col contagocce

Italian

Etymology

Literally, “with the dropper”

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kol kon.taˈɡot.t͡ʃe/
• Hyphenation: col‧con‧ta‧góc‧ce

Adverb

col contagocce

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see col,‎ contagocce; by means of a dropper
2. (idiomatic) sparingly, scantily, stingily, meagerly
   • 1920 November, Sabatino Lopez, “Laboremus”, in Il Secolo XX, page 818:

     Nome scenico. E figura scenica […] Grazie, acqua: non prendo che acqua (Tésseri è meno discreto). Dunque. (Ogni parola lenta, grave, misurata col contagocce)

     A theatrical name. And a theatrical aspect […] Water, thank you. I only take water (Tésseri is less discreet). So... (Each word [is] slow, ponderous, sparingly dosed)

References

• contagocce in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana