UNIT 1 A new broom – a new person in charge that makes changes A wet blanket – someone who doesn’t want to join in and spoils the fun for everybody else A stuffed shirt – a pompous, self-opinionated person A couch potato – Homer Simpson An armchair critic – someone who expresses opinions about things they know very little about A fair weather friend – someone who stands by you only when things are going well A nosy parker – a gossip who wants to know everything that happens to other people A rolling stone – someone who doesn’t like to stay in one place only Come in for something – be exposed to sth unpleasant Come down on somebody – criticize or punish harshly Come out with something – say something surprising Come up with something – produce an idea Come to the point – avoid details and say what’s important Come round – regain consciousness; wake up after a coma Come round to something / an idea – change your opinion Come down with something – get ill Come to terms with something – accept a situation as it is Take heart – feel more positive about something Pick somebody up – recover from something difficult Bring round = Bring around – 1 bring; 2 persuade or convince; 3 guide a conversation towards what you want; 4 come round (recover consciousness) Count in – include in a list Put back – delay, postpone, put something where it was, restore Sparkle – shine in someone’s eyes Beam – Ray of light Burrow down – dig Hollow out – make something empty Delve into – do some research about the past, hurgar Dig up – the opposite of burry, bring information to light Exhilaration – euphoria Exhortation – persuade, encourage to do something Depict – Describe or show by a pinture… Swathe – envolver Crumble – fall into pieces, desmenuzarse
UNIT 2 Lay something bare – Expose, dejar algo al descubierto Quarry in sight – power; an imaginary monster Bump – crash into Whine – noise produced by a chair; high-pitched noise Sheepskin mat – rug Tweed jacket – material from which the reinforcement of the elbows’ zones are made of Check shirt – shirt of cuadros Dove – pigeon Power Steering – Dirección asistida A Sucker of – a person who likes something a lot; a naïve person Vestigial – a slightly trace of something that existed Mankind – humanity Stumbling – walk like being drunk; tropezar, move unsteadily, stopping at speech Baffled (also to baffle, and baffling) – extremely confused Shabby – not carefully arranged or cared In Layman’s terms – speaking like if you were a layman (clerigo)… meaning that it is easy to understand Grin – smile or a mocking smile Grin and bear – smile and hold the smile Reverse out – go backwards Slump – depressed, collapsed, fell down, not incorporated, also in economic terms Whirr off – make a sound, onomatopeya Slouch – droop shoulders; don’t slouch (ponte recto)… Utterly – Completely Staggeringly – astoundingly – surprisingly Evenly – equally Now’s a fine time – this is a very inconvenient moment A bit pressed for time – in a bit of a hurry Buy time – delay things For the time being – as a temporary measure (be/come/leave) on time – punctually At the best of times – in favourable circumstances Time will tell – we will only know that in the future Time and time again – repeatedly Kill time – pass the time Just in the nick of time – get somewhere with only seconds to spare To throw the book at someone – punish severely
To turn over a new leaf – time to change To do something by the book – follow all the correct procedures in everything To be in someone’s good books – is because that person is very pleased with you To speak volumes about someone – is very indicative of someone’s character To take a leaf out of someone’s book – behave in the same way as someone
