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Descascar o abacaxi

Meaning: To solve a very difficult, thorny problem.

Language: Portuguese

Literally: To peel the pineapple

Category: Food & Drink

Origin: Brazilian Portuguese — pineapples are notoriously hard to peel.

More idioms — Food & Drink

  • Helaas, pindakaas — Too bad, nothing can be done about it.
  • Σιγά τα λαχανικά — Big deal! (extreme sarcasm)
  • Ayıkla pirincin taşını — Deal with it yourself; it's your mess.
  • Armut piş, ağzıma düş — Wanting everything handed to you without effort.
  • Avoir le beurre et l'argent du beurre — To want to have it both ways.
  • Faire la fine bouche — To be overly picky or hard to please.

More Portuguese idioms

  • Empurrar com a barriga — To procrastinate; to keep delaying something.
  • Matar a cobra e mostrar o pau — To prove you actually did what you claim.
  • dar um jeito — Find a creative solution or workaround, often bending rules pragmatically.
  • estar com a corda no pescoço — Be in serious financial or personal trouble with no easy escape.
  • meter os pés pelas mãos — Make a clumsy mistake or bungle something badly through carelessness.
  • estar com água na boca — Feel eager anticipation or desire, especially for food or something pleasant.

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