Avere la botte piena e la moglie ubriaca

Meaning: To want to have it both ways.

Language: Italian

Literally: To have the barrel full and the wife drunk

Category: Food & Drink

Origin: A peasant paradox proverbial in Italy since at least the 18th century: the wine cannot stay in the barrel and be drunk too.

More idioms — Food & Drink

• 鯖を読む — To fudge the numbers in your favor, especially your age.
• Enfiar o pé na jaca — To overdo it wildly, especially with food or drink.
• Iets voor een appel en een ei kopen — To get something for next to nothing.
• Een appeltje met iemand te schillen hebben — To have a bone to pick with someone.
• Musztarda po obiedzie — Too late to be of any use.
• Rzucać grochem o ścianę — To plead with someone who will not listen.

More Italian idioms

• Ogni morte di papa — Extremely rarely; once in a blue moon.
• Avere gli occhi foderati di prosciutto — To be unable to see what is right in front of you.
• Fare le corna — To ward off bad luck — or to signal that a partner is being unfaithful.
• Tagliare la testa al toro — To settle a matter decisively, once and for all.
• Avere le mani in pasta — To be deeply involved in something.
• Stare con le mani in mano — To stand around doing nothing while others work.

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