| Compound Forms/Forme composte |
| (not to) harm a hair of sb's head | | | (non) torcere un capello a qn nm |
| a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush | expr | proverb (sth that you already have is better than the promise of sth better) | meglio un uovo oggi che una gallina domani |
| I'm told I can do better if I keep looking for opportunities, but I'll stay at this job for now: a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. |
| a bit | adv | (a small amount) | un pochino, un po', poco avv |
| I take just a bit of milk in my coffee. |
| Normalmente metto un pochino di latte nel caffè. |
| a bit | adv | (slightly) | un po' avv |
| It's a bit cold in here! |
| He was a bit too polite to be honest. |
| Era un po' troppo educato, onestamente. |
| a bit | n | informal (a short while) | tra poco, tra breve avv |
| I'll see you in a bit. |
| a bit long | adj | colloquial (slightly too long) | un po' lungo |
| My hair is getting a bit long; it's time to have it trimmed. |
| a bit much | | | un po' troppo |
| a bit of | adj | (a small amount of) | un po' di, un pochino di avv |
| I like a bit of cream in my coffee. |
| Mi piace un po' di panna nel caffè. |
| a bit of a mess | n | UK (shambolic) | un po' sottosopra |
| a bit of a mess | n | (difficulty, predicament) | una situazione difficile |
| | | un bel pasticcio |
| a bit of a mess | n | (disorderly state) | un bel disordine |
| a bit thick | adj | colloquial (slightly too thick) | piuttosto denso |
| | | piuttosto spesso |
| | | abbastanza massiccio |
| The gravy seems a bit thick; I can stand a spoon in it! |
| He's a bit thick though the waist. |
| a bit thick | adj | (not very intelligent) | non molto sveglio |
| | | un po' lento |
| | | un po' tardo |
| He's a bit thick, but really nice all the same. |
| a bit thin | adj | colloquial (slightly too thin) | piuttosto diluito |
| | | un po' acquoso |
| The gravy seems a bit thin, so I think I'll add some more flour to thicken it up. |
| a bit thin | adj | (with limited resources) | un po' ristretto |
| | | puttosto ridotto, piuttosto limitato |
| My budget is a bit thin, so I won't be going to Africa this year. |
| a bit too | adv | colloquial (slightly excessively) | un po' troppo |
| His hair was a bit too long for me. |
| She seemed a bit too calm. Something must be wrong. |
| a blistering pace | n | figurative, informal (great speed) | gran velocità |
| a bomb | | (a failure) un fallimento | un fiasco |
| a bright person | | | cima nf |
| a cappella | adv | music (without instrumental accompaniment) | a cappella |
| The piece is usually orchestral but they performed it a cappella. |
| a cappella | adj | (singing: without music) | a cappella |
| Gregorian chant is usually a cappella singing. |
| a certain amount | n | (modicum) | una certa quantità |
| | | un tot pron |
| a certain amount | n | (specified quantity) | una determinata quantità |
| | | un dato ammontare |
| a certain number | | | un certo numero |
| a considerable number | | | numero considerevole |
| a corner on | | | un angolo di |
| a couple | n | (a pair, two) circa due, alcuni | paio nm |
| I have a couple of sweaters in my suitcase. |
| There was a couple holding hands as they walked down the road. |
| Ho messo un paio di maglioni in valigia. |
| | due elementi | coppia nf |
| C'era una coppia che camminava per la via tenendosi per mano. |
| a couple | adj | informal (a pair of, two) circa due, alcuni | paio nm |
| Nota: a couple and "a couple of" are interchangeable for adj |
| I was hungry, so I made a couple sandwiches. |
| Un paio di giorni fa mi ha chiamato un vecchio compagno di scuola. |
| a couple of | adj | colloquial (two, a pair of) | un paio di |
| I'll take a couple of donuts, please. |
| a couple of | adj | US, colloquial (two or three of) | qualche agg |
| A couple of days ago, I saw your brother at the supermarket. |
| a cut above | adj | (superior to) | un gradino più su di |
| | | una spanna sopra |
| He is a cut above the rest. |
| a cut above | adj | (superior) | superiore agg |
| | | di livello superiore |
| a dab of sth | n | (small amount or application of sth) | un pochino di |
| | | un tocco di |
| a damn | | | un accidente |
| a darn | | | un accidente |
| a deal | | | un affare |
| a dear | n | informal (kind or sweet person) | una cara persona |
| | | una persona gentile |
| a dime a dozen | adj | US, informal (very common, not rare) | un tanto al chilo |
| | | te li danno come resto |
| | | te li tirano dietro |
| In Hollywood, aspiring young actresses are a dime a dozen. |
| a discretion | | | un giudizio |
| a dog's life | | | vita da cani |
| a dozen or so | adj | informal (around twelve) | circa una dozzina |
| Can you please bring me back a dozen or so eggs from the grocery store? |
| a drop in the bucket | n | US, informal (sth relatively trivial) | una cosa insignificante |
| The U.S. needs to redevelop passenger rail; Amtrak funding is just a drop in the bucket. |
| a drop in the bucket | n | (sth with no material consequences) | una cosa trascurabile |
| a drop in the ocean | n | UK (a negligible amount) | una goccia nel mare |
| The money I give to charity is a drop in the ocean compared to some people. |
| a due | | | un dovuto |
