Portuguese–English dictionary

a

Used to form female equivalents.

a algum lugar

To an uncertain or unspecified location.

a beça

(euphemistic, slang) .

à beira de

Along the side; by the side; side by side; abreast.

à bolonhesa

A dish served with bolognese.

a bordo

On board; into or within a ship or boat; hence, into or within a railway car. [from ca. 1350—1470]

a bordo de

On board of; onto or into a ship, boat, train, plane. [from ca. 1350—1470]

à cabeça

Coming from in front.

a caminho

On the way.

a cavalo

On the back of a horse.

a céu aberto

Situated in, designed to be used in, or carried on in the open air. [from 18th c.]

a cobrar

To be paid for by the recipient, as a telephone call or a shipment.

a dela

That or those belonging to her; the possessive case of she, used without a following noun. [from 12th c.]

à deriva

Floating at random.

a distância

At or from a distance, but within view, or at a small distance; apart; away.

à esquerda

On the left side.

a favor

A vote of support or in favor of something.

a favor de

Supporting, in favour of.

a fim

(colloquial) Interested in or attracted to.

a fim de que ... não

For fear that; that not; in order to prevent something from happening; in case.

à frente

At or towards the front; in the direction one is facing or moving.

a fundo

(of knowledge) Thoroughly; extremely well.

a gente

The institution which the speaker/writer is acting for. (This is the editorial we, used by writers and others when speaking with the authority of their publication or organisation.)

a grosso modo

In a rough manner; without kindness, softness, or gentleness.

a ignorância é uma bênção

A lack of knowledge or awareness about certain facts or situations results in happiness or reduced anxiety.

a jusante

(biology) Towards the 3′ end of a DNA molecule.

a jusante de

Downstream of.

a lamentar

(of a person) Grieved or saddened, especially by the loss of something or someone.

a leste

Towards the east; eastwards.

à letra

(idiomatic) Literally, exactly, following the rules as written.

a longo prazo

(idiomatic) After a very long time; eventually; over a long period of time; more generally.

à mão

Within easy reach; nearby.

A Marselhesa

The French national anthem, La Marseillaise, with at least seven verses plus the chorus.

à medida que

To such an extent or degree; to the same extent or degree.

a menos que

Except on a specified condition; if not.

à montante

(biology) Towards the leading end (5′ end) of a DNA molecule.

a não ser

Other than; except for; instead of.

a não ser que

Except on a specified condition; if not.

à paisana

(usually, of a police officer) Wearing ordinary civilian clothes instead of a uniform, in order to avoid detection.

a par

Well-informed; current.

à parte

Excluded from consideration.

a partir de

(idiomatic) At or by a specified time, with the implication that the said condition will be true from that time onward.

a partir de agora

In a forward direction.

à popa

(nautical) On the aft side; in the stern. [First attested in the early 17th century.]

a priori

(logic) Based on hypothesis and theory rather than experiment or empirical evidence.

a propósito

By the way.

à prova de água

Resistant to the effects of water.

à prova de balas

(of a material) Capable of withstanding a direct shot by a bullet fired from a gun.

a qual

(relative, formal, _, outside certain phrases) Designates the one(s) previously mentioned.

a salvo

Properly secured.

a seguir

On the first subsequent occasion.

a sério

With considerable commitment, determination, or effect; significantly.

a si mesmo

(reflexive pronoun) Him; the male object of a verb or preposition that also appears as the subject

a sua

That or those belonging to her; the possessive case of she, used without a following noun. [from 12th c.]

a sul de

South of.

a tempo e horas

Punctually or according to the schedule.

à toa

Without an aim, purpose or direction; in an aimless manner.

a vida é assim

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see it,‎ is,‎ what,‎ it,‎ is. This thing has its own distinct nature; this thing is itself.

a-

Not, without, opposite of.

à-vontade

Lack of difficulty; the ability to do something easily.

a.m.

(used after the hour) In the 12-hour period from midnight to noon (the first half of the day) when using the 12-hour clock.

aardvark

The nocturnal, insectivorous, burrowing, mammal Orycteropus afer, of the order Tubulidentata, somewhat resembling a pig, common in some parts of sub-Saharan Africa. [from late 18th c.]

Aasvero

A king of Persia, later identified with Xerxes.

Aasverus

A king of Persia, later identified with Xerxes.

ab-reação

(psychoanalysis) The re-living of an experience with a view to purging its emotional dross. [First attested in the early 20th century.]

ab-rogação

The act of abrogating.

ab-rogar

(transitive, law) To annul (as a law, decree, ordinance, etc.) by an authoritative act; to abolish by the authority of the maker or their successor; to repeal.[First attested in the early 16th century.]

aba

Originally, a border or edge of a sea, a river, or other body of water; now, any border or edge.

abacá

The fibre of the abaca.

abacate

The large, usually yellowish-green or black, savory fruit of the avocado tree.

abacateiro

The large, usually yellowish-green or black, savory fruit of the avocado tree.

abacaxi

(slang) A hand grenade. (From the similarity to the shape of a pineapple fruit.)

abacial

Belonging to, relating to, or pertaining to an abbey, abbot, or abbess. [late 17th century]

abacísculo

(archaic) A small tile of glass, marble, or other substance, of various colors, used in making ornamental patterns in mosaic pavements; abaciscus.

abacista

One who uses an abacus in casting accounts; a calculator. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).]

abáculo

(archaic) A small tile of glass, marble, or other substance, of various colors, used in making ornamental patterns in mosaic pavements; abaciscus.

abade

The superior or head of an abbey or monastery. [First attested around the early 12th century.]

