Love has no age, no limit; and no death. (John Galsworthy)
He was waiting for her. She was coming to see him tonight, but it was still early, so, to while away the time, he began to think about the past…The first time he fell in love he was still a child. He remembered it quite well because he was eight then, and he had gone down with that strange fever that almost carried him off. It had been an afternoon when his temperature was down a bit that she had come to play with him. It was the first time he had seen this pretty little girl, with curly golden hair, blue eyes and an angelic smile on her face. In his innocence, he had wanted her to stay, to go on playing with her the whole night, but his mother had not allowed it, and the following day when his fever had miraculously disappeared, he ran out of the house and asked everybody about her, but nobody knew who she was or where she lived. Precocious child that he was, he had lots of girlfriends in his childhood, but the memory of that little blonde girl with curly hair and blue eyes accompanied him for a long, long time…
He smiled as the curious contrast struck him: his first love when he was eight, and now at seventy…For a brief moment the thought of ridicule crossed his mind, but love has no age, he concluded, and went on remembering…The second time he thought he was in love he had been twenty. It was an evening when, just discharged from the army, he was driving his father’s red convertible on his way to the outskirts where he was meeting some friends to celebrate. Though it was already dark, he saw her clearly outlined at the side of the road, thumbing a lift wearing a miniskirt that revealed a generous part of her well-formed thighs, her long blond hair blowing in the wind. He braked his car and picked her up, and all the time she sat at his side he couldn’t help casting passionate looks at her mocking blue eyes, her insinuating smile, or her provocative low-necked blouse, and though he was an expert driver, it must have been in the midst of one of these sideways glances, on a bend, that he didn’t see the other car coming at him…When he woke up in hospital, the first thing he did was ask about her, the blue-eyed blonde with the miniskirt and the low-necked blouse, but nobody knew anything about his mysterious road companion. They had brought him alone, in a state of shock and with several ribs broken, and he ought to be glad he was not dead. Again the love of his life had brushed past him, and again it had slipped by…Later on he went to University for some time and had hundreds of dates, and a lot of fun. But that brief encounter on the road had marked him for ever, and the memory of that blue-eyed blonde with the mocking smile had never quite left him…
Curiously enough, the woman he was waiting for tonight was brown. A brunette with deep, jet-black eyes, but equally beautiful. His heart missed a beat. But, what was the matter with him? He was as nervous as a schoolboy on his first date. Well, it was understandable, because so much was at stake. At seventy, this was surely his last chance, and he couldn’t afford to let it go. He looked around him and was satisfied. Everything was ready. The lights down low, discreet music in the background, and he alone in the house: for once he had given the night off to the nurse who had so efficiently looked after him for six months. He looked at his watch: a little over an hour to wait, so he went back to his recollections…
After that fleeting encounter on the road, his life went on quite normally. He inherited his father’s business and became a prosperous merchant who had to travel around quite often, and it was on one of these journeys, to the Near East, that he thought he had found at last the woman of his dreams. It was on a plane, and he remembered it perfectly well because the plane was hijacked and it was a near thing it didn’t all end up in tragedy. In the middle of the flight, the hijackers threatened the passengers and the crew with a machine gun and handgrenades, and in the turmoil that ensued he once looked across the aisle and saw her. A smart, clever-looking redhead, her legs crossed nonchalantly, looking disdainfully at the terrorist leader, with her beautiful hazel eyes, without a trace of fear, as though she was sure that nothing would happen there. All through the ordeal, he could not take his eyes off this woman who attracted him like a magnet. Once he thought she had smiled at him, inviting him to go and sit at her side, but he was a coward and dared not move from his seat. The terrorists finally ordered the pilot to take the plane to Baghdad, and when everything had ended happily, and he was in the airport lounge waiting for another plane to take him to his destination, he looked out eagerly for her, but couldn’t find her anywhere. It was as if she had vanished into thin air. It seemed to be his fate to find the woman of his life over and over again, and always let her inevitably slip through his fingers…Of course, there were many other women in his life, he married and divorced twice, had intimate friends and lovers, but somehow he never forgot the redhead on the plane…
