Spanish idioms with their English equivalents embracing nearly ten thousand phrases

1899·13.2 MB·English

by  Becker, Sarah Cary

UNIVERSITYOFNC.ATCHAPELHILL
1
00009094400
THE LIBRARY OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF
NORTH CAROLINA
• AT CHAPEL HILL
PRESENTED BY
Mary Arthur Stouidemire
THE LIBRARY OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF
NORTH CAROLINA
AT CHAPEL HILL
ENDOWED BY THE
DIALECTIC AND PHILANTHROPIC
SOCIETIES
SPANISH IDIOMS
.BH
WITH THEIR
English Equivalents
SMBRACING NEARLY
TEN THOUSAND PHRASES
COLLECTED BY
SARAH GARY BECKER
FEDERICO MORA
'•..1 -^^'.iVl'^lW-:
BOSTON
PUBLISHED BY GINN COMPANY
&:
CD
1899
EnteredaccordingtoActofCongress,intheyear i885,by
Sarah Carv Becker and Federico Mora,
intheOiiiceoftheLibrarianofCongress,atWashington.
J. S, Gushing & Co, Printers, Boston.
PREFACE.
English is the native tongue of one of the compilers of this collection
of idioms, Spanish that of the other, and each ofthem is familiar with both
lancruages. Only by such co-operation could results of any considerable
value have been attained. An idiom is a phrase stamped by the usage of
a language with a signification other than its grammatical or logical one.
Our effort has been to brnig together as many of the idioms to be met
with in literary and conversational Spanish as possible, but not to include
the technical phraseology ofthe professions and trades, or mere vulgarisms.
These lines are not always easy to draw. Nautical terms, for example,
often appear in very light literature, most of which would certainly also
be set down in a technical dictionary. Many such may be found in the
following pages. The more abstruse terminology of the law, on the other
hand, seldom makes its way into belles-lettres or into conversation, and is
excluded. The distinction between admissible slang, or homely phrase-
ology, and downright vulgarisms is also far from sharp, and depends more
or less upon circumstances, ^^e have omitted some phrases which,
though they appear in literature, have no business there. Many of the
idiomatic phrases are proverbs, but proverbs not containing idioms are
excluded.
The method employed in compilation was as follows : " El Novísimo
Diccionario de la Lengua Castellana, por una Sociedad de Literatos "
(which is founded upon the Academy's Dictionary, with additions), and
" El Nuevo Diccionario Inglés-Español, y Español-Liglés, por J. M.
Lopez, E. R. Bensley, y otros," were carefully read through from beginning
to end, and the numerous idioms cited in illustration of the use of words
were extracted. Much material has also been obtained from grammars,
including those of Professors Alberto de Tornos, W. L Knapp, H. M.
Monsanto, and Louis A. Languellier, as well as from Bohn's Spanish
4 PREFACE.
Proverbs. Don Quixote, in several editions and translations (including the
late translation with critical list of proverbs by John Ormsby, London,
1885), and Gil Bias have been carefully studied; and notes of idioms
were made in reading many other works; finally, memoranda were kept of
such as occurred in con\-ersation during a period of two years. These
means cannot be exhaustive, but we believe that few common, important,
or valuable phrases have escaped us. In rendering the idioms into
English, the first object was to make their meaning intelligible ; the
second, to give equivalent English idioms where such could be found : in
many cases, however, the pithiness of the original is best retained by
a simple translation. Renderings found in previous publications were
adopted only when it seemed impossible to improve upon them, and it has
been found necessary to correct many downright errors oftranslation. Our
thanks are due to Commander Henry Glass, of the United States Navy, for
examining and improving the translations ofthe nautical phrases.
The arrangement ofthe work is intended to facilitate reference as far as
this can be effected with material of so heterogeneous a character. Every
idiom containing a verb is placed under that verb, while the verbs them-
sehes are arranged alphabetically. Where the idioms containing a par-
ticular verb are numerous, they have been classified into natural groups,
the members of which are mutually illustrative, or deal with similar ideas.
The idioms containing verbs form the first and larger portion of the
collection. Those which lack a verb are comprised in a second division,
in which the most emphatic or most important word in each phrase is
taken as the basis of their alphabetical arrangement. Indices to each
series are added as a further aid in the search for a given phrase.
