di bocca in bocca

Italian

Etymology

Literally, “of mouth in mouth”.

Prepositional phrase

di bocca in bocca

1. by word of mouth
   • 2019, George Orwell, translated by Nicola Gardini, Nineteen Eighty-Four, Mondadori:

     Possiamo comunicare il nostro sapere solo di bocca in bocca, di generazione in generazione.

     We can only spread our knowledge outwards from individual to individual, generation after generation.

     (literally, “We can communicate our knowledge only by word of mouth, from generation to generation.”)