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Prendere due piccioni con una fava

Meaning: To achieve two goals with a single effort.

Language: Italian

Literally: To catch two pigeons with one fava bean

Category: Animals

Origin: From old bird-trapping practice, where a single bean as bait could lure more than one pigeon into the snare at once.

More idioms — Animals

  • 猫舌 — Unable to handle hot food or drinks.
  • Ни пуха ни пера — Good luck — to which the ritual reply is 'To the devil!'.
  • Ехать зайцем — To ride a train or bus without paying.
  • Кот наплакал — A laughably tiny amount.
  • De hond in de pot vinden — To arrive too late — the food, or the opportunity, is gone.
  • Ana ugglor i mossen — To sense that something fishy is going on.

More Italian idioms

  • Avere la botte piena e la moglie ubriaca — To want to have it both ways.
  • Ogni morte di papa — Extremely rarely; once in a blue moon.
  • Avere gli occhi foderati di prosciutto — To be unable to see what is right in front of you.
  • Fare le corna — To ward off bad luck — or to signal that a partner is being unfaithful.
  • Tagliare la testa al toro — To settle a matter decisively, once and for all.
  • Avere le mani in pasta — To be deeply involved in something.

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