Finally, we believe ourselves justified in the hope that this collection of
idioms will prove a very important aid in mastering one of the greatest
difficulties which the Spanish language presents.
S. C. B.
F. M.
SPANISH IDIOMS.
IDIOMS CONTAINING VERBS.
Quien mucho abarca poco aprieta. (irasp all, lose all.
Ni te abatas por pobreza, ni te en- Do not be humbled by po\'erty, or
salces por riqueza. exalted by wealth.
Ablandar las piedras. To melt a heart ofstone ; to inspire
great pity.
Abocar la artillería. To bring the guns to bear (mil.).
Abocar un estrecho. To enter the mouth ofa channel.
El sol pica, ó abrasa. The sun scorches.
Abrasarse los pájaros. To be burning hot.
Abrasarse vivo. To be inflamed with passion.
Muchas hijas en casa, todo se abrasa. Many daughters are expensive.
Abrazar el estómago alguna cosa. To keep a thing on the stomach.
Abrigúese V. con ello. Defend yourself with it.
Al buen dia ábrele la puerta, y para Make hay while the sun shines, but
el malo te apareja. prepare for a rainy day.
Abrir, ó abrirse una entrada de agua. To spring a leak.
La madera se abre. The wood cracks.
Abrir brecha en un muro. To make a breach in a fortress.
Abrir las zanjas. To lay a foundation to begin.
;
Abrir trincheras. To open trenches to begin a siege.
;
Abrir el ojo. To be on the alert.
En un abrir y cerrar de ojos. In the twinkling ofan eye.
Abrir el día. To dawn.
Abrir la corona. To shave the tonsure.
Abrir las velaciones. To permit the issue of marriage
licenses (granted only at certain
seasons).
Abrir paso. To clear the way.
Abrirse las cataratas del cielo. To rain heavily to pour.
;
Abre el tiempo. The weather clears up.
Abrir los ojos á uno. To undeceive to open one's eyes.
;
Abrirse con alguno. To disclose one's secrets to any one.
Abrir pueita á la puerta. To afford an opportunity.
SPANISH IDIOMS.
Abre el ojo que asan carne. Improve the opportunity.
Abrir el corazón á alguno. To encourage a person.
Abrir la mano. To accept bribes.
Abrir la mano al caballo. To give rein to a horse.
Abrir la cabeza. To break one's head.
Abrir las carnes. To cut the flesh with a whip.
Abrir la procesión. To lead a procession.
Abrir á chasco. To jest; to mock.
Abrir tanto ojo. To stare withjoy.
Abrir registro. To begin to take in cargo (nau.y-
Absolver las preguntas. To answer questions.
Absolver de la instancia. To pardon a criminal.
Abundar en su sentido. To adhere to one's opinion.
Aburriré mil pesos en esta flota. I will hazard a thousand dollars in
this convoy.
Acabar con el negocio. To make an end ofan affair.
Acaba ya Determine resolve
¡ ! ! !
Es cosa de nunca acabarse. It is an endless affair.
Á ese paso no acabarás nunca. At this rate you will never finish.
Acaba de llegar. He has just arrived.
Está acabado de salir . . . It is fresh from . . .
Eltapetele acabó con cuanto poseía. He lost all he possessed at the gam-
ing-table.
El pleito le acabó de tronar com- The lawsuit ruined him completely.
pletamente.
La vela se está acabando. The candle is flickering.
Al acabar la vida. At the moment ofdeath.
Se acabó el siglo para él. He has departed this life.
Para el mal que hoy acaba, no es To-morrow's remedy avails little for
remedio el de mañana. to-day's misfortune ; apply your
remedy before it is too late.
Los valientes y el buen vino duran Rash courage and good wine are
poco, ó se acaban pronto. soon ended ; those who love peril
will try it once too often.
Acabados son cuentos. There is an end to it ; i.e., the con-
versation or dispute.
Acabar ó adobar los guantes. To regale and remunerate a person.
Lo que no acaece (ó sucede, ó se That which a year does not bring
hace) enunaño,acaeceenunrato. us, a moment may.
