promise

la promesa

prometer

promise(pra-mihs)

noun

1. (pledge)

a. la promesa

(F)

You're clearly unable to keep a promise.

Está claro que eres incapaz de cumplir una promesa.

2. (potential)

a.

no direct translation

His early novels showed great promise.

Sus primeras novelas prometían mucho.

The team didn't live up to their promise.

El equipo no estuvo a la altura de las expectativas.

transitive verb

3. (to pledge)

a. prometer

Promise me that you'll never go back there.

Prométeme que nunca volverás allí.

4. (to show potential)

a. prometer

The campaign promises to be a tough one.

La campaña promete ser muy reñida.

intransitive verb

5. (to pledge)

a. prometer

No, you can't have an ice cream now. - But you promised!

No, ahora no puedes comerte un helado. - ¡Pero me lo prometiste!

b. jurar

I didn't do it. I promise.

Te juro que no fui yo.

promise

Noun

1. (pledge)

a. la promesa

(F)

to make a promisehacer la promesa

to keep/break one's promisemantener/romper la promesa

2. (potential)

a. la buenas perspectivas

(F)

to show promiseser prometedor(ora)

she never fulfilled her early promisenunca llegó tan lejos como parecía prometer

transitive verb

3. (general)

a. prometer

to promise to do somethingprometer hacer algo

to promise something to somebody, to promise somebody somethingprometerle algo a alguien

he promised me he'd do itme prometió que lo haría

it promises to be hotpromete hacer calor

Copyright © 2006 Harrap Publishers Limited

promise [ˈprɒmɪs]

noun

1 (pledge) promesa (f)

a promise is a promise lo prometido es deuda; promises, promises! ¡mucho prometer y poco hacer!

"one day I'll buy you a real fur coat" - "promises, promises!" "I'm going to leave home, see if I don't!" - "promises, promises!"

is that a promise? ¿me lo prometes?

I was not distracted by vague promises of rewards in the none-too-certain future despite repeated promises the economic recovery has not materialized the people want leadership and not false promises she doesn't have to resort to lies, half-truths and false promises he lied, boasted, and lacked the ability to live up to his promises the government is not sticking to its election promises

to break one's promise no cumplir su promesa; faltar a su promesa

voters are tired of broken promises never break a promise to [extract] a promise from sb I went to see the chief of Police and managed to extract a promise of complete silence on the matter he extracts a promise from each knight he conquers to put himself at the service of King Arthur she gave me some information and extracted a promise from me to use it after 15 years in opposition the country now expects him to fulfil his campaign promises he made the trip to fulfil a promise to her late husband

to hold or keep sb to his promise obligar a algn a cumplir su promesa; hacer que algn cumpla su promesa

we shall hold him to his promise

to keep a/one's promise cumplir una/su promesa

did he keep his promise? they are very faithful and can keep a promise he needs to create new employment to show all those who voted for him that he can keep his promises

to make (sb) a promise hacer una promesa (a algn)

I made him a promise that I'd come and visit him le hice la promesa de que or le prometí que vendría a visitarlo; I might do it but I'm not making any promises puede que lo haga, pero no prometo nada

if you make a promise, you should keep it he's always making promises and then breaking them

promise of marriage palabra (f) de matrimonio

he did all he could to get a promise of marriage out of her she was content to remain his lover with no promise of marriage girlfriends of soldiers are never quite sure whether the soldier's promises of marriage will be realized

to release sb from his promise absolver a algn de su promesa

she felt a great sense of well-being, now that she had been released from the promise she had made so many years ago

the party has received many promises of support al partido se le ha prometido mucho apoyo

lick

2 (hope, prospect)

it is a new idea that has great promise the promise of the revolution was slow in being realized she was at the start of a career that held great promise

full of promise muy prometedor

/a new day full of promise/, but also one that is replete with new challenges on the map the place seems full of promise, but the reality is different

she fulfilled or lived up to the promise she'd shown in the '84 Olympics demostró estar a la altura de lo que prometía en las Olimpiadas del 84

we require new ways of thinking, learning,and working if we are to fulfill the promise of the new age the scheme has lived up to its promise

