A Carnevale ogni scherzo vale (at carnival every kidding is valuable): All is allowed in the days before Lent

A fagiolo (to the bean): Perfectly, or at the right time

A occhio e croce (at eye and cross): Approximately, more or less

L’abito non fa il Monaco (the suit does not do the monk): You can’t tell a book from its cover

Accavallare le gambe (to horse one’s legs): To cross one’s legs

Ad ogni morte di Papa (at every death of Pope): Rarely

Alla buon’ora (to the good hour): At last

Andare:

Andarci con i piedi di piombo (to go there with the feet of lead): Being cautious, tread carefully

Andare a fagiolo (to go to bean): to be perfect

Andare a farfalle (to go to butterflies): to come to nothing, to fail (es.: il portiere e' andato a farfalle, the goalkeeper came out and missed the ball)

Andare a letto con le galline (to go to bed with the hens): To go to bed early

Andare a pallino (to go to small ball): to fail

Andare a tutta birra (to go at all beer): to go very fast

*Andare al fresco (to go to the cool): to go to jail

*Andare in bestia (to go in beast): to become very angry

Andare in brodo di giuggiole (going in a broth of Chinese red dates): Being very happy

Andare nel Pallone (to go in the big ball): to freak out

A pennello (to the paintbrush): Perfectly [Esempio: Questo vestito ti sta a pennello (This dress stays to you to the paintbrush): This dress fits you perfectly]

Arrampicarsi sugli specchi (climbing on mirrors)
Trying to make up imaginative explanations for something unknown or impossible

Attaccare un bottone (attaching a button)
Engaging in a long conversation

Avere:

Avere gli occhi foderati di prosciutto (to have the eyes wrapped in cured ham): Not realizing something that is happening in front of you, Having one’s head in the sand

Avere l'argento vivo addosso (to have the alive silver on one's body): to be hyperactive

Avere la coda di paglia (Having the tail of hay): Having a guilty conscience

Avere la faccia di bronzo (to have the face of copper): to be as bold as brass

Avere la puzza sotto al naso (To have the stink under the nose): Being snobbish

Avere le gambe informicolate (to have one's leg inanted): to have pins and needles in one's leg

Avere le mani in pasta (to have the hands in dough): to be very well connected, to know how to pull strings

Avere le pigne in testa [Romanesco]
(Having pine cones instead of the brain): Acting dumb!

Avere sale nella zucca (Having salt in one’s squash): Being wise

Avere un chiodo fisso (Having a fixed nail)
Having something costantly in one’s mind

Avere un diavolo per capello (to have a devil for one hair): To be angry

Avere una bella cera (to have a beautiful wax): to be in good shape

Avere una bella gatta da pelare (to have a beautiful female cat to peel off): Facing a tough nut to crack

Avere polso (to have wrist): to be firm

Bacco, Tabacco, e Venere, riducon l’uomo in cenere
(Baccus, Tobacco, and Venus reduce the man into ashes):
Alcohol, cigarettes, and women ruin men

Battere una romba (to beat a female turbot): To fall

In bocca al lupo (In the mouth of the wolf): Good luck!

Botte da orbi (barrels from blinds): a big fight with flying fists

Le bugie hanno le gambe corte (Lies have short legs):
Lies don’t go far before being uncovered; they have short legs

Buon sangue non mente (Good blood doesn’t lie)
From good parents you’ll get good children [This is used especially to note that the father or mother of someone who is very good at something was also very good at that]

Buona fine e miglior pincipio! (Good ending and better beginning): Happy New Year!

Buonanotte al secchio (Good night to the bucket): and be done with it.

Buonanotte ai suonatori! (good night to the players!): We are doomed, there’s nothing else we can do!

Calma e gesso (calm and chalk): Let's pause and think, let's focus and plan carefully (from the habit of pool players to chalk the stick when planning a difficult shot)

Calza come un guanto (it socks like a glove):
It fits perfectly/it fits like a glove

Campa cavallo che l’erba cresce (lives horse that the grass grows): No results are accomplished by just waiting

Capitare a puntino (happening to the little dot): Happening at the right place at the right time

Cavarsela per il rotto della cuffia (to take it out by oneself for the broken of the headphone): barely making it (by the skin of one’s teeth) [vedi anche: “Farcela per un pelo”]