Absorbed in his dreams of the past, he was startled when, looking again at his watch, he found that it was only a few minutes to the appointed time. Again a doubt assailed him, would she come, or had it all been a cruel joke? He had good reasons for distrust: he was so old and decrepit, and she, so young and beautiful! But she had sounded sincere to him at the hospital a week ago, when she had promised that she would come to see him in seven days, that is tonight. Oh, God! How he desired to see her again, hug her, make her his. He felt burning in his hardened veins the fire of his long pent-up passion. He was really excited, and to calm his nerves he helped himself to a drop of whisky, and cast a last look around the room. It was full of costly ornaments, dumb witnesses of a long life travelling the world: his priceless English china, his charming Russian folk dolls, his ivory chess set and the pearl of his collection, the Van Gogh, bought in London after a hard-fought auction at Sotheby’s. He would willingly give it all to make her keep her date, to hold her in his arms, to spend a night with her…
He looked at the living room doorway and there she was. So beautiful, her long black hair loose, her skin of alabaster, her breasts pointed, her waist slender, wearing a tight-fitting black dress that set off her sculptural figure, her fleshy red lips tempting…Full of desire, he took a step towards her, and suddenly, when he saw her more closely, in a flash of lucidity, he understood it all: the beautiful brunette who was urgently calling him to her side was the hazel-eyed redhead on the plane, the coquettish blue-eyed blonde on the road, the curly golden-haired little girl of his infancy. What a fool he had been! How blind! Why hadn’t he realized before? They were all one and the same woman, the woman he had always loved, always longed for, the one he had believed he would find but had always slipped through his fingers. Well, this time he would not let it happen, this time she would be his for ever. He looked up and saw that the beautiful brunette, whose name he didn’t even know, serene, majestic, smiling, was looking at him with her deep, dark eyes that seemed to ask, are you sure you wish to make me yours? Do you truly want to kiss me? Without the slightest trace of doubt, he took her gently in his arms at last and kissed her…It was a long, long kiss…at once sweet and bitter, passionate and chaste, ardent and cold…yes, cold, because the serene, sculptural beauty’s cold lips froze his heart for ever.
SEMANTIC ANALYSIS (for help go here)
8.2.1 LEARNING NEW WORDS AND PHRASES
airport lounge (sala de espera del aeropuerto) (for the language of airports, see 4.2.6a)
aisle (pasillo)
alabaster (alabastro)
to be a near thing (that) [faltar poco (para)]
to be at stake (estar en juego)
blonde (rubia)
to brake (frenar)
breasts (pechos) (for parts of the human body, see 11.2.5a)
brunette (morena
clearly outlined (claramente perfilado)
to conclude (llegar a una conclusión)
coward (cobarde)
curiously enough (curiosamente)
curly (rizado) (for hairstyle, see 8.2.7a)
charming (encantador)
chaste (casto)
chess set [ajedrez (tablero y piezas)]
crew (tripulación) (for collective nouns, see 9.2.16)
disdainfully (desdeñosamente, despreciativamente)
dumb witnesses of a long life travelling the world (testigos mudos de una larga vida viajera)
fleshy (carnoso)
folk dolls (muñecas con trajes regionales)
to give the night off (dejar la noche libre)
handgrenades (granadas de mano)
a hard-fought auction (una subasta muy reñida)
to hijack (secuestrar)
to hug (abrazar)
ivory (marfil)
jet-black (negro azabache)
low-necked (escotado) (for describing clothes, see 8.2.7c)
machine gun (ametralladora)
magnet (imán)
mocking (burlón)
nonchalantly (con desenfado)
ordeal (terrible experiencia, calvario)
outskirts (afueras)
over and over again (una y otra vez)
pent-up passion (pasión contenida/reprimida)
precocious (precoz)
a red convertible (un descapotable rojo (for types of car, see 6.2.6d)
redhead (pelirroja)
rib (costilla) (for parts of the human body, see 11.2.5a)
sideways glances (miradas de reojo)
to slip through one’s fingers (escurrirse de entre los dedos)
thigh (muslo) (for parts of the human body, see 11.2.5a)
to thumb a lift (hacer autostop)
tight-fitting (ajustado al cuerpo)
turmoil (confusión, alboroto, desorden)
waist (cintura) (for parts of the human body, see 11.2.5a)
what was the matter with him? (¿qué le pasaba?)
