desatar

Senses

1. 1.

   to untie, to unfasten

   to loosen or undo a knot, rope, or binding

2. 2.

   to unleash, to trigger

   to cause something to begin suddenly or intensely

3. 3.

   to burst out (doing something)

   to begin doing something suddenly and energetically (with a + infinitive)

Examples

• "Ele desatou o nó da corda com dificuldade."

  He untied the knot in the rope with difficulty.

• "A notícia desatou uma onda de protestos no país."

  The news unleashed a wave of protests in the country.

• "Quando viu o palhaço, a criança desatou a rir."

  When she saw the clown, the child burst out laughing.

Usage

Very common in the figurative construction "desatar a + infinitive" (burst out doing something), especially with verbs like "chorar" (cry), "rir" (laugh), and "correr" (run). The literal sense of untying is less frequent in everyday speech than the metaphorical uses.