tripa de gato
1. A cord made from the dried intestines of sheep, goats, or horses (not cats), traditionally used for the strings of musical instruments such as violins, guitars, and tennis rackets
The violin strings were made of catgut.
As cordas do violino eram feitas de tripa de gato.
2. Fine cord used historically for medical sutures in surgery
Surgeons used catgut for stitching wounds before synthetic alternatives were developed.
Os cirurgiões usavam tripa de gato para costurar feridas antes do desenvolvimento de alternativas sintéticas.
3. Any thin, flexible cord or string resembling catgut
He strung the racket with catgut.
Ele encordoou a raquete com tripa de gato.
Catgut has significant historical importance in both American and Brazilian musical traditions. Despite its misleading name, it was never made from cat intestines. In Brazil, the term 'tripa de gato' is used in classical music and traditional instrument making. Modern musicians typically use synthetic alternatives due to consistency and cost-effectiveness, but some classical musicians still prefer genuine catgut strings for their tonal qualities.
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