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