prender

v.

1 to arrest, to apprehend.

La policía prende al criminal The police arrests the criminal.

2 to fasten.

3 to light (encender) (luz, interruptor). (especially Latin American Spanish)

prender fuego a algo to set fire to something, to set something on fire

4 to grip.

5 to catch (fire).

6 to take root (plant).

7 to spread.

una idea que ha prendido entre el público an idea that has caught on among the public

8 to ignite, to light.

Ella prende el fuego She ignites the fire.

9 to pin on, to stick on, to buckle on.

Ella prende el broche She pins on the brooch.

10 to seize, to catch, to grasp, to capture.

El guarda prende al ladrón The guard seizes the thief.

11 to turn on, to activate, to switch on.

Ella prendió la luz She turned on the light.

* * *

prender

► verbo transitivo

1 (agarrar) to catch; (arrestar) to arrest

2 (sujetar) to attach; (con agujas) to pin

3 (encender - fuego) to light; (- luz) to turn on

► verbo intransitivo

1 (arraigar - planta, costumbre) to take root

2 (fuego, madera, etc) to catch light, catch fire

► verbo pronominal prenderse

1 to catch fire

\

FRASEOLOGÍA

prender fuego a to set fire to, set light to

* * *

verb

1) to pin

2) catch

3) seize

•

- prender fuego

* * *

1. VT

1) [+ persona] (=capturar) to catch, capture; (=detener) to arrest

2) (Cos) (=sujetar) to fasten; [con alfiler] to pin, attach (en to)

prender el pelo con horquillas — to pin one's hair with grips

3) (=atar) to tie, do up

4) esp LAm [+ fuego, horno, vela, cigarrillo] to light; [+ cerilla] to strike; [+ luz, TV] to switch on; [+ cuarto] to light up

2. VI

1) [fuego] to catch

sus ideas prendieron fácilmente en la juventud — his ideas soon caught on with the young

2) (=engancharse) to catch, stick

el ancla prendió en el fondo — the anchor buried itself in the seabed

3) [planta] to take, take root

4) [vacuna] to take

3.

See:

prenderse

* * *

1.

verbo transitivo

1) <persona> to catch, seize

2) (sujetar)

llevaba una flor prendida en el ojal — he was wearing a flower (pinned) in his buttonhole

el bajo está prendido con alfileres — the hem's been pinned up

3)

a) <cigarrillo/cerilla> to light

prender fuego a — to set fire to

b) (AmL) <gas> to turn on, light; <estufa/horno> to turn on; <radio/luz> to turn on, switch on

2.

prender vi

1) rama/planta to take

2) (arder)

la leña no prende — the wood won't catch (light)

3) idea/moda to catch on

3.

prenderse v pron (con fuego) to catch fire

* * *

= fire, ignite, inflame.

Ex. Mearns, too, has warned against 'profligate expenditure of time and effort when the reference librarian's own curiosity is fired to a point where he feels himself impelled to seek personal satisfaction'.

Ex. Nitrate film ignites readily, burns fiercely, virtually inextinguishably and with highly toxic fumes.

Ex. His works are among the few films that can inflame the emotions as easily today as they could when they were originally made.

----

* fuego + prenderse = fire + break out.

* prender con alfileres = pin.

* prenderse fuego = set + Nombre + on fire, torch, ignite, set + ablaze, burn, catch + fire.

* prenderle fuego a = set + fire to.

* prenderse fuego = catch on + fire.

* * *

1.

verbo transitivo

1) <persona> to catch, seize

2) (sujetar)

llevaba una flor prendida en el ojal — he was wearing a flower (pinned) in his buttonhole

el bajo está prendido con alfileres — the hem's been pinned up

3)

a) <cigarrillo/cerilla> to light

prender fuego a — to set fire to

b) (AmL) <gas> to turn on, light; <estufa/horno> to turn on; <radio/luz> to turn on, switch on

2.

prender vi

1) rama/planta to take

2) (arder)

la leña no prende — the wood won't catch (light)

3) idea/moda to catch on

3.

prenderse v pron (con fuego) to catch fire

* * *

= fire, ignite, inflame.

Ex: Mearns, too, has warned against 'profligate expenditure of time and effort when the reference librarian's own curiosity is fired to a point where he feels himself impelled to seek personal satisfaction'.

Ex: Nitrate film ignites readily, burns fiercely, virtually inextinguishably and with highly toxic fumes.

Ex: His works are among the few films that can inflame the emotions as easily today as they could when they were originally made.

* fuego + prenderse = fire + break out.

* prender con alfileres = pin.

* prenderse fuego = set + Nombre + on fire, torch, ignite, set + ablaze, burn, catch + fire.

