carancho, m., small South American bird of prey.
carbón, m., coal, charcoal.
cardenal, m., cardinal;
a South American bird with brilliant red plumage.
careo, m., the act of confronting the accuser and accused.
cargamento, m., load.
cargar, to load, to charge, to attack.
cariacontecido, sad, mournful.
carne, f., flesh, pulp of fruit.
carnoso, -a, fleshy, pulpy.
caro, -a, expensive;
dear, beloved.
carrera, f., race;
—— con obstáculos, hurdle race.
carretera, f., roadway.
carrillo, m., cheek, the fleshy part of the face.
carta, f., letter;
—— de recomendación, a letter recommending the bearer;
—— de presentación, letter of introduction;
—— de crédito, letter of credit;
chart;
—— de naturaleza, naturalization papers.
cartel, m., (theater) bill, announcement.
cartón, m., cardboard, pasteboard.
cartucho, m. (Sp. A.), paper cone in which grocers wrap purchases.
cartulina, f., bristol board, cardboard.
casa, f., house;
firm;
—— de compra y venta, buyers and venders;
—— de empeño, pawnshop;
—— de remate, auctioneer’s.
casaisaco, m. (Sp. A.), a parasitic plant.
casamiento, m., marriage.
cáscara, f., shell.
caserío, m., village or small town.
casero, -a, domestic.
casi, almost;
—— nunca, very seldom.
castillo, m., castle;
—— de pólvora, fireworks.
castizo, -a, pure (referring to literary style).
casualidad, f., hazard, contingency, chance, accident.
cátedra, f., seat or chair of a professor, head professorship in the Faculty of a university school.
categoría, f., degree, rank.
catimbao, m. (Sp. A.), name applied to a person wearing a mask in a Corpus Christi procession.
cauce, m., bed of a river.
cauchal, m., part of a forest where rubber-trees are abundant.
cauchera, f., see cauchal.
caucho, m., rubber in a raw state.
caudal, m., amount;
(Sp. A.) the amount of water carried by a river.
cauteloso, -a, cautious.
cavado, -a, excavated.
cavar, to dig.
caza, f., hunting.
cazador, m., hunter.
cazuela, f., earthen pot, also the meat cooked in it;
in Sp. A. theaters, the gallery reserved for women (in Cuba, the uppermost gallery).
cebado, -a, fattened.
cebar, to feed animals, to fatten;
—— mate (Sp. A.), to brew and serve “mate.”
cebo, m., bait.
cebón, m., fat bullock or hog.
cedazo, m., sieve;
(Sp. A.) kind of dance.
ceder, to grant, to cede, to yield.
cédula, f., bond, security;
license, such as is granted to properly qualified chauffeurs and aviators.
ceiba, f., cottonwood tree.
ceja, f., eyebrow;
summit of a mountain.
celebrar, to celebrate, to praise, to commend.
celeste, sky-blue.
celosía, f., lattice of a window or door;
Venetian blind.
cemento, m., cement, concrete;
—— armado, reinforced concrete.
cenefa, f., trimming, band on the edge of a stuff.
ceniciento, -a, ash-colored.
ceniza, f., ashes, cinders.
cenizoso, -a, see ceniciento.
centelleante, sparkling, flashing.
centenar, m., a hundred.
centinela, m., sentry.
cercanía, f., proximity, neighborhood, vicinity.
cerda, f., coarse hair in a horse’s tail or mane;
bristle.
cerner, to soar.
cerrajero, m., locksmith.
cerramiento, m., the action of locking or closing.
cerril, rough, mountainous, wild;
untamed.
certificado, m., voucher;
—— de depósito, deposit voucher.
cibelina, f., marten.
cielito, m. (Sp. A.), a folk-dance.
cielo, m., sky, heaven;
—— raso, ceiling.
cierne, see cerner.
cima, f., top, summit.
cimarrón, m., formerly a runaway slave;
a runaway.
cimbrador, -a, flexible.
cincelado, -a, engraved, carved.
cincelar, to chisel.
cincha, f., cinch, girth.
cinchada, f. (Sp. A.), tug-of-war between opposing groups on horseback.
circundado, -a, surrounded.
circundar, to surround.
circunstantes, m. pl., bystanders, persons present.
