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INCOMING EXPRESSIONS

Puntare i piedi, prendere fermamente una posizione precisa

To take a stand

Martin Luther King who took a stand for civil rights.

The Prime Minister's decision to take a stand against workers was a political failure.

The demonstrators took a stand against the government.

Armonizzare, andare all'unisono

To chime in with (Phrasal verb)

Gwen's opinions normally chime in with my points of view.

Una ragazza scialba, non attraente

A plain Jane

If Fiona'd been a plain Jane, she wouldn't have had all Marc's attention!

Una persona con la puzza sotto il naso

A toffee-nosed

Jill thinks that she's better than other people: she's a toffee-nosed aristocrat!

Sheila refused the invitation to the party... she got all toffee nosed about it!

Cercare con difficoltà

To scratch around for something (Phrasal verb)

A lot of people are scratching around for a better place where to live.

Compensare, controbilanciare

To cancel out (Phrasal verb)
Andrew's intuition cancels out his inexperience.

 

Placare, appianare

To smooth over (Phrasal verb)

Al tried to smooth things over between Mary and Marc, talking with them to make their clash less serious.

Appassionare, eccitare (passivo)

To kindle by (Phrasal verb)

Brenda's imagination was kindled by the tales Marcus told her.

Disgustare, irritare

To gross somebody out (Phrasal verb)

That bad film really grossed me out!

Dan's dirty hair grossed Lisa out.

Viaggiare con poche idee e pochi soldi

To bum around (Phrasal verb)
After completed the studies Ned spent months bumming around the South America with no plans and little money.

Un istrione, un cantastorie

Grandstander
Ted is a grandstander: he brags to everyone about how attractive his girlfriends were.

Un amico simpatico, socievole

A good-time Charlie
Dan’s a typical good-time Charlie, always ready for friends and good beer.

Brutto (from the fairy tale by the Danish poet Hans Christian Andersen, 1843)

Ugly duckling
Sheila was an ugly duckling when she was a child, until she grew up and became more feminine.
Debbie was an ugly duckling, but after an unpromising beginning blossomed beautifully.

Lasciare, abbandonare, scaricare

To leave somebody flat
When Ed met Alice, he left Brenda flat  hoping someone else hoping someone else would join her.

The leader walked off and left the whole group flat.

Evitare, aggirare, eludere

To skirt around somebody, to skirt around something (Phrasal verb)

...bewildering! Mandy talked at me for hours skirting around her real feelings.

The prime minister tried to skirt around many of the moot points, battling to distance himself from the crisis.

The commission had skirted around the concept of a free community.

Un'arma infallibile

A silver bullet

It seems that there's no silver bullet that will solve the crisis.

Vantarsi, essere boriosi

To plume oneself on something (Phrasal verb)

Ed plummed himself on dancing with Fiona.

Dan plummed himself on his winning project.

Essere fortunati, avere culo

To get all the breaks

Ed's great... he's been working here only few weeks and he's already been promoted! He gets all the breaks!

Fare qualcosa senza pensarci troppo, far così come viene

On the fly

Emma's the sort of person who decides things on the fly rather thinking

Svignarsela, levarsi di torno alla svelta

To take a powder (American English)

When the thief saw the police coming he took a powder.

Giustificarsi con scuse non credibili, inventare delle balle

To pitch somebody a line (American English)

...Sally never arrived and pitched me a line about a block in the traffic!

Condizioni di vita molto favorevoli, opulente

On easy street, in fat city (American English)

You're so lucky, Dave: with the new business you'll be on easy street!

If the new contract is eventually accepted, Ted will be in fat city!

Una persona determinata, un tipo tosto

A tough cookie (American English)

...Steve, please, don't get Dana upset... she's a tough cookie!

Un successo sfiorato, qualcosa non concretizzato per un pelo

Close but no cigar (American English)

Ted was not so lucky: never got the big success he desired... always close but no cigar.

"Tourist?" - "Not exactly, I am a traveller... close but not cigar!"

Sì, buonanotte! Beato chi ci crede!

Tell it to the Marines! (American English)

...Belinda an intelligent girl? Please, Ned... tell it to the Marines!

Appioppare, affibbiare, scaricare

To thrust someone on/upon somebody, to thrust something on/upon somebody (Phrasal verb)

Did you see... Brian was trying to thrust his boring sister upon me!

Sheila never enjoyed the nickname of grinder that was thrust upon her.

The class thrust the responsibility upon the leader.

Presagi negativi

The writing (is) on the wall (for), the handwriting (is) on the wall (for)

After the scandal broke out the handwriting is on the wall for the Prime Minister…

L'inizio della fine, il segno di una rovina in arrivo

An albatross (around somebody's neck) (credited to Samuel Taylor Coleridge)

Ben's wife is so cruel… she’s an albatross around his neck!

Sotto banco, di nascosto (cose illecite)

On the QT

We found out that the dean was receiving money on the QT.

Nobody knows... Ally's trying on the QT to get a visa to enter Canada!

Fare un freddo cane

(to be) as cold as a witch's elbow

...temperature here? Oh, it's cold as a witch's elbow and we expect snow.

Essere ubriachi fradici

(to be) blind drunk

I found Mary blind drunk on the bed with a bottle of rum beside her.

Secondo la massima autorità, in linea con le regole accettate

According to Hoyle (Fred Hoyle was a popular rule book written by Edmond Hoyle, 18th Century)

The Prime Minister said that the situation is critical but under control... all according to Hoyle!

Prendere una tranvata, una sconfitta, uscire perdenti

To take it on the chin

Sean took it on the chin at the semifinal... a defeat that still rankles.

Essere fortunati nella sfortuna

A blessing in disguise

Frank... unlucky? The letter of dismissal was a blessing in disguise: the new job seems to have been made specially for him!

Prendere in giro, prendere per i fondelli

To take the piss (out of somebody)

They're always taking the piss out of Dan because he's very touchy.

"You should go to the disco more often… you such a good dancer!” – “Hey dude… are you taking the piss?”

Ten pounds for this bottle of crappy wine… that’s taking the piss!