obra de

Portuguese

Etymology

Literally, “work of”.

Prepositional phrase

obra de

  1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see obra,‎ de.
  2. (dated) about; approximately
    Synonyms: cerca de, (colloquial) coisa de, aproximadamente, mais ou menos
    • Late 15th century, Unknown, “Fartes”, in O “Livro de Cozinha” da Infanta D. Maria de Portugal [Princess Dona Maria of Portugal’s “Cookbook”], Lisbon: University of Coimbra, published 1967, Cadeꝛno das couſas de comseꝛuas [Book of preserved stuffs], page 132:
      […] asy q̃ pera obra de meyo alquejre de mel he necesario meyo alquejre de poo […]
      […] so that for around half an alqueire of honey one needs half an alqueire of powder […]
    • 1497, Unknown, Relaçaõ do descubrim.to da India por Vasco da Gamma‎[1], 16th-century manuscript, page 1:
      […] & a noute ſeguynte amanhecemos ꝯ a trrͣ alta / omde fezemos peſcaría obra de Duas oras […]
      […] and the following night, when dawn came, we were in the high land [Tenerife], where we fished for around two hours […]
    • 1614, Fernam Mendez Pinto, chapter CLIIII, in Peregrinaçam [Peregrination], 1st edition, Lisbon: Pedro Crasbeeck, page 190v:
      […] ſaltou em terra cõ obra de dez ou doze mil homẽs, […] & reforçando com muyta preſteza as companhias dos q̃ pelejauão, a briga ſe tornou a trauar de nouo com tanto impeto & esforço de ambas as partes, que parecia q̃ então ſe começaua.
      […] he disembarked with around ten or twelve thousand men, […] and, readily reinforcing the battling forces, the conflict started being fought again, with so much vigor and effort from both parties, that it was as if it was only starting.
    • 1912, João Simões Lopes Neto, “Melancia – Coco verde [Watermelon – Green coconut]”, in Contos Gäuchescos [Gaucho-esque Tales]‎[2], 1st edition, Pelotas: Echenique & C. Editores, page 129:
      O cadete tinha uma paixão braba por uma moça lindaça — a sia Talapa —, filha dum tal Severo, tambem fazendeiro dali pertinho, obra de cinco leguas.
      The cadet had a grave infatuation for this dang good-looking lady — sinha Talapa —, daughter of some Severo, also a farmer nearby, something like five leguas away.

Further reading

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