| Additional Translations |
| beat [sth] vtr | slang (be preferable) (coloquial) | ganarle a v prnl + prep |
| | | ser mejor que v cop + loc adj |
| | Nothing beats a chocolate cake fresh from the oven. |
| | Nada le gana a una torta de chocolate recién horneada. |
| beat doing [sth] vtr | slang (be preferable) | ser mejor que loc verb |
| | Playing in a band as a professional musician beats doing a boring office job. Sitting here in the coffee shop with you sure beats working! |
| | Tocar en una banda como músico profesional es mejor que un aburrido trabajo de oficina. |
| beat adj | US, informal, colloquial (exhausted) (coloquial) | hecho polvo loc adj |
| | | molido/a adj |
| | After a long day at work, Keith's father is beat when he comes home. |
| | Después de un largo día de trabajo, el papá de Keith llega hecho polvo a casa. |
| | Después de un largo día de trabajo, el padre de Keith llega molido a casa. |
| Beat adj | historical (beatnik) (generación Beat) | beat adj |
| | Kerouac is the most famous of the Beat poets. |
| | Kerouac es el más famoso de los poetas beat. |
| beat n | (musical note) | tiempo nm |
| | You must remember to play harder on the accented beats. |
| | No debes olvidar tocar con más fuerza los tiempos acentuados. |
| beat n | (stroke, blow) | golpeteo nm |
| | The beat of the workers' hammers gave Sue a headache. |
| | El golpeteo del martillo de los obreros le dio dolor de cabeza a Susana. |
| beat n | (heartbeat) | latido nm |
| | In her excitement, Fran could feel the beat of her heart. |
| | Con la emoción, Fran podía sentir el latido de su corazón. |
| beat n | (police officer's round) | ronda nf |
| | Officer Smith pounded the beat all day long. |
| | El oficial Smith hizo su ronda todo el día. |
| beat⇒ vi | (heart: throb) | latir⇒ vi |
| | The doctor listened to see if the man's heart was beating. |
| | El médico auscultó al hombre para ver si su corazón aún latía. |
| beat vi | (wings: flap) | batir⇒ vtr |
| | The eagle's wings did not beat as it glided through the air. |
| | El águila no batía sus alas mientras planeaba. |
| beat vi | (nautical: tack) | dar bordada loc verb |
| | There was a headwind so the sailors had to beat along the coast. |
| | Había viento en contra así que los marineros tuvieron que dar bordada por la costa. |
| beat [sb]⇒ vtr | informal (arrive before) | ganar a vtr |
| | | llegar antes que loc verb |
| | I bet we will beat you! We drive much faster. |
| | ¡Te apuesto a que te ganaremos! Nosotros manejamos más rápido. |
| beat [sth]⇒ vtr | (tap out: a rhythm) (música) | marcar el ritmo loc verb |
| | The drummer beat the rhythm on the bass drum. |
| | El baterista marcaba el ritmo en el bombo. |
| beat [sth] vtr | (metal: flatten) | golpear⇒ vtr |
| | The craftsman beat the piece of metal until it was very thin. |
| | El artesano golpeó la pieza de metal hasta dejarla muy delgada. |
| beat [sb] to [sth]⇒ vtr | (arrive before) | llegar antes que alguien a loc verb + prep |
| | Thompson beat the other runners to the finish line. |
| | Thompson llegó antes que los otros corredores a la línea de meta. |
| beat [sth]⇒ vtr | (hunting: rouse game) | translation unavailable |
| | A group of local boys were paid to beat the undergrowth for pheasants. |
Locuciones verbales
|
| beat about vi phrasal | (search thoroughly, scour) | buscar por todas partes loc verb |
| | (buscando algo) | dar vueltas loc verb |
| beat about vi phrasal | (nautical: tack into the wind) | ir contra el viento loc verb |
beat [sth/sb] back,
beat back [sth/sb] vtr phrasal sep | (push, repel) | hacer retroceder loc verb |
| | | rechazar⇒ vtr |
| | We were able to beat back the flames before they reached the house. |
