pecar

Senses

1. 1.

   to sin

   to commit a sin or transgress a religious or moral law

2. 2.

   to err, to fail

   to make a mistake or fall short in some aspect (often with 'por' or 'em')

Examples

• "Ele acredita que pecar é ir contra a vontade de Deus."

  He believes that to sin is to go against God's will.

• "O projeto pecou pela falta de planejamento."

  The project failed due to lack of planning.

• "Prefiro pecar pelo excesso de cuidado do que pela negligência."

  I prefer to err on the side of excessive care rather than negligence.

Usage

Commonly used with prepositions: 'pecar por' (to err by/through) and 'pecar contra' (to sin against). The expression 'pecar pelo excesso' means to go overboard or do too much of something. In religious contexts, it retains the literal meaning of committing a sin, while in everyday usage it often means to make a mistake or have a flaw.