leech

sanguijuela

Animal pequeño y blando, generalmente acuático, que se pega a personas o animales y les chupa la sangre.

En inglés sencillo: A small, soft animal, often living in water, that attaches to people or animals and drinks their blood.

• A leech was on my leg.
• We found leeches in the pond.
• The nurse carefully removed the leech from his skin.

Expresiones frecuentes: a bloodsucking leech, leech bite

parásito, sanguijuela

Persona que recibe dinero o ayuda de los demás sin dar nada a cambio.

En inglés sencillo: Someone who takes money or help from other people without giving anything back.

• Stop being such a leech.
• She called him a leech for always borrowing money.
• They felt their landlord was a leech who offered nothing in return.

Cómo se usa: a leech on someone/something (He called the dishonest adviser a leech on the family.)

Sinónimos: parasite, freeloader

Expresiones frecuentes: a selfish leech, a leech on someone

curandero, médico

Persona que trata enfermedades o heridas.

En inglés sencillo: A person who treats illnesses or injuries.

• The leech treated the wound.
• The king sent for his leech.
• A village leech gave the sick child a mixture of herbs.

Sinónimos: healer, physician

Expresiones frecuentes: village leech, royal leech

baluma

Uno de los bordes verticales de una vela cuadrada.

En inglés sencillo: One of the upright edges of a square sail.

• The sail’s leech was torn.
• A rope ran along the leech of the square sail.
• The sailor inspected both leeches before raising the sail.

Expresiones frecuentes: sail leech, leech line

vivir a costa de, aprovecharse de

Obtener dinero, recursos o ayuda de los demás sin dar nada a cambio.

En inglés sencillo: To take money, supplies, or help from others without giving anything back.

• He leeches off his parents.
• The company leeched resources from the community.
• Why should they keep leeching off everyone else?

Cómo se usa: leech off someone/something (He has been leeching off his relatives for years.); leech something from someone/something (The scheme leeched money from small businesses.)

Sinónimos: mooch, sponge

Expresiones frecuentes: leech off someone, leech resources

aplicar sanguijuelas

Tratar a alguien poniéndole sanguijuelas en la piel para que extraigan sangre.

En inglés sencillo: To treat someone by placing blood-sucking animals on their skin to remove blood.

• The physician decided to leech the patient.
• They leeched his swollen arm.
• Doctors once leeched patients to remove blood.

Expresiones frecuentes: leech a patient, leech someone’s arm