| | Pudimos hacer retroceder las llamas antes de que alcanzaran la casa. |
| beat down vi phrasal | (sun: shine brightly and hot) (sol) | caer a plomo loc verb |
| | (figurado) | calcinar⇒ vtr |
| | | quemar⇒ vtr |
| | (ES) | caer un sol de justicia loc verb |
| | The sun was beating down on our backs. |
| | El sol caía a plomo sobre nuestra espalda. |
| | El sol nos calcinaba la espalda. |
| beat down vi phrasal | (rain: pour heavily) | diluviar v impers |
| | | llover a cántaros, llover a mares loc verb |
| | (ES: coloquial) | caer chuzos de punta loc verb |
| | The rain beat down so hard on the apple tree that in the morning half of the apples were on the ground. |
| | Diluvió tan fuerte sobre el manzano que al día siguiente la mitad de las manzanas estaban en el suelo. |
| beat [sb] down vtr phrasal sep | informal, figurative (negotiate lower price from) | regatear⇒ vi |
| | Amy beat the seller down to £20 for the vase. |
| | Ana le regateó al comprador hasta bajar el florero a $20. |
| beat [sth] down vtr phrasal sep | informal, figurative (price: negotiate lower) | bajar⇒ vi |
| | | regatear⇒ vi |
| | (AR) | pijotear⇒ vi |
| | We beat the price down to $45. |
| | Le bajó el precio hasta los $45. |
| beat [sb] down vtr phrasal sep | informal, figurative (demoralize) | desanimar a vtr |
| | (AR, informal) | pincharle el globo a loc verb |
| | (CR, informal) | desinflar a vtr + prep |
| | Doris admitted that life was beating her down. |
| | Doris admitió que la vida la estaba desanimando. |
beat [sth] down,
beat down [sth] vtr phrasal sep | figurative (suppress) | superar⇒ vtr |
| | (temporalmente) | suprimir⇒ vtr |
| | Deborah beat down her fear of flying and got on the plane to visit her daughter in Australia. |
| | Deborah superó su miedo a volar y se subió al avión para visitar a su hija en Australia. |
| beat off vi phrasal | vulgar, informal (masturbate) (vulgar) | hacerse la paja loc verb |
| | (ES, vulgar) | hacerse una manola loc verb |
| | He managed to beat off without his roommate hearing. |
| | Se las arregló para hacerse una paja sin que lo escuchara su compañero de cuarto. |
| | | masturbarse⇒ v prnl |
| | Se las arregló para masturbarse sin que lo escuchara su compañero de cuarto. |
beat [sb] off,
beat off [sb] vtr phrasal sep | vulgar, informal (masturbate) (vulgar) | hacer una paja a loc verb |
| | (vulgar) | meneársela a v prnl + prep |
| | She was beating him off. |
| | Ella le estaba haciendo una paja. |
| | Ella se la estaba meneando. |
beat out [sth],
beat [sth] out vtr phrasal insep | (strike: a rhythm) | golpetear siguiendo el ritmo loc verb |
| | | tamborilear⇒ vtr |
| | Rufus began beating out a rhythm on the drums. |
| | Rufus empezó a golpetear siguiendo el ritmo en su batería. |
beat out [sb],
beat [sb] out vtr phrasal sep | US, informal (outdo competitor) | batir⇒ vtr |
| | The other team beat us out for the championship. |
| | ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. El equipo local batió al visitante por 4 goles contra 1. |
| | | eliminar⇒ vtr |
| | ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. El equipo local eliminó al visitante del campeonato al vencerlo por 3 a 0. |
| beat [sb] up vtr phrasal sep | informal (assault) | golpear a vtr + prep |
| | | pegarle a vtr + prep |
| | A group of youths beat Henry up. |
| | Un grupo de jóvenes golpeó a Henry. |
| | | aporrear a vtr + prep |
| | | apalear a vtr + prep |
| | Un grupo de jóvenes aporreó a Henry. |
| | | darle una paliza a, moler a palos a loc verb |
| | (AR, coloquial) | cagar a palos a loc verb |
| | Un grupo de jóvenes le dio una paliza a Henry. |
Compound Forms:
|
beat a dead horse,
flog a dead horse v expr | figurative (pursue a hopeless cause) | machacar en hierro frío loc verb |
| | | perder el tiempo loc verb |