| a far cry | | | una bella distanza |
| a far cry from | adj | (very different from) | tutt'altra cosa rispetto a |
| | | ben altro rispetto a |
| Life in Canada is a far cry from her homeland of Haiti. |
| a fate worse than death | n | figurative (terrible misfortune) | un destino peggiore della morte |
| | | una fine tremenda |
| a fate worse than death | n | euphemism, obsolete (loss of virginity by seduction or rape ) | una brutta fine |
| a few | npl | (some, several) | qualche agg |
| a few bob | n | UK, slang (a small amount of money) | quattro soldi |
| a few times | adv | (on several occasions) | più volte |
| | | varie volte |
| a few times | adv | (with several repetitions ) | diverse volte |
| a few too many | adj | (excessive quantity of) | qualche volta di troppo |
| a few too many | n | UK, slang (excess of alcohol) | un bicchiere di troppo |
| a few words | n | informal (short speech or commentary) | due parole |
| | | qualche parola |
| a figment of your imagination | | | un parto della tua immaginazione |
| a fine mess | n | informal (complicated or awkward situation) | bel pasticcio |
| | | bel guaio nm |
| | | bel casino nm |
| The lies we told got us into a fine mess when everyone found out the truth. |
| Now you've done it. Look at the fine mess you've gotten us into. |
| a fortiori | adv | (law, logic: with stronger reason) | a maggior ragione |
| A friend in need is a friend indeed | expr | (a true friend is supportive and helpful) | un amico si vede nel momento del bisogno |
| a f***ing thing | | (vulgar) volgare | una sega |
| a ghost of a chance | n | (a very slight possibility) | ben poche possibilità |
| My husband might run for office, but he really doesn't stand a ghost of a chance. |
| a go-go | | | a gogo |
| a go-go | | | a volontà |
| a good deal | adv | (considerably, a lot) | un bel po' |
| a good laugh | n | informal (sth very funny or entertaining) | quattro risate |
| a great deal | n | (a lot, much) | un bel po' |
| a great deal | n | (many) | molti agg |
| a great deal of effort | n | (a lot of effort, much effort) | un grosso sforzo |
| | | un notevole impegno nm |
| I put a great deal of effort into this project, and I was really offended when management ignored it. |
| a great time | n | informal (fun, enjoyment) | un bel divertimento |
| | | molto divertente |
| a greater number | | | un numero maggiore |
| a hair's breadth away | adv | (very close) | a un pelo da |
| The house that I bought was a hair's breadth away from the sea. |
| The election returns so far show that Harry is a hair's breadth away from victory. |
| a hand at | | | una mano a |
| a happy soul | n | informal (cheerful person) | un tipo allegro |
| a hard man | | | un duro |
| a heap of | adj | literal (an untidy pile of) | una pila di |
| | | una montagna di nf |
| There's a heap of dirty laundry in the laundry room. |
| a heap of | adj | figurative, slang (a lot of) | un mucchio di |
| | | un sacco di |
| Since I retired I've got a heap of time on my hands. |
| a high | | | su di giri |
| a hoot | n | figurative, slang (sth funny or fun) | uno spasso |
| | | un sacco di divertimento |
| The party last night was a hoot! I had so much fun! |
| We had a hoot at the monster truck rally. |
| a hoot | n | literal (owl's cry) | grido di civetta |
| When camping in the woods, we heard the hoots of owls instead of lullabies. |
| a hoot | n | (any care to or for) | un accidenti |
| I don't give two hoots whether or not Sheila comes to the party. |
| a hot number | | | una cosa speciale |
| a job well done | n | (task that is performed well) | un lavoro ben fatto |
| | | un lavoro a regola d'arte |
| a la | adv | (in the style of) | alla maniera di |
| He swears a lot when he's angry, a la Gordon Ramsay. |
| a la mode | adj | (fashionable, in fashion) | alla moda |
| | | di moda |
| | | di grido |
| a la mode | adj | US (with ice cream) | con gelato |
| I ordered a piece of pie a la mode. |
| a large number of | | | un gran numero di, una gran quantità di |
| a laughing matter | n | (sth amusing) | una cosa ridicola |
| a laughing matter | n | (sth not taken seriously ) | una cosa da ridere |
| | | una cosa di poco conto |
| | | un'inezia nf |
| a leg to stand on | | | un argomento valido, una ragione valida, una buona ragione |
| a leg up | | inteso nel senso di un aiuto | una mano nf |
| a little | adv | (a small amount) | un po' di, un pochino di avv |
| I like a little sugar in my coffee. |
| Mi piace un pochino di zucchero nel caffè. |
| a little | adv | (slightly) | un po' avv |
| She was a little angry with me. |
| The doctor says your blood pressure is a little high. |
| Era un po' arrabbiata con me. |
| a little at a time | | | un po' per volta |
| a little bit | n | (a small amount) | un po', un pochino avv |
| Add a little bit of vanilla to the batter. |
| Could I please have a little bit of cheese? |
| Aggiungi un po' di vaniglia alla pastella. |
| a little bit | adv | (slightly) | un po' |
| | | appena un po' |
| I'm just a little bit dizzy. |
| a little can go a long way | | | con poco si può fare molto |
| a little learning | | | un po' di cultura |
| a little more | adj | (slightly more) | un po' più |
| Segnala un errore |
| 100 successive |