circunvecino, -a, neighboring, adjacent, contiguous.
cirio, m., long, thick wax candle.
ciruela, f., plum.
cita, f., appointment, summons;
quotation.
claraboya, f., skylight;
transom.
clarificador, m., a machine in sugar mills which clarifies and purifies sugar.
claro, m., lacune, gap, skylight, void.
clase, m., class, rank;
(Mil.) petty officer.
clausura, f., closure, confinement, retirement.
clave, f., key.
clerical, relating to clergymen or religion.
cloaca, f., sewer.
coartar, to limit, to restrain.
cobrar, to collect, to acquire.
cobrizo, -a, coppery, copper-colored.
coca, f., the dried leaves of coca, coca.
cocer, to boil, to cook.
cocotero, m., cocoanut tree.
cocuyo, m., firefly.
coche, m., coach;
(Sp. A.) railroad or street car.
cochino, m., hog, pig.
codear, to elbow.
cohete, m., rocket, firecracker.
coliseo, m., theater, coliseum.
colmado, -a, filled, heaped.
colmar, to fill, to crown, to heap.
colocación, f., position, job, employment.
coloniaje, m., colonial period in Spanish American history.
colono, m., colonist, planter, agricultural worker.
colorido, m., coloring.
collado, m., foothill; fell, a small eminence.
comadreja, f. (Sp. A.), weasel.
comarca, f., district, territory, countryside.
comedia, f., comedy;
—— de enredo, a comedy, the merit of which consists principally in the complexity of the plot and the ingenuity shown in its development as contrasted with the comedia de costumbres, the object of which is to portray the life and customs of a country.
comedido, -a, civil, polite, obliging.
comedimiento, m., kindness, willingness to oblige.
comercio, m., commerce;
shop.
comité, m., committee.
cómoda, f., bureau, a chest of drawers.
compás, m., pair of compasses, callipers.
competir, to compete with, to vie, to contest, to rival.
componer, to compose or write;
to mend, to repair.
comportar, to carry, to bring together;
refl., to behave or conduct one’s self.
compostura, f., mending, repairing;
composure.
comprometer, to expose, to endanger.
compuerta, f., lock or sluice-gate.
con, with, toward;
para ——, toward;
—— tal que, provided that;
—— que, so then;
—— todo or todo eso, nevertheless, notwithstanding.
conciliábulo, m., secret meeting or confab.
concurrencia, f., competition (in business);
attendance;
audience.
concurrente, m., attendant;
competitor.
concurrir, to concur, to contribute, to coincide.
conferencia, f., lecture.
confiar, to trust in, to depend upon, to hope.
confinado, -a, confined, imprisoned;
aire ——, foul air.
confinar, to confine or shut in.
confite, m., candy, pl. goodies.
confitería, f., candy-store.
confuso, -a, obscure, confused, confounded.
congelación, f., freezing.
congelado, -a, frozen;
carne ——, frozen meat.
congelar, to freeze, to congeal.
congénere, of like kind.
congojoso, -a, afflicting, causing grief.
conmover, to affect, to disturb, to move.
conocimiento, m., bill of lading.
consagrar, to consecrate, to hallow, to devote.
conseja, f., tradition, legend, fable.
consejo, m., counsel, advice; council.
conserva, f., preserve, jam;
pescado en ——, pickled fish.
conservar, to keep, to preserve, to pickle.
consignatario, m., consignee.
consola, f., consol, side-table, shelf.
constar, to vouch for, to be sure of.
contado, -a, scarce, rare;
de ——, instantly;
al ——, for cash;
por de ——, of course.
contador, m., auditor, accountant.
contaduría, f., accounting department, auditor’s office.
contaminado, corrupted, polluted.
contaminar, to corrupt, to pollute.
contar, to count;
to depend upon;
to refer, to tell.
contemplación, f., complaisance;
meditation.
contener, to contain, to refrain, to repress.
contiguo, -a, close by, adjacent.
continuo, -a, constant;
de ——, continually.
contorno, m., neighborhood.
contrabando, m., smuggling.
contrahacer, to imitate, to mimic, to counterfeit.
contramaestre, m., boatswain.
contraponer, to compare, to contrast, to oppose.