Aceptar una letra. To accept a bill ofexchange.
Aceptar personas. To favor particular persons.
SPAX/SH IDIOMS.
Achicar la bomba. To pump the -waXer from a ship.
Achicad, compadre, y llevaréis la Very much exaggerated.
galga.
Aclarádselo vos, compadre, (¡ue To ask foolish questions on pretence
tenéis la boca á mano. ofnot understanding.
Aclarar la voz. To clear the throat.
Acodillarse con la carga. Not to be able to fulfil one's engage-
ments.
Acogerse á las aras. To take refuge.
Acogí al ratón en mi agujero, y vol- Do not trust any one lest he may
vióseme heredero. turn traitor.
Acometer con dinero. To try to bribe a person.
De ruin áruin quienacomete, vence. When two cowards fight, he who
attacks conquers.
Tiempos hayde acometer, y tiempos There is a time to attack, and a time
de retirar. to retreat.
Acomodarse al tiempo. To be content with the present state
of things.
Acordarse del tiempo del rey que That is a very old story, or thing.
rabió, ser una cosa del tiempo de
rey que rabió, ó del rey que rabió
por gachas.
Acordarse ó estar de acuerdo con To close, or agree with one.
uno.
Acordarse remotamente. To have a confused recollection.
No se acuerda el Cura de cuando Those who attain prosperity often
fué Sacristán. forget the day ofsmall things.
Acordar los instrumentos músicos á To tune instruments.
las voces.
El buey que me acornó en buen The ox that gored me threw meinto
lugar me echó. a better place ; apparent evil of-
ten leads to good.
En tierra ajena,lavaca al bueyacor- Helpless people are often insulted
nea. by their inferiors.
Acosado de hambre. Pinched with hunger.
Aconsejarse mejor. To think better ofit.
Acostarse la balanza, ó caer la bal- To fall on either side (said of a bal-
anza. ance).
Quien con niños se acuesta, sucio se Those who trust incompetent per-
levanta. sons will suffer for it.
Acostarse con las gallinas. Togo tobedwith the chickens,early.
8 SPANISH IDIOMS.
Acuéstate sin cena, y amancerás sin Go to bed supperless, and you will
deuda, wake without debt.
i Acotóme á Dios ! I commend myselfto God.
Acotar estorbos. To avoid obstacles.
Los acreedores me acribillan. My creditors torment me.
Acudió al cuero con el albayalde, She paints, and tries to conceal her
que los años no se van en balde. age.
Acudir al reclamo. To reach one's goal.
Acuñar dinero. To hoard up money.
Hermano ayuda y cuñado acuña. Brothers- and sisters-in-law are al-
ways at variance.
Acusar á muerte. To charge a person with a capital
crime.
Acusar á pena. To file a complaint.
Acusar ó argüir la conciencia á uno. To feel remorse.
¡ Adelante con la cruz ! Forward with the cross ! we resolve
to persevere
!
No adelantar, ó no ganar un palmo Not to advance a hair's breadth in
de tierra en algún negocio. an affair.
Adelantar como el cangrejo. To retrograde. (To advance like a
crab.)
La verdad adelgaza, pero no quie- The truth maybe hidden for a time,
bra. but is sure to be divulged.
Adentellar una pared. To leave toothing stones or bricks
by which to continue a wall.
Adivinar, ó ver por tela de cedazo. To take a prejudiced view; to be
biased.
Adivino de Valderas, cuando corren ^Vonderful discovery, that when it
las canales que se mojan las car- pours the paths are wetted.
reras.
Adivino de Marchena que el sol Wonderful discovery, that when the
puesto, el asno á la sombra queda. sun has set, the donkey is left in
the shade.
Administrador que administra, y en- Money is apt to stick to the fingers
fermo que se enjuaga, algo traga. oftrustees.
Quien no adoba ó quita gotera, hace A remedy, in order to be effectual,
casa entera. should be applied promptly.
Bienes mal adquiridos á nadie han Ill-gotten gains never prosper.
enriquecido.
Afanar, afanar, y nunca medrar. Much toil and little profit.
Afanarse por nada. To fidget.