VOCABULARY UNIT 5
UNIT 5:
AIRBORNE (aerotransportado, en el aire): Carried by or through the air.
AT FULL THROTTLE (a todo gas): The state in a vehicle engine when there is
the maximum acceleration power.
BLOW UP (estallar): To explode.
BRAKE PADS (pastillas de freno): A thin block which presses on to the disc in a
disc brake.
BUMP (choque): A blow or collision.
CAM (leva): An eccentric or multiply curved wheel mounted on a rotating shaft,
used to produce variable or reciprocating motion in another engaged or
contacted part.
CHICANE (chicane): A short section of sharp narrow bends formed by barriers
placed on a motor-racing circuit to provide an additional test of driving skill.
CLEARANCE (margen, gálibo): The amount of space or distance by which a
moving object clears something.
CLOG (atasco): An obstruction or blockage.
CLUTCH (embrague): Any of various devices for engaging and disengaging two
working parts of a shaft or of a shaft and a driving mechanism.
COOLANT (refrigerante):An agent that produces cooling, especially a fluid that
draws off heat by circulating through an engine or by bathing a mechanical part.
CRACK (grieta): To break without complete separation of parts; fissure.
CUT OUT (an engine) (pararse): To stop; cease.
DEFECT (defecto): The lack of something necessary or desirable for
completion or perfection; a deficiency.
DEPLOY (desplegar): To put into use or action in a proper position.
DIVERT (desviar): To change orientation or direction.
DRAG (resistencia aerodinámica): The retarding force exerted on a moving
body by a fluid medium such as air or water.
EARTHING (toma a tierra): A system used in electrical devices to avoid
accidents due to electrical flow and currents.
FLAT SPOT (pérdida de gas): 1) A point during acceleration when the engine
seems to lose power for an instant / 2) Describes the shape of the tire when it
has burned due to a locked tire when braking.
FLY-BY-WIRE (vuelo por cable): Aircraft control through systems operated by
electronic circuits rather than mechanical rods.
FORKLIFT TRUCK (carretilla elevadora): A vehicle having two power-operated
horizontal bars or rods that can be raised and lowered for loading, transporting,
and unloading goods, especially goods that are placed on wooden pallets
FUEL LINE (tubo del combustible): A pipe that carries gasoline from a tank to a
gasoline engine.
GAUGE (indicador): The lack of something necessary or desirable for
completion or perfection; a deficiency.
GEAR (engranaje, marcha): A toothed machine part, such as a wheel or
cylinder, that gets in contact with another toothed part to transmit motion or to
change speed or direction.
GEARBOX (caja de cambios): A protective casing for a system of gears.
GLIDE (planear sin propulsión): To fly without propulsion.
GRIP (asa): A mechanical device that grasps and holds.
JAM (bloquear, atascar): To block, congest.
KERB (bordillo): a line of stone or concrete forming an edge between a
pavement and a roadway, so that the pavement is some 15 cm above the level
of the road
LIFE SPAN (vida útil): The average or maximum length of time an organism,
material, or object can be expected to survive or last.
MISFIRING (fallo en la combustión): The act of failing to ignite when expected.
NUT (tuerca): A small square or hexagonal block, usually metal, with a threaded
hole through the middle for screwing on the end of a bolt.
ODD (raro): strange, not usual.
OVERRIDE (toma de control): The act of taking control of.
POD (vaina, cubierta): A casing or housing forming part of a vehicle, as a
streamlined external housing that encloses engines or fuel.
PUSHROD (barra de empuje): A rod moved by a cam to operate the valves in
an internal-combustion engine.
QUARRY (cantera): An open surface excavation for the extraction of stone.
RAM AIR TURBINE (turbina de aire de impacto): A small turbine and connected
hydraulic pump, or electrical generator used as an emergency power source for
aircraft.
RUGGED (áspero, escarpado): Having a rough irregular surface.
SEAL (sellar): To close hermetically.
SENSITIVE (sensible): Easily altered by the action of an agent or variable (eg.
Temperature, electricity…).
SHAFT (vara, eje): A long thin object or part.
SNAP (partir, quebrar): To pull apart or break with a snapping sound.
SPIN (girar, dar vueltas):To rotate or turn rapidly.
SPIN OFF (conducir rápido): To ride or drive rapidly.
TANKER TRUCK (camión cisterna): A truck constructed to transport liquids,
such as oil.
TIGHTEN (apretar): To make or become tight or tighter.
TOP UP (rellenar): To raise the level of (a liquid, powder, etc.) in (a container),
usually bringing it to the desired level.
TORQUE (par de torsion; puede referirse al par motor): The ability of a shaft to
cause rotation.
TUB (cuba, cascarón): A large vessel (= recipiente, nave).
WEAR AND TEAR (desgaste): Loss, damage, or depreciation resulting from
ordinary use and exposure.
Viability = possible / Profitability=revenue(ingresos) / investment
Blown up / leaking out / clog up / worked loose / cut out / run out / wearing out
Chains of events / flat spot
Fault=defect=problem / wrong=faulty=defective / serious=mayor / slight=minor /
correctly=properly / from time to time=intermittently=every now and then / every
time=systematically
1. It’s certainly / it must be 2. It’s probably/it sounds like it’s 3. It’s possibly / it could be/
it might be 4. It’s probably not / I doubt it’s 5. It’s certainly not/ it can’t be + a
problem with…
Correct-incorrect / undersized-oversized / adequate-inadequate / normal-abnormal /
sufficient-insufficient / proportionate-disproportionate / regular-irregular / function-
malfunction / operable-inoperable