contrapuesto, -a, compared, contrasted, opposed.
contratiempo, m., disappointment, setback.
contravención, f., violation of the law.
controversión, f., conversion, equivalence.
conuco, m. (Sp. A.), a very small piece of land, formerly given to slaves by their masters to cultivate for themselves.
convenio, m., pact, agreement.
convenir, to agree, to be of the same opinion;
to fit, to suit, to be convenient.
conversador, m., he who is conversing. Commonly used as an adjective, meaning one who talks too much.
conversión, f., to change the currency from one kind of legal tender to another;
caja de ——, conversion fund.
convoy, m., cruet stand.
copa, f., cup;
—— de árbol, foliage of a tree;
pl. the bosses of a bridle.
copete, m., crest, tuft, aigret.
copihue, m., a very rare vine found only in Chile.
copioso, -a, abundant.
copo, m., flake.
coral, m., choral.
corcel, m. (Poet.), a horse.
corcovo, m., the action of a horse in bucking.
corcho, m., cork.
cordón, m., cord, string.
corillo, -a, diminutive of coro.
coro, m., choir.
corona, f., wreath;
part of a sugar-mill.
coronar, to reach the goal, to crown an effort with success.
corral, m., corral, barn or poultry-yard.
corralón, m. (Sp. A.), a large corral;
timber-yard.
correa, f., leather strap.
corredor, m., corridor, gallery;
—— de bolsa, stockbroker.
correr, to run;
—— con, to take charge of.
corretaje, m., brokerage.
corrida, f., race, course;
—— de la sortija, ring race;
—— de toros, bullfight.
corriente, common, ordinary.
corrillo, m., a circle, a set (of persons).
cortapisa, f., obstacle, hindrance, stumbling-block.
corte, f. (Sp. A.), the capital city.
corteza, f., bark of a tree.
cortinado, m., portière, screen, curtain.
cosecha, f., harvest.
cosechar, to reap.
costal, m., sack or large bag.
costanero, -a, coastwise.
costarricense or costarriqueño, -a, a Costa Rican;
relating to Costa Rica.
costear, to defray the cost;
to skirt the coast.
costurera, f., seamstress.
cotidiano, m., daily.
cotizar, to quote prices.
coulisse (French), side scene, wing.
covacha, f. (Sp. A.), place for the baggage in stage coaches, called the boot.
coz, f., kick.
crecida, f., freshet.
crepuscular, m., a Mexican bird.
cría, f., breeding;
brood.
criador, m., breeder.
criandera, f. (Sp. A.), wet-nurse.
criollaje, m., criollos referred to collectively.
criollo, -a, the Spanish American born with the exception of the full-blooded Indian;
adj., indigenous, national, American in spirit.
cristianar, to baptize.
crudo, -a, raw, crude, savage.
crujido, m., crack, noise made by an arrow, creak.
cruzar, to cross the strain in breeding.
cuadra, f., stable;
(Sp. A.) a city block.
cuadrilla, f., pack of dogs;
gang of laborers;
shift of men.
cuadro, m., frame, picture, description, episode;
square body of troops;
division of the acts in a play or drama;
—— de flores, flower bed;
—— de cafetos, a plantation of 10,000 coffee plants.
cual, which;
el (la) cual, who, which, whom;
tal ——, a few, so so;
—— más, —— menos, much alike;
cada ——, each one.
cuando, when, in case that, though, although, even;
de —— en ——, from time to time;
—— más or —— mucho, at most;
—— menos, at least.
cuanto, -a, how much, as much, all the, all that;
todo ——, all that;
—— antes, as soon as possible;
-os, -as, pl., how many, as many, all the;
en —— a, as to;
—— más, besides;
por ——, inasmuch.
cuarta, f., palm (an old linear measure).
cuartel, m., quarter;
ward of a city.
cubanismo, m., words or idioms peculiar to Cuba.
cubierto, -a, covered, protected;
a —— de, safe from.
cubrir, to cover, to protect, to shelter.
cuenta, f., computation, account, bill;
bead;
darse ——, to realize.
cuentas, f. pl., accounts;
en buenas ——, in fact, in short.
cuento, m., see chisme.
cuerno, m., horn.
cuesta, f., the slope of a mountain;
a cuestas, on one’s shoulders or back.
culminante, highest, overtopping, culminating.
cultor, m., one who professes a cult, an admirer or adherent of an idea or art.
cumbre, f., top, topmost.
cumpleaños, m. pl., birthday.
cumplido, -a, civil, talented, estimable, faultlessly polished.
cupón, m., coupon, an interest-bearing stub attached to a bond.
cura, m., priest.
curato, m., parish.
curioso, -a, inquisitive.
curso, m., course, direction, career.
curtido, -a, tanned;
hardened.
curtir, to tan leather;
to harden, to inure to hardship.