abadessa

A female superior or governess of a nunnery, or convent of nuns, having the same authority over the nuns which the abbots have over the monks. [First attested around 1150 to 1350]

abadia

The dignity, estate, term, or jurisdiction of an abbot or abbess. [First attested around 1350 to 1470.]

abafa-palhinha

(colloquial, sometimes, pejorative) Non-heterosexual or non-cisgender: homosexual, bisexual, asexual, transgender, etc.

abafação

(pathology) Difficult or laboured breathing.

abafado

Of sound, etc.: deadened, muffled, muted.

abafador

A device made to extinguish (snuff out) a candle.

abafar

To try to raise something; to exert the strength for raising or bearing.

abainhar

(transitive) To put (something such as a knife or sword) into a sheath.

abaixa-luz

A cover over a lamp to either diffuse the light or to block it in certain directions to avoid glare in the eyes.

abaixar

(transitive) To lower, as in condition in life, office, rank, etc., so as to cause pain or hurt feelings; to degrade, to depress, to humble, to humiliate. [from c. 1350–1470]

abaixar-se

(transitive) To quickly lower (the head or body), often in order to prevent it from being struck by something.

abaixo

Later in the same text.

abaixo de

Lower than in value, price, rank, concentration, etc.

abaixo-assinado

A formal written request made by an individual or a group of people to a sovereign or political authority, often containing many signatures, soliciting some grace, right, mercy, or the redress of some wrong or grievance. [from early 15th c.]

abajur

A cover over a lamp to either diffuse the light or to block it in certain directions to avoid glare in the eyes.

abalado

Deeply hurt, saddened, or worried; incapacitated by distress.

abalar

(transitive) To disturb emotionally; to shock.

abalienar

(civil law, transitive) To make another's that which was once yours; to transfer the title of from one to another; to alienate.

abalone

(North America, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore) An edible univalve mollusc of the genus Haliotis, having a shell lined with mother-of-pearl. [mid 19th c.]

abalroar

(ambitransitive) To collide with (an object), usually with the intention of damaging it or disabling its function.

abanar

(transitive) To blow air on (something) by means of a fan (hand-held, mechanical or electrical) or otherwise.

abandeirar

To furnish or deck out with flags.

abandonado

No longer maintained by its former owners, residents, or caretakers; forsaken, deserted. [Late 15th century]

abandonar

(transitive) To give up or relinquish control of, to surrender or to give oneself over, or to yield to one's emotions. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470)]

abandono

A yielding to natural impulses or inhibitions; freedom from artificial constraint, with loss of appreciation of consequences. [Early 19th century.] (Now especially in the phrase with abandon.)

abanico

Anything resembling a hand-held fan in shape, e.g., a peacock’s tail.

abano

A hand-held device consisting of concertinaed material, or slats of material, gathered together at one end, that may be opened out into the shape of a sector of a circle and waved back and forth in order to move air towards oneself and cool oneself.

abantesma

A disembodied soul; a soul or spirit of a deceased person; a spirit appearing after death.

abarcar

(transitive) To include within its scope; to circumscribe or go round so as to surround; to enclose; to contain.

abarrotado

Overcrowded or congested.

abastecer

(transitive) To provide with fuel.

abastecido

equipped with whatever is needed

abastecimento

(uncountable) The act of supplying.

abatedouro

A public slaughterhouse for cattle, sheep, etc. [Early 19th century.]

abater

(transitive) To lower, as in condition in life, office, rank, etc., so as to cause pain or hurt feelings; to degrade, to depress, to humble, to humiliate. [from c. 1350–1470]

abati

Corn; a type of grain of the species Zea mays.

abatido

Of a person: cast down in hope or spirit; showing utter helplessness, hopelessness, or resignation; also, grovelling; ingratiating; servile. [from mid 14th c.]

abatimento

The act of abating, or the state of being abated; a lessening, diminution, or reduction; a moderation; removal or putting an end to; the suppression. [First attested from 1340 to 1470.]

abaxial

(botany, zoology) Of a side that is facing away from the axis or central line, such as the underside of a leaf, or the back of an animal. [Mid 19th century.]

Abbas

A en given name.

abcesso

(pathology) A cavity caused by tissue destruction, usually because of infection, filled with pus and surrounded by inflamed tissue. [First attested in the mid 16th century.]

abdal

A religious devotee or dervish in Persia.

Abdala

A en given name.

abdicação

The act of abdicating; the renunciation of a high office, dignity, or trust, by its holder. [First attested in the early 17th century.]

abdicar

(transitive) To relinquish (something)

abdominal

Of or pertaining to the abdomen; ventral. [Mid 18th century.]

abdução

(legal) The wrongful, and usually forcible, carrying off of a human being. [from mid-18th century.]

Abdula

A en given name.

abdutor

(anatomy) A muscle which serves to draw a part out, or from the median line of the body [early 17th century]

abduzido

An abducted person, in particular a person abducted by aliens. [Late 20th century.]

abduzir

(transitive, obsolete) To draw; to conduct away; to take away; to withdraw; to draw to a different part; to move a limb out away from the center of the body; abduct. [Mid 16th century.]

abecedariano

(historical) A member of a 16th-century Anabaptist sect, follower of the Zwickau prophets (and specially of Thomas Storch), who believed that any kind of knowledge (even basic reading and writing) would keep one from obtaining salvation. [from 19th c.]

abecedário

One that teaches or learns the alphabet or the fundamentals of any subject; abecedarian. [from late 16th century]

abécula

(originally, North America, slang, pejorative) A person with unlikable or obnoxious qualities and behavior, typically mean, self-centered, or disagreeable.

abelha

(informal, proscribed) Any stinging flying insect, especially a wasp.

abelha-pedreira

A large wasp, of the genus Vespa, having a brown-and-yellow-striped body and the ability to inflict a serious sting.