Gettare la spugna in Italian
| Literal translation | To toss the sponge |
| Meaning | To give up and admin defeat |
| IPA pronunciation | /dʒetˈtaːre la ˈspuɲɲa/ |
Gettare la spugna
To throw in the towel
Where does this 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.
For example, you can say…
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.
➡️ Related lessons
- Gettare (to throw)
- Spugna (sponge)
- Definite articles
- All Italian expressions
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