to while away the time (para pasar el rato)
willingly (de buena gana)
without the slightest trace of doubt (sin el menor asomo de duda)
(see also IDIOMS, 8.2.13 and PHRASAL VERBS, 8.2.14)
8.2.2 SYNONYMS AND NEAR-SYNONYMS
to allow (to permit)
costly (expensive, dear, pricey/pricy)
decrepit (feeble, infirm)
discreet (unobtrusive)
eagerly (impatiently, anxiously)
encounter (meeting)
to ensue (to follow, to result)
fate (destiny)
fleeting (brief)
to long for (to crave/thirst/yearn for, to be itching/dying/aching for)
to remember (to recall, to recollect, to reminisce about, to think back to)
startled (surprised)
to threaten (to menace)
turmoil (confusion, commotion)
to vanish (to disappear)
8.2.3 ANTONYMS
to allow (to forbid)
ardent (half-hearted, cold)
bitter (sweet)
brief (lengthy, long-winded)
costly (cheap, inexpensive)
8.2.4 POLYSEMOUS TERMS
brief [(breve;
corta (prenda de vestir);
expediente; misión, cometido;
in brief (en pocas palabras);
to brief sb on sth (informar a alguien sobre algo),
briefs (calzoncillos, bragas)]
slip:
to slip [deslizarse, resbalarse, patinar; pasar algo a alguien disimuladamente; escurrirse; dislocarse (vértebra); soltarse (correa perro); dejar escapar (oportunidad);
to let sth slip (escaparse algo, decir lo que no se quería decir),
to slip one’s mind (olvidarse, pasársele a uno algo);
to slip one’s notice (pasársele por alto);
slip (resbalón, traspié, tropezón); desliz (moral o verbal); lapsus, despiste, olvido; combinación (ropa interior); papelito (trozo); ficha (de archivo); resguardo, volante (papel);
to give sb the slip (dar esquinazo);
pillow slip (funda de almohada);
slip road (vía de acceso a/salida de una autopista)]
smart [elegante; listo; aguda (observación); rápido (paso); fuerte (golpe, crítica); to smart: escocer, picar (herida, ojos), dar punzadas (dolor)]
sound [sonido; sonda; brazo de mar; sano; sólido; lógico; seguro; severa (derrota); profundo (sueño); to sound: sonar, tocar; sondar; auscultar]
8.2.5 HOMONYMS
date (fecha, cita y persona con la que se tiene la cita) (ME from OF from Latin data)/date (the fruit) (ME from OF from Latin dactylus)
to mean (querer decir) (from OE maenan)/mean (mezquino) (from OE maene)
must (modal verb) (from OE mōste)/must (noun= mosto), from OE from Latin mustum)
saw (past of to see) (from OE sēon)/saw (the tool) (from OE saga)
8.2.6 METONYMY AND METAPHOR
…the hazel-eyed redhead on the plane (redhead is a metonymy for ‘a person with red hair’)
…the pearl of his collection (pearl is a metaphor for ‘the most precious thing’)
8.2.7 LEXICAL FIELDS
- a) hairstyle:
Afro (peinado afro)
bald (calvo)
balding (con poco pelo, quedándose calvo)
bob (estilo paje, a lo chico)
bun/chignon (moño)
bunches (coletas)
crew cut (al cero, rapado)
cropped (muy corto)
curly/frizzy (rizado)
dreadlocks (rizos estilo rasta)
flat-top (al cepillo)
fringe (flequillo)
layered (cortado a capas)
lock (mechón)
long (largo, melena)
Mohican (BrE)/Mohawk(AmE) (con cresta a lo mohicano)
permed (con la permanente)
pigtails [coletas (trenzadas), trenzas]
plait (BrE)/braid (AmE) (trenza)
ponytail (cola de caballo)
receding (con entradas)
short (corto)
spiky (de punta)
straight (liso)
wavy (con ondas)
- b) clothes:
anorak (anorak)
apron (delantal)
bathrobe (albornoz)
belt (cinturón)
beret (boina)
Bermuda shorts (bermudas)
blazer (chaqueta con insignia)
