Monday 10 September 2012

Gallo


Today's WOTD is: "gallo" = cockerel/ rooster

In Spanish, the noun "gallo"* is a masculine noun of Latin origin which means cockerel/ rooster.

The Spanish word “gallo” may be used also as a describing word/ adjective meaning tough or macho.

*NB The word “gallo” is used with a wide variety of meanings, many of them slang meanings, especially throughout Latin America.

Some commonly used expressions containing the words "gallo" are:
  • Al primer gallo (at midnight);
  • Comer gallo (to be aggressive/ in a foul mood... to get out of bed on the wrong side);
  • Como el gallo de Morón, cacareando y sin plumas (stripped bare of everything but still upbeat);
  • Dormirsele el gallo a alguien (to let an opportunity slip);
  • Engreído como gallo de cortijo (someone who is full of himself);
  • En menos que canta un gallo (quick as a flash/ before you can say Jack Robinson);
  • En menos de lo que canta un gallo (quick as a flash/ before you can say Jack Robinson);
  • Gallo chinguero (provocative person/ a stirrer);
  • Gallo de pelea (fighting cock/ gamecock);
  • Gallo de roca (cock-of-the-rock);
  • Gallo de riña (fighting cock/ gamecock);
  • Gallo de San Pedro (john dory – fish);
  • Gallo pinto (rice and beans dish);
  • Gallo silvestre (capercaillie);
  • Hay gallo tapado (to smell a rat);
  • Mamarle gallo a alguien (to pull somebody's leg);
  • Misa de gallo (midnight mass on Christmas Eve);
  • No cantar bien dos gallos en un gallinero (the place is not big enough for two people);
  • Ojo de gallo (foot corn);
  • Otro gallo me cantara (things would be very different);
  • Otro gallo cantaría (things would be very different);
  • Pata de gallo (houndstooth - cloth pattern);
  • Pata de gallo (crow foot);
  • Pelar gallo (to make a run for it/ to kick the bucket);
  • Pelea de gallos (cockfight);
  • Peso gallo (bantam weight - boxing);
  • Soltar un gallo (to sing a false note);
  • Tener alguien mucho gallo (to be really cocky);

Some examples of the use of the word "gallo" are:
  • Salimos al primer gallo (we left at midnight);
  • Habrás comido gallo, estás insoportable (you must have got out of bed on the wrong side, you are in a foul mood);
  • Los ladrones me dejaron como el gallo de Morón, cacareando y sin plumas (the thieves took everything, they left me in a sorry state but still upbeat);
  • Ayer se nos durmió el gallo (yesterday, we slipped up);
  • Ese tipo es engreído como gallo de cortijo (that guy is really full of himself);
  • Estamos al aeropuerto en menos que canta un gallo (before you could say Jack Robinson we are in the airport/ in a flash);
  • Estamos al aeropuerto en menos de lo que canta un gallo (before you could say Jack Robinson we are in the airport/ in a flash);
  • Ese tipo es un gallo chinguero (that guy is a stirrer);
  • Esa ave es un gallo de pelea (that bird is a fighting cock/ gamecock);
  • Esa ave es un gallo de riña (that bird is a fighting cock/ gamecock);
  • Esa ave es un gallo de roca (that bird is a cock-of-the-rock);
  • Esa ave es un gallo silvestre (that bird is a capercaillie);
  • Ese pescado es gallo d San Pedro (that fish is john dory);
  • Aquí hay gallo tapado (something fishy going on here);
  • Pedro no hace más que mamar gallo (Pedro does nothing but pull everyone's leg);
  • Por Nochebuena se celebra la misa de gallo (there is a midnight Mass on Christmas Eve);
  • No hacemos más que discutir, dos gallos no cantan bien en un gallinero (we do nothing but argue, this town ain't big enough for the two of us);
  • Tengo un ojo de gallo en un dedo del pie derecho (I have a corn on the toe of my right foot );
  • Si hicieras los deberes, otro gallo te cantara (if you did your homework, things would be very different);
  • Si hicieras los deberes, otro gallo cantaría (if you did your homework, things would be very different);
  • Ese vestido de pata de gallo te queda muy bien (that houndstooth patterned dress looks really well on you);
  • Me salen patas de gallo en la cara (I have crow's feet on my face);
  • No me gustan las peleas de gallos (I don't like cockfighting);
  • Ese es el campeón del mundo de peso gallo (that fellow is the bantamweight world champion);
  • Para sombro del público, la soprano soltó un gallo (to the audience's astonishment, the soprano missed a note);
  • Ese tipo tiene mucho gallo (that guy is really cocky);

Love-Spanish.com loves the word "gallo" in the YouTube clip: El Gallo Pinto - con Letra

For more on the word "gallo", visit: Wordreference.com/es/en/ Gallo

*NB 'Click' on the speaker icon next to the word “gallo” in the link to hear the word pronounced.

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