spellare

to skin

verb spel-LAH-reh Rare

Also means

to fleece

Usage Note

Spellare takes avere and means literally to remove the skin from an animal or to graze skin off a person. Colloquially, spellare vivo qualcuno (to skin someone alive) means to rip someone off financially. The reflexive spellarsi means to peel (as sunburnt skin does).

Examples

"Mi sono spellato le mani per il freddo."

Natural Translation

My hands peeled from the cold.

Literal Translation

I-peeled the hands from the cold

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