Presa

[poli]

En inglés la palabra dique es dike, que tambien es una palabra despectiva para lesbiana pero todo depende en como se usa.

Los castores no hacen diques sino dams en inglés.

[Ronnmacc80]

The word dam carries the assumption that it was purposefully built by someone or something. The word reservior can imply it was built, but can also imply a natural process that created a large amount of water resulted from a naturally interrupted flow of water.

[chileno]

Presa also means "piece"

Pásame una presa de pollo.

Hay personas que se lavan por "presas"

[Sancho Panther]

So where does embalse come into this?

[aleCcowaN]

Embalse es el "depósito" de agua. Es el "recipiente" formado por la represa y el valle u hondonada que ésta cierra.

[powerchisper]

It is different

Presa is for accumulating water ( dam )
Pantano is the "lake" formed by a presa

Dique is different . You put a ship into it and then you drain all of the water out , for repair or for a water level shift.

I agree , presa as " female convict"

"Presa ibérica" is also a piece of meat , that comes from the "armpit" of an iberico pig ( delicious by the way )