a bocca asciutta
Italian
Etymology
Literally, "at dry mouth."
Prepositional phrase
a bocca asciutta
- hungry, starving, without food
- Synonyms: affamato, digiuno
- 2019, George Orwell, Nicola Gardini, transl., Nineteen Eighty-Four, Mondadori:
- Sapeva bene che così le lasciava tutt'e due a bocca asciutta, ma non poteva farne a meno; si sentiva perfino in diritto di agire a quel modo.
- He knew that he was starving the other two, but he could not help it; he even felt that he had a right to do it.
- (literally, “He knew well that, in this way, he left them both starving, but he could not help it; he even felt entitled to act in that way.”)
- (figurative, by extension) disillusioned
- Synonyms: deluso, a mani vuote