Cercare il pelo nell'uovo (to look for the hair in the egg): Nit-picking

Che barba/Essere barboso (what beard/to be beardy):
how boring/to be boring

Chi la dura la vince (he who hards it wins her): He who perseveres succeeds

Chi non beve in compagnia o e’ un ladro o una spia (he who does not drink with others or is a thief or a spy): Someone who does not drink with others must have something to hide (because “in vino veritas”), like a thief or a spy

Chi rompe paga e i cocci sono suoi (he who breaks pays and the pieces are (the) his): If you mess up you must pay for the consequences

Chi s'e' visto s'e' visto (who has seen himself has seen himself): and who cares about the rest, and that was that

Chi t’ammazza a te (who kills you to you): You are in a strong, self-assured position

Chi troppo vuole nulla stringe (he who too much wants nothing tightens): He who wants too much does not get anything

Chiodo scaccia chiodo (nail chases nail): To overcome a bad thing, one needs to replace it with something nice of a similar nature

Cielo a pecorelle, pioggia a catinelle
(Sky at little sheep, rain at little bowls):
A sky with small clouds that look like sheep anticipates a strong rain

Una ciliegia tira l’altra (a cherry throws the other): Cherries, like any very good things, prompt one to get one after another

La classe non e' acqua (the class is not water): class runs thicker than water

Col cavolo che lo faccio (With the cabbage that I do that)
No way that I do that!

Col fischio che lo faccio (With the whistle that I do that)
No way that I do that!

Un colpo di grazia (a hit of grace): A final blow

Cogliere in castagna (to pick in chestnut): to catch someone red-handed

Cogliere/prendere la palla al balzo (to take the ball at the bounce): to seize the opportunity

Comandare a bacchetta (commanding at little stick)
Having someone do whatever one wishes

Come butta? (how throws?): how is it going?

Come Dio comanda (like God commands): The way it’s supposed to be

Comprare un bimbo (Buy a baby): Give birth

Una cosa terra terra (An earth earth thing)
Something simple, unsophisticated

Cotto a puntino (cooked to the little dot): [A meal] prepared with a perfect cooking

Cucinare al dente (cooking at the tooth)
Cooking without making it too soft (pasta)

Cucinare al sangue (cooking at the blood)
Cooking rare (meat)

Da che mondo e' mondo (from what world is world): Always

Da cosa nasce cosa (from thing it is born thing; Example: they were talking politics and from thing it is born thing they punched each other in the face): Something (a first step) leads to something else (a consequence or outcome)

Da quando in qua...? (from when in here...?): Since when...?

Dare corda (to give rope): To give some freedom

*Dare del filo da torcere (to give some thread to twist):
to make things hard, to give trouble

Dare del tu/Dare del lei (giving of the you/giving of the her):
Refer to someone informally/formally

Dare un colpo al cerchio e uno alla botte (to give one hit to the circle and one to the barrel): to manage a situation that has two opposite requirements, to identify a compromise between two incompatible solutions

Dare un colpo di spugna (to give a hit of sponge): Wiping the slate clean

Dare perle ai porci (to give pearls to the pigs): to give something valuable to someone who does not appreciate that

Dare picche (to give spades): to say no

Darsela a gambe levate (to give it to oneself at taken off legs): To run as fast as possible [vedi anche "Mettersi le gambe in spalla"]

Darsi all’ippica (to give oneself to the horse races): To give up

Di punto in bianco (of point in white): Suddenly

Di sana pianta (of healthy plant): From scratch

Dire pane al pane e vino al vino (tell bread to bread and wine to wine): To call a spade a spade

E qui casca l'asino (and here falls the donkey): There's the rub

L'erba voglio (the grass want): the opportunity to get whatever you want [l'erba voglio non cresce neanche nel giardino del re (the grass want does not even grow in the king's garden): you can't always get what you want]

Essere:

Esser de coccio [Aoh, ma che sei de' coccio]
(To be of earthenware): Being slow in understanding

Essere alla frutta / Essere agli sgoccioli (Being at the fruit / to be at the sdrips): To be at the end

Essere del gatto (to be of the cat): being in trouble

Essere (di) fuori come una terrazza (being outside like a terrace) Being out of mind

*Essere di manica larga (to be of large sleeve): to be indulgent

Essere in gamba (being in leg): Being capable

Essere una macchietta (to be a little spot): to be a funny, entertaining, peculiar person

Essere ai minimi termini (to be at the minimum terms): to not be able to divide one's numerator and denominator by the same number, to be very tired

Essere in punto e virgola (to be in dot and comma) [used in Tuscany]: to be dressed up and behave in a formal manner