* prenderle fuego a = set + fire to.

* prenderse fuego = catch on + fire.

* * *

prender [E1 ]

vt

A ‹persona› to catch, seize

B

(sujetar): le prendió el pelo con una horquilla she pinned back her hair with a hairpin

llevaba una flor prendida en el ojal he was wearing a flower (pinned) in his buttonhole

el bajo está prendido con alfileres the hem's been pinned up

C (Col) ‹botón/parche› to sew on

D

1

prender fuego a to set fire to

prendió fuego al bosque he set fire to the woods, he set the woods on fire

prendió un cigarrillo/una cerilla she lit a cigarette/a match

2 (AmL) ‹gas› to turn on, light; ‹estufa/horno› to turn on; ‹radio/luz› to turn on, switch on

E (Chi fam) (llenar de gases) to give ... wind

■ prender

vi

A «vacuna» to take; «rama/planta» to take

B

(arder): la leña está mojada y no prende the wood's damp and won't catch light o won't catch o won't take

C «idea/moda» to catch on

■ prenderse

v pron

A (con fuego) to catch fire

se le prendió el trapo the cloth caught fire

B

(Col) (contagiarse): se le prendió el sarampión de su hermano she caught her brother's measles, she caught the measles from her brother

C (Col) (animarse) to liven up, get going

D (Chi fam) (llenarse de gases) to get wind

estoy prendido I've got wind

* * *

 

prender (conjugate prender) verbo transitivo
1 ‹persona› to catch, seize
2 (sujetar) to pin;
‹bajo/dobladillo› to pin up
3

a) ‹cigarrillo/cerilla› to light;

◊ prender(le) fuego a algo to set fire to sth

b) (AmL) ‹gas› to light;

‹estufa/horno› to turn on;
‹radio/luz/televisión› to turn on, switch on
verbo intransitivo
1 [rama/planta] to take
2

a) [fósforo/piloto] to light;

[leña] to catch (light)

b) (AmL) [luz/radio/televisión] to come on;

◊ la televisión no prende the TV won't come on

3 [idea/moda] to catch on
prenderse verbo pronominal

a) (con fuego) to catch fire

b) (AmL) [luz/radio/televisión] to come on

prender
I verbo transitivo
1 (a una persona) to catch, capture
2 (arrestar, detener) to arrest
3 (sujetar) to fasten, attach
(con alfileres) to pin
4 (una cerilla, un cigarro) to light
prender fuego a algo, to set fire to sthg
II verbo intransitivo
1 (fuego) to catch: la leña mojada no prende, wet wood doesn't catch fire
2 (planta) to take root
3 (una idea, una opinión) to catch on
'prender' also found in these entries:
Spanish:
enganchar
- incendiar
- luz
English:
fasten on to
- fire
- light
- pin
- pin on
- set
- alight
- catch
- foot
- put
- start
- switch
- take
- turn

* * *

prender

♦ vt

1. [arrestar] to arrest, to apprehend

2. [sujetar] to fasten;

prendió el clavel en la solapa con un alfiler she attached the carnation to her lapel with a pin

3. [fuego] to light;

prendieron fuego a los matorrales they set fire to the bushes, they set the bushes on fire

4. [agarrar] to grip;

prendió con fuerza el brazo de su madre he gripped his mother's arm tightly

5. esp Am [luz, interruptor] to switch on;

[motor] to start (up);

prende la luz, que no veo turn o switch the light on, I can't see;

prendió un cigarrillo she lit a cigarette

♦ vi

1. [arder] to catch fire;

esta leña no prende this wood won't catch fire

2. [planta] to take root

3. [opinión] to spread;

es una idea que ha prendido entre el público it's an idea that has caught on among the public

♦ See also the pronominal verb prenderse

* * *

prender

<part preso>

I v/t

1 a fugitivo capture

2 sujetar pin up

3 L.Am.

fuego light; luz switch on, turn on;

prender fuego a set fire to

II v/i

1 de planta take

2 (empezar a arder) catch

3 de moda catch on

* * *

prender vt

1) sujetar: to pin, to fasten

2) apresar: to catch, to apprehend

3) : to light (a cigarette, a match)

4) : to turn on

prende la luz: turn on the light

5)

prender fuego a : to set fire to

prender vi

1) : to take root

2) : to catch fire

3) : to catch on

* * *

prender vb

1. (sujetar) to pin [pt. & pp. pinned]

prendió la flor en la solapa he pinned the flower to his lapel

2. (encender) to light [pt. & pp. lit]

la leña no prende porque está mojada the wood won't light because it's wet

prender fuego to set fire [pt. & pp. set]

prendieron fuego al coche they set fire to the car