soltar

to let go of

to loosen

soltar(sohl-tahr)

transitive verb

1. (to stop holding)

a. to let go of

Suelta la cometa y vente a cenar.

Let go of the kite and come in for dinner.

b. to drop

¡Suelta esa galleta! ¡La vi primero!

Drop that cookie! I saw it first!

c. to put down

El maestro soltó la tiza y levantó el borrador.

The teacher put down the chalk and picked up the eraser.

d. to let out

Suelta la soga lentamente.

Let the rope out slowly.

2. (to make less tight)

a. to loosen

Antes de ponerse los zapatos, hay que soltar los lazos.

Before you put on your shoes, you have to loosen the laces.

3. (to free)

a. to set free

El parque de diversiones soltó la orca.

The amusement park set the orca free.

b. to release

Suelta el loro para que podamos ver si vuela.

Release the parrot so we can see if it flies.

4. (automobile)

a. to release

Primero suelta el freno, después pon el pie en el acelerador.

First release the brake, then put your foot on the gas pedal.

5. (to vocalize)

a. to let out

Soltó una risotada al oír la noticia comiquísima.

She let out a burst of laughter when she heard the hilarious news.

b. to let fly

Soltó unas palabras duras para su jefe, y luego su jefe lo despidió.

He let fly some harsh words for his boss, and then his boss let him go.

6. (to radiate)

a. to give off

Después de un día de excursión a pie, Rodney estaba soltando un olor desagradable.

After a day of hiking, Rodney was giving off an unpleasant odor.

7. (to relinquish)

a. to give up

Aunque Juan de verdad ya no quería el puesto, no lo quería soltar a su rival, Pedro.

Even though Juan didn’t like the job anymore, he didn’t want to give it up to his rival, Pedro.

8.

(colloquial)

(to supply)

a. to cough up

(colloquial)

O sueltas el dinero, o encontraremos otra manera de hacer que pagues.

You can either cough up the money, or we'll find another way to make you pay.

9. (to moult)

a. to shed

Me encanta mi suéter de cachemira, pero odio que suelta pelusa en mi camisa.

I love my cashmere sweater, but I hate how it sheds lint all over my shirt.

soltarse

reflexive verb

10. (to become unstuck)

a. to come off

La calcomanía se soltó cuando se mojó.

The sticker came off when it got wet.

pronominal verb

11. (to escape)

a. to break free

Los perros se soltaron cuando a Paco se le olvidó cerrar el portón.

The dogs broke free when Paco forgot to close the gate.

soltar

transitive verb

1. (desasir)

a. to let go of

¡suéltame!let me go!, let go of me!

2. (dejar ir; preso, animales, freno)

a. to release

centavoyou can't get a penny out of her

3. (colloquial)

a.

si yo pillo un trabajo así, no lo sueltoif I got a job like that I wouldn't let go of it o I'd make sure I hung on to it

4. (desenrollar; cable, cuerda)

a. to let o pay out

5. (risotada, grito, suspiro)

a. to give

soltar una patada a alguiento give somebody a kick, to kick somebody

soltar un puñetazo a alguiento punch somebody

6. (decir bruscamente)

a. to come out with

7. (desprender)

a. to give off

estas hamburguesas sueltan mucha grasaa lot of fat comes out of these burgers when you fry them

8. (laxar)

a.

soltar el vientreto loosen one's bowels

pronominal verb

9. (desasirse)

a. to break free

10. (desatarse)

a.

se soltó el moñoshe let her bun down

11. (desprenderse)

a. to come off

12. (perder timidez)

a. to let go

soltarse en algoto get the hang of something

Copyright © 2006 Harrap Publishers Limited

soltar

transitive verb

1 (dejar de agarrar) to let go of; (dejar caer) to drop

soltó mi mano he let go of my hand; ¡suéltenme! let go of me!; let me go!; no sueltes la cuerda don't let go of the rope; el gato me soltó el ratón en los pies the cat dropped the mouse at my feet; dejó de escribir y soltó el bolígrafo she stopped writing and put down her pen

soltó la bolsa de la compra en un banco

2 [+amarras] to cast off; [+nudo, cinturón] (quitar) to untie; undo; (aflojar) to loosen

ve soltando cuerda mientras bajas pay the rope out gradually as you descend

3 (Automóviles) [+embrague] to let out; release; disengage (formal); [+freno] to release

4 (dejar libre) [+preso, animal] to release; set free; [+agua] to let out; run off

soltó una paloma blanca en señal de paz he released a white dove as a token of peace

5 (emitir) [+gas, olor] to give off; [+grito] to let out

suelta vapores peligrosos it gives off dangerous fumes

unas estufas negras que soltaban más humo que calor aguafuerte o sulfamán, porque suelta vapores muy peligrosos para respirar o para los ojos

solté un suspiro de alivio I let out o heaved a sigh of relief; soltar una carcajada to burst out laughing; soltar un estornudo to sneeze; soltar un suspiro to sigh

6 (asestar)

soltar un golpe to deal a blow; le soltó un puñetazo she hit him

7 (al hablar) [+noticia] to break; [+indirecta] to drop; [+blasfemia] to come out with; let fly

les volvió a soltar el mismo sermón he gave them the lecture all over again; ¡suéltalo ya! out with it!; spit it out! (familiar); soltó un par de palabrotas he came out with a couple of rude words; he let fly a couple of obscenities

soltar cuatro verdades a algn to tell sb a few home truths

les voy a soltar cuatro verdades decidí tragarme el disgusto y las ganas de soltar unas cuantas verdades

8 (perder) [+puesto, privilegio] to give up; [+dinero] to cough up (familiar)

no quiere soltar el puesto por nada del mundo he won't give up the job for anything in the world

9 [+serpiente] [+piel] to shed

10 (resolver) [+dificultad] to solve; [+duda] to resolve; [+objeción] to satisfy; deal with

11 (And) (ceder) to cede; give; hand over

pronominal verb

soltarse

1 (liberarse)

que no se vaya a soltar el perro don't let the dog get out o get loose

soltarse de las manos de algn

logró soltarse y pedir ayuda he managed to free himself o get free and call for help

2 (desprenderse) to come off; (aflojarse) to come loose; work loose

soltarse los botones to undo one's buttons; soltarse el pelo to let one's hair down

soltarse el estómago

3 (deshacerse) [+cordón, nudo] to come undone; come untied; [+costura] to come unstitched

4 (desenvolverse) (con actividad) to become expert; (con idioma) to become fluent

soltarse a andar/hablar to start walking/talking

5 (independizarse) to achieve one's independence; win freedom

6 (desmandarse) to lose control of o.s.

soltarse a su gusto to let off steam; let fly

7

soltarse con: soltarse con una idea absurda to come up with a silly idea; soltarse con una contribución de 50 dólares to come up with a 50-dollar contribution; por fin se soltó con algunos peniques he eventually parted with a few coppers