no ser moco de pavo (fig., fam.) not to be sneezed/sniffed at (fam.), not to be just a small thing, to be no mean feat (fam.), to be no chickenfeed (sl.), not to be peanuts (fam.) Gana cien mil dólares al año, que no es moco de pavo. He earns one hundred thousand dollars a year, which is no chickenfeed. Ganó una medalla de oro, que no es moco de pavo. He won a gold medal, which isn’t just a small thing or which is no mean feat.
el moho mold, rust
no criar moho (fig., fam.) to be always on the go or on the jump (fam.), not to let the grass grow under one’s feet
no dejar criar moho a alg. (fig., fam.) to keep s.o. on the go, to keep s.o. on the jump (fam.), to keep s.o. on the trot (fig., fam., Br.E.)
no dejar criar moho a algo (fig., fam.) to use s.th. up quickly
moho (piedra movediza, el ~ no la cobija)
mojado (estar ~ hasta los huesos/tuétanos)
mojar to wet
mojar (fig., fam.) (success/etc.): to celebrate with a drink ¡Esto hay que mojarlo! This calls for a drink! This calls for a celebration!
no mojarse (fig., fam.) to keep out of it
mojar en algo (fig., fam.) (a) to participate in s.th., to dabble in s.th. (fig.) (b) to meddle in s.th.
mojarse hasta el alma/los huesos
molino (agua pasada no mueve ~)
molino (llevar el agua a su ~)
molino ([no] comulgar con ruedas de ~)
molino (tragar[se]las como ruedas de ~)
la mollera crown of the head
la mollera (fig., fam.) sense, brains (fig.)
ser duro de mollera (fig.) to be pigheaded
ser cerrado de mollera (fig.) to be pretty dim (fam.), to be a bit dense (fig.)
la mona female monkey
la mona (fig., fam.) drunkenness
coger/pillar una mona (fam.) to get canned (sl., Br.E.), to get tight (fam.) cocerse (a)
dormir la mona (fam.) to sleep off a hangover (fam.), to sleep it off (fam.)
Aunque la mona se vista de seda, mona se queda. (prov.) Fine feathers don’t make fine birds. (prov.) You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. (prov.)
mondo clean, pure
mondo y lirondo (fig., fam.) plain, plain and simple Nos dijo la verdad monda y lironda. He told us the plain truth.
la moneda coin
pagar a alg. con/en la misma moneda (fig.) to pay s.o. back in his own coin (fig.) or in kind, to give s.o. tit for tat, to fight fire with fire (fig.)
[los] monises (fam.) (money): dough (sl., Am.E.), bread (sl.), sugar (sl.), brass/dosh/lolly (sl., Br.E.), wampum (sl., Am.E.)
monje (el hábito [no] hace al ~)
el mono monkey
El último mono es el que se ahoga. (prov.) Devil take the hindmost. (prov.) Every man for himself [and the devil take the hind-most]. (prov.)
ser el último mono (fam.) to be a [complete] nobody (fig., pej.), to be the lowest of the low (pej.), t
o be the low man on the totem pole (fig., Am.E.)
tener monos en la cara (fig.) to look conspicuous or ridiculous No me mirarías más ni que tuviera monos en la cara. You couldn’t have stared at me more if I had come from another planet or from the moon.
el mono (fam.) cold turkey (sl.), withdrawal pains/symptoms Está con el mono. He’s suffering withdrawal symptoms. He’s gone cold turkey.
mono (aburrirse como un ~)
montaña (prometerle a alg. ~s de oro)
monte (creer que todo el ~ es orégano)
monte (la cabra siempre tira al ~)
monte (no todo el ~ es orégano)
monte (tirar al ~)
el montón heap, pile
ser del montón (fig., fam.) to be a nonentity, to be just an ordinary person, to be nothing special
salirse del montón (fig., fam.) to be exceptional, to stand out from the crowd (fig.), to be s.th. special Ese escritor se sale del montón. That’s an exceptional writer.
el monumento monument
un monumento [nacional] (fig., fam.) (girl/woman): smasher (fam.), looker (fam.), stunner (fam.), very pretty girl/woman
moñarse (fam.) to get canned (sl., Br.E.), to get tight (fam.) cocerse (a)
el moño (hair): bun, topknot
estar hasta el moño de algo (fam., Esp.) to have had it up to here with s.th. (fam.) estar hasta [más allá de] la coronilla de algo
tirarse de los moños (mujeres) (fig.) (women): to be at each other, to be at each other’s or at one another’s throats (fam.), to be at loggerheads Aquellas vecinas se tiran siempre de los moños. Those neighbors are constantly at each other’s throats.
ponerse moños (fig., fam.) to puff o.s. up (fig.), to act big (fam.), to act the big shot (fam.)
quitar moños a alg. (fig., fam.) to take/bring s.o. down off his high horse (fam.)
la morada home, stay
la eterna morada (fig.) hereafter, [great] beyond
morado violet
ponerse morado de algo (fig., fam., Esp.) to drink gallons of s.th. (fig., fam.), to stuff o.s. with s.th. (fam.), to gorge o.s. on s.th. Se puso morada de dulces. She stuffed herself with sweets. Nos pusimos morados de sangría. We drank gallons of sangría.