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clavo

nail

noun KLAH-boh Rare
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Origin: From Latin clavus ('nail, peg').

Also means

clove

Usage Note

Clavo means both a metal nail (used in carpentry) and a clove (the spice). The idiom dar en el clavo means 'to hit the nail on the head'. In some Latin American countries clavo also colloquially means a problem or tight spot.

Examples

"Clavó el cuadro con un clavo pequeño."

Natural Translation

He hung the picture with a small nail.

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