C1 · 49 words
Look, expression, bearing in Portuguese
Forty-nine verbs for everything that happens without a word being said.
Practise this list
From these 49 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
Estremeceu com o barulho da porta is a sentence English will render with « he gave a start », and the noun in that phrase is a fossil. « To start » began as a verb of the body, not of the clock: in Old English styrtan meant to leap up, and for centuries to start was to jump involuntarily — at a noise, at a touch, at bad news. The sense of beginning grew out of that by way of setting off with a sudden movement, and it has since swallowed the word so completely that « she started at the noise » now reads as literary or old. What survives of the older meaning is scattered about in fixed company: « to give a start », « to start back », « to wake with a start », and above all « startle », which carries the same root and means to make somebody do it. Estremecer has kept the whole of that ground, because it is built on tremere, to tremble, and has never had a second career as a verb of beginnings. So read it as the body moving first and the mind catching up.
The words
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Verb (18)
perscrutarto scanVerbC1
Perscrutou o horizonte à procura do barco.He scanned the horizon looking for the boat.
contemplarto gaze atVerbC1
Ficámos a contemplar o quadro sem dizer nada.We stood gazing at the painting without saying anything.
fitarto stare atVerbC1
Fitou-me sem pestanejar durante um bom bocado.He stared at me without blinking for a good while.
espreitarto peepVerbC1
A criança espreitava por trás da porta.The child was peeping from behind the door.
vislumbrarto glimpseVerbC1
Vislumbrei uma cara conhecida no meio da multidão.I glimpsed a familiar face in the middle of the crowd.
resplandecerto beamVerbC1
A cara dela resplandecia ao ouvir a notícia.Her face was beaming as she heard the news.
ruborizar-seto blushVerbC1
Ruborizou-se com o elogio em público.She blushed at being praised in public.
estremecerto give a startVerbC1
Estremeceu com o barulho da porta.He gave a start at the noise of the door.
arrepiar-seto shudderVerbC1
Arrepio-me só de pensar naquela noite.I shudder at the mere thought of that night.
tremerto trembleVerbC1
As mãos tremiam-lhe ao assinar.His hands were trembling as he signed.
arquejarto gasp for breathVerbC1
Chegou ao cimo da escada a arquejar.He reached the top of the stairs gasping for breath.
gemerto groanVerbC1
Gemeu de dor ao levantar a caixa.He groaned with pain as he lifted the box.
resmungarto grumbleVerbC1
Resmungou qualquer coisa e saiu.He grumbled something and went out.
bocejarto yawnVerbC1
Bocejou a meio da reunião sem querer.He yawned in the middle of the meeting without meaning to.
enlaçarto claspVerbC1
Enlaçou as mãos em cima da mesa.He clasped his hands on the table.
empunharto take hold ofVerbC1
Empunhou o martelo e olhou para a parede.He took hold of the hammer and looked at the wall.
esparramar-seto sprawlVerbC1
Esparramou-se no sofá logo à entrada.He sprawled on the sofa the moment he came in.
remexer-seto fidgetVerbC1
Remexia-se na cadeira à espera da resposta.He was fidgeting in his chair while waiting for the answer.
Phrase (31)
olhar de relanceto glancePhraseC1
Olhei de relance para o relógio da parede.I glanced at the clock on the wall.
passar os olhos pela páginato skim a pagePhraseC1
Passou os olhos pela página e devolveu o papel.He skimmed the page and handed the paper back.
apertar os olhosto screw up one’s eyesPhraseC1
Apertou os olhos por causa do sol.He screwed up his eyes because of the sun.
baixar os olhosto lower one’s eyesPhraseC1
Baixou os olhos assim que lhe fizeram a pergunta.He lowered his eyes as soon as the question was put to him.
piscar o olhoto winkPhraseC1
Piscou-me o olho para eu ficar calado.He winked at me so that I would keep quiet.
levantar uma sobrancelhato raise an eyebrowPhraseC1
Levantou uma sobrancelha e não disse mais nada.She raised an eyebrow and said nothing more.
franzir a testato frownPhraseC1
Franziu a testa ao ler a conta.He frowned as he read the bill.
carregar o sobrolhoto scowlPhraseC1
Carregou o sobrolho quando ouviu o pedido.He scowled when he heard the request.
sorrir de orelha a orelhato grin from ear to earPhraseC1
Saiu da sala a sorrir de orelha a orelha.He left the room grinning from ear to ear.
esboçar um sorriso trocistato smirkPhraseC1
Esboçou um sorriso trocista e virou as costas.He smirked and turned his back.
evitar o contacto visualto avoid eye contactPhraseC1
Evitou o contacto visual durante toda a conversa.He avoided eye contact throughout the conversation.
fazer uma caretato pull a facePhraseC1
Fez uma careta ao provar o remédio.He pulled a face on tasting the medicine.
tiritar de frioto shiver with coldPhraseC1
Ficámos a tiritar de frio na paragem.We stood shivering with cold at the bus stop.
ter um tiqueto have a twitchPhraseC1
Tem um tique no canto da boca quando está nervoso.He has a twitch at the corner of his mouth when he is nervous.
suspirar fundoto sigh heavilyPhraseC1
Suspirou fundo antes de responder.He sighed heavily before answering.
abanar a cabeçato shake one’s headPhraseC1
Abanou a cabeça devagar, sem dizer que não.He shook his head slowly, without saying no.
encolher os ombrosto shrugPhraseC1
Encolheu os ombros como quem não sabe.He shrugged like somebody who does not know.
cruzar os braçosto fold one’s armsPhraseC1
Cruzou os braços e ouviu tudo até ao fim.He folded his arms and listened to it all to the end.
cerrar o punhoto clench one’s fistPhraseC1
Cerrou o punho por baixo da mesa.He clenched his fist under the table.
segurar com firmezato hold firmlyPhraseC1
Segurou o corrimão com firmeza ao descer.He held the handrail firmly on the way down.
largar o apertoto loosen one’s gripPhraseC1
Só largou o aperto quando o outro pediu.He only loosened his grip when the other man asked.
apontar parato point atPhraseC1
Apontou para o mapa em vez de explicar.He pointed at the map instead of explaining.
fazer sinal com a mãoto signal with one’s handPhraseC1
Fez sinal com a mão para eu entrar.He signalled with his hand for me to come in.
acenar para alguém se aproximarto beckon somebody overPhraseC1
Acenou para o colega se aproximar da janela.He beckoned his colleague over to the window.
inclinar-se para a frenteto lean forwardPhraseC1
Inclinou-se para a frente para ouvir melhor.He leaned forward to hear better.
recostar-se na cadeirato sit back in one’s chairPhraseC1
Recostou-se na cadeira e ficou calado.He sat back in his chair and fell silent.
sentar-se direitoto sit up straightPhraseC1
Sentou-se direito quando o chefe entrou.He sat up straight when the boss came in.
andar de um lado para o outroto pace up and downPhraseC1
Andou de um lado para o outro no corredor.He paced up and down the corridor.
bater com o pé no chãoto tap one’s footPhraseC1
Batia com o pé no chão sem dar por isso.He was tapping his foot on the floor without noticing.
tamborilar com os dedosto drum one’s fingersPhraseC1
Tamborilava com os dedos na mesa durante a espera.He drummed his fingers on the table while he waited.
morder o lábioto bite one’s lipPhraseC1
Mordeu o lábio para não responder.He bit his lip so as not to answer back.
Missing a word? Look it up in the dictionary
This list belongs to People and feelings — 13 lists and 467 words that can also be practised as a whole.