Avere un chiodo fisso

Meaning: To be obsessed with one idea.

Literally: To have a fixed nail

Example: “Ha un chiodo fisso: comprare una barca a vela.” — He has a bee in his bonnet about buying a sailboat.

English equivalent: To have a bee in one's bonnet

Origin: A nail driven firmly in cannot be pulled out, and a chiodo fisso is a thought fixed in the mind the same way: an obsession. Italian also has the proverb chiodo scaccia chiodo (one nail drives out another), for replacing one preoccupation with another. No particular story lies behind it.

Equivalents in other languages

English: have a bee in one's bonnet

More Italian idioms

arrampicarsi sugli specchi to attempt to defend an indefensible position or grasp at straws.
per amore o per forza by any means necessary; whether one wishes it or not.
mettere radici to settle in a place permanently or commit to something long-term.
tirare l'acqua al proprio mulino to act in self-interest, redirecting resources or advantage to oneself.
tenere a freno la lingua to refrain from speaking; to keep silent.
in pompa magna with ceremony, grandeur, and great fanfare.

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Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.

Parente Actually means 'relative'. A parent (mother or father) is un genitore.
Annoiare Actually means 'to bore'. Mi annoi = You're boring me — gentler than 'you're annoying me'.
Firma Actually means 'signature'. Metti la tua firma = Put your signature here.

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Equivalents in other languages

More idioms — Daily Life

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