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botar defeito

Meaning: to criticize something excessively or find fault where none reasonably exists.

Language: Portuguese

Literally: to place a defect

Category: Daily Life

Origin: The phrase pictures someone fabricating or inventing a flaw in order to have grounds for complaint.

More idioms — Daily Life

  • forçar a barra — to push beyond reasonable limits; to insist or persist too aggressively.
  • sair ganhando — to benefit or profit from a situation; to come out ahead.
  • de tempos em tempos — from time to time; occasionally or intermittently.
  • à toa — To drift aimlessly or act without purpose or direction.
  • homem dos sete ofícios — A person who can do many different jobs or possesses many different skills, though often…
  • cair em saco roto — Words or advice that fail to reach their intended audience; to be ignored or dismissed.

More Portuguese idioms

  • a cereja do bolo — the crowning touch; something wonderful that completes something already good.
  • brincar com fogo — to engage in a risky or dangerous behavior; to put oneself in harm's way.
  • nu e cru — To speak with brutal, unvarnished honesty, holding nothing back.
  • nem carne nem peixe — Something or someone that does not fit into any clear category and remains ambiguous or u…
  • olho da tempestade — A moment of unexpected calm or peace in the middle of chaos or crisis.
  • ás na manga — A hidden advantage or resource held in reserve to be revealed when needed.

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