| | | esforzarse en vano v prnl + loc adv |
| | I tried to convince him to come with us, but felt that I was beating a dead horse. |
| | Traté de convencerlo de que nos acompañara, pero sentí que estaba machacando en hierro frío. |
| beat a path to [sb]'s door v expr | figurative (be keen to meet with [sb]) | llamar a tu puerta loc verb |
| | If you have a good idea, investors will beat a path to your door. |
| | Si tienes una idea brillante, los inversores llamarán a tu puerta. |
beat a retreat,
beat a hasty retreat n | figurative (withdraw quickly) | retirarse rápidamente loc verb |
beat around the bush,
also UK: beat about the bush v expr | figurative (avoid getting to the point) | andar con rodeos loc verb |
| | | irse por las ramas loc verb |
| | | dar vueltas loc verb |
| | Stop beating around the bush and give me the real reason! |
| | Deja de andar con rodeos y dime la verdadera razón. |
| beat [sb]'s brains out v expr | (physically beat [sb] severely) | dar una paliza a expr |
| Beat Generation n | historical (1950s beatniks) | generación Beat loc nom f |
beat [sb/sth] hollow,
also US: beat [sb/sth] all hollow v expr | (defeat) | vencer⇒ vtr |
| | (figurado) | apabullar⇒ vtr |
| beat it interj | slang (go away) | ¡lárgate! interj |
| | | ¡vete! interj |
| | | ¡fuera! interj |
| | No, I won't give you any money. Now, beat it! |
| | No te voy a dar dinero. ¡Lárgate! |
| | (AR) | ¡rajá!, ¡tomatelás! interj |
| | (AR) | ¡andate! interj |
| | No te voy a dar plata. ¡Rajá! |
| beat it v expr | slang (leave, go) | largarse⇒ v prnl |
| | The police showed up and we knew it was time to beat it. |
| | Apareció la policía y hubo que largarse. |
beat [sb/sth] off,
beat off [sb/sth] vtr + adv | (repel, fight back) | superar⇒ vtr |
| | The pensioner fought back and succeeded in beating off his attackers. |
| | El pensionista contraatacó y logró superar a sus atacantes. |
beat off [sth],
beat [sth] off vtr + adv | figurative (defeat) | repeler⇒ vtr |
| | He managed to beat off intense criticism from both left and right en route to the nomination. |
| | Logró repeler las intensas críticas desde el ala derecha e izquierda camino a la nominación. |
| beat poet | (type of poet) | poeta beat n común + adj inv |
| beat the air v expr | (wings, etc.: flap) | aletear⇒ vi |
| beat the air v expr | figurative (attempt and fail repeatedly) | dar un intento fallido expr |
| beat the bushes for [sth/sb] v expr | figurative (search) | buscar⇒ vtr |
| | | andar a la caza de loc verb + prep |
| beat the crap out of [sb/sth] v expr | vulgar, potentially offensive, informal (beat physically) (figurado) | moler a palos, cagar a palos loc verb |
| | | cagar a piñas loc verb |
| | He threatened to beat the crap out of me if I didn't pay him by the end of the week. |
| beat the drum for [sth] v expr | figurative (promote) (figurado) | batir el parche de loc verb |
| | (AR, figurado) | hacer bombo expr |
| | (figurado) | vender la idea de loc verb |
| | | proclamar⇒ vtr |
| | The environmental activist goes around the world beating the drum for energy reform. |
| | El activista ambiental va por mundo batiendo el parche de la reforma energética. |
beat the living daylights out of [sb],
also US: beat the daylights out of [sb] v expr | informal (beat up badly) | darle una paliza a loc verb + prep |
| | (AmL) | darle una golpiza a loc verb + prep |
| | (coloquial) | cascar a vtr + prep |
| beat the odds v expr | (do [sth] unlikely) | superar expectativas loc verb |
| | Joseph beat the odds and recovered from his cancer. |
| | José superó las expectativas y venció al cáncer. |
| beat the rap v expr | slang (escape blame, be acquitted) | salirse con la suya expr |
| | (AR, coloquial) | zafar⇒ vi |
