peck

picotear, picar

Dicho de un ave, golpear algo con el pico o arrancarle pequeños trozos.

En inglés sencillo: If a bird does this, it hits or picks at something with its beak.

• The hens peck at seeds.
• A bird pecked my finger.
• The woodpecker was pecking a hole in the tree.

Cómo se usa: peck at something (The pigeons pecked at crumbs on the pavement.)

Expresiones frecuentes: peck at seeds, peck the ground, peck something open

hacer poco a poco

Hacer algo poco a poco, con pausas entre un intento y otro.

En inglés sencillo: To do something a little at a time, with pauses between attempts.

• He pecked away at his essay.
• She pecks at the keyboard with two fingers.
• We have been pecking away at this project for months.

Cómo se usa: peck away at something (I pecked away at the report whenever I had a spare moment.)

Sinónimos: chip away, work intermittently

Expresiones frecuentes: peck away, peck at something, peck away at something

peck

Antigua unidad de volumen para productos secos, equivalente a ocho cuartos o unos nueve litros.

En inglés sencillo: An old unit for measuring dry goods, equal to eight quarts or about nine liters.

• We bought a peck of apples.
• Four pecks make a bushel.
• The old recipe calls for half a peck of potatoes.

Cómo se usa: a peck of something (The farmer sold me a peck of apples.)

Expresiones frecuentes: peck of apples, peck of grain, half a peck

montón

Cantidad muy grande de algo, especialmente de problemas.

En inglés sencillo: A very large amount of something, especially trouble.

• That boy causes a peck of trouble.
• The children brought a peck of dirt into the house.
• She had a whole peck of worries that winter.

Cómo se usa: a peck of something (That careless remark brought him a peck of trouble.)

Sinónimos: lot, heap, great deal

Expresiones frecuentes: peck of trouble, peck of dirt