esmagar

Galician

Etymology

Attested in 1500 (Juan Esmagado). Probably a derivative with the prefix es-, from Latin ex-, of maga (“guts of fish”), from Proto-Germanic *magô (“stomach”) and cognate of English maw. Alternatively, linked to a Vulgar Latin *exmagāre, from Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌲𐌰𐌽 (magan) or Proto-Germanic *maganą, as with Portuguese esmagar. Cf. also Spanish amagar.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /esmaˈɣaɾ/

Verb

1. to crush, press
2. to squeeze
3. (figurative) to oppress (politically or economically)
   • 1812, Ramón Mariño Paz (ed.), Estudio fonético, ortográfico e morfolóxico de textos do prerrexurdimento galego (1805-1837). Santiago de Compostela: USC, page 168:

     todas esas gavelas con que nos esmagaban desde hai tanto tempo

     all those taxes with which they oppressed us since so long ago

Synonyms

• (to crush, press): machucar, pisar
• (to squeeze): estrullar
• (to oppress): asoballar, oprimir

Related terms

• maga

References

• Template:R:DDLG
• Template:R:TILG
• “esmagar” in Álvarez, Rosario (coord.): Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués, Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega.

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Portuguese

Etymology

Probably from Old Occitan esmaiar (compare also Old French esmaier), from Vulgar Latin *exmagāre (“to deprive (someone) of strength, to disable”), from Latin ex- + *magare (“to enable, empower”), from Proto-Germanic *maginą, *maganą (“might, power”). Cf. also Spanish amagar.

Cognate with English dismay.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɨʒ.mɐ.ˈɣaɾ/
• IPA^(key): /ˌez.ma.ˈɡa(ʁ)/

• Audio:

  (file)

Verb

1. to crush (to overwhelm by pressure or weight)

Derived terms

• esmagador (“overwhelming”)

Further reading

• “esmagar” in Dicionário infopédia da Língua Portuguesa. Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2024.