Common Italian expression
Literally | To toss the sponge |
Meaning | To give up and admin defeat |
IPA pronunciation | /dʒetˈtaːre la ˈspuɲɲa/ |
Gettare la spugna
To throw in the towel
Examples
Il meccanico gettò la spugna e portò l’auto a rottamare.
The mechanic threw in the towel and scrapped the car.
Luca non è il tipo da gettare la spugna. Non si arrende mai.
Luca is not the type to throw in the towel. He never gives up.
Where does this idiom come from?
This idiom shares its origin with its English counterpart. During a boxing match, it’s customary for the trainer of a losing boxer to throw a towel (asciugamano) into the ring to concede defeat and prevent further injury. In the past, the towel was a sponge.

Related lessons
- gettare (to throw)
- spugna (sponge)
- definite articles
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