a contrapelo: meaning & examples

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Language: Spanish

Meanings:

  • 1.

    SpainLatin Americaneutraltechnical
    • Against the natural direction of hair, fur, or fabric nap; used of shaving, brushing, or cutting 'against the grain'.

    Examples

    Beta

    • Para afeitarse bien, es recomendable hacerlo a contrapelo para un afeitado más apurado.

      To shave well, it's recommended to shave against the grain for a closer shave.

    • El sastre cortó la tela a contrapelo, lo que hizo que la prenda quedara más ajustada al cuerpo.

      The tailor cut the fabric against the nap, which made the garment fit the body more tightly.

    • Peinar el cabello a contrapelo puede dar un estilo diferente y más voluminoso.

      Combing the hair against the grain can give a different and more voluminous style.

    • Durante la limpieza, pasé el cepillo a contrapelo para levantar mejor la suciedad incrustada.

      During cleaning, I brushed against the nap to better lift the ingrained dirt.

  • 2.

    SpainLatin Americafigurativeneutral
    • Going against prevailing opinion, customary practice, or the natural tendency; contrary to the flow or to what is expected.

    Examples

    Beta

    • Su opinión iba a contrapelo de la mayoría, lo que generó un intenso debate en la clase.

      His opinion went against the grain of the majority, which sparked an intense debate in class.

    • A veces es necesario actuar a contrapelo para lograr un cambio real en la sociedad.

      Sometimes it is necessary to act against the grain to achieve real change in society.

    • Aunque todos pensaban que la idea era mala, Elena siguió a contrapelo y terminó triunfando.

      Although everyone thought the idea was bad, Elena went against the grain and ended up succeeding.

Examples:

  • ES: Te lo hacemos también a contrapelo.
    EN: We'll even shave him against the growth.
  • ES: Toda libertad de la mujer se logrará de la misma manera que toda libertad, es decir, a contrapelo, contra la paradoja del hecho... de que hay mucho en la vida humana que prohíbe la libertad.
    EN: Every female liberty is going to be achieved the way every liberty is achieved, which is, it's going to be achieved against the grain, against the paradox of the fact that there's much in human life which forbids liberty.
  • ES: Estás yendo a contrapelo.
    EN: You're going against the grain.
  • ES: Vas a contrapelo.
    EN: You're going against the nap. Did anyone ever teach you about nap?
  • ES: En cuanto a la vida, va a contrapelo con el tiempo.
    EN: As for life it goes against the grain of time
  • ES: La pobrecita ha sufrido una conversión a contrapelo...
    EN: The poor thing's had a conversion in reverse.
  • ES: la araña gladiadora hace su red de una seda muy especial de multifilamentos que ella talla a contrapelo para hacerla esponjada ella cuidadosamente ata estos a una marco de filamentos ordinarios no esponjados
    EN: The gladiator spider makes her web from a very special kind of multi-strand silk, which she backcombs to make fuzzy. She carefully attaches this to a framework of ordinary un-fuzzy filaments.
  • ES: - Veo que se afeita a contrapelo.
    EN: - I notice you shave against the grain.
  • ES: Nunca te afeites a contrapelo.
    EN: Always shave with the grain.
  • ES: Me gusta que sea a contrapelo. Stan, espera, no sabes si eres compatible.
    EN: Stan, wait, I don't know if you'll be a match.
  • ES: Cuando vas a contrapelo, es cuando te cortas.
    EN: When you go against the grain, that's when you get nicked.
  • ES: Literalmente. Me acaricia a contrapelo.
    EN: Literally, like, against the grain.
  • ES: Trataré coincidir con su pliegue natural, para no cortar a contrapelo.
    EN: I'll try to match your natural seam, so as not to slice against the grain.
  • ES: - ¡Antes has dicho a contrapelo!
    EN: You said against hair growth!
  • ES: No, hacia arriba y a contrapelo.
    EN: No, up and against the grain.
  • ES: Este tipo tenía tanta creatividad en él, dispuesto a cortar a contrapelo, corajudo hasta las entrañas, y podías ver a Coltrane, su mente explotaba.
    EN: This brotha got so much creativity in him, willing to cut against the grain, courageous to the core, and you can just see Coltrane just, his mind was blown.
  • ES: Siempre a contrapelo.
    EN: Always against the grain.
  • ES: Aféitate a favor del pelo, a contrapelo o dile a tu pelo que has visto algo guay en el lavabo.
    EN: Shave with the grain, against the grain, or just tell the hair there's something cool you saw in the sink.
  • ES: Lo acariciaré a contrapelo.
    EN: I'll pet him in the wrong direction.
  • ES: Fuiste a contrapelo de todo.
    EN: You went entirely against the grain.

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Sourced from Wiktionary

Source: Wiktionary

a contrapelo: Meaning, Examples & Usage (Spanish) | Idiomator