"Buona Notte al Secchio"
Literally translating as ‘good night to the bucket’, this is an expression used in the darkest hour, with the sentiment of ‘we’re done for’. It uses bucket in a similar way to the English saying ‘kick the bucket’. Bleakly, both come from the idea of hanging, where the ‘bucket’ was traditionally the name of a beam used to suspend the rope.
"Tenere il piede in due staffe"
Translating as ‘to have one’s foot in two stirrups’, it’s an expression used to describe someone who won’t commit to a side of an argument, instead trying to balance both.
"Meglio l'uovo oggi, che la gallina domani."
Translated as ‘better an egg today, than a chicken tomorrow’, this strange expression is similar to the English ‘a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush’. It’s clearly aimed at the impatient, because in reality, a chicken tomorrow is much better, as you’ll get more eggs.
Una mano lava l’altra
"Translating as ‘one hand washes the other’ it’s an expression that’s used in the same situations a the English ‘you scratch my back, and i’ll scratch yours’, and is a way of suggesting an ally works with you for mutual benefit."
