enganchar

to hook

enganchar(ehng-gahn-chahr)

transitive verb

1. (to attach)

a. to hook

Después de enganchar la repisa hay que apretar los tornillos.

After hooking the shelf you need to tighten the screws.

2. (to attach)

a. to hitch up (vehicle)

Engancharon el auto descompuesto a la grúa.

They hitched up the broken-down car to the tow truck.

b. to harness (horse)

El caballerango enganchó los caballos a la carreta.

The groom harnessed the horses to the cart.

c. to couple (wagons)

Después de enganchar los vagones, el tren estaba listo para partir.

After coupling the wagons, the train was ready to leave.

3. (to hire)

a. to contract

La compañía necesita enganchar algunos trabajadores para la remodelación.

The company needs to contract some workers for the remodeling.

4.

(colloquial)

(to catch)

a. to nab

(colloquial)

Después de una larga persecución, la policía logró enganchar al ladrón.

After a long chase, the police was able to nab the thief.

5. (to attract)

a. to hook

La nueva serie de televisión nos enganchó. No podemos dejar de verla.

The new TV series hooked us. We can't stop watching it.

b. to rope into

Lo engancharon para que hiciera trabajo voluntario.

They roped him into doing volunteer work.

engancharse

pronominal verb

6. (to get caught)

a. to get hooked

Mi falda se enganchó con un clavo y se rompió.

My skirt got hooked on a nail and tore.

7. (to become an addict)

a. to get hooked

Se enganchó a la cocaína y se metió en muchos problemas.

He got hooked on cocaine and got into a lot of trouble.

8. (military)

a. to enlist

Mi padre se enganchó en la marina cuando tenía 18 años.

My father enlisted in the Navy when he was 18.

b. to join

Algunos amigos decidieron engancharse en el ejército.

Some of my friends decided to join the Army.

enganchar

transitive verb

1. (agarrar; vagones)

a. to couple

2. (remolque, caballos)

a. to hitch up

3. (pez)

a. to hook

4. (colgar)

a. to hang (up)

5. (colloquial)

a.

enganchar a alguien para que haga algoto rope somebody into doing something

6. (colloquial)

a. to land (oneself)

7. (contratar)

a. to hire, to contract

intransitive verb

8. (colloquial)

a. to be addictive

un videojuego de los que enganchanan addictive video game

pronominal verb

9. (prenderse)

a.

engancharse algo con o ento catch something on

se le enganchó la falda en las zarzasshe caught her skirt on the brambles

te has enganchado las mediasyou've caught o snagged your tights on something

10. (alistarse)

a. to enlist, to join up

11. (colloquial)

a. to get hooked

12. (para trabajo)

a. to sign up

Copyright © 2006 Harrap Publishers Limited

enganchar

transitive verb

1 (conectar con gancho) (gen) to hook; [+caballo] to harness; [+carro, remolque] to hitch up; (Mecánica) to couple; connect; [+dos vagones] to couple up

2 (atrapar) to nab (familiar)

lo enganchó la policía robando en la joyería the police nabbed him robbing the jeweller's (familiar)

3 (atraer) [+persona] to rope in; [+marido] to land

tras varios años de noviazgo, por fin ha conseguido engancharlo

a mi no me enganchan para cuidar a los niños they're not going to rope me into looking after the children; los programas que más enganchan the programmes which get most people hooked

4 (Mil) to recruit

5 (México) [+trabajadores] to contract

pronominal verb

engancharse

1 (quedarse prendido) to get hooked up; catch;en on; (Mecánica) to engage;en with

el vestido se enganchó en un clavo the dress got caught on a nail; engancharse a la droga to get hooked on drugs (familiar); become addicted to drugs

2 (Mil) to enlist; join up