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level up (p.v.)
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improving sth so it's the same level or quality as sth else where standards are higher
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mooch (around) (v.)
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to wander or stroll around casually (also HAVE A MOOCH)
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skedaddle (v.)
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to leave somewhere quickly, in a hurry (=largarse) I'd better to skedaddle.
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(it's the) story of my life
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always having bad luck. A negative (unlucky) thing happening all the time
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(old) stomping ground (n.)
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a place you live in or spend a lot of time in (=territorio)
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(on) the flip side
|
the opposite or another side of sth (on the other hand)
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(right) from the get-go
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from the beginning (=(right) from the very start / (right) from the very beginning)
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(to be) hard at it
|
to put lots of effort into doing sth(=estar dándole duro/dale que te pego)
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(with) the works
|
everything-all the extras that you might expect in any given situation (=to'l copón)
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a big deal
|
(slang) sth important or significant
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a blow
|
an expression to say sth is disappointing (=chasco, decepción)
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a can-do attitude (or mindset, spirit or way of thinking)
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positive attitude; don't let anything stop you (=con ganas, predisposición, buena voluntad, proactiv)
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a flying start
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an excellent beginning (=to get off to a good start)
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a million to one (=one in a million)
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an expression that describes a very tiny chance of sth happening.
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an uphill task (col.)
|
sth that needs energy and determination (=tarea cuesta arriba)
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beige flag
|
an expression that describes a habit you find strange but doesn't make you not like s.o.
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bite your tongue
|
stop yourself from saying sth offensive, hurtful or inappropriate
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blast off (p.v.)
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take off (p.v.) (=despegar)
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brick-by-brick
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a phrase about building sth up or take it apart carefully and gradually (or the result of hard work)
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by the book
|
following the rules exactly, without improvising(=según las reglas, a rajatabla)
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cakeism
|
we want (or we're offered) two things at the same time, which in reality is impossible to achieve
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can-do attitude
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don't let anything stop you, positive attitude (=con ganas, buena voluntad)
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can't go (far) wrong with; won't go (far) wrong with
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you can't fail if you use this suggestion (=no puedes equivocarte si....)
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cash in on sth (v.)
|
taking advantage of a situation to make money (=aprovecharse de, sacar tajada de)
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catch forty winks
|
to sleep
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change for the better (n.)
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to talk about an improvement in the state or condition of something
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clutch at straws
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trying to improve a difficult situation using means a bit desperate (=agarrarse a un clavo ardiendo)
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cook up an idea (=cook up a plan) (v.)
|
carefully plan something (=maquinar un plan o una idea)
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dip your toe into
|
starting sth new gradually
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do the trick (=do the job)
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(infl) sth will solve a problem, or give the result wanted (=bastar, surtir efecto, ser suficiente)
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doze
|
to sleep
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drip feed
|
to give information in small amounts -little by little- rather than all at once (=dosificar)
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each to their/his/her own
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everyone has their own opinions and preferences, and that's fine(=para gustos, los colores)
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elbow grease (n.)
|
honest hard physical work (=esfuerzo, trabajo duro)
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famous last words
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when we believe sth someone says will soon be proven wrong (or to laugh at sth we've said previously)
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few and far between
|
very rare or not hapenning often (=poquísimos, contadísimos)
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fitspiration (=fitspo)
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when sth or s.o.motivates you to get fit
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flip side
|
the opposite, the other side (=la otra cara) Syn.: on the other hand
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fly-by-night (adj.)
|
companies or people who are unreliable or difficult to trust (=chanchullero, fraudulento)
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from the get-go
|
from the beginning
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get some shut-eye
|
to sleep
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give it some welly!
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say to encourage s.o. to put some more effort into an activity (=échale güevos)
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go-to (noun or adj.) (+for)
|
preferred option
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ham-fisted (adj./adv.)
|
clumsy/a clumsy way to do things
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hard pass (slang)
|
when we really don't want to do sth and we're not going to change our mind (=certainly not)
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hats off (to sb)
|
to say you admire or respect s.o. because they've done sth impressive (also mean 'congratulations')
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heavy-lifting (n.)
|
hard work; trabajo duro
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I don't buy it
|
we use it to say that we don't believe something (=I don't believe you)
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I'm out
|
a way of saying you have no more of sth specific that other people want (=ya no me queda)
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in my (…) era
|
It just means you're really into one particular thing at the moment. E.g. in my travel era...
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it (can) happen(s) to the best of us
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'don't worry as anyone can make that kind of mistake'
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join the club
|
it's said to s.o. to explain that you are in the same bad situation as they are
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kiss sth goodbye
|
an informal expression that means 'to accept the loss of a thing or a situation/opportunity'
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lay it on (a bit) thick (v.)
|
exaggerating, praising or criticising someone a bit too much (=ponerse (un poco) pesado)
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let (sb/sth) loose (v.)
|
to give them freedom
|
|
let (sth) slide
|
to not do anything about sth when you should try to correct it(=dejarlo pasar)
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let loose (v.)
|
a way of saying relax, often with a celebration: Relax and celebrate!! (= soltar)
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main character moment
|
when you feel like the protagonist of a film
|
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make your hair stand on end
|
a phrase about things that scare you (=poner los pelos de punta).
