No. 933 in Portuguese
matar
"To kill."
In a sentence
Ele me disse que foi obrigado a matar aquele inseto.
He told me that he was forced to kill that insect.
Here, the word 'matar' is used in its literal sense, meaning 'to kill', referring to ending the life of the insect.
Preciso de um café para matar minha sede.
I need some coffee to quench my thirst.
In this slang usage, 'matar' means 'to fulfill' or 'to satiate', in this case targeting a need or urge, expressed figuratively.
Este livro tem uma narrativa tão boa que vai matar você de curiosidade.
This book has such a good narrative that it will kill you with curiosity.
Here, the word 'matar' is used metaphorically to express intense feelings, such as making someone overwhelmingly curious.
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