IdiomDaily Life
Italian
ItalianCapire fischi per fiaschi
Meaning: To misunderstand completely.
Literally: To understand whistles as flasks
Example: “Gli ho detto sabato alle otto e ha capito fischi per fiaschi.” — I said Saturday at eight and he got the wrong end of the stick.
English equivalent: To get the wrong end of the stick
Origin: Fischi are whistles and fiaschi are straw-covered wine flasks: two words that sound almost the same and have nothing to do with each other. The Hoepli dictionary notes that the phrase rests on that wordplay, and means badly misunderstanding, taking one thing for something completely different.
Equivalents in other languages
English: get the wrong end of the stick
More Italian idioms
- Essere in gamba To be sharp, capable and on the ball.
- Fare orecchie da mercante To turn a deaf ear deliberately.
- Non sapere che pesci pigliare To be at a complete loss what to do.
- 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.
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