tapar

v.

1 to close (the lid of) (cerrar) (ataúd, cofre).

2 to cover.

quítate, que me tapas la tele could you move out of the way? — I can't see the TV with you in the way

me tapó los ojos he put his hands over my eyes; (con las manos) he blindfolded me (con venda)

María tapa la comida Mary covers the food.

3 to cover up.

lo tapó con una manta she put a blanket over him to keep him warm

4 to cover up.

5 to block. (Latin American Spanish)

Las hojas taparon el caño The leaves clogged the gutter.

6 to conceal, to disguise.

María tapa la verdad Mary conceals the truth.

7 to block up, to block, to bung up.

El medicamento tapó mi nariz The medicine blocked up my nose.

8 to hide.

* * *

tapar

► verbo transitivo

1 (cubrir) to cover; (con tapa) to put the lid on, put the top on

2 (con ropas etc) to wrap up

3 (obstruir) to obstruct; (tubería) to block

4 (ocultar) to hide; (a la vista) to block

5 figurado (encubrir) to cover up

► verbo pronominal taparse

1 (abrigarse) to wrap up

2 (la nariz) to be blocked up

\

FRASEOLOGÍA

taparse los oídos to put one's fingers in one's ears

* * *

verb

1) to cover

2) block

3) hide, keep secret

* * *

1. VT

1) (=cubrir) [gen] to cover; [más deliberada o completamente] to cover up

un velo le tapaba parte de la cara — part of her face was covered by a veil

le tapó la boca con la mano — she covered his mouth with her hand

le taparon los ojos y se lo llevaron — he was blindfolded and taken away

mandaron tapar los desnudos de la Capilla Sixtina — they ordered the nudes of the Sistine Chapel to be covered up

2) (=cerrar) [con tapadera] [+ olla, tarro] to put the lid on; [+ botella] [gen] to put the top on; [con corcho] to put the cork in

3) [+ tubo, túnel, agujero, ranura] (=obstruir) block up; (=rellenar) to fill, fill in

4) (=abrigar) [con ropa] to wrap up; [en la cama] to cover up

tapa bien al niño, que no se enfríe — wrap the child (up) well so that he doesn't catch cold

5) (=ocultar) [+ objeto] to hide; [+ vista] to block; [+ hecho, escándalo] to cover up

los arbustos tapaban el sendero — the bushes hid the path

las nubes siguen tapando el sol — the clouds are still blocking the sun

la madre le tapa las travesuras — when he does something naughty, his mother always covers up for him

6) Chile, Méx, And [+ diente] to fill

7) LAm [+ cañería, excusado] to block

8) And (=aplastar) to crush, flatten; (=chafar) to crumple, rumple

9) And (=insultar) to abuse, insult

2.

See:

taparse

* * *

1.

verbo transitivo

1) (cubrir) <caja> to put the lid on; <botella/frasco> to put the top on; <olla> to cover, put the lid on

tapó al niño con una manta — she covered the child with a blanket

le tapó la boca — he put his hand over her mouth

2)

a) <agujero/hueco> to fill in; <puerta/ventana> to block up

b) (Andes, Méx) <muela> to fill

me taparon dos muelas — I had two fillings

c) <defecto/error> to cover up

3)

a) <vista/luz> to block

nos tapa todo el sol — it completely blocks out the sun

b) <salida/entrada> to block; <excusado/cañería> (AmL) to block

2.

tapar vi (Per) (Dep) to keep goal, play in goal

3.

taparse v pron

1) (refl) (cubrirse) to cover oneself up

se tapó la cara — he covered his face

2)

a) oídos/nariz (+ me/te/le etc) to get o become blocked

tengo la nariz tapada — my nose is blocked

b) (AmL) cañería/excusado to get blocked

* * *

= whitewash, cover up, screen, blot out, pug.

Ex. A number of volumes whitewashing this fascist wartime state were published in 2001.

Ex. The grating was used to cover up dryer and toilet vents on the side of the building.

Ex. During the war, all of the light fittings on the bridge were screened as a blackout measure.

Ex. Las Vegas was once notorious for loose morals, fast living and financial transactions murky enough to blot out the desert sun.

