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L A T E S T
INCOMING EXPRESSIONS
Svignarsela,
levarsi di torno alla svelta
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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!
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.
Appioppare,
affibbiare, scaricare
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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
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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
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(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
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(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
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To take the piss (out
of somebody)
-
They're always taking the
piss out of Dan because he's very touchy.
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"You
should go to the disco more often… you such a good dancer!” – “Hey dude… are
you taking the piss?”
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Ten pounds for this bottle
of crappy wine… that’s taking the piss!
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skirt around (Phrasal
verb)
bum around somewhere
(Phrasal verb)
scratch around for
something (Phrasal
verb)
...
an idiom is a phrase or expression that conveys
a meaning which has little to do with the actual words expressed |
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