Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Italian term or phrase:
buco nell'acqua
English translation:
I think we're wasting our time/we're at a dead end
Added to glossary by
Michelangelo Felicetti
Jul 4, 2008 08:16
15 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Italian term
Fast, detailed and experienced
Native in: Italian 
Works in: English to Italian, Russian to Italian
buco nell'acqua
Italian to English
Art/Literary
Cinema, Film, TV, Drama
..alla ricerca di una foto per incriminare un sospettato..e uno dei due poliziotti esclama: Credo che stiamo facendo un buco nell'acqua!...
grazie per l'aiuto
michelangelo
grazie per l'aiuto
michelangelo
Proposed translations
(English)
| 5 +10 | I think we're wasting our time/we're at a dead end |
WendellR
|
| 5 | to fail; to flop |
Giovanni Pizzati (X)
|
| 4 | we're on a hiding to nothing |
Joanna M Cas (X)
|
| 4 | we're beating the air |
Milena Bosco (X)
|
| 3 | to draw a blank |
Katia DG
|
Proposed translations
+10
19 mins
Selected
I think we're wasting our time/we're at a dead end
Also "we're missing the boat" or "we're barking up the wrong tree" if the sense is that they're on the wrong trail (e.g., looking for the wrong person).
If it's simply a matter of "there's nothing here and it's pointless to go on," you can use a number of synonyms: beating a dead horse, beating our heads against a brick wall, etc.
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Note added at 20 mins (2008-07-04 08:37:01 GMT)
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If you want an idiomatic expression to match "buco nell'acqua," best to leave this one to native English speakers.
If it's simply a matter of "there's nothing here and it's pointless to go on," you can use a number of synonyms: beating a dead horse, beating our heads against a brick wall, etc.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 20 mins (2008-07-04 08:37:01 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
If you want an idiomatic expression to match "buco nell'acqua," best to leave this one to native English speakers.
1 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "thanks wendell so much."
24 mins
to draw a blank
altra possibilità
1 hr
we're on a hiding to nothing
another way of saying we're getting nowhere/flogging a dead horse. I'd really like some more context tho, hence confidence level for the moment - what prompts the policeman tp say what he does?
4 hrs
we're beating the air
Have a nice day,
Milena
Milena
6 hrs
to fail; to flop
Proposta
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