UNIT 1

A new broom a new person in charge that makes changes

A wet blanket someone who doesnt 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 doesnt 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 whats 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 someones 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 Direccin asistida
A Sucker of a person who likes something a lot; a nave 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 Laymans 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; dont slouch (ponte recto)
Utterly Completely
Staggeringly astoundingly surprisingly
Evenly equally
Nows 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 someones good books is because that person is very pleased with you
To speak volumes about someone is very indicative of someones character
To take a leaf out of someones 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 its 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 shouldnt, 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, desaliado
Slam golpe
Clamber trepar, climb

UNIT 4
Breed Criar
Trudge (through) Caminar penosament
Swamp Pant (Marsh, Bog)
Pith helmet barret explorador filip
Bearer Portador
Run off with fugir amb
Faintly Lluegerament, a penas...
Look down on menysprear, mirar per sobre lespatlla
Sordid srdido, sucio, impuro, mezquino, indecente
Cesspit Pou, cloaca
Squat ajupir-se, cuclilles
Scapegoat Chivo expiatorio; cabeza de turco (fall guy, whipping boy)
Sultry vergonys (bochornoso)
See off acomiada (dir adu)
Beckon Fer senyals
Beckoning Atractiu, apetecible
Lushness (lush) exuberncia (exuberant)
Heap un munt (montn) de (a heap of bricks)
Muck estircol
Gable aguiln, gablete, hastin...
Hereinafter de ahora en adelante (from now on)
Undertake assumir
Liability responsabilidad
Blazing very hot, burning
Log tronco (log fire fuego de lea). 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 someones eye attract someones 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 sths/sbs last gasp estar en las ltimas
Ordeal terrible experience
Drowsy Somnulent
Droop Flaquejar, posar-se musti

UNIT 5
Vlvet Criar
Nook and cranny en cada rincn / 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 situaci difcil
Grim adusto (persona), nefasto o desalentador (situacin), lgubre 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