blouse (blusa)
bomber jacket (cazadora)
boots (botas) (for footware, see d below)
bowler (sombrero hongo)
bow tie (corbata de pajarita)
braces (tirantes)
cap (gorra)
cardigan (cárdigan, chaqueta de punto)
casual jacket (chaqueta sport)
cloak (capa)
coat (chaquetón, abrigo)
crash helmet (casco protector)
cuff links (gemelos)
culottes (falda pantalón)
dinner dress (traje de noche)
dinner jacket (smoking)
dress (vestido)
dressing gown (bata, batín)
duffel coat (trenca)
dungarees (pantalones de peto)
evening gown (traje de noche)
evening suit (traje de etiqueta)
fur coat (abrigo de piel)
gloves (guantes)
hat (sombrero)
headscarf (pañuelo para la cabeza)
hood (capucha)
house frock/house dress (bata)
jacket (chaqueta)
jeans (vaqueros)
jumper (suéter)
leotard (mallas)
lumberjacket (cazadora)
mackintosh/mac (impermeable)
miniskirt (minifalda)
neckerchief (pañuelo para el cuello)
overalls (guardapolvo, mono)
overcoat (abrigo)
panties (bragas) (for underwear, see e below)
pants [pantalones (AmE)] (see also e below)
pullover (jersey)
raincoat (gabardina)
ribbon (cinta para el pelo)
scarf (bufanda)
shawl (chal)
shoes (zapatos) (for footwear, see d below)
shorts (pantalones cortos, shorts)
skirt (falda)
slacks (pantalones de sport)
socks (calcetines)
stockings (medias)
suit (traje; traje sastre)
sweater (suéter)
sweatshirt (sudadera)
swimsuit/swimming costume/bathing suit (bañador)
(swimming) trunks (bañador de hombre)
tie (corbata)
top hat (sombrero de copa)
tracksuit (chandal)
trenchcoat (trinchera)
trouser suit (traje pantalón)
trousers [pantalones (esp BrE)]
T-shirt (camiseta)
twin set (conjunto)
veil (velo)
waistcoat (chaleco de traje)
- c) describing clothes:
baggy (que hace bolsas)
belt buckle (hebilla del cinturón)
bib (peto)
button (botón)
button-down collar (cuello cuyas puntas se abotonan a la camisa)
buttonhole (ojal)
capped sleeves (mangas a la sisa)
close-fitting (ajustado)
collar (cuello)
collarless (sin cuello)
corduroy (pana)
crew neck/round neck (cuello redondo)
cuffs (puños)
checked (a cuadros)
denim (tela vaquera)
dotted (de lunares pequeños)
double-breasted jacket (chaqueta de doble pecho)
drawstrings (cordones de los que se tira para cerrar algo)
embroidered (bordado)
flared trousers/flares (pantalones de campana)
flowery (con flores)
fly/flies (portañica, bragueta)
frills (volantes)
gaudy (chillón, demasiado llamativo)
heel (tacón)
hem (dobladillo)
herringbone (diseño en espiga)
lace (encaje)
laces (cordones)
lapel (solapa)
leather (cuero)
linen (lino)
lining (forro)
long sleeves/long-sleeved (mangas largas/de mangas largas)
loop fastening (presilla)
loose (holgado)
low-necked blouse (blusa escotada
neck (cuello)
open-necked shirt (camisa de cuello abierto)
patch pocket (bolsillo de parche)
patchwork (labor de retales)
patterned/print blouse (estampado)
pinafore dress (vestido de tirantes)
pinstripe suit (traje de raya diplomática)
pin-striped (de raya diplomática)
plain (liso, -a)
pleated skirt (falda plisada)
pocket (bolsillo)
polka dots [(dibujo de) lunares]
polo neck/turtleneck (cuello de cisne/cuello alto/vuelto)
polo-necked/turtle-necked (de cuello alto/de cisne/vuelto)
puffed sleeve (manga ancha)
round-neck (cuello redondo)
satin (satén)
seam (costura)
shoelaces (cordones de los zapatos)
short sleeves/short-sleeved (mangas cortas/de mangas cortas)
shoulder padding (hombrera)