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makes my skin crawl
|
you're very disgusted or frightened by sth (=me da repelús)
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mental gymnastics
|
a way to talk about your brain doing hard work(=rapidez/agudeza mental)
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no ifs, (ands) or buts
|
no negotiation, compromise, or excuses are permitted. It can also mean there is no doubt
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off the cuff (adj./adv.)
|
to do or say sth with no preparation or very little preparation (=improvisado/de improviso)
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off the scale
|
to say that sth goes beyond what is expected (=descomunal)
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off the top of your head
|
saying sth from memory and not checking the facts
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on point
|
an informal way of saying that sth is at the best level that it could be. Also 'perfectly appropiate'
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on the fly
|
when deciding what to do as you're doing it, inprovising (=sobre la marcha) Used also to talk about cars or computers.
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on the go
|
a phrase to describe how busy you are (busy, active and not relaxing)
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on the table
|
to put an idea, suggestion or plan forward for others to discuss or consider
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over the counter
|
medicine that can be bought without a doctor's prescription
|
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peaks and troughs
|
ups and downs of life (highs and lows; ebb and flow) (=picos y valles)
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pet hate (=pet peeve)
|
a situation or thing that just irritates you and not everyone will feel the same way(=manía, cosa que molesta)
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plan B
|
a way of expressing an alternative option, in case your first situation doesn't go as planned
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productivity theatre
|
the act of s.o. appearing to work hard when in reality they're not being very productive
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quiet quitting (v.)
|
not overworking but just doing the work that is required and within your defined working hours
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read the room (v.)
|
to work out how people feel or what they think about sth (=hacerse una composición de lugar)
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rinse, repeat
|
an expression that describes repetitive actions that are predictable and tiresome
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scatterbrain (n.)
|
a person who is disorganised or forgetful (=absent-minded person/cabeza de chorlito, está en la luna)
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second nature (to sb)
|
do sth easily without having to think about it (=acto reflejo) (u.tb. como característica)
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|
shoehorn (sth) in (p.v.)
|
to force sth to be included swh it doesn't quite fit or belong (=meter con calzador)
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|
shook (adj.)
|
a word to express surprise or shock (=pasmado)
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|
shout-out (n.)
|
mention a person or thing's name to praise or thank them publicly (=reconocimiento)
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sleep on it
|
to delay making a decision until you've time to thik about it (=consultarlo con la almohada)
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stir the pot
|
to cause trouble o be provocative (=meter cizaña)
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take the plunge
|
make a decisión about sth difficult and maybe challenging (=correr el riesgo, jugársela)
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|
take the wheel (reins)
|
take the control of a situation (coger el volante/las riendas)
|
|
telling porkies
|
an informal way to saying "tell lies"
|
|
thanks a bunch (=thanks for nothing)
|
an ironic reply to sb who is being unhelpful or not doing what they said they would do
|
|
that's on you
|
it's your fault (used also to remind people of their responsability)
|
|
the bane of my life
|
source or cause of persistent unhappiness or misfortune (=cruz, ¡que cruz!)
|
|
the gift that keeps on giving
|
a thing or situation which has benefits that are repeated over a long period of time
|
|
the name of the game
|
the most important aspect of sth. (=clave)
|
|
the works
|
everything, all the extras that you might expect in any given situation
|
|
this is on me
|
when you offer to pay for sth., usually food or drink
|
|
throw one's toys out (of) the pram
|
acting in a very childish or dramatic way, especially when they don't get what they want
|
|
to be at a loss
|
describes that feeling you get when you're not sure what to say or do (+AS TO)
|
|
to be in on it
|
to know about or to be involved in sth that is happening (=estar involucrado)
|
|
to be in with a shout
|
to have a good chance of winning sth or succeeding in sth (=estar a punto de )
|
|
to bide someone´s time
|
to wait patienly and quietly for an opportunity (=esperar el/tu/su momento)
|
|
to breathe down someone's neck
|
to watch someone closely and check everything they do (=con el aliento en el cogote)
|
|
to bring sth to the party/table
|
to have sth good to offer in a situation. (table more formal than party)
|
|
to call dibs
|
an expression to say you claim sth before s.o. else claims it (=me lo pido!) Call dibs on sth/Dibs it
|
|
to call it a day
|
we just mean we have decided to stop what are we doing for the rest of the day
|
|
to chip in (p.v.)
|
everyone gives a small amount of money to pay for sth together(=poner, aportar)
|
|
to choke out (p.v.)
|
obstruir
|
|
to crank up (p.v.)
