Italiantirare l'acqua al proprio mulino
Meaning: to act in self-interest, redirecting resources or advantage to oneself.
Literally: To pull the water to one's own mill
Example: “Ogni assessore tira l'acqua al proprio mulino quando si divide il bilancio.” — Every councilor looks out for number one when the budget is divided.
English equivalent: To look out for number one
Equivalents in other languages
Estonian: Iga kana kraabib enda poole Literally: Every hen scratches toward itself
Spanish: arrimar el ascua a su sardina Literally: To draw the hot coal toward one's sardine
English: look out for number one
Origin: Water mills depended on the stream, and millers tried to draw as much water as they could to their own wheel through channels and sluices, leaving less for the mills downstream. The Hoepli dictionary explains the phrase this way: pulling the water to one's own mill is looking after one's own interests, usually at others' expense. Spanish has the same image in llevar el agua a su molino.
More Italian idioms
- tenere a freno la lingua to refrain from speaking; to keep silent.
- farsene un baffo to not care at all; to be indifferent to something.
- sulle spine In a state of anxious suspense or nervous tension, unable to relax.
- a gambe levate With great speed or haste, moving rapidly or impetuously.
- pendaglio da forca A person who deserves to be hanged; a worthless scoundrel.
- menare il can per l'aia To avoid the main point by talking around the subject indirectly.
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