Ex. He fixed the leaky faucet by pugging it with a cork, hammering it in with a mallet, wrapping it up with electrical tape, and leaving it to increase in water pressure until the pipe exploded .

----

* tapar grietas = caulk + cracks, chink.

* tapar rendijas = caulk + cracks, chink.

* * *

1.

verbo transitivo

1) (cubrir) <caja> to put the lid on; <botella/frasco> to put the top on; <olla> to cover, put the lid on

tapó al niño con una manta — she covered the child with a blanket

le tapó la boca — he put his hand over her mouth

2)

a) <agujero/hueco> to fill in; <puerta/ventana> to block up

b) (Andes, Méx) <muela> to fill

me taparon dos muelas — I had two fillings

c) <defecto/error> to cover up

3)

a) <vista/luz> to block

nos tapa todo el sol — it completely blocks out the sun

b) <salida/entrada> to block; <excusado/cañería> (AmL) to block

2.

tapar vi (Per) (Dep) to keep goal, play in goal

3.

taparse v pron

1) (refl) (cubrirse) to cover oneself up

se tapó la cara — he covered his face

2)

a) oídos/nariz (+ me/te/le etc) to get o become blocked

tengo la nariz tapada — my nose is blocked

b) (AmL) cañería/excusado to get blocked

* * *

= whitewash, cover up, screen, blot out, pug.

Ex: A number of volumes whitewashing this fascist wartime state were published in 2001.

Ex: The grating was used to cover up dryer and toilet vents on the side of the building.

Ex: During the war, all of the light fittings on the bridge were screened as a blackout measure.

Ex: Las Vegas was once notorious for loose morals, fast living and financial transactions murky enough to blot out the desert sun.

Ex: He fixed the leaky faucet by pugging it with a cork, hammering it in with a mallet, wrapping it up with electrical tape, and leaving it to increase in water pressure until the pipe exploded .

* tapar grietas = caulk + cracks, chink.

* tapar rendijas = caulk + cracks, chink.

* * *

tapar [A1 ]

vt

A (cubrir) ‹caja› to put the lid on; ‹botella/frasco› to put the top on; ‹olla› to cover, put the lid on

tapé bien el agua I put the top tightly on the water (bottle)

tapó los muebles con unas sábanas viejas she covered the furniture with some old sheets

cuélgalo ahí y así tapa la mancha hang it there, that way it'll cover (up) the stain

le tapó la boca para que no gritara he put his hand over her mouth so that she wouldn't scream

la bufanda le tapaba parte de la cara the scarf covered o hid part of his face

B

1 ‹agujero/hueco› to fill in; ‹puerta/ventana› to block up

2 (Andes, Méx) ‹muela› to fill

me taparon dos muelas I had two fillings

tengo todas las muelas tapadas all my teeth are filled

3 ‹defecto/error/crimen› to cover up

el maquillaje le tapa la cicatriz the makeup hides the scar

C

1 ‹vista/luz› to block

quítate, que me estás tapando get out of the way, you're blocking my view

el edificio de enfrente nos tapa todo el sol the building opposite us completely blocks out the sun

no me tapes la luz you're in my light

2 ‹salida/entrada› to block

3 ‹excusado/caño› (AmL) to block

■ tapar

vi

(Per) (Dep) to keep goal, play in goal

■ taparse

v pron

A (refl)

(cubrirse): se tapó la cara con las manos he covered his face with his hands

tápate la garganta, que vas a coger frío put something around your neck; you'll catch cold

se metió en la cama y se tapó bien he got into bed and covered himself up

si sales, tápate bien que hace frío wrap up well o warm if you're going out, it's cold

B

1 «oídos/nariz» (+ me/te/le etc) to get o become blocked

cada vez que viajo en avión se me tapan los oídos every time I fly, my ears get blocked

tengo la nariz tapada my nose is blocked

2 (AmL) «caño/excusado» to get blocked

* * *

 

tapar (conjugate tapar) verbo transitivo
1 (cubrir) ‹caja› to put the lid on;
‹botella/frasco› to put the top on;
‹olla› to cover, put the lid on;
‹bebé/enfermo/cara› to cover
2

a) ‹agujero/hueco› to fill in;