Essere in vena (being in vein): Feeling inspired

Essere pane per i propri denti (to be bread for one’s teeth): To be challenging, requiring some effort

Essere sul piede di partenza (to be on the foot of start): to be ready to leave

Essere punto e a capo (to be point and at chief): to be back to square one

Essere sbarellato (being out of stretcher)
Being incoherent, acting erratically

Essere seccante (to be drying): to be annoying

Essere uccel di bosco (to be bird of the woods): To disappear

*Essere uno stinco di santo (to be a shin bone of saint: to be an angel

Essere vestito di tutto punto (to be dressed of all period): to be dressed very well and with attention to detail
 

Fare:

Facciamo due passi (Let's make two step)
Let's go for a walk

*Far cadere le braccia (to make the arms fall): to disappoint

Far girare le scatole (to make the boxes turn): to upset

Far ridere i polli (to make the chicken laugh): to be ridiculous

Far vedere di che pasta uno e' fatto (to make see of what dough one is made): to show what one is capable of doing or how tough one can be

Far vedere i sorci verdi (to make someone see the green rats): to give someone trouble

*Far venire il latte alle ginocchia (to make the milk come to the knees): to be particularly boring

Far venire l'acquolina in bocca (to make the little water come in the mouth): To make one's mouth water

Farcela per un pelo (to make it by one piece of hair): scrape through [vedi anche: “Cavarsela per il rotto della cuffia”]

Fare fiasco (to make flask): To fail

Fare il bello e il cattivo tempo (to make the beautiful and the bad weather): Having the power to do as one pleases

Fare il bidone a qualcuno (to make the trash can to someone): to stand someone up

Fare il cascamorto (to make the fall dead): Flirting in an obvious, conspicuous way

Fare le corna (to do the horns): hope for the best, make an offensive gesture (by keeping the index and little fingers straight out of a closed hand), to cheat on one's spouse

Fare il filo a qualcuno (making the thread to someone)
Come on to someone, court someone

Fare un freddo cane/becco/boia (to make a cold dog/beak/executioner): to be extremely cold

Fare un passo falso (to make a fake step): to make a mistake

Fare il pelo e il contropelo (to do the hair and the againsthair): To give a good dressing down

Fare le scarpe a qualcuno (to make the shoes to someone): to eliminate someone


Fare la scarpetta (Making the little shoe)
Using a piece of bread to collect sauce from a plate and eat it

Fare secco qualcuno (to make someone dry): to kill someone


Fare lo stoccafisso (to do the air-dried cod): to be stiff

Fare il tagliando alla macchina (to do the cutting to the car): to perform a car check up at a given mileage

Fare pace con il cervello (Make peace with your brain)
Acting like a dumb since you disconnected the brain!

Fare un buco nell’acqua / *Fare fiasco (to make a hole in the water / to make flask): to fail

Fare un liscio (doing a smooth): Missing something

Fare un tiro mancino (to do a lefty throw): Doing something tricky, harmful, or unpleasant

Fare una brutta figura (to make an ugly figure): leaving a bad impression.

Fare una cappella (making a chapel): Making a mistake

Fare una frittata (to make an omelette): Mess up

Fare una papera (making a female duck):
Making a trivial mistake

Fare senso (to make sense): to be disgusting

Fare specie (to make species): to surprise

Farla franca (to make it female frank): To get away with

Farla in barba a qualcuno
(To do it in facial hair to someone)
Outwit someone

Farne di cotte e di crude (making cooked and raw things): To annoy

*Farsene un baffo (to make of it a moustache): to not give a damn

Farsi due fili (to make to oneself two threads): to eat spaghetti

Fatto trenta, facciamo trentuno! (done thirthy, let's make thirty-one!): in for a penny, in for a pound!
 

Filare liscio come l'olio (to line smooth as oil): to go smoothly, as planned

Freddo assassino (cold assassin): very cold

La gatta furiosa fa i figli ciechi
(The hastily cat, deliver blind kittens):
Slow down

Il gioco non vale la candela (the game is not worth the candle): It is not worth it

Girare a vuoto (to turn at empty): to go round in circles

Gli ha piu' garbo un ciuco a bere a boccia [florentine slang] (there has more grace a donkey to drink at bottle): a donkey drinking directly from a bottle is better mannered than you

La goccia che ha fatto traboccare il vaso (the drop that made the vase overflow): the straw that broke the camel's back

Lascia il tempo che trova (It leaves the time that it finds):
It does not have a meaningful impact [the actual literal translation should use “weather” instead of “time” as this is really based on an analogy with winds or fog that in fact do not result in any significant change in the weather… but the translation is funnier with “time”]

La lingua batte dove il dente duole
(The tongue beats where the tooth aches):
Something comes up to remind you of a painful situation

Ma va' a quel paese! (but go to that country!): go to hell!

