Common Italian expression
| Pronunciation | |
| Literal translation | To stand on thorns |
| English translation | To be on pins and needles |
| Meaning | Feeling anxious or on edge |
You can also find the word spina in the Italian idioms non c’è rosa senza spine and tenere sulle spine.
Examples
| Sto sulle spine da stamattina per i risultati dell’esame. | I’ve been on pins and needles since this morning because of the results of the exam. |
| Mi si è conficcata una spina nel piede. Ahia! | A thorn has stuck in my foot. Ouch! |
Where does this idiom come from?
Standing on thorns is not very comfortable, is it? When you stand on thorns, you are probably fidgeting with your feet and trying not to touch the ground. You’re in a very uncomfortable situation that prevents you from resting. Anxiety (l’ansia) behaves in the same way.
Related lessons
- stare (to stay)
- spina (thorn)
- su (preposition)
- prepositions
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