Compound Forms:
|
| a bit of a mess n | UK, informal (chaotic) | un desastre art + nm |
| | His love life's a bit of a mess. |
| | Su vida amorosa es un desastre. |
| a bit of a mess n | informal (difficult situation) | un pequeño desastre art + adj + nm |
| | (coloquial) | un pequeño lío art + adj + nm |
| | To say that the economy is in a bit of a mess is putting it mildly. |
| | Decir que la economía está hecha un pequeño desastre sería poco. |
| a bit of a mess n | informal (place: untidy) | un caos art + nm |
| | | un desorden art + nm |
| | | un lío art + nm |
| | My house is a bit of a mess, but please come in. |
| | La casa está hecha un caos, pero por favor pasa. |
| | (coloquial) | un desastre art + nm |
| | (coloquial) | un desmadre art + nm |
| | La casa está hecha un desastre, pero por favor pasa. |
a horse of a different color (US),
a horse of a different colour (UK) n | figurative ([sth] entirely different) (figurado) | harina de otro costal expr |
a horse of another color (US),
a horse of another colour (UK) n | figurative ([sth] entirely different) (figurado) | harina de otro costal expr |
| A word of advice interj | (I warn or recommend the following) | un consejo nm |
| | Just a word of advice -- don't plant peas in Wisconsin in March, whatever the books may say! |
| | Sólo un consejo: no plantes guisantes en Wisconsin en marzo, ¡no importa lo que digan los libros! |
| all of a sudden adv | (suddenly) | de repente loc adv |
| | All of a sudden, a dark cloud blotted out the sun. |
| | De repente una oscura nube tapó el sol. |
| at the drop of a hat expr | figurative, informal (at the least provocation) | a la más mínima loc adv |
| | | en un santiamén loc adv |
| | | de inmediato loc adv |
| | (AR) | a la primera de cambio expr |
| | That girl is so emotional, she'll start crying at the drop of a hat. |
| | Esa chica es tan emotiva que se pone a llorar a la más mínima. |
| be of a mind to do [sth] v expr | (be disposed to do [sth]) | estar dispuesto a hacer algo v cop + loc adj |
| | | tener ganas de hacer algo loc verb + prep |
| the best of a bad bunch n | informal (least awful person, thing) (AR, coloquial) | lo menos peor expr |
| | | de lo malo, lo mejor expr |
beyond doubt,
beyond a doubt,
beyond the shadow of a doubt,
beyond a shadow of a doubt adv | (undeniably) | sin duda alguna, sin ninguna duda loc adv |
| | This is beyond doubt the best song on the CD. |
| | Esta es sin duda alguna la mejor canción del CD. |
beyond doubt,
beyond a doubt,
beyond the shadow of a doubt,
beyond a shadow of a doubt adj | (certain) | sin duda loc adv |
| | | sin lugar a dudas loc adv |
| | | indudablemente adv |
| | The theory of evolution is scientifically beyond doubt. |
| birds of a feather npl | figurative (people who are alike) | tal para cual, Dios los cría y ellos se juntan expr |
| | You and your sister are birds of a feather; you both like joking around. |
| Birds of a feather flock together expr | figurative (people who are similar form groups) | Dios los cría y el viento los amontona expr |
| | | Dios los cría y ellos se juntan expr |
| | Zoe and Lynn have been inseparable since discovering they're both into football. Birds of a feather flock together! |
| bowels of a ship npl | figurative (vessel's interior) | sala de máquinas del barco nf |
brow,
brow of a hill n | (edge of a hill) | cima nf |
| | | cumbre nf |
| | The spectators cheered as the first cyclist appeared over the brow of the hill. |
| | Los espectadores ovacionaron cuando el primer ciclista apareció sobre la cima. |
chance of a lifetime,
opportunity of a lifetime n | (rare opportunity) | oportunidad única, oportunidad de una vez en la vida loc nom f |
| | The job offer with the television station was the chance of a lifetime. |
chit of a girl,
chit,
young chit n | dated, pejorative (young, immature girl) | mocosa nf |
| | (irónico, despectivo) | jovencita nf |
| a corker of a [sth] n | slang ([sth] outstanding or remarkable) (AR, coloquial) | flor de loc adj |
| | ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. Flor de vestido se puso para la fiesta, ¿'viste las fotos? |
| a devil of a n | figurative, informal ([sth] difficult, unpleasant) | de perros loc adj |
| | | difícil adj mf |
| | My family has had a devil of a time this past year. |
| | Mi familia tuvo un año de perros el año pasado. |
| a devil of a n | figurative, informal ([sth] bad) | tremendo/a adj |
| | | horrible adj mf |
| | | terrible adj mf |
| | That's a devil of a bruise you've got there; what happened? |
| | Tienes un tremendo moretón, ¿qué pasó? |
| a devil of a job n | informal (difficult, challenging task) (figurado, coloquial) | parto nm |
| | | tarea complicada nf + adj |
| dissolution of a company n | (terminate business) | disolución de una sociedad grupo nom |
| dissolution of a contract n | (law: end contract) | disolución de un contrato nf + loc adj |
| dissolution of a marriage n | (law: divorce) | disolución matrimonial nf + adj mf |