Mangiare cadaveri (Eating dead bodies): Having a bad breath!

Mangiare la foglia (Eating the leaf):
Understanding something that was concealed

Marinare la scuola (To marinate school): Skipping a school day
[There are many different local expressions in Italy for skipping school]:

• Agrigento: fagghiamu
• Andria: fare fruscio (to make a rustle)
• Bari: fare sega (to make saw)
• Bergamo: impiccare (to hang)
• Bologna: fare fuga/fughino (to make escape)
• Brescia: bigiare, bruciare (to burn)
• Cagliari, Olbia: fare vela (to make sail)
• Calabria: salare (to salt)
• Caltanissetta: caliare
• Ferrara: fare fuoco (to make fire)
• Firenze: fare forca (to make pitchfork)
• Foggia: fare salasso (to make a bleeding)
• Genova: bossare
• Imperia: bottare
• Lecce: nnargiare
• Mantova: fare sgric (sgritch)
• Milano: bigiare
• Modena: fugassa
• Napoli, Avellino, Caserta: fare filone (to make big wire)
• Nuoro: andarsene a ferie (to go on holidays)
• Parma: fare cabo'
• Perugia: fare salina (to make little female salt), fare sega
• Pescara: fare filone (to make big wire)
• Pisa: bucare (to make a hole)
• Roma, Latina: fare sega (to make saw)
• Teramo: fare cup
• Torino: tagliare (to cut)
• Trapani, stampare (to print)
• Trieste, Gorizia: fare lippe
• Venezia: fare manca
• Verona: fare berna
• Vicenza: bruciare (to burn)

Mandare a carte e quarantotto (to send to cards and forty-eight): to wreck, to mess up (es: non c'e' speranza, andra' tutto a carte e quarantotto: it’s useless, everything will be going to cards and forty-eight)

Il mattino ha l’oro in bocca (the morning has the gold in the mouth): Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise

Menare il can per l’aia (to minus the dog around the hague): to go around loosing time, to beat around the bush

Meno male (minus bad): thanks goodness

Mettere il carro davanti ai buoi (Bring the carriage ahead of the cows): Precipitating the events

*Mettersi le gambe in spalla (to put the legs on shoulder): to flee

Mettere l'ora legale (to put the legal hour): to switch to daylight savings time

Mi piace una cifra (it likes to me a cipher): I like it a lot

A momenti bocca [florentine slang] (at moments mouth): he/she was about to fall

*Montarsi la testa (to mount one’s head): to pride oneself

Morto un Papa se ne fa un altro (dead one Pope one makes another): Anyone can be replaced

Neanche dipinto [Manco dipinto] (Not even painted):
No way that I am going to do that!

Il nocciolo della questione (the pit of the question): The heart of the matter

Non avere peli sulla lingua (Not having hair on one’s tongue): Speaking in a forthright and direct way

Non avere voce in capitolo (not having voice in chapter): not having a say

Non c’e’ due senza tre, e il quattro vien da se’ (there is no two without three, and the four comes by itself): Two things of the same kind that happened in a row will lead to a third one, and then even a fourth one

Non capire un’acca (not understand an aitch): To not understand a thing

Non cavare un ragno dal buco (to not quarry [dig out] a spider from the hole): To not get anything out of something

Non ci sono piu’ le mezze stagioni
(There are no half seasons any more):
Because of weather changes, there is now a direct switch from Winter to Summer, and viceversa, without real Spring and Fall

Non dire gatto se non ce l'hai nel sacco (do not say cat if you don't have it in the bag): Don't count your chickens before they're hatched

Non e’ farina del tuo sacco (it is not flour of your bag): It is not something that you conceived/did

Non mangiare il panettone (to not eat the Christmas traditional cake with sultanas): to not keep the job until Christmas (especially for soccer coaches; example - Benitez non mangia il panettone: Benitez will get fired by Inter before Christmas)

Non me ne puo’ fregare di meno [non me ne po’ frega’ dde meno] (it cannot scratch to me of minus): I could not care less

Non mi passa piu'! (it doesn't pass to me plus!): this is really hard/difficult/boring for me!

