apretar

v.

1 to press (oprimir) (botón, tecla).

me aprietan las botas my boots are too tight

La enfermera apretó la herida The nurse pressed the wound.

2 to grit (juntar) (dientes).

La niña aprieta los dientes al dormir The girl grits her teeth when sleeping.

3 to squeeze.

apretar la mano a alguien to shake somebody's hand

María apretó la mostaza Mary squeezed the mustard.

4 to press.

lo están apretando para que acepte la oferta they are pressing him o putting pressure on him to accept the offer

5 to get worse, to intensify (calor, lluvia).

6 to tighten.

El mecánico aprieta duramente el tornillo The mechanic tightens the screw.

7 to pinch.

Me aprietan los zapatos My shoes pinch.

Ricardo apretó su nariz Richard pinched her nose.

8 to be too tight.

Esta faja aprieta This belt is too tight.

9 to press down, to push down.

Ricardo apretó el botón para iniciar Richard pressed down the button to start.

10 to be too tight for.

Me aprieta la ropa My clothes are too tight for me.

11 to be most intense, to be more intense.

* * *

apretar

Conjugation model [ACERTAR], like {{link=acertar}}acertar

► verbo transitivo

1 (estrechar) to squeeze, hug

2 (tornillo) to tighten; (cordones, nudo) to do up tight

3 (comprimir) to compress, press together, pack tight

4 (activar) to press, push

■ si aprietas este botón sonará la alarma if you press this button the alarm will go off

5 figurado (acosar) to keep on at; (presionar) to put pressure on, pressurize

► verbo intransitivo

1 figurado (aumentar) to increase, get worse

■ el calor aprieta it's getting hotter and hotter

2 (prendas) to fit tight, be tight on

■ esta falda me aprieta this skirt is too tight on me

3 (esforzarse) to work hard

■ tendrás que apretar en tus estudios you'll have to study a lot harder, you'll have to pull your socks up

► verbo pronominal apretarse

1 (apiñar) to narrow, tighten

2 (agolparse) to crowd together; (acercarse) to squeeze up

\

FRASEOLOGÍA

apretar a correr to start running

apretar el paso to quicken one's pace

apretar la mano a alguien to shake somebody's hand

apretar el gatillo to pull the trigger

* * *

verb

1) to press

2) tighten

3) squeeze

4) pinch, be too tight

* * *

1. VT

1) [+ tapa, tornillo, nudo] to tighten

2) (=pulsar) [+ interruptor, pedal, tecla] to press; [+ gatillo] to squeeze, pull

aprieta el botón derecho del ratón — press the right-hand button on the mouse

apretar el acelerador — to put one's foot down (on the accelerator), depress the accelerator frm

3) (=apretujar)

a) [+ objeto] to squeeze, grip; [para que no caiga] to clutch

apretó bien los papeles en la cartera — he packed o squeezed the papers into the briefcase

apretaba entre sus manos un ramo de flores — he was clutching a bunch of flowers in his hands

con un puro apretado entre los dientes — with a cigar between his teeth

hay que apretar el compost con los dedos — you have to press the compost down with your fingers

• apretar los dientes — to grit one's teeth, clench one's teeth

• apretar la mano a algn — to shake sb's hand

• apretar el puño — to clench one's fist

b) [+ persona] [contra pared, suelo] to pin, press; [con los brazos] to clasp, clutch

me apretaba con todo su cuerpo contra la pared — he pinned o pressed me against the wall with his whole body

la apretó con fuerza entre sus brazos — he clasped o clutched her tightly in his arms

4) (=presionar)

• apretar a algn — to put pressure on sb

nos aprieta mucho para que estudiemos — he puts a lot of pressure on us to study, he pushes us to study hard

- apretar las clavijas o las tuercas a algn

5)

• apretar el paso — to quicken one's pace

6)

aprieta mucho la letra cuando escribe — he bunches up the words when he writes

7) (Mil) [+ asedio] to step up, intensify; [+ bloqueo] to tighten

2. VI

1) (=oprimir) [zapatos] to be too tight, pinch one's feet; [ropa] to be too tight

estos zapatos aprietan — these shoes are too tight, these shoes pinch my feet

este vestido me aprieta en la cintura — this dress is too tight for me around the waist

zapato

2) (=aumentar) [dolor, frío] to get worse; [viento] to intensify

es media mañana y el hambre aprieta — it's half way through the morning and I'm beginning to feel hungry

cuando el frío aprieta — when the cold gets worse, when it gets really cold

donde más aprieta el calor — where the heat is at its worst

3) (=presionar) to put on the pressure, pile on the pressure *

la oposición aprieta cada vez más — the opposition are putting on more and more pressure

si le aprietan un poco más, confesará — if they put a bit more pressure on him, he'll confess

• apretar con el enemigo — to close with the enemy

Dios 3)

4) (=esforzarse)

si apretáis un poco al final, aprobaréis — if you make an extra effort at the end, you'll pass

5)

• apretar a hacer algo, si aprieta a llover — if it starts to rain heavily

apretamos a correr — we broke into a run

6)

¡aprieta! — nonsense!, good grief!

