sfiorare

to graze

verb sfyoh-RAH-reh Less Common

Also means

to barely touch

Usage Note

Sfiorare literally means 'to brush lightly against' (la pallina ha sfiorato il palo = 'the ball grazed the post'), but it is commonly used figuratively — sfiorare la perfezione ('to come close to perfection'), sfiorare i cento chilometri orari ('to approach 100 km/h'). It takes avere.

Examples

"Il vento sfiorava il suo viso."

Natural Translation

The wind grazed her face.

Literal Translation

The wind grazed the her face

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