descascar

Senses

1. 1.

   to peel

   to remove the skin or outer layer from fruits, vegetables, or other foods

2. 2.

   to peel off

   to come off in flakes or layers (paint, skin, bark, etc.)

3. 3.

   to figure out

   colloquial: to solve a problem or understand something difficult

Examples

• "Vou descascar as batatas para o jantar."

  I'm going to peel the potatoes for dinner.

• "A tinta da parede está descascando com a umidade."

  The paint on the wall is peeling off because of the humidity.

• "Deixa que eu descasco esse problema sozinho."

  Let me figure out this problem by myself.

Usage

Common with fruits and vegetables: "descascar laranja/batata/banana." The reflexive form "descascar-se" is used for things peeling by themselves. The colloquial sense "to figure out" is informal and more common in certain regions. Also used in the expression "descascar um abacaxi" (literally "to peel a pineapple") meaning to deal with a difficult problem.