questione di lana caprina
Meaning: A trivial or pointless debate that wastes time and produces no useful result.
Language: Italian
Literally: matter of goat's wool
Category: Animals
Origin: The phrase pictures wool from a goat—worthless and absurd—as a metaphor for futile argument over meaningless details.
More idioms — Animals
- virar bicho — To become extremely angry or enraged.
- vaca sagrada — Something so valued or protected that it cannot be criticized, changed, or harmed.
- matar cachorro a grito — To be extremely poor or destitute.
- met de kippen op stok gaan — to go to bed very early, at sunset.
- köra med — To tease, bully, or push someone around.
- kasta pärlor för svin — To offer something valuable to someone who cannot appreciate or will waste it.
More Italian idioms
- smemorato di Collegno — A hopelessly forgetful person.
- fare a scaricabarile — To evade responsibility by shifting blame to someone else; to pass the buck.
- alla carlona — In a careless, rough, or sloppy way without regard for neatness or precision.
- la bellezza di — A considerable quantity or duration of something, often used with mock admiration to emph…
- battere i tacchi — To run away or flee hastily.
- dove non batte il sole — In a place that is dark, hidden, or not respectable; a euphemism for somewhere very undes…
From our false friends
- Firma — Actually means 'signature'. Metti la tua firma = Put your signature here.
- Magazzino — Actually means 'warehouse' or 'storeroom'. A magazine (periodical) is una rivista.
- Conveniente — Actually means 'affordable', 'good value', or 'suitable'. È conveniente = It's a good dea…