Unit 9A

Palabra

Definición

Ejemplo

preference

a greater liking for one alternative over another or others

Do you have any preferences regarding what food you eat?

stickleback

a small fish that has sharp points along its back

The stickleback surge is triggering other ecosystem impacts.

tortoise

a turtle, esp. one that lives only on land

Only adult tortoises were used for this study.

litter tray

an open container that is filled with material that absorbs liquid and is used as a toilet for cats

I put the litter tray in the corner of the room with a screen in front of it.

hive

group of bees

There was a hive full of bees in the park near the school

cage

an enclosure made or wire or metal bars in which birds or animals can be kept

I hate seeing animals in cages

cub

the young of particular wild animals, such as bears and lions

With severe infection cubs may simply die of the illness directly or through concurrent infections

foal

a young horse

There are some stallions that have the ability to imprint their characteristics on their foals.

calf

the thick curved part at the back of the human leg between the knee and the foot

I pulled my calf muscle running.

chick

a baby bird, especially a young chicken

Those innocent little chicks can scarcely imagine what life has in store for them

puppy

a young dog

We've had our dog since he was a puppy.

kennel

outbuilding that serves as a shelter for a dog

My dog usually sleeps in a kennel

tank

a container for holding liquid or gas

We clean the tank every month

nest

a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their young

Have you seen that bird's nest? I think there are eggs in there

canary

a small, yellow bird that is well known for its singing, sometimes kept as a pet

She had a canary in a birdcage.

squeak

make a high-pitched, screeching noise

Oh no! I think I heard a mouse squeak

bark

when a dog barks, it makes a short loud sound or series of sounds

Dog continued to bark

neigh

make a characteristic sound, of a horse

The horse neighed when it saw me

meow

the sound made by a cat

I can hear the cat meowing from here

roar

to make a deep, very loud noise

Can you hear the roaring wind and waves?

grunt

to make a short low sound in your throat and nose at the same time

The pigs grunted and everybody laughed

twitter

a high singing sound made by a bird

I love to hear the birds twitter in the garden

beak

the hard curved or pointed part of a bird's mouth

Male blackbirds have yellow beaks

claws

sharp curved nails at the end of each of the toes of some animals and birds

Our cat likes to sharpen her claws on the legs of the dining table.

fin

a thin flat part of a fish's body that sticks out

Fish use their fins for swimming

fur

the soft, thick hair that covers the bodies of some animals

She stroked the rabbit's soft fur.

hooves

hard parts on the bottom of the feet of animals such as horses, sheep, and deer

Neglected donkeys were left with hooves so long they couldn't walk properly

paws

feet of an animal that has claws or nails, such as a cat, dog, or bear

I found paw prints in the kitchen.

shell

the hard protective outer case of a mollusc or crustacean

Snail shells break easily, so don't tread on them

wing

the flat part of the body that a bird, insect, or bat uses for flying

I could see the plane's wing out of my window.

tail

a long piece that extends from the back end or bottom of something

Comets have tails

do all the donkey work

to do the hard, boring part of a job

Why should I do all the donkey work while you sit around doing nothing?

it's like water off a duck's back

criticisms of or warnings to a particular person that have no effect on that person

I've told him that he's heading for trouble, but he doesn't listen - it's just water off a duck's back.

like a fish out of water

someone who is in a situation that they know nothing about or are not used to

He was like a fish out of water when we moved to London

don't count your chickens before they hatch

you should not make plans that depend on something good happening before you know that it has actually happened

She wanted to buy a dress in case someone asked her to the dance, but I told her not to count her chickens before they hatched.

dark horse

someone who does not tell people much about themselves, but who has surprising qualities or abilities

She's a dark horse. I didn't know she'd written a novel.

lion's share

the largest part or most of something

Reputable charities spend the lion's share of donations on aid and a tiny fraction on administration.

smell a rat

to believe that something dishonest, illegal, or wrong has happened

They said no one was going to be fired, but I smell a rat

kill two birds with one stone

to succeed in achieving two things in a single action

I killed two birds with one stone and picked the kids up on the way to the supermarket.

with his tail between his legs

with a feeling of being embarrassed or ashamed especially because one has been defeated

He lost the fight and went home with his tail between his legs.