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liquidare

to liquidate

verb lee-kwee-DAH-reh Rare

Origin: From Medieval Latin liquidare, 'to make liquid, to clarify,' from liquidus.

Also means

to settle (a debt)

Usage Note

Liquidare has several senses: to pay off or settle a debt (liquidare un debito), to wind up a company (liquidare una società), to dismiss or get rid of someone (liquidare un dipendente), and euphemistically to kill (liquidare un nemico). It takes avere as auxiliary. Context is essential — the business sense and the sinister sense look identical on the page.

Examples

"L'azienda ha liquidato tutti i debiti entro l'anno."

Natural Translation

The company settled all its debts within the year.

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