be down for

have one's name written
down or entered for

Are you down for the OM Personal final examinations?
¿Te anotaste para los exámenes finales de OM Personal?

be down in

have failed in (slang)

Poor Mary is down in French and Maths.
Pobre Mary, le fue mal (la reprobaron) en Francés y Matemáticas.

be for

be in favour of

I'm for doing nothing till the police arrive.
Estoy a favor de no hacer nada hasta que llegue la policía.

be in

be at home, be here or there
in this or that building

I want to see Mr. Delaware. Is he in?
Necesito ver al Sr. Delaware. ¿Se encuentra aquí?

be in for

be about to have or experience
(usually something unpleasant)

The pilot has just said that we are in for a bumpy flight.
El piloto acaba de anunciar que vamos a tener un vuelo movido.

be in with

be friendly with

His father is in with the manager.
Su padre anda bien (tiene buena relación) con el gerente.

be off

1) go away (colloquial)

1) She is off now. Call her later.
No se encuentra ahora. Llámela más tarde.

2) have gone bad (colloquial)

2) This milk is off; throw it away.
Esta leche está mal; tírala.

3) be free from duty

3) He promised to see me when she was off.
Prometió venir a verme cuando no esté ocupado.

4) be cancelled (colloquial)

4) The meeting scheduled for tonight is now off.
La reunión programada para esta noche está cancelada.

5) start

5) The movie is off now!
¡Ya comienza la película!

be on

1) be on duty (colloquial)
 

1) They are on from 2 pm to 6 pm
Están ocupados desde las 2 hasta las 6 de la tarde.

2) agree (colloquial)

2) We are swimming soon. Are you on?
Pronto vamos a ir a nadar. ¿Estás de acuerdo?

be out

1) be away from home
(for a short time, not overnight)

Mrs. Dennys is out at the moment.
La Sra. Dennys está afuera en estos momentos.

2) be mistaken, be wrong

2) The accountant was out in his budget.
El contador se equivocó en el presupuesto.

3) be published

3) Her book is already out.
Ya se ha publicado su libro.

4) be no longer burning

4) Is the fire out?
¿Ya apagaron el incendio?

5) be beyond consideration
 (colloquial)

5) I'm so busy that even a short holiday is out.
Estoy tan ocupado que hasta una corta vacación es imposible.

be out for

be seeking (colloquial)

Sheila is out for a good time.
Sheila está buscando pasarla bien.

be out of

1) be away from
 

1) He is out of Buenos Aires at the present.
No se encuentra en Buenos Aires actualmente.

2) have finished, have
exhausted the supply of

2) I am out of sugar and coffee.
Me quedé sin azúcar y café.

be over

be finished

The storm is over now. We can go on.
Terminó la tormenta. Podemos seguir.

be through with

have finished with (colloquial)

I am through with you for good and all.
Para bien o para mal he terminado contigo.

be up

1) have risen, be out of bed
 

1) She won't be up till 11 am today.
No se va a levantar hasta las 11 de la mañana hoy.

2) be happening

2) What's up? Why did you scream?
¿Qué ocurrió? ¿Por qué gritaste?

3) be finished
(used only of time)

3) Your time is up. You must return now.
Tu tiempo se acabó. Debes regresar ahora. 

be up against

compete against, be facing,
be opposite

Mankind is always up against Nature.
La Humanidad compite permanentemente con la Naturaleza.

be up and about

be out of bed and active,
be convalescent (from illness)

Mr Rivers is much better now: he is already up and about.
El Sr. Rivers se encuentra mucho mejor ahora: ya anda por allí.

be up to

1) be doing, be busy with

1) Martha is very quiet. Go and see what she is up to.
Martha está muy silenciosa. Anda a ver en qué está haciendo.

2) feel able to, be fit for

2) My doctor said that I was not up to making such a long flight.
El médico me dijo que no estoy en condiciones de hacer un vuelo tan largo.

3) be someone's responsibility

3) It is up to you to teach your children manners.
Es tu responsabilidad enseñarles buenos modales a tus hijos.

be well up in

be well versed in, know thoroughly

He is well up in movie business: ask him about this film.
Conoce muy bien el negocio del cine: pregúntale sobre esta película.

bear away

win

Our team bore away the championship.
Nuestro equipo ganó el campeonato.

bear out

confirm

This report bears out my theory about the murder.
Este informe confirma mi teoría acerca del asesinato.

bear up

support bad news,
not despair

Try to bear up even if you feel sick.
Trata de aguantar aunque te sientas enfermo.

bear with

be patient with

Please, kindly bear with the delay.
Por favor, tenga paciencia con la demora.

beat down

force someone to lower
his prices

He asked me $1000 for the tree, but I beat him down to $600.
Me pidió $1000 por el árbol pero logré hacérselo bajar a $600.

beat off
beat back

repel

The villagers could beat off (back) several attackes in the past.
Los pobladores lograron rechazar varios ataques en el pasado.

beat up

1) strike so. severely
 

1) This fellow has beat up several boys at school.
Este tipo ya le pegó a varios muchachos en la escuela.

