zanjar

Senses

1. 1.

   to dig a ditch or trench

   to make a zanja (drainage channel or furrow) in the ground

2. 2.

   to settle; to resolve

   to end a dispute, conflict, or difficult situation definitively

Examples

• "Tuvieron que zanjar la acequia para drenar el terreno."

  They had to dig a trench to drain the land.

• "El gobierno y la oposición lograron zanjar sus diferencias."

  The government and opposition managed to settle their differences.

• "Decidieron zanjar el conflicto mediante un acuerdo."

  They decided to resolve the conflict through an agreement.

Usage

Zanjar combines both literal and figurative meanings. The literal sense (digging ditches) is less common in modern usage. The figurative sense-to settle a dispute or bring closure to a problem-is much more frequent in contemporary Spanish and is often used in legal, political, and everyday contexts.