amputar

Senses

1. 1.

   to amputate

   to surgically remove a limb or body part

2. 2.

   to cut off, to sever

   to remove or eliminate something abruptly (figurative use)

Examples

• "Os médicos tiveram que amputar a perna dele após o acidente."

  The doctors had to amputate his leg after the accident.

• "A falta de recursos amputou o projeto antes mesmo de começar."

  The lack of resources cut off the project before it even started.

• "Ela teve o dedo amputado devido à infecção grave."

  She had her finger amputated due to the severe infection.

Usage

Primarily a medical term used in formal or clinical contexts. Common collocations include "amputar a perna/o braço/o dedo" (to amputate the leg/arm/finger). The figurative use is less common but appears in written/formal Portuguese to describe abrupt elimination or cutting off of abstract things.