zafar

to untie

zafar(sah-fahr)

transitive verb

1. (to loosen)

(Latin America)

a. to untie

El marinero no pudo zafar el nudo, por lo que tuvo que cortar la cuerda.

The sailor couldn't untie the knot, so he had to cut the rope.

2. (to release)

a. to free

Los soldados entraron a la casa y zafaron a los rehenes de sus captores.

The soldiers entered the house and freed the hostages from their captors.

zafarse

pronominal verb

3. (to run away)

a. to escape

Uno de los prisioneros se zafó y se escondió en el bosque.

One of the prisoners escaped and hid in the forest.

4. (to free oneself; used with "de")

a. to get away from

El prisionero se zafó de las ataduras y escapó del campamento.

The prisoner got away from the ropes and escaped the camp.

b. to break loose from

El perro se zafó de la correa y me atacó.

The dog broke loose from his leash and attacked me.

5. (to avoid; used with "de")

a. to get out of

Me zafé de mi trabajo para ir a ver actuar a mi hija en la obra que presenta la escuela.

I got out of work to go and see my daughter perform in the school play.

b. to wriggle out of

Simulé que estaba enfermo para zafarme de la reunión.

I pretended to be sick to wriggle out of the meeting.

6. (to come loose)

a. to come off

¿Tienes aguja e hilo? Se zafó el primer botón de la camisa.

Do you have a needle and thread? The top button of my shirt came off.

7. (to put out of joint)

(Latin America)

a. to dislocate

Me zafé la rodilla andando en patineta.

I dislocated my knee when I was skateboarding.

zafarse

pronominal verb

1. (general)

a. to get out of it, to escape

zafarse deto get rid of

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zafar

transitive verb

1 (soltar) to untie

2 (desembarazar) [+barco] to lighten; [+superficie] to clear; free

3 (Latinoamérica) (excluir) to exclude

pronominal verb

zafarse

1 (escaparse) to escape; run away; (irse) to slip away; (soltarse) to break loose; (ocultarse) to hide o.s. away

2 (Técnica) to slip off; come off

3

zafarse de [+persona] to get away from; [+trabajo] to get out of; [+dificultad] to get round; [+acuerdo] to get out of; wriggle out of

4

zafarse con algo (robar) to pinch sth (familiar); (librarse) to get away with sth

5 (Latinoamérica)

zafarse un brazo to dislocate one's arm

6 (Centroamérica) (S. Cone) (esquivar) to dodge

7 (And) (volverse loco) to go a bit crazy; lose one's marbles (familiar)