2) mix thoroughly

2) Beat up the ingredients and then boil everything.
Mezcla bien todos los ingredientes y luego hierve todo.

beg off

decline, ask to be excused

Marly begged off from her engagement to come to the party.
Marly pidó que disculpáramos su compromiso de venir a la fiesta.

block up

obstruct so as to make
access impossible

Bank deposits in Argentina were blocked up in December 2001.
Los depósitos bancarios de Argentina fueron bloqueados en Diciembre de 2001.

blow out

extinguish, put out a flame
by blowing

The wind blew out the candle (or The wind blew the candle out).
El viento apagó la vela.

blow over

pass

All these troubles will soon blow over.
Todos estos problemas pronto pasarán.

blow up 

1) destroy by explosion, explode

1) Suddenly the whole barrel blew up.
El barril explotó repentinamente.

2) fill with air, inflate, pump up

2) Laura's father blew up all the balloons for the party.
El padre de Laura infló todos los globos para la fiesta.

3) become angry

3) He blew up when his seceretary told him about the mistake.
Estalló cuando su secretaria le comentó acerca del error.

4) arise

4) A storm suddenly blew up in the Caribbean.
De pronto estalló una tormenta en el Caribe.

boil away 

1) continue boiling
 

1) The water has been boiling away for the last ten minutes.
Hace diez minutos que está hirviendo el agua.

2) boil until all liquid has evaporated

2) The milk has all boiled away.
Se ha evaporado toda la leche.

boil down to 

can be reduced to
(colloquial)

All his ideas boil down to imaginary thoughts.
Todas sus ideas pueden reducirse a pensamientos imaginarios.

boil over 

boil and flow over the sides
of the container

The milk boiled over and there was a horrible smell of burning.
Se derramó la leche hervida y había un espantoso olor a quemado.

border on 

be near, be next to

Their excitement bordered on dangerous hysteria.
Su excitación estaba al límite de una peligrosa histeria.

bounce back 

recover

Helen's husband bounced back from his defeat.
El esposo de Helen se recuperó de su frustración.

bow out of 

withdraw

They finally bowed out of the car race.
Finalmente abandonaron la carrera de autos.

branch out

begin or develop a new business

Our company branched out and has two agencies in Brazil.
Nuestra empresa se expandió y tiene dos sucursales en Brasil.

break down

1) smash, demolish
 

1) The thieves broke down the front door.
Los ladrones derribaron la puerta de entrada.

2) stop functioning,
stop working

2) The engine has broken down.
El motor ha dejado de funcionar (se ha averiado).

3) collapse through ill-health
or great emotion, lose control

3) When she heard the news, she broke down and wept.
Cuando supo las noticias se derrumbó y se largó a llorar.

4) analyse

4) Could you break down these information into age-groups?
¿Podrías distribuir estos datos por edad grupal?

break in

1) enter by force
(also break into)

1) Two thieves broke in and stole the car.
Entraron dos ladrones y robaron el auto.

2) interrupt someone
(colloquial)

2) I was telling Paul about Venice when she broke in.
Le estaba contando a Paul sobre Venecia cuando ella interrumpió.

3) tame, train for use.
train to labour

3) It took many men to break in that wild horse.
Domesticar a ese caballo salvaje ocupó a varios hombres.

break off

1) separate by breaking
 

1) He took the chocolate and broke off a piece.
Tomó el chocolate y cortó un trozo.

2) stop, disrupt

2) Before the war some countries broke off diplomatic relations.
Antes de la guerra muchas naciones rompieron sus relaciones diplomáticas.  

break out

1) escape by using force
 

1) Several prisoners managed to break out of prison.
Varios prisioneros se ingeniaron para escapar de la cárcel.

2) suddenly begin wars,
fires, epidemics

2) War broke out in 1939.
La guerra comenzó en 1939.

3) appear suddenly

3) The sun finally broke out and the rain stopped.
Finalmente salió el sol y dejó de llover.

4) utter, exclaim

4) Suddenly he broke out into terrible curses.
De pronto estalló en terribles maldiciones.

break up

1) break into pieces
 

1) The old ship was broken up by the waves.
El viejo barco fue desintegrado por las olas.

