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atar

∗ ≈

to tie

∗ verb

atar
transitive verb
1. to tie (unir) (nudo, cuerda)
  • atar cabos (figurative) -> to put two and two together
2. to tie up (con cuerdas) (persona caballo, barco)
  • lo ataron de pies y manos -> they tied his hands and feet
  • esa cláusula nos ata las manos -> our hands are tied by that clause
  • atar corto a alguien (figurative) -> to keep a tight rein on somebody
3. to tie down (constreñir)
  • su trabajo le ata mucho -> her work takes up a lot of her time
atarse
pronomial verb
1. to tie oneself down (uno mismo)
also:
  • se ató el pelo -> she tied her hair up
  • atarse los zapatos -> to tie one's shoes o shoelaces

Copyright © 2006 Chambers Harrap Publishers Limited

atar [ah-tar’]
article & verb transitive
1. To tie, to bind, to fasten, to knit; to lace.
2. To deprive of motion, to stop. (Metaphorical)
  • Atar bien su dedo -> to take care of oneself, to be attentive to one’s own interest
  • Al atar de los trapos -> at the close of the accounts
  • Loco de atar -> as mad as a hatter
  • Atar cabos -> to put two and two together
  • Este trabajo me ata mucho -> this work ties me down a lot
  • Atar corto a uno -> to keep a tight rein over someone
  • Atar de pies y manos -> to tie hand and foot
verb reflexive
3. To be embarrassed or perplexed, to be at a loss how to extricate oneself from some difficulties.
  • Atarse en una dificultad -> to get tied in a difficulty
4. To confine oneself to some certain subject or matter.
  • Atarse a la letra -> to stick to the letter of the text
  • Atarse las manos -> to tie oneself down by promise

Velazquez® Spanish and English Dictionary. Copyright © 2007 by Velazquez® Press. All rights reserved.

atar
verbo:transitivo
1 (amarrar) to tie; tie up; [+cautivo] to bind; tie up; (abrochar) to fasten; [+animal] to tether; [+gavilla] to bind
zapatos de atar lace-up shoes; está de atar he's raving mad
dejar algo atado y bien atado to leave no loose ends; leave everything properly tied up
2 (impedir el movimiento a) to stop; paralyze
atar corto a algn to keep sb on a close rein
atar la lengua a algn to silence sb
atar las manos a algn to tie sb's hands
verse atado de pies y manos to be tied hand and foot
verbo:intransitivo
ni ata ni desata this is getting us nowhere
verbo:pronominal
atarse
1 (liarse) to get into a muddle
atarse en una dificultad to get tied up in a difficulty
2 (sentirse violento) to be embarrassed; get embarrassed
3 (ceñirse)
atarse a la letra to stick to the literal meaning; atarse a una opinión to stick to one's opinion; not budge from one's opinion

Collins Complete Spanish Electronic Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Verb Conjugation for "atar" (go to to tie)

Presente Pretérito Imperfect Futuro Subjuntivo
Yo ato até ataba ataré ate
Tú atas ataste atabas atarás ates
Ella/Él/Usted ata ató ataba atará ate
Nosotros atamos atamos atábamos ataremos atemos
Vosotros atáis atasteis atabais ataréis atéis
Ellos/Ustedes atan ataron ataban atarán aten
Paid English to Spanish translation

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basement, cellar (in a house); vault (in a bank)

 
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