darse de cabezadas: meaning & examples

Meanings:

• 1.

  SpainLatin Americaneutralinformal
  • To hit one's head repeatedly, either against an object or in the act of headbutting another person (literal physical meaning).

  Examples

  Beta

  • El toro comenzó a darse de cabezadas contra la puerta tratando de salir del corral.

    The bull started headbutting the door trying to get out of the pen.

  • Durante el partido, el jugador se dio de cabezadas con un rival en una jugada accidentada.

    During the match, the player headbutted an opponent in an accidental play.

  • El niño se dio de cabezadas contra la pared mientras jugaba en casa sin supervisión.

    The child bumped his head repeatedly against the wall while playing at home unsupervised.

  • Para defenderse, el animal se dio de cabezadas con el agresor hasta lograr alejarlo.

    To defend itself, the animal headbutted the aggressor until managing to push him away.

• 2.

  SpainLatin Americaneutralinformal
  • To nod forward repeatedly because of drowsiness (to doze off while sitting), producing brief jerking head movements.

  Examples

  Beta

  • Durante la reunión, me sentí tan cansado que me di de cabezadas varias veces sin darme cuenta.

    During the meeting, I felt so tired that I nodded off repeatedly without realizing it.

  • El profesor se dio de cabezadas porque la clase era muy aburrida y tenía sueño.

    The teacher nodded forward repeatedly because the class was very boring and he was sleepy.

  • Cuando el sueño me atacó, me di de cabezadas mientras escuchaba la conferencia.

    When sleepiness hit me, I nodded repeatedly while listening to the lecture.

• 3.

  SpainLatin Americafigurativeinformal
  • To persist in a futile or self-defeating action; to repeatedly clash with an obstacle or difficulty in a way that produces no productive outcome (figurative use).

  Examples

  Beta

  • El equipo se dio de cabezadas intentando resolver el problema sin avanzar un solo paso.

    The team persisted in a futile way trying to solve the problem without making any progress.

  • Si sigues dándote de cabezadas contra ese obstáculo, solo perderás tiempo y energía.

    If you keep banging your head against that obstacle, you'll only waste time and energy.