Non sapere che pesci prendere (to not know what fish to take): to not know what to do

Non sentirsi molto per la quale (Not feeling much for the which)
Not feeling too well

Non stare piu’ nella pelle (to not stay any more in the skin): to be very excited

Non vedo l'ora (I don't see the hour): I can't wait

Non vedo/sento un tubo (I don't see/hear a tube):
I can't hear/see anything

O avanti con l’amore, o dammi indietro la mia coniglia
(Either go ahead with love, or give me the female rabbit back):
Be serious in your relationship with my daughter or I won’t allow it anymore

Ogni lasciata e’ persa (Every one left is lost):
Every opportunity that is not followed through is a lost one

Pancia mia fatti capanna (My tummy, make yourself as a hut):
Let’s get ready for a BIG meal

Pane al pane, vino al vino (bread to bread, wine to wine): To call a spade a spade

I panni sporchi si lavano in famiglia
(The dirty clothes are washed in the family)
Problems should be dealt with privately

Parlare a quattr'occhi (to speak at four eyes): To talk privately, face to face with someone

Parlare del piu’ e del meno (to speak of the plus and the minus): to talk about this and that

La paura fa novanta (fear makes ninety): fear makes one do anything

Pendere dalle labbra di qualcuno (to hang from someone's lips): to hang on someone's every word

Perdere colpi (to loose shots): not being as accurate or efficient as one used to be

Perdere le staffe (To loose the stirrups): Getting angry

Pesce d'Aprile (fish of April): April fool's day

Un pezzo da novanta (a piece from ninety): a highly influential person, bigwig

Piantare baracca e burattini (to plant the barrack and the puppets): To leave everything behind

Piantare in asso (to plant in ace): To leave in the lurch

Pinco Pallino (Pincus Little Ball): average person [Joe Schmoe]

Piove sul bagnato (It rains on the wet)
Something bad is happening just after other bad things had happened, it never rains it pours

Poc'anzi (littl'instead): a little while ago

Portare il cappello sulle ventitre’ (to wear the hat on the twenty-three): To tilt the hat toward the face [In a way of counting hours, twenty-three indicates one hour before sunset, when the low sun induces one to adjust the hat toward the face to protect the eyes from sun light]

Prendere fischi per fiaschi (to take whistles for flasks): To misunderstand

*Prendere in castagna (to take in chestnut): to catch someone out

Prendere la palla al balzo (to take the ball at the hop): To seize the opportunity

Prendere lucciole per lanterne (to take fireflies for lanterns): to misjudge, misinterpret, misunderstand something

Prendere uno svarione (to take a big svary): to make a big mistake

Il punto della bandiera (the point of the flag): One point scored in a lost competition to avoid a shut out

In quattro e quattr'otto (in four and four eight): quickly

Qui gatta ci cova (here female cat there broods): Something fishy is going on, I smell a rat

Qui lo dico e qui lo nego (here I say it and here I deny it): Saying something inappropriate or controversial pretending not to have said it

Rendere pan per focaccia (to give back bread for flat bread): To give tit for tat

Rendersene conto (To return to oneself of it count)
Realizing/understanding

*Restare con un palmo di naso (to remain with a span of nose): to be badly disappointed

Restare con un pugno di mosche (to be left with a handful of flies): not to achieve any results

Rigirare la frittata (to turn again the omelette): Twist an argument

Rimettersi in sesto (to put oneself back in sixth): Get back in shape

Rompere le scatole (to break the boxes): to annoy someone

Saltare il grillo (to jump the cricket): To feel like something

Saltare di palo in frasca (to jump from pole to branch): to jump from topic to topic

Salvare capra e cavoli (to save goat and cauliflowers): Finding a solution to a difficult situation without compromising any positive outcome

Sbarcare il lunario (to unboat the moonriver): Make ends meet

Scambiare Sant'Antonio con il maiale
(Exchange St. Anthony with the pig)
You are making a big mistake or misjudgment

Scoprire l'acqua calda (to discover the hot water): to reinvent the wheel

Se mia nonna avesse avuto una ruota sarebbe stata una carriola (If my grandma had a wheel she’d been a wheelbarrow)
This is to point out that a statement is based on a flawed assumption

Se mio nonno aveva cinque palle era un flipper
(If my grandpa had five balls he’d been a pinball)
This is to point out that a statement is based on a flawed assumption

Se non e’ zuppa, e’ pan bagnato
(If it is not soup, it is wet bread)
The two alternatives are equivalent

Al secolo (to the century): having the following real name (example: Alberto Moravia, al secolo Alberto Pincherle)

Sei a secco, fai il pieno alla macchina! (you are at dry, do the full at the machine!): your gas tank is empty, fill it up!