UNIT 3 Despair – desperation Clean-shaven – without bear or mustard (shaven = shave) Sinewy – “nervudo”, vigorous, strong, robust, forceful Slurred – que arrastra las palabras Hunch (over) – encorvarse – bend over Gaze – look, glance, peek Elation – generosity, joy, glee Divert – Desviar Deflect - Desviar To do wonders for – is very very good for… To do time – spend several years in prision To do something up – do something about it… literal translation (hacer algo al respect) To do someone a good turn / favour – help somebody To do the donkey work – be responsible fot all the hard work To do a lot of harm / good or no harm / good To do something with your eyes closed – it’s a second nature for you To do more harm than good – to be counter-productive Glimpse – see briefly (often before it disappears) Gaze – look at steadily in surprise or admiration Stare – look at intently with eyes wide open Glance – have a quick look (through) Peep – take a quick look when you shouldn’t, e.g. through a keyhole! Peer – look closely at (as if trying to see more clearly) Blink – close eyelids rapidly Make out – see with difficulty Weep – cry Wink – close one eyelid Maze – labyrinth Girder – Viga Stroll – walk, ride, promenade, tour… Ladder – stairs, scale… Handrail – barandilla Daunting – discouraging, deter, dampen… Reckless – temerario, atolondrado… Deck – cubierta Spurred – estimulado, espoleado, animado a… Lean out – asomarse
Lean – apoyarse Pound – aporrear, machacar, palpitar… Dishevelled – despeinado, desaliñado… Slam – golpe Clamber – trepar, climb…
UNIT 4 Breed – Criar Trudge (through) – Caminar penosament Swamp – Pantà (Marsh, Bog) Pith helmet – barret explorador filipí Bearer – Portador Run off with – fugir amb… Faintly – Lluegerament, a penas... Look down on – menysprear, mirar per sobre l’espatlla Sordid – sórdido, sucio, impuro, mezquino, indecente… Cesspit – Pou, cloaca… Squat – ajupir-se, cuclilles… Scapegoat – Chivo expiatorio; cabeza de turco (fall guy, whipping boy) Sultry – vergonyós (bochornoso) See off – acomiada (dir adéu) Beckon – Fer senyals Beckoning – Atractiu, “apetecible” Lushness (lush) – exuberància (exuberant) Heap – un munt (montón) de… (a heap of bricks) Muck – estiércol Gable – aguilón, gablete, hastión... Hereinafter – de ahora en adelante (from now on) Undertake – assumir Liability – responsabilidad Blazing – very hot, burning Log – tronco (log fire – fuego de leña). To sleep like a log Dispel – disipar Kettle – Tetera Run a business – manage a company Run out of – have no more left Run short of – have an insufficient supply of Run for it – flee from, huir de...
Catch somebody red-handed – apprehend somebody in the act of doing something Catch someone’s eye – attract someone’s attention Look on the bright side – be cheerful / optimistic Look down your nose at – feel superior to Look like a drowned rat – be completely soaked (empapado) Look a gift horse in the mouth – be ungrateful for what you are given Outstanding – 1. Extraordinary 2. Not yet paid or done, pendiente. To be caught up in – to be involved in something involuntarily Sultry – weather that is hot and humid Scapegoat – somebody blamed for something bad although it may not be their fault, chivo expiatorio, cabeza de turco. Chainsmoker – un fumado como un carretero (verb. Chainsmoke) To be better-off / better off – estar mejor ___ que ___. Be none the worst for – no tan mal, no sufrir de… pag 57 Counsel – Consell o aconsellar Prosecutor – Acusador Stove – Calentador, cuina, estufa, fornet… Gasp for sth – eager for sth Be on sth’s/sb’s last gasp – estar en las últimas Ordeal – terrible experience Drowsy – Somnulent Droop – Flaquejar, posar-se musti
UNIT 5 Vlvet – Criar Nook and cranny – en cada rincón / recoveco Glaring – deslumbrante, cegador Blissfully – con gran felicidad Slit – Rajar Probing – sagaz, perspicaz Piercing – perforante, penetrante, cortante Pierce – agujerear, penetrar, perforar Swell – grow in size, incharse Plight – situació difícil Grim – adusto (persona), nefasto o desalentador (situación), lúgubre o sombrio (landscape). Grim reality – la dura realidad Light at the end of the tunnel – a sign that a difficult period will finish Keep someone in the dark – withhold information from someone
Make light of something – not take something seriously Go out like a light – fall asleep immediately A leap in the dark – a risk with unknown consequences The bright lights – the excitement and entertainment of a big city Come to light – be revealed See the light – understand and realise you have been wrong A dark horse – a mysterious person Mellow – soft, rich and pleasant Insulated – protected from heat, sound or electricity passing through Ludicrous – ridiculous and unreasonable Broadscale – wide ranging in its effects Unravel – the act of woven threads becoming separated Onslaught – a strong or violent attack Jeopardy – Strident – Shrill – Mellifluous – Barring – Put upon by –
