Tuerca

Tuerca
 

This is a discussion thread for the Daily Spanish Word for April 24, 2009

tuerca (feminine noun (la)) — nut. Look up tuerca in the dictionary

Perdí la tuerca para este tornillo.
I lost the nut for this bolt.

Apretar las tuercas a alguien/ apretarle los tornillos - put someone under pressure to do what they should or discipline them. Come to think of it, this should be in the idiom section.
e.g. La policía le apretó las tuercas al reo para que cantara. ("Cantar" not literal of course but meaning to "spill the beans") Goodness! Another idiom.;) :)

Sing in English works the same way: a canary (true word is stoolpidgeon) is someone who sings to the cops(police). Tighten the screws is used much the way apretar los tornillos is used. The canary sang after the cops threatened to tighten the screws on him.
The word stoolpidgeon or stooly is a good word to know also especially if you think of entering a life of crime:rolleyes: :cool:. Good advise:You need to be careful what you say around a stooly;).
Spilling the beans may or may not be more innocent act. Someone who 'sings' rarely does it innocently. Sometimes a child may inadertantly
spill the beans. Let the cat out of the bag is a term also related to spill the beans. There is a fine difference however.
Here's the the difference in examples.
1)After two months of pregnancy, her husband spilt the beans and informed everyone.
2)After three months of pregnancy she let the cat out of the bag, and told everybody.

I hadn't heard stoolpidgeon in yeeeeeeeaaaaaaaars! The last time was in a song, I think, way, way back.:eek:
Thanks for reminding me....of my age;):D

Just remembered. The song was by Kid Creole and the Coconuts.:o

Stoolpidgeons have been around for awhile now.
Those damn songwriters, they give away all the good English words. They're supposed to be secrets.

Would you mind to translate stoolpidgeon? Thanks. :)

I was thinking about some tools to work with bolts and nuts (like screwdriver and wrench), and then it came to my mind: what's the difference between a bolt and a screw?


Stoolpidgeon = Soplón ?? :thinking:

No sé la traducción exacta. En criminalística: Soplón? En caza:Cebo?
Quizás esto te ayude.
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/stool-pigeon.html

OK, Thanks... and thanks for the web, I didn't know ;)

Sí soplon.
tambien en inglés: squeeler=stooly/stoolpidgeon
casi= tattle tale (un poquito menos serio)
bolt are more difficult to un-bolt
a screw can be easily unscrewed with a screwdrivew(destorneador)

Funnily enough, Henry James novel The Turn of the Screw is called Otra vuelta de Tuerca en español

Tattle tale or tell tale (UK) - chivato
Destorneador? Is that the S.Am. way to say it?
Here it's "destornillador"

Thank you, Poli, I think I have a better idea now.

@Ambarina: in Mexico, "destornillador" = "desarmador"

Mira que seria facil pensar en "pichon de piso (asiento)", porque lo sientan y se pone a cantar.... :D

Piso o Pichón de piso = asiento:confused:
Si es así, ¿qué tipo de asiento és?