vara

stick

la vara(bah-rah)

feminine noun

1. (pole)

a. stick

Traté de alejar al animal con una vara.

I tried to make the animal go away with a stick.

b. rod

Esa vara de metal que se ve en el tejado es una antena.

That metal rod you can see on the roof is an antenna.

2. (botany)

a. branch

Recogimos varas secas para la fogata.

We collected dry branches for the campfire.

b. stick

El nido estaba hecho de varas y hojas secas.

The nest was made of sticks and dry leaves.

3. (authority symbol)

a. staff

Durante la ceremonia el alcalde debe sostener la vara en las manos.

The mayor has to hold his staff during the ceremony.

4. (unit of measurement)

a. vara

Una vara equivale a casi una yarda.

A vara is approximately one yard.

Necesito dos varas de esa tela.

I need two varas of that fabric.

5. (standard)

a. yardstick

Son dos cosas distintas y no pueden medirse con la misma vara.

They're two different things and cannot be measured with the same yardstick.

6. (bullfighting)

a. lance

El picador arremetió contra el toro utilizando su vara.

The picador charged against the bull using his lance.

7. (of a trombone)

a. slide

Es al mover la vara del trombón cuando se generan los distintos sonidos.

It is by moving the trombone's slide that the different sounds are generated.

8. (sports)

a. pole

Los saltadores llevaron varias varas a la competencia.

The jumpers took many poles to the competition.

9. (influence)

(Peru)

a. connections

Hay que tener vara para entrar en una universidad tan prestigiosa.

You need connections to get into such a prestigious university.