agarrar-se

[ah-gah-RAHR-suh]

verb

to cling to, to hold on to, to grasp

1. to hold firmly or tightly to something with hands or arms

She clung to the rope as the boat rocked.

Ela se agarrou à corda enquanto o barco balançava.

2. to seize or grab hold of something

He grasped at the falling object.

Ele se agarrou ao objeto que caía.

3. to hold on persistently or stubbornly to an idea, belief, or situation

She clings to the hope that things will improve.

Ela se agarra à esperança de que as coisas vão melhorar.

4. to depend on or rely on someone

The child clung to his mother.

A criança se agarrou à mãe.

NYC Slang

hold up, grip, or hang on

Synonyms

Antonyms

Regional Variations

General Brazilian

agarrar-se

Standard usage throughout Brazil

Rio de Janeiro

agarrar-se

Common colloquial usage, sometimes shortened to 'agarrar'

São Paulo

agarrar-se

Standard usage, formal and informal contexts

Portugal

agarrar-se

Standard usage, though 'aferrar-se' may be more common in formal contexts

agarrar-se a um fio de esperança (to cling to a thread of hope)

agarrar-se a uma ilusão (to cling to an illusion)

agarrar-se como lapa (to cling like a limpet)

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