desempolvar

to dust off

verb dehs-em-pohl-BAHR Rare

Usage Note

Desempolvar literally means to remove dust from an object, but it is most commonly used figuratively — to dust off a skill, a tradition, or an old plan that has been neglected: desempolvar el inglés ('to brush up on one's English'). The word breaks down as des- + em- + polvo ('dust') + -ar.

Examples

"Decidió desempolvar su vieja guitarra."

Natural Translation

She decided to dust off her old guitar.

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