montarsi la testa

Italian

Etymology

Literally, “to swell one's head”.

Verb

montàrsi la testa (first-person singular present mi mónto la testa, first-person singular past historic mi montài la testa, past participle montàto la testa)

1. (intransitive) to get big-headed

   Synonyms: montarsi, esaltarsi, insuperbirsi

   • 1990, Ernest Hemingway, translated by Ettore Capriolo, Fiesta [The Sun Also Rises], Mondadori:

     Gli editori avevano colmato di elogi il suo romanzo e lui si era montato la testa.

     The publishers had praised his novel pretty highly and it rather went to his head.

     (literally, “The editors had filled his novel with praise and he got big-headed.”)