‹puerta/ventana› to block up

b) (Andes, Méx) ‹muela› to fill;

◊ me taparon dos muelas I had two fillings

c) ‹defecto/error› to cover up

3

a) ‹vista/luz› to block

b) ‹salida/entrada› to block;

‹excusado/cañería› (AmL) to block
taparse verbo pronominal
1 (refl) (cubrirse) to cover oneself up;
‹cara› to cover
2

a) [oídos/nariz] to get o become blocked;

◊ tengo la nariz tapada my nose is blocked

b) (AmL) [cañería/excusado] to get blocked

tapar verbo transitivo
1 (cubrir) to cover
(una botella) to put the top on
(un frasco, una caja, etc) to put the lid on
2 (un orificio) to plug, fill: tapó el agujero con cemento, he filled the hole with cement
(obstruir) to block: una rama tapa la entrada del túnel, a branch blocks the tunnel mouth
3 (abrigar, arropar) to wrap up
(en la cama) to tuck in
4 fam (interponerse) me estás tapando el sol, you're blocking out the sun
5 fig (ocultar una falta) to cover up for sb
'tapar' also found in these entries:
Spanish:
abrigar
- amordazar
- tapiar
- alcahuetear
English:
blot out
- cap
- close
- cover
- cover up
- hush up
- mask
- obstruct
- plug
- screen
- stop
- stop up
- black
- blindfold
- block
- blot
- fill
- hide
- stuff

* * *

tapar

♦ vt

1. [cerrar] [olla] to put the lid o top on, to cover;

[caja] to put the lid o top on, to close; [ataúd, cofre, baúl] to close (the lid of); [frasco, botella] to put the top on

2. [ocultar, cubrir] to cover;

[no dejar ver] to block (out); [rellenar] to fill;

tapó el monitor con una funda she put a cover on o over the monitor;

colgaba cuadros para tapar las grietas he hung pictures to hide o cover the cracks;

un velo le tapaba el rostro a veil covered o hid her face;

la fábrica nos tapa la vista the factory blocks our view;

apártate, que me tapas la tele move over, you're blocking the TV;

tapó el agujero con yeso she filled the hole with plaster;

un montón de cajas tapa la salida de emergencia a pile of boxes is blocking the emergency exit;

me tapó los ojos [con las manos] he put his hands over my eyes;

[con venda] he blindfolded me;

Comp

tapar la boca a alguien to silence sb, to shut sb up;

le han tapado la boca con amenazas they've silenced him with threats;

con su brillante actuación tapó la boca a sus detractores with her brilliant performance she silenced her critics

3. [abrigar] to cover up;

[en la cama] to tuck in;

lo tapó con una manta she covered him with a blanket, she put a blanket over him

4. [encubrir] to cover up;

trató de tapar sus errores he tried to cover up his mistakes

5. Am [taponar] to block;

no tires basura al wáter, que tapa los caños don't throw rubbish down the toilet, it blocks the pipes

6. Chile [empastar] to fill

♦ See also the pronominal verb taparse

* * *

tapar

v/t cara cover; fig : nerviosismo cover up; recipiente put the lid on

* * *

tapar vt

1) cubrir: to cover, to cover up

2) obstruir: to block, to obstruct

♦ See also the reflexive verb taparse

* * *

tapar vb

1. (cubrir) to cover

taparon los muebles con sábanas viejas they covered the furniture with some old sheets

se tapó los ojos she covered her eyes

2. (abrigar) to wrap up [pt. & pp. wrapped]

tápate bien, hace frío wrap up well, it's cold

3. (caja) to put the lid on [pt. & pp. put]

tapa la caja de galletas put the lid on the biscuit tin

4. (botella) to put the top on [pt. & pp. put]

tapó la botella de cola she put the top on the bottle of cola

5. (agujero) to fill in

tapó las grietas con yeso he filled in the cracks with plaster

6. (obstruir) to block

aquel edificio tapa el sol that building blocks out the sun