2) stop, finish

2) Classes broke up and students went back home.
Terminaron las clases y los estudiantes regresaron a sus hogares.

3) depart, disperse
(separable when transitive)

3) The police managed to break the angry crowd up.
La policía se arregló para dispersar a la multitud enojada.

4) break a relationship

4) Mary and James broke up their engagement.
Mary y James rompieron su compromiso.

breathe in

inhale

We went out to the garden and breathed in the fresh air.
Salimos al jardín y respiramos el aire puro.

breathe out

exhale

Jane breathed out a sigh of relief when she saw her son was in.
Jane exhaló un suspiro cuando vio que su hijo estaba adentro.

bring about

cause to happen

What has brought about all this disaster?
¿Qué ocasionó este desastre?

bring around

1) persuade someone to
agree with one's proposal

1) Finally I brought him around to my point of view.
Finalmente pude convencerlo acerca de mi opinión.

2) restore to consciousness

2) This medicine will soon bring her around.
Este medicamento la revivirá (hará volver en sí) pronto.  

3) bring to your house

3) I'll bring your book around tonight.
Esta noche te llevo el libro a tu casa.

bring back

1) recall (usually not
separated with a noun)

1) He always brings back his trip to Paris.
Siempre añora (le viene a la mente) su viaje a París.

2) return

2) She brought back her four library books.
Ella devolvió los cuatro libros a la biblioteca.

bring down

lower, reduce

Finally the artist brought his price down.
Finalmente el artista redujo el precio.

bring forward

1) introduce, propose
 

1) Who brought this matter forward?
¿Quién sacó (trajo a colación) este tema?

2) carry figures to
the next page

2) You must bring forward last month's total on to page 25.
Tienes que trasladar los totales del mes pasado a la página 25.

bring in

1) introduce
 

1) The foreigners brought in many customs.
Los inmigrantes introdujeron muchas costumbres.

2) produce as profit, yield

2) The sale has brought in an interesting sum.
La venta rindió una suma interesante.

3) earn

3) His business brings in a lot of money every month.
Su negocio produce mucho dinero mensualmente.

4) pronounce a verdict

4) The jury brought in a verdict of not guilty.
El jurado se pronunció con un veredicto de no culpable.

bring off

accomplish something
very difficult

I thought Doris couldn't pass the FCE but she brought it off.
Pensé que Doris no podría aprobar el FCE pero lo logró.

bring out

publish

When are you bringing out your next novel?
¿Cuando publicarás tu próxima novela?

bring up

1) educate, raise, rear
 

1) Bringing up children is never easy.
Educar a los niños nunca es fácil.

2) mention as a topic
of discussion

2) We decided to bring the matter up at the next meeting.
Decidimos mencionar el tema en la próxima reunión.

brush up

polish, revise

I'm trying to brush my English up.
Estoy intentando mejorar (pulir) mi Inglés.

brush up on

refresh knowledge of,
review

I'm traveling to Canada soon. I must brush up on my French.
Pronto viajaré a Canadá. Tengo que refrescar mis conocimientos de Francés.

buckle down

work seriously

You may fail your TOEFL exam if you don't buckle down.
Puedes fracasar en tu examen TOEFL si no te pones a estudiar en serio.

build on

develop from

The new manager wants to build on the company success.
El nuevo gerente quiere tomar como base el éxito de la compañía.

add an extension
to a building

When the new extension is built on, the factory will be huge.
Cuando se construya la nueva ampliación la fábrica será enorme.

burn down

destroy by fire
(used of buildings)

The rebels burnt down all the cottages.
Los rebeldes incendiaron todas las casas.

burn up

1) become destroyed by fire
 

1) Her pictures burned up when the apartment set on fire.
Sus cuadros se quemaron cuando el departamento se incendió.

2) cause someone
to become very angry

2) It burns me up when people is so rude!!
¡¡Me saca de quicio cuando la gente es tan grosera!!

burst into

suddenly enter

Four thieves burst into the meeting room last night.
Anoche cuatro ladrones irrumpieron en la sala de reuniones.

burst out

suddenly show emotion

He burst out laughing at the end of the speech.
Se largó a reír al final del discurso.

butt in

interrupt impolitely
a conversation

Sheila butts in all the time so you cannot talk with comfort.
Sheila interrumpe todo el tiempo y no puedes hablar con comodidad.

butter up

flatter, praise dishonestly

We buttered him up to see if he would agree to our proposal.
Lo adulamos para ver si aceptaba nuestra propuesta.

button up

fasten with buttons

He buttoned his jacket up easily.
Se abotonó el saco con facilidad.

buy up

buy everything

He brought up the entire stock of Argentine wines.
Se compró toda la existencia de vinos argentinos.