7) Chile (=irse con prisa)

apretemos que viene la profesora — let's run for it, the teacher's coming

fueron los primeros en salir apretando después del golpe — they were the first ones to make a getaway after the coup

8) ** [al defecar] to push

3.

See:

apretarse

* * *

1.

verbo transitivo

1)

a) <botón> to press, push; <acelerador> to put one's foot on, press; <gatillo> to pull, squeeze

b) <nudo/venda/tornillo> to tighten

apretó bien la tapa — he screwed the lid on tightly

aprieta el puño — clench your fist

apreté los dientes — I gritted my teeth

c)

apretar el paso or la marcha — to quicken one's pace o step

2)

a) (apretujar)

apretó al niño contra su pecho — he clasped o clutched the child to his breast

me apretó el brazo con fuerza — he squeezed o gripped my arm firmly

b) (presionar) to put pressure on

2.

apretar vi

1) ropa/zapatos (+ me/te/le etc) to be too tight

el vestido le aprieta — the dress is too tight for her

2) (hacer presión) to press down (o in etc)

3) (ser fuerte)

cómo aprieta el calor! — it's incredibly hot!

cuando el hambre aprieta ... — when people are in the grip of hunger ...

4)

a) (esforzarse) to make an effort

b) profesor/jefe to be demanding

apretar a correr — (fam) to break into a run

3.

apretarse v pron to squeeze o squash together

* * *

= squeeze, nip, tighten, screw, tighten + Posesivo + grip on, press, clenching, cramp.

Ex. Squeezed between the upper and nether milestones of increasing demand and dwindling resources, individual librarians develop ways in which to make their jobs easier.

Ex. Rotary presses are like wringers the printing paper being nipped between two cylinders.

Ex. Self-effacing nervousness causes the epiglottis to tighten, strangling the words in the throat and stiffening the diaphragm so that it is like pulled-out elastic unable to propel anything.

Ex. This was done by laying the right number of letters on their sides in the stick, pushing the sliding bar up to them and screwing it up tight.

Ex. This paper reports on measures being taken by the government to tighten its grip on what universities do with their money.

Ex. To read a borrower label place the scanner on the left side of the label and move it from left to right across the bar codes, pressing lightly to keep it in direct contact with the label.

Ex. A bite guard, also known as a stress guard, teeth guard, dental guard or night guard, is a dental appliance provided by the dentist to protect your teeth from excessive grinding or clenching.

Ex. The goals are to reduce stress on the fingers and wrists and to keep your hands in a natural position rather than cramping them together.

----

* apretar el gatillo = pull + the trigger.

* apretar fuerte = bear down on.

* apretarse el cinturón = tighten + Posesivo + belt, gird (up) + Posesivo + loins.

* apretarse los machos = gird (up) + Posesivo + loins.

* cuando el sol aprieta = during the heat of the day.

* el que mucho abarca poco aprieta = jack of all trades, master of none.

* quien mucho abarca poco aprieta = bite off more than + Pronombre + can chew.

* sin apretar = loosely hanging, baggy [baggier -comp., baggiest -sup.], saggy [saggier -comp., saggiest -sup.].

* * *

1.

verbo transitivo

1)

a) <botón> to press, push; <acelerador> to put one's foot on, press; <gatillo> to pull, squeeze

b) <nudo/venda/tornillo> to tighten

apretó bien la tapa — he screwed the lid on tightly

aprieta el puño — clench your fist

apreté los dientes — I gritted my teeth

c)

apretar el paso or la marcha — to quicken one's pace o step

2)

a) (apretujar)

apretó al niño contra su pecho — he clasped o clutched the child to his breast

me apretó el brazo con fuerza — he squeezed o gripped my arm firmly

b) (presionar) to put pressure on

2.

apretar vi

1) ropa/zapatos (+ me/te/le etc) to be too tight

el vestido le aprieta — the dress is too tight for her

2) (hacer presión) to press down (o in etc)

3) (ser fuerte)

cómo aprieta el calor! — it's incredibly hot!

cuando el hambre aprieta ... — when people are in the grip of hunger ...