CH
chacra, f. (Sp. A.), small farm, market garden.
cháchara, f., trinket.
chaflán, m., bevel;
obtuse angle;
chamfer;
a dealer in horses;
a young laborer.
chala, f. (Sp. A.), corn husk.
chalet, m. (French), country-house.
chalilones, m. pl. (Sp. A.), carnival celebrations.
chambergo, m. (Sp. A.), soft hat.
chambón, m. (Sp. A.), a blunderer;
an unskilled person.
champus, m. (Sp. A.), a pudding made with corn flour, sugar and orange juice.
chancaca, f. (Sp. A.), raw sugar;
a sweet dish with corn or wheat.
chancho, m. (Sp. A.), pig.
chapear (Sp. A.), to clear ground of undergrowth with the machete.
chapetón, -a, formerly a Spaniard lately arrived in America.
chapetonada, f., a disease incident
to newly arrived Europeans in Spanish America before they become acclimated;
hence, new, unskilled, unversed.
charabón, m., ostrich chicken.
charanga, f. (Sp. A.), a band;
a dance.
charca, f., or charco, m., pool of water.
charlar, to chat, to converse.
charol, m., patent leather.
charqui, m., jerked beef.
Charrúa, m. (Sp. A.), name of an Indian tribe;
a bird.
chascarrillo, m., spicy anecdote.
chasquear, to crack with a whip or lash.
chata, f., a flat-bottomed boat;
pug-nosed.
chaucha, f. (Sp. A.), string bean. See ejote.
Cheviot, m., name given to a variety of sheep.
chicle, m., the crude product from which chewing gum is made.
chicozapote, m., tree from which chicle is made.
chicha, f. (Sp. A.), a little fermented wine;
a beverage made from fermented corn.
chiflar, to whistle.
chiguil, m. (Sp. A.), a kind of tamal.
chilatole, m. (Sp. A.), a dish of corn, red pepper and pork.
chile, m. (Sp. A.), American red pepper.
chilenismo, m., word or idiom peculiar to Chile.
chimango, m. (Sp. A.), a small bird of prey.
chimenea, f., fireplace, hearth.
chinchilla, f., a small quadruped of South America well known for its fur.
chinerío, m., a term applied to a group of Chinese including both sexes.
chinguirito, m. (Sp. A.), rum made from sugar-cane.
chino, -a (Sp. A.), applied to the off- spring
from the union of a mulatto or negro and an Indian;
zambo.
chipa, m. (Sp. A.), a kind of bread made of corn-flour.
chipio, m., South American tree.
chirimoya, f., a delicious fruit of tropical America;
custard-apple.
chiripa, m. (Sp. A.), a kind of trousers.
chisme, m., trifle, a maliciously false statement.
chismear, to tattle, to carry tales, to retail scandal.
chismoso, -a, tattler, tale-bearer.
chispa, f., spark.
chiste, m., joke, a funny or witty saying.
chocarrero, -a, rough, coarse, gross.
choclo, m. (Sp. A.), green ear of corn.
chorro, m., a jet, a gush.
choza, f., hut.
chucho, m., a musical instrument made of a hollow cylinder of guadua covered with parchment at both ends, and containing grains of corn.
chupar, to suck.
chupe, m. (Sp. A.), a dish made of boiled potatoes and green corn.