silk (seda)
single-breasted jacket (chaqueta recta, de una fila de botones)
sleeve (manga)
sleeveless (sin mangas)
sole (suela)
spotted (con lunares)
straight skirt (falda lisa)
straight trousers (pantalón recto)
straps (tirantes de vestido)
striped (a rayas)
suede (ante)
tailored suit (traje sastre entallado)
tartan (tartán)
tight (ceñido)
top pocket (bolsillo superior)
toweling (felpa)
turn-ups (vueltas del pantalón)
tweed (tweed)
velvet (terciopelo)
V-neck/V-necked (cuello de pico/de cuello de pico)
wool/woollen (lana/de lana)
wraparound skirt (falda cruzada)
zip (cremallera)
- d) footwear:
ballet shoes (zapatillas de ballet)
boots (botas)
brogues (zapatos gruesos de cuero)
clogs/pattens (zuecos)
court shoes (BrE)/pumps (AmE) (zapatos de salón)
dancing shoes (zapatillas de baile)
espadrilles (alpargatas)
flats/flat shoes (zapatos planos, sin tacones)
flip flops (BrE)/thongs (AmE) (chanclas/chancletas)
galoshes (chanclos)
gym shoes (zapatillas de gimnasia/de deporte)
high-heeled/low-heeled shoes (zapatos de tacón alto/bajo)
lace-ups/lace-up shoes (zapatos con cordones)
loafers/moccasins (mocasines)
mules (babuchas)
patent leather shoes (zapatos de charol)
platform shoes (zapatos de plataforma)
plimsolls (BrE)/sneakers (AmE) (zapatillas de deporte de suela de goma, playeras)
pumps (BrE)/flats (AmE) (zapatos ligeros sin tacones)
sandals (sandalias)
shoes (zapatos)
slip-ons (zapatos sin cordones)
slippers (zapatillas)
stiletto heel (tacón de aguja)
stilettos (zapatos de tacón de aguja)
tennis shoes (zapatillas de tenis)
thick-soled shoes (zapatos de suela gruesa)
trainers (BrE)/sneakers(AmE) (zapatillas de deporte)
walking boots (botas para caminar)
wedges (zapatos de cuña)
wellingtons/wellington boots (botas de agua)
- e) underwear:
bra (sujetador)
briefs (calzoncillos/bragas)
corset (corsé)
drawers (bragas – obs.)
girdle (faja)
knickers/panties (bragas)
lingerie (lencería)
nightdress/nightgown/nightie (colloq.) (camisón de dormir)
nightwear (ropa de dormir)
panties/knickers (bragas)
pants (BrE) (calzoncillos/bragas)
panty girdle (faja pantalón)
pantyhose [(medias) pantys]
pyjamas (BrE)/pajamas (AmE) (pijama)
shorts (AmE) (calzoncillos)
slip/petticoat (obs.) (enaguas)
stockings (medias)
stretch girdle (faja elástica)
suspender/garter (liga)
tights (pantys, leotardos)
underclothes/ underwear/undies (colloq.) (ropa interior)
underpants (calzoncillos)
vest (BrE.)/undershirt (AmE) (camiseta)
- f) jewellery and precious stones:
amber (ámbar)
amethyst (amatista)
anklet (cadenita para el tobillo)
aquamarine (aguamarina)
bangle (brazalete, pulsera)
bracelet (pulsera)
brooch (broche)
cameo (camafeo)
chain (cadena)
charm bracelet ( pulsera amuleto/de la suerte)
cuff links (gemelos)
diadem (diadema)
diamond (diamante)
earrings (pendientes)
emerald (esmeralda)
garnet (granate)
gold (oro, de oro)
gold medal (medalla de oro)
gold watch (reloj de oro)
hair slide (BrE)/barrette (AmE) (pasador para el pelo)
jade (jade)
jewel (joya)
jewellery (BrE)/jewelry (AmE) (joyas)
locket (guardapelo)
medallion (medallón)
necklace (collar)
onyx (ónice)
opal (ópalo)
pendant (colgante)
pin (alfiler)
platinum (platino, de platino)
precious stones (piedras preciosas)
ring (anillo)
ruby (rubí)
sapphire (safiro)
silver (plata, de plata)
solitaire (solitario)
stud (pasador para el cuello de la camisa)
tiepin (alfiler de corbata)
