stringere i denti
Italian
editEtymology
editLiterally, “to tighten the teeth”.
Verb
editstrìngere i denti (first-person singular present strìngo i denti, first-person singular past historic strìnsi i denti, past participle strétto i denti, auxiliary avére)
- (idiomatic, intransitive) to grit one's teeth
- 2019, George Orwell, translated by Nicola Gardini, Nineteen Eighty-Four, Mondadori:
- L'aria penetrava a forza nei polmoni ed erompeva in profondi gemiti che, neppure stringendo i denti, lui riusciva a trattenere.
- The air tore into his lungs and issued again in deep groans which even by clenching his teeth he could not stop.
- (literally, “The air penetrated his lungs forcefully and erupted in deep groans that he was not able to hold back, even if he grit his teeth.”)