Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Italian term or phrase:
svaligiare la cassetta delle elemosine
English translation:
break/break into your piggy bank
Added to glossary by
Lorraine Buckley (X)
Jun 11, 2011 16:00
12 yrs ago
Italian term
svaligiare la cassetta delle elemosine
Italian to English
Art/Literary
Cinema, Film, TV, Drama
Same film from the 70's. It's an Italian expression used when you pay or give your money to someone in small pieces, like 100 euros but in pieces of 10 or five. It's due to the fact that when you go to church or you give money to the poors you usually give small pieces, like a 1-euro coin or so.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +6 | break your piggy bank |
Lorraine Buckley (X)
|
| 5 | rob the poor box |
EleoE
|
| 4 | pay in small change |
Yvonne Gallagher
|
| 3 -1 | pay (out) in dribs and drabs |
Shera Lyn Parpia
|
Change log
Jun 25, 2011 08:48: Lorraine Buckley (X) Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+6
38 mins
Selected
break your piggy bank
The English idiomatic equivalent - you save money by putting it in your piggy bank, and to pay for something you break it .... and out come all the coins
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
-1
10 mins
Shera Lyn Parpia
Italy
Italy
Native in English
Italy
translating meaning, not just words
Native in: English 
Works in: English to Italian, Italian to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
21
pay (out) in dribs and drabs
in dribs and drabs - Idioms - by the Free Dictionary, Thesaurus ...
in small amounts or a few at a time We could only afford to pay the builder in dribs and drabs. The hostages have been released in dribs and drabs. ...
idioms.thefreedictionary.com/in+dribs+and+drabs -
From Lynn Peterson: I overheard someone recently saying money was arriving in dribs and drabs. What is the origin of that phrase? Is it to do with art or painting?
http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-dri1.htm
in small amounts or a few at a time We could only afford to pay the builder in dribs and drabs. The hostages have been released in dribs and drabs. ...
idioms.thefreedictionary.com/in+dribs+and+drabs -
From Lynn Peterson: I overheard someone recently saying money was arriving in dribs and drabs. What is the origin of that phrase? Is it to do with art or painting?
http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-dri1.htm
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Lorraine Buckley (X)
: dribs and drabs means a little at a time, over a period of time, not in small change
24 mins
|
| neutral |
Barbara Carrara
: This would rather translate the Italian 'a spizzichi e bocconi', though. Hiya Shera!
25 mins
|
| neutral |
EleoE
: Agree with Barbara... spizzichi & bocconi.
30 mins
|
17 mins
Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Ireland
Native in English
Works in field
Ireland
right word, right place. everytime
Native in: English (Variants: US, Canadian, Irish, UK)
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English, English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
8
pay in small change
not using paper money but coins (which take longer to count out)
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Note added at 23 mins (2011-06-11 16:24:03 GMT)
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"pay in dribs and drabs" means paying at different times, e.g one week pay a bit, a bit more following week etc, not quite the context you've given here.
You could also use "LOOSE CHANGE"
27 Apr 2011 ... But the small change this 'gentleman from the streets' pressed into my hand enabled me to make a big difference in my situation. ...
www.colourtech.com/.../international-pay-it-forward-day-–-small-change-big-difference - Canada - Cached
Is it legal to pay a big debt in small change? March 6, 1981. Dear Cecil: My question concerns the term "legal tender." I remember reading years ago that ...
www.straightdope.com/.../is-it-legal-to-pay-a-big-debt-in-s... - Cached - Similar
26 Dec 2010 ... To assure oneself of a better paralegal salary, it is essential to have all the necessary elements in place. This generally equates to the ...
qualityarticles.com/paralegal-salary-more-than-small-change.htm
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Note added at 24 mins (2011-06-11 16:25:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
As far as I'm aware you can still pay in loose change as long as you count it into cash bags - the amounts go up depending on the denomination of the coin ...
www.youandyourwedding.co.uk/community/forums/thread/54771 - Cached
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 23 mins (2011-06-11 16:24:03 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
"pay in dribs and drabs" means paying at different times, e.g one week pay a bit, a bit more following week etc, not quite the context you've given here.
You could also use "LOOSE CHANGE"
27 Apr 2011 ... But the small change this 'gentleman from the streets' pressed into my hand enabled me to make a big difference in my situation. ...
www.colourtech.com/.../international-pay-it-forward-day-–-small-change-big-difference - Canada - Cached
Is it legal to pay a big debt in small change? March 6, 1981. Dear Cecil: My question concerns the term "legal tender." I remember reading years ago that ...
www.straightdope.com/.../is-it-legal-to-pay-a-big-debt-in-s... - Cached - Similar
26 Dec 2010 ... To assure oneself of a better paralegal salary, it is essential to have all the necessary elements in place. This generally equates to the ...
qualityarticles.com/paralegal-salary-more-than-small-change.htm
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 24 mins (2011-06-11 16:25:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
As far as I'm aware you can still pay in loose change as long as you count it into cash bags - the amounts go up depending on the denomination of the coin ...
www.youandyourwedding.co.uk/community/forums/thread/54771 - Cached
48 mins
rob the poor box
Si dice cosi'. :)
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