pulir

to polish

pulir(poo-leer)

transitive verb

1. (to shine)

a. to polish

Hay que pulir la lámpara; el dorado no tiene brillo.

The lamp needs polishing; the gilt is looking dull.

2. (to smooth)

a. to sand (with sandpaper)

Si pules la mesa con la lijadora eléctrica, irás más rápido.

If you sand the table with the electric sander, you'll find it quicker.

b. to polish (glass or metal)

El acero puede ser pulido para obtener un acabado liso.

Steel can be polished to obtain a smooth finish.

3. (to perfect)

a. to polish

Vamos a pulir tu interpretación para la representación de mañana.

Let's polish your performance for tomorrow's show.

b. to improve

Necesito pulir mi comunicación oral antes de la entrevista.

I need to improve my oral communication skills before the interview.

c. to polish up

Tenemos que pulir tus modales para la cena de gala.

We need to polish up your manners for the gala dinner.

pulirse

pronominal verb

4. (to better oneself)

a. to become more refined

¡Qué elegante está Bernardo! Se ve que con los años se ha pulido bastante.

How smart Bernardo looks! It's obvious that he has become more refined over the years.

b. to improve

Escribir un blog me permite pulirme como escritor.

Blogging gives me the opportunity to improve as a writer.

5.

(colloquial)

(to spend)

a. to go through

Mis padres se pulieron $300 en la compra de la semana.

My parents went through $300 on the weekly shop.

b. to get through

Creo que soy capaz de pulirme cien mil dólares en un año.

I think I could get through one hundred thousand dollars in a year.

c. to blow

(colloquial)

Se pulió más de $500 en un par de zapatos.

She blew more than $500 on a pair of shoes.

6.

(colloquial)

(to consume)

a. to polish off

(colloquial)

Nos pulimos una botella de champán entre los cuatro.

We polished off a bottle of champagne between the four of us.

pulir

transitive verb

1. (general)

a. to polish

necesito pulir mi alemánI've got to brush up my German

pronominal verb

2. (colloquial)

a. to blow, to throw away

se pulió el sueldo en una semanahe blew his wages in a week

nos pulimos una botella de whiskywe polished off o put away a bottle of whiskey

Copyright © 2006 Harrap Publishers Limited

pulir

transitive verb

1 [+cristal, metal, suelo] to polish

2 (perfeccionar) to polish

hace falta pulir esta traducción this translation still needs polishing

3 [+persona]

nadie ha logrado pulirlo nobody has managed to polish his manners; en este colegio pulirán su educación they will finish off o round off her education at this school

4 (birlar) to pinch (familiar)

ya me han pulido el bolígrafo they've gone and pinched my pen (familiar)

pronominal verb

pulirse

1 (refinarse) to acquire polish

2 (acicalarse) to spruce o.s. up

3 (gastar) to go through; get through

se pulió la herencia en dos años