| beat the s*** out of [sb/sth] v expr | vulgar, offensive!, informal (beat physically) (figurado) | moler a palos, cagar a palos loc verb |
| | | cagar a piñas loc verb |
| | We got into a fistfight and he beat the s*** out of me. |
| beat the system v expr | (find a way around rules) | burlar el sistema expr |
| beat [sb] to a pulp v expr | figurative (give [sb] a severe physical beating) | hacer papilla a loc verb |
| | | dejar hecho polvo a loc verb |
| beat [sb/sth] to death v expr | (cause death by hitting repeatedly) | matar a golpes loc verb |
| | (coloquial) | matar a palos loc verb |
| | The thieves beat the man to death in order to steal his wallet. |
| | Los ladrones lo mataron a golpes para robarle la cartera. |
| beat [sb] to it v expr | informal (do [sth] before [sb] else) | ganarle a v prnl + prep |
| | | ganarle de mano a loc verb |
| | I was about to give the answer but she beat me to it. |
| beat to quarters v expr | (nautical: summon crew) | preparación para el abordaje loc nom f |
| beat [sb] to the draw v expr | figurative (be faster than [sb]) (figurado) | ganarle de mano a expr |
| | | ganar a alguien por la mano expr |
| beat yourself up v expr | figurative, informal (feel guilty or bad) (coloquial, figurado) | comerse la cabeza loc verb |
| | | mortificarse⇒, culparse⇒ v prnl |
| | | castigarse⇒ v prnl |
| | It was just an honest mistake, so you shouldn't beat yourself up about it. |
| | Fue un error honesto; no te comas la cabeza. |
| beat-up adj | US, slang (vehicle: in poor condition) | destartalado/a adj |
| | (AR, coloquial, figurado) | cagado a palos loc adj |
| Note: A hyphen is used when the adjective precedes the noun. |
| | Rick drives a beat-up pickup truck. |
| | Ricardo tiene un camión destartalado. |
| beat up on yourself v expr | US, informal (feel guilty or bad) | autoflagelarse⇒ v pron |
| beat your breast v expr | (display sorrow) | darse golpes de pecho expr |
| beat-up car n | US, slang (car in poor condition) (AR, coloquial, figurado) | cafetera nf |
| | (UR, coloquial) | cachilo nm |
| | I love my beat-up car, even though it´s covered in dents and scratches. |
| | Me encanta mi cafetera, aunque esté llena de abolladuras y rayaduras. |
| dead beat adj | informal (completely exhausted) (coloquial) | muerto/a adj |
| | (coloquial) | hecho polvo loc adj |
| | | agotado/a, exhausto/a adj |
drop,
beat drop,
bass drop n | (music: change in rhythm, bass) (voz inglesa) | drop nm |
knock [sth] into a cocked hat,
also US: beat [sth] into a cocked hat v expr | figurative, slang (be far superior to) | ser mucho mejor loc verb |
| | | ganar por lejos loc verb |
| | Those coffee éclairs are delicious, but the chocolate ones knock them into a cocked hat. |
march to a different drummer,
march to the beat of a different drummer v expr | (be unconventional) | ir a otro ritmo loc verb |
| on the beat expr | (in the correct rhythm, tempo) | en ritmo loc adv |
| on the beat expr | (on patrol) | de patrulla loc adv |
| | | patrullando gerundio |
| play on the beat v expr | (music) | tocar en ritmo loc verb |
| pound the beat v expr | (police officer: patrol) | patrullar⇒ vi |
| | | rondar⇒ vi |
| skip a beat v expr | figurative (heart: miss a beat with excitement) | parársele el corazón a alguien loc verb + prep |
| | | darle un vuelco el corazón a alguien loc verb + prep |
| skip a beat v expr | (rhythm: miss a beat) | perder el ritmo loc verb |
| to beat the band expr | US, informal, figurative (to a high degree) | dejar boquiabierto a loc verb |
| without missing a beat expr | (without stopping or hesitating) | sin vacilar expr |
| you beat me to it expr | (you did it first) | me ganaste expr |
| | I was going to order a pizza, but you beat me to it. |