topaz (topacio)
turquoise (turquesa)
wedding ring/band (anillo de boda/alianza)
8.2.8 GRAMMATICAL COLLOCATIONS
cannot afford sth/to do sth (no poder permitirse algo/hacer algo)
discharged from (licenciado de)
to let sb do sth/let sth happen (dejar a alguien hacer algo/dejar que algo ocurra)
to make sb do sth (hacer que alguien haga algo)
8.2.9 LEXICAL COLLOCATIONS
to throw/to cast (tirar, lanzar, arrojar, echar):
to throw:
to throw the ball to sb/throw sb the ball (lanzar la pelota a alguien),
to throw a stone at sb (tirar una piedra a alguien);
to throw oneself onto the bed (echarse sobre la cama),
don’t throw your clothes on the floor! (¡no tires la ropa al suelo!),
he was thrown into the air by the force of the explosion (fue lanzado por los aires por la fuerza de la explosión),
throw me that towel! (¡échame esa toalla!);
she threw her arms around him (lo rodeó con sus brazos),
to throw the dice (lanzar los dados),
he threw a six (sacó un seis),
to throw a fit/a scene (hacer una escena),
to throw a tantrum (pillar una rabieta),
to throw a party (dar una fiesta),
to throw sb completely (desconcertar completamente),
to throw doubt/suspicion on sb/sth (arrojar dudas/sospechas sobre alguien/algo),
to throw good money after bad (seguir tirando/malgastando el dinero),
to throw cold water on sth (echar un jarro de agua fría),
to throw caution to the wind(s) (liarse la manta a la cabeza,
olvidarse de tomar precauciones),
to throw light on a subject (arrojar luz sobre un tema/asunto),
to throw sb off balance (hacer perder el equilibrio),
to be thrown out of work (ser echado/despedido del trabajo),
to throw a punch at sb (lanzar un puñetazo a),
to throw a window open (abrir una ventana de par en par, esp. de golpe),
to throw oneself into one’s work (trabajar con entusiasmo),
to throw the book at sb (castigar con rigor, aplicar todo el peso de la ley),
to throw a spanner in the works (poner trabas a algo),
to throw overboard (tirar por la borda)
to cast:
to cast the fishing line/net (lanzar la caña de pescar/red);
to cast a look/a glance/a smile at (lanzar una mirada/sonrisa),
to cast a shadow on/over/across sth (proyectar sombra),
cast a spell on/over (hechizar),
cast a/one’s vote (votar),
cast an eye over sth (echar una ojeada),
cast light on/onto (arrojar luz sobre),
to cast doubts on (poner en duda),
to cast its skin [mudar la piel (serpiente)],
to cast lots (echar a suerte),
the die is cast (la suerte está echada),
to be cast as (ser elegido para el papel de),
to cast anchor (echar el ancla),
to cast a shoe (perder una herradura un caballo),
to cast one’s mind back (to sth) (recordar, remontarse al pasado, hurgar en la memoria)
8.2.10 ANALYSIS BY DISTINCTIVE SEMANTIC FEATURES
throwing:
to throw (echar, tirar, lanzar; sacar con los dados, etc. – see lexical collocations, 8.2.9 above)
to hurl [ + with great force, violence, anger] (lanzar algo con fuerza, con violencia, con ira; insultos)
to toss [ + sth light, with a movement of your hand] (algo, o algo a alguien, esp. algo ligero; lanzar una moneda al aire para decidir algo)
to fling [ + quickly, with force, anger] (con fuerza, con violencia, con ira, repentinamente)
to chuck [ + carelessly, with indifference] (descuidadamente, de cualquier manera)
to chuck out [ + get rid of, throw away] (tirar algo que ya no sirve)
