IdiomAnimals
Italian
ItalianTagliare la testa al toro
Meaning: To settle a matter decisively, once and for all.
Literally: To cut the bull's head off
Example: “Ha tagliato la testa al toro e ha venduto la casa.” — He cut the Gordian knot and sold the house.
English equivalent: To cut the Gordian knot
Origin: The Hoepli dictionary tells the folk tale behind it: a bull got its head stuck in a large earthenware jar and could not free it. Its owner, unwilling to break the jar, asked a friend for advice, and the friend could think of nothing better than cutting off the bull's head, saving the jar. Cutting the bull's head off is settling a question once and for all with a drastic decision, even at a cost.
Equivalents in other languages
French: Trancher le nœud gordien Literally: To cut the Gordian knot
English: cut the Gordian knot
More Italian idioms
- Avere le mani in pasta To be deeply involved in something.
- Stare con le mani in mano To stand around doing nothing while others work.
- Non ci piove There's no doubt about it whatsoever.
- Non avere peli sulla lingua To speak bluntly and hold nothing back.
- Liscio come l'olio To go off without a hitch.
- Fare il portoghese To sneak in without paying.
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