America held (out) the promise of a new life América representaba la promesa de una nueva vida; América daba esperanzas de una nueva vida

it holds out a promise of peace their marriage held little promise of happiness the comments of the other Arab representatives offered little promise of an early compromise

a young man of promise un joven que promete

she showed considerable promise as a pianist prometía mucho como pianista

the boy first showed promise as an athlete in grade school some of the drugs being tested show promise as a possible cure they didn't care for the hotel but /the restaurant menu showed promise/

transitive verb

1 (pledge) prometer

the promised aid had not been sent no se había enviado la ayuda prometida

never promise anything you can't deliver "we'll be back next year," he promised advertisements that promise instant rejuvenation the officers promise a return to multiparty rule if the promised reforms are not implemented soon in this country, there will be a violent revolution the Government has announced changes to the ambulance service in Scotland, promising more staff, vehicles and training the government promises better homes for all who need them

to promise (sb) that prometer (a algn) que; I promised that I'd go prometí que iría; promise me you won't tell her prométeme que no se lo dirás

he had promised that the rich and privileged would no longer get preferential treatment your doctors may be doing you a disservice in promising that hysterectomy will solve all your problems we don't want to lose him but /we always promised him he could leave the team/ if he got a better offer Mr Davies told the tribunal that Mr Maxwell had promised him that his job was secure

to promise (sb) to do sth prometer (a algn) hacer algo; you must promise me to do as I say tienes que prometerme que harás lo que yo te diga; he promised faithfully to return it dio su palabra de que lo devolvería

the post office has promised to resume first class mail delivery to the area on Friday

I promised myself I would go and visit her me prometí que iría a visitarla; buy that new dress you've been promising yourself cómprate ese nuevo vestido que te habías hecho el propósito de comprarte

she promised herself not to lose her temper

she telephoned, as promised llamó, tal y como había prometido

don't assume that any software will perform as promised

to promise sb sth promise sth to sb prometer dar algo a algn

he promised me a new car for my birthday Dick was promised a job in Alaska the president could not act decisively until the reinforcements promised him arrived Donitz promised Hitler the unconditional support of the Kriegsmarine Italy has promised economic aid to Albania to discourage further migration

to promise sb the earth or the moon prometer el oro y el moro a algn

people who promise the moon and then don't deliver politicians promising the earth in exchange for a seat in the Commons

the Promised Land la Tierra Prometida

Sweden has already reached the promised land of near-zero inflation checking out can seem to take longer than Moses' journey to the Promised Land the wilderness of communism had not led into the promised land of democracy

2 (forecast, augur) augurar

their policies promise little for the future su política no augura un futuro muy prometedor; those clouds promise rain esas nubes amenazan lluvia

they are promising us rain tomorrow the promised rain did not arrive the weather forecast promised rain over most of the country despite its technical merit, the film is disappointing, promising greater depths than it delivers we woke up to a fine May morning that promised heat later

it promises to be hot today el día se presenta caluroso; the debate promises to be lively el debate se presenta animado

the world premiere promises to be a unique occasion the task of helping the Soviet Union through what is promising to be a tough winter while it will be fun, the seminar also promises to be most instructive

3 (assure) prometer; jurar

there's no-one here, I promise you no hay nadie aquí, te lo prometo or juro

I promise you it wasn't my fault

intransitive verb

1 (pledge) prometer

"(do you) promise?" — "all right, I promise" —¿lo prometes? —bueno, lo prometo; I can't promise but I'll try no te prometo nada, pero haré lo que pueda; "I can't make it" — "but you promised!" —no puedo —¡pero lo habías prometido!

2 (augur)

to promise well

such a good beginning promises well for the future un principio tan bueno resulta muy prometedor or augura un buen futuro