calar

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calar
transitive verb
1to soak (empapar)
2to see through (adivinar) (persona), to suss out (British)
3to jam on (gorro, sombrero)
4to cut a sample of (fruta)
5to perforate, to pierce (perforar)
intransitive verb
6to draw (Náut)
7(ser permeable)
  • estos zapatos calan -> these shoes let in water
  • calar hondo en (figurative) -> to have a great impact on (penetrar)
calarse
pronomial verb
1to get soaked (empaparse)
2to stall (motor) (peninsular Spanish)

Copyright © 2006 Chambers Harrap Publishers Limited

calar [cah-lar’]
article & verb transitive
1To penetrate, to pierce, to perforate, to plug.
2To discover a design, to comprehend the meaning or cause of a thing. (Metaphorical)
3To put, to place.
4To imitate net or lace work in linen or cotton.
5To wedge. (Mecahnic)
  • Calar el timón -> (Naut.) to hang the rudder; 6. (Tec.) To do fretwork on (metal); to do openwork
6To size up; to see through (fig.) (penetrar).
  • A éstos los tengo muy calados -> I’ve got them thoroughly weighed up
7To lower, to let down (puente); to lower (vela).
8To crush, to flatten, to sit on; (fig.) To humiliate.
9To draw. (Nautical)
  • El buque cala 12 metros -> the ship draws 12 meters, the ship has a draught of 12 meters
verb neuter & verb reflexive
10To sink in, soak in; to lead (zapato). (n)
11(fig.) Calar en, to go deeply into. (n)
  • Hay que calar más hondo -> this must be investigated further
verb reflexive
12To enter, to introduce oneself; to insinuate oneself into.
13To be wet through, to soak, to imbibe.
14To stoop, to dart down on prey.
  • Calarse el sombrero -> to stick one’s hat down; to put one’s hat on firmly
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adjective
1Calcareous.

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

calar
adjetivo
calcareous; (formal) lime
sustantivo:masculino
limestone quarry
calar
verbo:transitivo
1 [+líquido, lluvia, humedad] to soak (through)
la lluvia me caló la ropa the rain soaked drenched my clothes;o
esta fina lluvia te cala
calar a algn (hasta) los huesos to cut sb (through) to the bone; un frío y una humedad que calan los huesos cold and damp that cut through to the bone
una humedad que me calaba hasta los huesos
2 (familiar) (percatar) to suss (out); (familiar)
lo calé nada más conocerlo I had him sussed as soon as I'd met him; (familiar) ¡nos ha calado! he's sussed rumbled us!;o (familiar) we've been sussed rumbled!;o (familiar)
3 (Técnica) [+metal, madera] to fret
sierra de calar fret saw
4 [+bayoneta] to fix
5 [+mástil] to fix; fit; [+vela] to lower; [+red] to cast
el buque cala 12 metros the ship draws 12 metres; the ship has a draught of 12 metres
6 (And) (aplastar) to crush; flatten; (humillar) to humiliate
verbo:intransitivo
(penetrar)
esa moda no caló en España that fashion did not take on catch on in Spain;o su defensa caló en el jurado the arguments in his defence got through to the jury; una ideología que está calando en la sociedad an ideology that is catching on in society; esta opinión ha calado entre la población this opinion has taken deep root among the public
la medicina preventiva ha calado entre los dentistas
su mensaje caló hondo en nuestra generación her message had a deep effect made a deep impression on our generation;o
verbo:pronominal
calarse
1 (mojarse) to get soaked; get drenched
me calé hasta los huesos I got soaked to the skin
2 [+material, ropa] to let water in; get wet; [+zapatos] to let water in
esos zapatos se calan those shoes will let water in as soon as it rains
la lona de la tienda se calaba este chubasquero no se cala
3 [+motor, vehículo] to stall
se le caló el coche his car stalled
4 [+sombrero, gorra] to pull down; [+gafas, careta] to put on
se caló el sombrero hasta la frente he pulled his hat down over his forehead

Collins Complete Spanish Electronic Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Verb Conjugation for "calar"

Presente Pretérito Imperfect Futuro Subjuntivo
Yo calo calé calaba calaré cale
Tú calas calaste calabas calarás cales
Ella/Él/Usted cala caló calaba calará cale
Nosotros calamos calamos calábamos calaremos calemos
Vosotros caláis calasteis calabais calaréis caléis
Ellos/Ustedes calan calaron calaban calarán calen
Paid English to Spanish translation

Word of the Day: la carcajada

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hearty laughter, raucous laughter, guffaw