4)

a) (esforzarse) to make an effort

b) profesor/jefe to be demanding

apretar a correr — (fam) to break into a run

3.

apretarse v pron to squeeze o squash together

* * *

= squeeze, nip, tighten, screw, tighten + Posesivo + grip on, press, clenching, cramp.

Ex: Squeezed between the upper and nether milestones of increasing demand and dwindling resources, individual librarians develop ways in which to make their jobs easier.

Ex: Rotary presses are like wringers the printing paper being nipped between two cylinders.

Ex: Self-effacing nervousness causes the epiglottis to tighten, strangling the words in the throat and stiffening the diaphragm so that it is like pulled-out elastic unable to propel anything.

Ex: This was done by laying the right number of letters on their sides in the stick, pushing the sliding bar up to them and screwing it up tight.

Ex: This paper reports on measures being taken by the government to tighten its grip on what universities do with their money.

Ex: To read a borrower label place the scanner on the left side of the label and move it from left to right across the bar codes, pressing lightly to keep it in direct contact with the label.

Ex: A bite guard, also known as a stress guard, teeth guard, dental guard or night guard, is a dental appliance provided by the dentist to protect your teeth from excessive grinding or clenching.

Ex: The goals are to reduce stress on the fingers and wrists and to keep your hands in a natural position rather than cramping them together.

* apretar el gatillo = pull + the trigger.

* apretar fuerte = bear down on.

* apretarse el cinturón = tighten + Posesivo + belt, gird (up) + Posesivo + loins.

* apretarse los machos = gird (up) + Posesivo + loins.

* cuando el sol aprieta = during the heat of the day.

* el que mucho abarca poco aprieta = jack of all trades, master of none.

* quien mucho abarca poco aprieta = bite off more than + Pronombre + can chew.

* sin apretar = loosely hanging, baggy [baggier -comp., baggiest -sup.], saggy [saggier -comp., saggiest -sup.].

* * *

apretar [A5 ]

vt

A

1 ‹botón› to press, push; ‹acelerador› to put one's foot on, press, depress (frml); ‹gatillo› to pull, squeeze

2 ‹nudo/venda› to tighten; ‹tapa/tornillo› to tighten

apretó bien la tapa he screwed the lid on tightly

aprieta el puño clench your fist

apreté los dientes I gritted my teeth

clavija, tornillo

3

apretar el paso or la marcha to quicken one's pace o step

4 ‹letra› to squeeze together (AmE), to squeeze up (BrE)

apretar los puntos to knit tightly

B

1

(apretujar): apretó al niño contra su pecho he clasped o clutched the child to his breast

llevaba el osito apretado entre sus brazos she was clutching the teddy bear in her arms

me apretó el brazo con fuerza he squeezed o gripped my arm firmly

2 (presionar) to put pressure on

el profesor nos apretó mucho en los últimos meses in the last few months the teacher put a lot of pressure on us o pushed us really hard

■ apretar

vi

A «ropa/zapatos» (+ me/te/le etc) to be too tight

el vestido le aprieta the dress is too tight for her o is very tight on her

la falda me aprieta en las caderas the skirt is too tight around the hips

¡cómo me aprietan estos zapatos! these shoes are so tight!, these shoes really pinch my feet!

ver tb zapato

B (hacer presión) to press down ( o in etc)

C

(ser fuerte): a las tres de la tarde cuando el calor aprieta at three o'clock when the heat is at its most intense

a primeras horas de la mañana el frío aprieta (Chi, Méx); in the early hours of the morning you really feel the cold

cuando el hambre aprieta, la gente come cualquier cosa when people are in the grip of hunger they will eat anything

D

1 (esforzarse) to make an effort

vas a tener que apretar en la física you're going to have to knuckle down o make more of an effort in physics

2 «profesor/jefe» to be demanding dios

E

(Chi fam) (irse): todos apretaron a la salida everyone made a dash for o ran for the door (colloq)

tuvimos que salir apretando we had to make a run for it (colloq)

apretar a correr (fam); to break into a run, start running

■ apretarse

v pron

to squeeze o squash together, to squeeze o squash up (BrE) cinturón

* * *

 

apretar (conjugate apretar) verbo transitivo
1

a) ‹botón› to press, push;

‹acelerador› to put one's foot on, press;
‹gatillo› to pull, squeeze

b) ‹nudo/tapa/tornillo› to tighten;

‹puño/mandíbulas› to clench;

◊ apreté los dientes I gritted my teeth

2

a) (apretujar):