to cast [ + deliberately, with force] [echar, lanzar, con fuerza, (algo que se extiende sobre una superficie determinada: caña de pescar, red); lanzar: mirada, ojeada, etc. (see lexical collocations, 8.2.9 above)]
to launch [ + send forth] [lanzar cohete al espacio, libro/producto al mercado, una campaña, ataque, botar (barco), fundar (empresa), estrenar (película), emitir (dividendos)]
8.2.11 WORDS EASILY CONFUSED
to miss/to lose/to waste:
to miss: to miss sb/sth (echar de menos a alguien/algo),
to miss a shot (fallar un disparo),
to miss the mark/target (no dar en el blanco/la diana),
to miss a class, a lecture, a performance [perder(se) una clase, una conferencia, una actuación],
to miss an opportunity (perder una oportunidad),
to miss the bus, the train/the plane (perder el autobús, el tren, el avión),
to miss a place (no ver, pasar por alto: we missed the post office),
to miss a line (saltarse una línea),
to miss what sb says (no captar o entender lo que alguien dice),
to miss a beat (the heart) [dar un vuelco (el corazón)],
to miss one’s footing (dar un traspiés)
to lose: to lose sth/sb (perder algo o a alguien),
to lose a game/a match/a championship (perder un juego, un partido, un campeonato),
to lose sb sth (costar, hacer perder algo a alguien: the mistake lost me my job la equivocación me costó el puesto de trabajo),
to lose sb (zafarse, deshacerse de un perseguidor),
to lose consciousness (perder el conocimiento),
to lose face (desprestigiarse, quedar mal),
to lose heart (desanimarse),
to lose one’s breath (perder el aliento),
to lose one’s figure (perder la línea),
to lose one’s head (perder la cabeza),
to lose one’s heart (enamorarse),
o lose one’s nerve (acobardarse),
to lose one’s mind (volverse loco),
to lose one’s temper (perder los estribos),
to lose one’s touch (perder facultades),
to lose one’s way (perderse, extraviarse),
to lose sight of sth/sb (perder algo o a alguien de vista),
to lose touch/contact with sb (perder el contacto con alguien),
to lose time (perder tiempo, minutos, etc.),
to lose the thread of sth (perder el hilo),
to lose weight (perder peso)
to waste: to waste sth [malgastar, desperdiciar (tiempo, dinero, esfuerzo, alimento, ocasión), despilfarrar (recursos, dinero), desaprovechar (espacio, oportunidad)]
8.2.12 WORD FORMATION
Suffixes used to form adjectives expressing quality:
-able: honourable (honorable), inevitable (inevitable), unforgettable (inolvidable), etc.
-al: accidental (accidental), psychological (sicológico), sculptural (escultural), etc.
-ed: blue-eyed (de ojos azules), hazel-eyed (de ojos color avellana), golden-haired (de pelo rubio), low-necked (con escote bajo), talented (talentoso), well-formed (bien formado), wooded (boscoso, cubierto de árboles), etc. (see also 7.2.8)
-esque: burlesque (burlesco), picturesque (pintoresco), Dantesque (dantesco), etc.
-ful/-less (see 4.2.10)
-ian: authoritarian (autoritario), bohemian (bohemio), Shakespearian (shakesperiano), etc.
-ic: angelic (angelical), atomic (atómico), heroic (heróico), majestic (majestuoso), etc.
-ing: mocking (burlón), insinuating (insinuante), charming (encantador), tempting (tentador), etc.
-ish: childish (infantil), coquettish (coqueto,-a), foolish (tonto), reddish (rojizo), Turkish (turco), etc.
-ive: attentive (atento), attractive (atractivo), offensive (ofensivo), provocative (provocativo), etc.