D
dable, possible, feasible, practicable.
dactilógrafo, -a, typist.
dado, -a, given.
dama, f., lady, dame;
primera ——, leading lady in a play.
damasco, m., apricot.
danzón, m. (Sp. A.), a Cuban dance derived from the contradanza.
daño, m., mischief, hurt, damage.
dar, to give, to hit, to impart;
—— en cara, to reproach;
—— con, to meet with, to find out;
—— fiado, or fianza, to give credit or security;
refl., to yield, to give in, to give one’s self up.
decaer, to fail, to retrogress.
decidor, -a, one who speaks with fluency and elegance.
decir, m., discourse, style;
vb., to say, to tell.
decomisar, to confiscate, to seize, to cause to forfeit.
decoración, f. (and pl.), scenery and curtain of a theater.
decreto, m., decree, decision.
decuplar, to increase ten-fold.
defecación, f., to free a liquid from lees or sediment.
dehesa, f., pasture ground.
dejar, to leave;
—— de lado, to leave aside;
déjeme pensar, let me think.
dejo, m., a lingering taste after eating or drinking.
delantero, -a, foremost.
delicia, f., delight, satisfaction.
demanda, f., complaint, claim.
demoledora, f., a crushing machine used in making wine.
demora, f., delay.
dependiente, m. (Sp. A.), clerk;
—— principal, chief clerk.
deponer, to lay by, to put aside, to depose.
deporte, m., sport.
depositar, to deposit, to lay down.
depósito, m., depository, repository.
deprimir, to depress, to humble, to reduce.
depuesto, -a, p. p. of deponer.
derechito (Colloq.), straight ahead.
derecho, m., law, tax, duty, import, toll, due, fee;
—— de gentes, fundamental rights of a people;
libre de ——, duty free.
derretir, to liquefy, to melt;
refl., to become sentimental or tender.
derribar, to demolish, to throw down.
derrochar, to scatter, to waste.
derroche, m., waste, destruction, dissipation.
desagrado, m., displeasure.
desagüe, m., outlet, drain, channel.
desahogo, m., relief, ease, alleviation, domestic convenience.
desalojar, to dislodge, to oust.
desarbolado, -a, unmasted;
(Agr.), without trees.
desarbolar, to dismast.
desatar, to loosen; to lose all control or restraint.
descarga, f., volley.
descendencia, f., descent, extraction;
offspring, family.
descollar, to overtop, to excel.
descomedido, -a, rude, impudent, insolent.
descompasadamente, out of measure or proportion.
descomunal, monstrous, enormous, colossal.
desconocido, -a, unknown;
ungrateful.
descontar, to discount;
to allow for.
descuajar, to weed.
descubierto, m., unpaid balance;
al ——, in blank.
descuento, m., discount.
descuidar, to neglect, to overlook.
desde, from, since;
—— ... hasta, from ... to;
—— que, since;
—— luego, therefore, to begin with;
—— entonces, ever since.
desdicha, f., misfortune, calamity, unhappiness.
desecado, -a, dried up, desiccated.
desembarazar, to free, to disengage, to remove an encumbrance, to unburden.
desembocar, to empty, to flow into (as a river).
desempeñar, to acquit, to discharge an obligation, to fulfill.
desempeño, m., performance, fulfillment.
desencajado, -a, out of joint, out of gear;
changed countenance.
desencajar, to disfigure, to change in expression.
desenfado, m., freedom, ease, calmness.
desenterarse de, refl., to pass by a thing.
desenterrar, to dig up, to unearth, to bring to light.
desenvoltura, f., sprightliness, cheerfulness, a graceful and easy manner or delivery.
desfilar, to defile, to march in files.
desfondar, to injure the bottom of a vessel by grounding.
desfruncir, to loosen the strings of a bag.
desgajar, to lop off the branches of trees.
desgano, m., disgust, aversion, reluctance.
desgreñado, -a, disheveled, disturbed.
desgreñar, to dishevel, to disturb.
designación, f., name.
desleir, to dissolve.
deslizar, to glide, to slip by.
deslumbrado, -a, dazzled, confused.
deslumbrante, dazzling.
deslumbrar, to dazzle;
to confuse the sight or mind.
deslustrar, to tarnish or sully.
desmesuradamente, immeasurably.
desmochar, to lop or cut off.
desmontado, -a, unmounted, dismounted.
desmontar, to take anything to pieces, hence, to put a thing out of joint.
desollar, to skin.
despachar, to pack, to send, to ship goods or merchandise.
despacho, m., cabinet, office;
shop or place where things are sold by retail.
