preparare il terreno
Meaning: To establish the conditions or foundations that will make something possible later.
Language: Italian
Literally: to prepare the ground
Category: Nature
Origin: Origin uncertain; the phrase pictures literally tilling soil before planting, extended metaphorically to any preliminary work.
More idioms — Nature
- adagiarsi sugli allori — To become complacent and stop making efforts after past successes.
- arrastar pela lama — to publicly humiliate or damage someone's reputation.
- do dia para a noite — Very suddenly or extremely quickly.
- olho da tempestade — A moment of unexpected calm or peace in the middle of chaos or crisis.
- fazer uma tempestade num copo de água — To make an excessive fuss over something trivial.
- in het water vallen — for a plan or undertaking to fail or fall through.
More Italian idioms
- come butta — What is happening; how are things going.
- girare a vuoto — To spin idly without accomplishing anything; to waste time in aimless activity.
- alla sprovvista — Without warning; caught unprepared or by surprise.
- mettere le corna — To commit infidelity against a partner; to cuckold someone.
- alla bell'e meglio — In a sloppy, careless, or makeshift manner; doing something poorly for lack of effort or…
- senza capo né coda — In a senseless or disjointed way; without coherence, order, or point.
From our tongue twisters
- Sopra la panca la capra campa, sotto la panca la capra crepa. — A beloved 'c' / 'p' rhythm trap.
- 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.