What does clavar in Spanish mean?

What is the meaning of the word clavar in Spanish? The article explains the full meaning, pronunciation along with bilingual examples and instructions on how to use clavar in Spanish.

The word clavar in Spanish means hammer, drive, pin, nail, fix, rivet, steal, dive, devote yourself, apply yourself, dedicate yourself, fall for, rip off, nail, sink your claws into, set your mind on, hit the books, slam on the brakes, stare at, fall asleep, fix one's gaze on, stab in the back, stick a dagger in 's back, stick a knife in 's back. To learn more, please see the details below.

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Meaning of the word clavar

hammer, drive

verbo transitivo (introducir, incrustar) (into a wall)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Para matar a un vampiro debes clavar una estaca en su corazón.
To kill a vampire you need to hammer (or: drive) a stake into his heart.

pin, nail

verbo transitivo (fijar con clavos) (to a wall)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
La pared se agrietó al clavar el cuadro.
The wall cracked where we pinned (or: nailed) the picture to it.

fix, rivet

verbo transitivo (fijar: los ojos) (figurative: with the eyes)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Mis sentidos se nublaron cuando él clavó su mirada en mis ojos.
ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. He fixed me with his gaze and told me the news.

steal

verbo pronominal (CU, MX (robarse algo)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
No pude clavarme nada, el guardia no dejaba de observarme.
I wasn't able to steal anything: the security guard had his eyes on me the whole time.

dive

verbo pronominal (CO, MX (tirarse de cabeza)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")
Los clavadistas saltan desde La Quebrada de Acapulco y se clavan en el mar.
The cliff divers at Acapulco dive into the sea off a cliff called La Quebrada.

devote yourself, apply yourself, dedicate yourself

(MX: coloquial (aplicarse, dedicarse)

(transitive verb and reflexive pronoun: Transitive verb with reflexive pronoun--for example, "Enjoy yourself." "They behaved themselves.")
María debería clavarse en su carrera de enfermera si quiere titularse.
ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. Since I retired, I've devoted myself full-time to my garden.

fall for

(MX: coloquial (enamorarse, apasionarse)

Sandra es cruel y egoísta: si te clavas con ella, vas a sufrir.
Sandra is heartless and selfish. If you fall for her, you'll end up suffering.

rip off

verbo transitivo (ES: coloquial (cobrar muy caro) (colloquial, charge too much)

(phrasal verb, transitive, separable: Verb with adverb(s) or preposition(s), having special meaning, divisible--for example, "call off" [=cancel], "call the game off," "call off the game.")
Ten cuidado en el centro: allí clavan a los turistas incautos.
Be careful in the centre, they like to rip off unsuspecting tourists.

nail

verbo transitivo (coloquial (hacer algo muy bien) (slang, do [sth] well)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
El gimnasta clavó el ejercicio y obtuvo un puntaje perfecto.
The gymnast nailed the routine and got a perfect score.

sink your claws into

locución verbal (también figurado (arañar)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

set your mind on

locución verbal (figurado (no soltar algo)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
La chica clavó las garras en ese vestido y no descansó hasta comprarlo.

hit the books

locución verbal (ES, coloquial (ponerse a estudiar)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Necesitas clavar los codos si quieres aprobar el examen mañana.
You need to hit the books if you want to pass the exam tomorrow.

slam on the brakes

locución verbal (frenar de golpe)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
El hombre clavó los frenos para evitar arrollar al perro que cruzaba la ruta.
The driver slammed on the brakes to avoid running over the dog crossing the road.

stare at

(mirar fijamente)

Rosa clavó los ojos en el camarero esperando que la atiendan.
Rosa stared at the waiter, waiting to be served.

fall asleep

locución verbal (CO (quedarse dormido)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
No clavé pico en toda la noche de ayer.

fix one's gaze on

locución verbal (mirar fijamente)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
La niña clavó su mirada en el juguete de la vidriera.
The girl fixed her gaze on the toy in the storefront.

stab in the back

locución verbal (figurado (decepcionar, herir) (figurative)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Laura me clavó un puñal cuando se fue con mi mejor amigo.
Laura stabbed me in the back when she went off with my best friend.

stick a dagger in 's back, stick a knife in 's back

locución verbal (figurado (traicionar) (figurative, betray)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

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Spanish (español), also known as Castilla, is a language of the Iberian-Romance group of the Romance languages, and the 4th most common language in the world according to Some sources, while others list it as a 2nd or 3rd most common language. It is the mother tongue of about 352 million people, and is spoken by 417 million people when adding its speakers as a language. sub (estimated in 1999). Spanish and Portuguese have very similar grammar and vocabulary; The number of similar vocabulary of these two languages is up to 89%. Spanish is the primary language of 20 countries around the world. It is estimated that the total number of speakers of Spanish is between 470 and 500 million, making it the second most widely spoken language in the world by number of native speakers.