Italian Prose

mezzanine, gallery

il soppalco

thunder, roar, pounding

lo scroscio

canopy, awning

la tettoia

metal sheet, plate

la lamiera

force, momentum, impetus

l’impeto (m)

in the streets, on the streets

per le strade

severe weather

il tempo proibitivo

after all, besides

del resto

law, justice system

la giustizia

witness

la/il teste

just now, a moment ago

testé

to hear (legal meaning), examine

escutere

What might ‘libero’ mean?

Free/independent, but could be retired/private/no longer in office

nave

la navata

to parry, block / protect / to adorn, embellish, decorate

parare

unstable, sickly, weak

malfermo

sacristan

il sagrestano

capable

in gamba

weekday

il giorno feriale

to mumble / to nibble

biascicare, borbottare

to point, aim / to address, direct

rivolgere

to speak to, to turn to

rivolgersi a

of the past

d’un tempo

congregation

la congregazione, l’assemblea

to be a matter of, to concern, to be about

trattarsi di

to acknowledge, to take note of

prendere atto di

reference

il riferimento

youth

la gioventù

precisely, indeed, exactly

appunto

biting, scathing, piercing (fig)

caustico, mordace

biting cold

il freddo pungente

to bite

mordere, morsicare

casual, nonchalant

indifferente, noncurante (person), disinvolto, distaccato (attitude)

to reward

ricompensare, premiare

to propel

sospingere, spingere (qcs) in avanti

to propel (figurative)

portare, catapultare

timid, shy

timido, timoroso, esitante, titubante

savage

selvaggio, feroce

coy

falso modesto

tender

tenero, dolce, affettuoso, delicato

to stretch

allungar(si)

strained (muscle)

stirato, strappato

strained (physically)

provato, stanco

strained (relationship)

teso, logoro, stanco

boarding school

il collegio, convitto

extra / appearance

la comparsa

to run away from

scappare da (qcs) di (qcn)

to move, affect, touch

toccare, colpire, intenerire (deep)

cicada

la cicala

thirsty

assetato

to be thirsty

avere sete

sudden

subitaneo, improvviso

temporary, provisional

provvisorio, temporaneo, momentaneo

to take shape

prendere forma

loom (machine)

il telaio

to loom

stagliarsi, profilarsi, incombere

to pluck (feathers)

spiumare, spennare

to pluck (musical instrument)

pizzicare

to pluck (hair)

togliere, staccare, strappare

felt (material)

il feltro

muted (sound)

pacato, calmo, tranquillo

muted (colour)

attenuato

to dissect

sezionare (literal), dissezionare (analyse)

darkness, blackness (literary)

nerezza (colour), nefandezza, bassezza (person)

unharmed, unscathed

indenne, illeso, incolume

safe and sound

sano e salvo

headland

il promontorio

to bury

seppellire

to bury yourself in (fig)

buttarsi su, dedicarsi a

to embed, insert, to stick

infilare, conficcare

burrow (animal)

il rifugio, cunicolo, la tana

sailing boat

la barca a vela

ugliness

la bruttezza (lit), la bassezza (fig)

unavowed

inconfessato

drunk

ubriaco

setback / syncopation

il contrattempo

by surprise, unawares

in controtempo

thigh

la coscia

temporary, brief, passing

passeggero

to exhaust, drain, fatigue

stremare

stunning, striking, dazzling

folgorante

charm, allure, appeal

il fascino

to bind, dress, bandage

fasciare

to strike (lightning)

fulminare

calculated, deliberate

calcolato, studiato, pianificato

to obsess

ossessionare

to exasperate

esasperare

devoid

mancante, privo, sprovvisto di

bereft (emotion)

in lutto

to capsize

capovolgere

to cut through (a surface/place)

solcare

to criss cross

incrociarsi, ricoprire

to deflect, divert (often plane)

dirottare

to distract

distogliere

to roll up

rimboccare

to bare your teeth

mostrare i denti

boredom, tedium

il tedio

to begin, debut

esordire