desparramar, to scatter, to spread over.
despectivo, -a, contemptuous.
despegar, to undo, to take apart.
despejar, to clear;
to remove obstacles.
despensa, f., pantry.
desperdicio, m., waste.
desplazamiento, m., displacement of a vessel.
desplegar, to unfold, to display, to open.
desplomarse, refl., to fall to the ground.
despoblado, m., uninhabited, in contrast to cities and towns.
despojado, -a, despoiled, deprived.
despojar, to despoil, to strip of property.
despreciar, to despise, to lay aside, to belittle.
desprenderse, refl., to free one’s self from;
to branch out.
desproveer, to deprive of.
desprovisto, -a, unprovided, unprepared.
después, afterward;
—— de, after;
—— que, after which.
destacar, to detach, to stand out in relief.
destemplado, -a, out of tune.
desterrado, -a, exiled, sent away.
desterrar, to exile, to send away.
destrozar, to destroy, to break into pieces.
desvelarse, refl., to be zealous, careful.
desventurado, -a, unhappy, unfortunate.
deudo, m., relative.
devotísimo, -a, from devoto, said of a saint inspiring devotion.
día, m., day;
en el ——, see hoy;
—— de moda, “society night” or performance.
dictado, m., title of honor;
dictation.
díctamo, m., dittany (a plant).
dicterio, m., keen reproach, insult.
dicho, m., saying, expression, sentence.
diestro, -a, right (as opposed to left).
diezmado, -a, decimated.
diezmar, to decimate.
difundir, to divulge, to publish, to spread.
digno, -a, dignified.
dilatado, -a, large, spacious, extensive, vast.
dilecto, -a, loved, beloved.
diligencia, f., stagecoach;
affair, business, obligation.
diluvio, m., deluge.
dique, m., dike, dam, dock;
—— de carena, dry-dock.
discurrir, to wander about.
discutido, -a, argued, debated.
discutir, to discuss.
disecado, -a, stuffed, dissected.
disecar, to dissect;
to stuff dead animals.
disfrutar, to enjoy.
disimular, to conceal one’s real intentions,
to hide, to color, to misrepresent.
dislocamiento, m., the act of taking things apart.
disolver, to dissolve, to dismember.
disparar, to shoot;
(Sp. A.) to run away.
disputar, to contend, to contest.
diván, m., low cushioned sofa.
dolencia, f., disease, affliction, pain.
domiciliarse, refl., to establish one’s self in a residence.
domicilio, m., residence;
a ——, to the house.
dominar, to control.
dominico, m., friar of the order of St. Dominic;
a South American bird.
doncel, m.. (Poet.), young man.
doncella, f., maid, virgin.
donde, where, in which;
en ——, where, in which;
a ——, to where;
¿por ——? by what way? by what reason? by which reason?
dorado, m., a fish.
dormilón, -a, one who sleeps much;
a South American bird.
dosel, m., canopy.
dotado, -a, dowered, portioned;
—— de, endowed with.
dotar, to endow, to give.
draga, f., dredge, dredger.
dragar, to dredge, to deepen a channel.
drama de tesis, a “problem play.”
duelo, m., sorrow;
duel.
durazno, m., peach.


E
ebanista, m., cabinetmaker.
ébano, m., ebony.
edible, eatable, edible.
edilicio, -a, pertaining to a municipal officer.
educando, m., student.
efluvio, m., exhalation.
efusión, f., effusion, efflux.
egida, f., shield.
egresar (Sp. A.), to leave school after graduation.
eje, m., axis.
ejercer, to perform.
ejercitarse, refl., to practice.
ejote, m. (Sp. A.), string bean.
elaborar, to manufacture, to work out.
elenco, m., the actors and actresses who make up a theatrical company;
list, catalogue, index.
elote, m. (Sp. A.), tender ear of corn.
embalar, to pack, to bale.
embarazado, -a, entangled, embarrassed.
embarazar, to embarrass, to perplex.
embarcación, f., any vessel or ship.
embarque, m., loading a ship, shipment.
embate, m., the dashing of the sea.
embestir, to assail, to attack, to offend.
embocadura, f., mouthpiece (of an instrument);
mouth of a river.
embolsar, to pack in bags or sacks.