Senz' altro (Without other): Absolutely

Senza arte né parte (without art nor part): without prospects

Si fa per dire (it makes itself for to say): So to speak

Si’, nei denti (yes, in the teeth): No way!

Signor/Signora qualcosa (Mr/Mrs something): Something excellent, of high quality, or really worthy of note [Examples: Questo e’ un signor pranzo (This is a Mr. lunch); Questa e’ una signora scarpa (This is a Mrs. shoe)]

Smarronare (to unbrown): (1) being wrong/saying nonsense, (2) bother

Spavoneggiarsi (to speacock oneself): to show off

Spezzare una lancia per qualcuno (to break a spear for someone): to plead someone’s cause, to come to someone’s defense

Sputare il rospo (to spit the toad): To get something off one’s chest

*Stare alle costole (to stay at the ribs): to dog someone’s heels

*Stare in Campana (to stay in bell): to be very careful

Stare su con la vita (to stay up with the waist): Cheer up

Stare sull'anima a qualcuno (to stay on the soul to someone): to be disliked

Stringi stringi (tighten tighten): Fundamentally, essentially, at the bottom

Su due piedi (on two feet): Suddenly

Suonato come una campana (Rang like a bell): Crazy

Tagliare la corda (cutting the rope): Running away, getting out of there

Tagliare la testa al toro (cutting the head to the bull)
Making a decision putting aside all doubts

Tanto di cappello (much of hat): Congratulations!

Tanto va la gatta al lardo che ci lascia lo zampino
(So much the cat goes to the lard that it leaves there the little paw):  Someone who keeps doing the same bad act will eventually leave traces that will get him/her caught

Il tempo stringe (the time tightens): time is short

*Tenere banco (to hold bench): to speak a lot in a group of people who listen

Tirapiedi (pullfeet): Bootlilcker

Tirare il calzino (To pull the sock): To die

Tirare l'acqua al proprio mulino (to pull the water to one's mill): to act in one's own interest

Tirare le somme (to pull the sums): to draw conclusions

Tirare una cannella (pulling/throwing a cinnamon)
Hitting a ball hard (in sports)

Tirare una centra (pulling/throwing a female center)
Punching someone hard

Tirare una fiatata (to throw a female breathed): to say something that brings bad luck

Tirarsela (To pull it oneself): Being snobbish

Tirarsi la zappa sui piedi (to throw to oneself the hoe on one’s feet): To shoot oneself in the foot

Tizio, caio, e sempronio (Titius, Gaius, et Sempronius): three generic persons, [Tom, Dick, and Harry]

Tocca a te! (touches to you): It’s your turn!

Togliere le castagne dal fuoco (to take out the chestnuts from the fire): to solve a problem

Trovare il bandolo della matassa (to find the end of the skein): To find the key to a problem

Trovare pane per i proprio denti (to find bread for one’s teeth): To face a challenging task

Tutt’e due (All and two): Everything

Tutti i gusti son gusti (all the tastes are tastes): Each one has individual preferences (De gustibus non disputandum est)

Tutti i nodi vengono al pettine (all the knots come to the comb): chickens come home to roost

Ultima spiaggia (Last beach): Last chance

Una ne fa e cento ne pensa (one he does and one hundred he thinks): What will he think of next?

Unire l'utile al dilettevole (to unite the useful to the delightful): to do something pleasurable that is also useful or productive

Vai a piglia' l'acqua o mulin' c'o sicchio' sfunnato [proverbio Napoletano]
(To go and take water from the well with a broken bucket):
To go and/or do something unprepared

Vattelappesca! (you go there fish it): who knows?

*Vendere cara la pelle (to sell the skin at a high price): to fight hard

*Venire alle mani (to come to the hands): to come to blows

Volere la botte piena e la moglie ubriaca (to want the barrell full and the wife drunk): you cannot have your cake and eat it
 

* Questi idiomi appaiono con le loro traduzioni in (These idioms and their translations appear in): S. Rizzo, M. Sandrini, and C. Papagno, “The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in idiom interpretation: An rTMS study,” Brain Research Bulletin vol.71, Issue 5, pp. 523-528 (2007).

Altri siti web che con proverbi e detti Italiani
(Other websites with Italian Sayings):

• Italian Idiom and Sayings
• About.com: Italian Proverbs
• Raccolta di proverbi e detti Italiani
• Wikiquote.org
• Impariamo l'italiano