pendaglio da forca
Meaning: A person who deserves to be hanged; a worthless scoundrel.
Language: Italian
Literally: gallows pendant
Category: The Absurd
Origin: A grim image: someone so wicked they belong dangling from the gallows, a rogue fit only for execution.
More idioms — The Absurd
- dannarsi l'anima — To work extremely hard or exert oneself to the utmost.
- come butta — What is happening; how are things going.
- a casa del diavolo — Far away; a great distance to travel; the long way around.
- sem tamanho — enormous, immensely large.
- há algo de podre no reino da Dinamarca — something is deeply wrong or suspicious, though the truth may be hidden.
- brincar com fogo — to engage in a risky or dangerous behavior; to put oneself in harm's way.
More Italian idioms
- mi sa — I suppose, I guess, or I have the impression.
- nei panni di — In the position, role, or situation of someone else; in their shoes.
- alla lontana — In an indirect or roundabout way; distantly or remotely connected.
- menare il can per l'aia — To avoid the main point by talking around the subject indirectly.
- con il piede sbagliato — To start something badly or get off to a poor beginning.
- togliere il fiato — To leave someone astonished or breathless with amazement.
From our tongue twisters
- Trentatré trentini entrarono a Trento tutti e trentatré trotterellando. — An unbroken stampede of 'tr' and 't'.
- Tigre contro tigre, tigre contro un'altra tigre. — Pure 't/ig/re' drill — short and merciless; the double-g demands a crisp Italian stop.
- Apelle figlio di Apollo fece una palla di pelle di pollo e tutti i principi della città di Capua la palpeggiarono. — A wall of 'p/ll/l/a' that seems to grow longer as you speak it faster.