-like: childlike (infantil), godlike (divino), warlike (belicoso), etc.
-ly: cowardly (cobarde), deathly (cadavérico), fleshy (gordo, carnoso), friendly (amistoso; simpático), stately (majestuoso), etc.
-ous: curious (curioso), dangerous (peligroso), famous (famoso), generous (generoso), miraculous (milagroso), mysterious (misterioso), nervous (nervioso), precocious (precoz), prosperous (próspero), etc. (see also 10.2.10)
-some: bothersome (molesto, enojoso), quarrelsome (camorrista, pendenciero), troublesome (molesto, penoso; conflictivo, difícil), etc.
-y: curly (rizado), filthy (sucio, asqueroso), hairy (peludo), rainy (lluvioso), risky (arriesgado), silky (sedoso), silvery (plateado), stormy (tormentoso), woody (cubierto de árboles), etc.
8.2.13 IDIOMS
idioms with way:
all the way (por completo, hasta el final)
by the way (a propósito)
by way of (a.-pasando por; b- a modo de)
can you tell me the way to…? (¿me puede decir cómo se va a…?)
get out of the way! (¡quítate de en medio!)
I must be on my way (tengo que marcharme)
in a way (en cierto modo)
in the family way (embarazada)
no way! (¡ni hablar!, ¡de ninguna manera!)
on one’s way (de camino)
the other way round (al revés, todo lo contrario)
the wrong way round (al revés, lo de delante detrás)
there are no two ways about it (no tiene vuelta de hoja)
this way (por aquí)
to ask the way to (preguntar cómo se va a algún lugar )
to be born that way (haber nacido así, ser de nacimiento)
to be in the way (estorbar, estar en medio)
to be set in one’s ways (tener costumbres fijas)
to be under way (estar en marcha, haciéndose)
to cut both ways (ser un arma de doble filo, tener ventajas e inconvenientes)
to do sth one’s way (hacer algo a su manera)
to give way (ceder)
to go a long way towards (contribuir en gran manera a)
to go out of one’s way to (desvivirse por)
to go the way of all flesh (morir como todo el mundo)
to have a way with people (tener don de gentes)
to have one’s (own) way (salirse con la suya)
to look the other way (hacer la vista gorda)
to lose one’s way (perderse)
to make one’s way in the world (abrirse camino en la vida)
to pave the way to (preparar el terreno para)
to wait to see which way the wind is blowing (esperar a ver por donde van los tiros)
way in (entrada)
way out (salida)
you can’t have it both ways (las dos cosas no pueden ser, no se puede repicar y andar en la procesión)
8.2.14 PHRASAL VERBS
to brush past (pasar rozando)
to carry sb off [matar (una enfermedad), ser la causa de la muerte, llevarse por delante]
to end up (terminar haciendo algo)
to go back to (volver a)
to go on (continuar, seguir)
to go/come down with (caer enfermo, esp. de una enfermedad contagiosa: gripe, sarampión, varicela, etc.)
to long for (estar deseando)
to look after sb (cuidar de alguien)
to look out for (buscar, tratar de encontrar, estar atento a)
to look up (levantar la vista)
to pick sb up (recoger a alguien que hace autostop) (for other meanings of to pick up, see 7.2.5)
to set sth off (realzar)
to slip by (escabullirse)
8.2.15 CULTURAL NOTES
John Galsworthy (1867-1933) – famous English novelist and playwright, author of The Forsyte Saga (1906-1921).
Sotheby’s – a famous auction house in London which arranges the sale of rare and valuable things such as paintings, furniture, etc.
8.3 GRAMMAR REVISION
8.3.1 That in adverbial subordinates of reason
Precocious child that he was…
8.3.2 Noun phrase post-modifiers
… the little blonde girl with curly hair and blue eyes
8.3.3 Contact clauses (see also 1.3.2 and 9.3.3)
the woman he was waiting for…
8.3.4 Make + infinitive without to
…to make her keep her date
8.3.5 Let + infinitive without to
…he would not let it happen
8.3.6 One as a prop word
…the one he had believed he would find…