◊ apretó al niño contra su pecho he clasped o clutched the child to his breast;

me apretó el brazo con fuerza he squeezed o gripped my arm firmly

b) (presionar) to put pressure on

verbo intransitivo
1 [ropa/zapatos] (+ me/te/le etc) to be too tight;

◊ el vestido le aprieta the dress is too tight for her

2 (hacer presión) to press down (o in etc)
apretarse verbo pronominal
to squeeze o squash together
apretar
I vtr (pulsar un botón) to press
(el cinturón, un tornillo) to tighten
(el gatillo) to pull: me aprietan los zapatos, these shoes are too tight for me
II verbo intransitivo el calor ha apretado en julio, it was really hot in July
♦ Locuciones: apretar el paso, to hasten, hurry
apretarle las clavijas a alguien, to put the screws on someone
donde aprieta el zapato, where the problem is
'apretar' also found in these entries:
Spanish:
ajustar
- estrujar
- aprieta
- estrechar
- fuerte
- gatillo
- oprimir
- puño
English:
clench
- grip
- loosely
- pack
- pack down
- pinch
- press
- pull
- push
- screw up
- squeeze
- tighten
- wedge
- which
- accelerate
- foot
- loosen
- screw
- speed
- tooth

* * *

apretar

♦ vt

1. [oprimir] [botón, tecla] to press;

[gatillo] to pull, to squeeze; [acelerador] to step on;

el zapato me aprieta my shoe is pinching;

me aprietan las botas my boots are too tight

2. [nudo, tuerca, cinturón] to tighten;

Comp

Fam

apretar las clavijas o [m5]los tornillos a alguien to put the screws on sb

3. [juntar] [dientes] to grit;

[labios] to press together; [puño] to clench;

tendrás que apretar la letra you'll have to squeeze your handwriting up

4. [estrechar] to squeeze;

[abrazar] to hug;

no me aprietes el brazo, me estás haciendo daño stop squeezing my arm, you're hurting me;

la apretó contra su pecho he held her to his chest;

apretar la mano a alguien to shake sb's hand

5. [acelerar]

apretar el paso o [m5]la marcha to quicken one's pace;

como no apretemos el paso, no llegaremos nunca if we don't hurry up, we'll never get there

6. [exigir] to tighten up on;

[presionar] to press;

apretar la disciplina to tighten up on discipline;

lo apretaron tanto que acabó confesando they pressed him so hard that he ended up confessing;

no me gusta que me aprieten en el trabajo I don't like to feel pressurized in my work;

lo están apretando para que acepte la oferta they are pressing him o putting pressure on him to accept the offer

7. [ropa, objetos] to pack tight

♦ vi

1. [calor, lluvia] to get worse, to intensify;

salgo de casa a las dos, cuando más aprieta el calor I leave home at two o'clock, when the heat is at its worst;

en agosto ha apretado mucho el calor it got a lot hotter in August;

cuando la necesidad aprieta, se agudiza el ingenio people become more resourceful when they really have to

2. [zapatos] to pinch;

[ropa] to be too tight

3. [esforzarse] to push oneself;

tienes que apretar más si quieres aprobar you'll have to pull your socks up if you want to pass

4. Fam

apretar a correr to run off;

el ladrón apretó a correr the thief ran off

♦ See also the pronominal verb apretarse

* * *

apretar

I v/t

1 botón press;

apretó contra el pecho la fotografía/el niño she held the photograph/the child close, she pressed the photograph/the child to her breast;

apretar los puños clench one’s fists;

apretar los dientes grit one’s teeth

2 (pellizcar, pinzar) squeeze

3 tuerca tighten

4

:

apretar el paso quicken one’s pace

II v/i

1 de ropa, zapato be too tight

2

:

apretar a correr start to run, start running

* * *

apretar {55} vt

1) : to press, to push (a button)

2) : to tighten

3) : to squeeze

apretar vi

1) : to press, to push

2) : to fit tightly, to be too tight

los zapatos me aprietan: my shoes are tight

* * *

apretar vb

1. (botón) to press

aprieta este botón press this button

2. (gatillo) to pull

apretó el gatillo he pulled the trigger

3. (tornillo, cinturón, nudo) to tighten

¿has apretado los tornillos? have you tightened the screws?

4. (exigir) to be strict with / to push hard

el profesor nos aprieta mucho the teacher is very strict with us

5. (quedar estrecho ropa) to be too tight

este pantalón me aprieta these trousers are too tight for me

6. (esforzarse) to work harder

tendrás que apretar más si quieres aprobar you'll have to work harder if you want to pass

7. (aumentar calor) to increase

el calor está apretando it's getting hotter and hotter

apretar la mano a alguien to shake someone's hand