|
to increase the intensity of sth(=poner ahínco, redoblar esfuerzos)
|
|
to dial down/back
|
make sth less intense (=rebajar, moderar), Contrario: dial up
|
|
to do it for the plot
|
to do sth a Little wild and spontaneous to make life more exciting (from Internet) (=por exigencias del guión)
|
|
to do the heavy lifting
|
hard work (=trabajo pesado, trabajo duro, llevar la carga).No físico necesariamente.
|
|
to fall on stony ground
|
when your words or ideas are unpopular, ignored, not well-received by the people (=caer en saco roto)
|
|
to fill your boots
|
take advantage of a situation, or get as much of sth as possible (eat your fill) (=ponerse las botas)
|
|
to find your groove
|
getting good at sth and starting to really enjoy it (=encontrar tu pasión en algo, pillarle el tranq.
|
|
to get a handle on sth
|
undestand (=encontrar el truco, encontrarle la vuelta)
|
|
to get with the programme
|
to accept new ways of doing things, modernise views or take on new ideas (=espabila, ponte las pilas)
|
|
to go off on one
|
to become suddenly very angry (=despotricar)
|
|
to go with the flow (=to go with the tide)
|
to follow others in their thoughts, ideas or actions cos it's the easiest thing (=dejarse llevar)
|
|
to have s.o. on (p.v.)
|
persuade s.o. that sth is true when it isn't (usually as a joke) (=quedarse con alguien)
|
|
to jog (sb)'s memory
|
to do sth to help sb remember (=refrescar)
|
|
to jump on the bandwagon
|
to do sth because It's popular(=subirse al carro, seguir la moda)
|
|
to jump through (lots of) hoops
|
to have to do lots of difficult and sometimes unnecessary things to achieve sth (=superar trabas)
|
|
to know sth like the back of your hand
|
|
|
to know the score
|
to understand the situation o know what is really going on (=conocer la jugada)
|
|
to light up like a Christmas tree
|
a way of saying you look very happy or excited about sth.
|
|
to make a rod for your own back
|
when you're doing sth that will cause you problems in the future (=asumir una carga)
|
|
to one-up
|
(infl.) have an advantage over s.o. else by doing sth (=superar)
|
|
to pull someone's leg
|
id.(=tomar el pelo). You'4re pulling my leg!!
|
|
to pull the threads
|
to investigate deeper into sth, revealing the hidden connections behind it (=tirar del hilo)
|
|
to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps
|
salir adelante por tus propios medios
|
|
to put the spotlight on sth
|
to attract the attention to it (=poner en el punt de mira)
|
|
to rabbit on (p.v.)
|
someone talking so much that they become boring to listen to (=hablar por los codos)
|
|
to rear its (ugly) head
|
used to talk about sth bad appearing (=asomar la cabeza, saltar a la palestra)
|
|
to rub shoulders with sb
|
codearse
|
|
to run for the hills
|
when you try to avoid doing sth because it looks unappealing, risky or even dangerous
|
|
to ship
|
when you want two people, usually fictional characters (but not only), to be in a relationship.
|
|
to slow walk (sth)
|
to delay (doing) sth or prevent it from progressing (=dilatar, demorar, retrasar)
|
|
to sound out (p.v.)
|
trying to find out what s.o. thinks indirectly-without them knowing (=tantear, sondear)
|
|
to steal (sb)'s thunder
|
when sb take the attention away from the other person to his own advantage
|
|
to take (sth) to heart
|
to react to (sb)'s criticism or advise seriously so that become upset by it (=tomárselo a pecho)
|
|
to take (sth) with a pinch of salt
|
coger algo con pinzas
|
|
to tread/step on someone's toes
|
annoying s.o. by involving yourself in sth that is not your responsibility (=invadir el territorio de
|
|
to twig
|
when suddenly realice or understand sth. (=caer en la cuenta, darse cuenta)
|
|
to twist someone's arm
|
id.(=torcer el brazo). To persuade s.o. to do sth they do not want to do
|
|
to win hands down
|
to win very easily or decisively
|
|
top-notch (adj.)
|
very high quality (=de primera)
|
|
touch grass (v.)
|
you can say to s.o. who you think spends too much time online or on their phone.
|
|
trace (sth) back (p.v.)
|
discover its causes by examining how it developed (=rastrear el origen)
|
|
tug at the heartstrings
|
when sth brings out strong emotions (=tocar la fibra sensible)
|
|
turn over a new leaf/turn the page
|
pasar página/hacer borrón y cuenta nueva
|
|
under your breath
|
say sth so quietly that no one else can hear exactly what you're saying (mutter) (=por lo bajo)
|
|
walk s.o. through sth (v.) walkthrough (n.)
|
showing people how to do things, or explaining sth to them (=guide s.o. through sth)
|
|
warts and all
|
show everything, including imperfections (=con todos los defectos)
|
|
wiggle room (n.)
|
we use to talk about how much we can change sth like a timetable or budget to allow us to do sth else
|
|
wishy-washy
|
a word to describes sth weak, vague or indefined (ni fu ni fa); watery (=aguado)
|
|
zing (vs.oomph)
|
to describe sth exciting, energetic, or interesting (=chispa)
|