Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
Don\'t beat about the bush!
Greek translation:
Μη μου τα μασάς! Μην πας να ξεφύγεις!
Added to glossary by
SeiTT
Feb 18, 2013 11:10
11 yrs ago
2 viewers *
English term
Don't beat about the bush!
English to Greek
Art/Literary
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Idiomatic Expressions
Greetings,
According to the Macmillan Dictionary and the Free Dictionary respectively, “Don't beat about the bush!” has two meanings:
1 to spend a long time getting to the main point of what you are saying, especially because it is embarrassing.
2 to be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information.
The germane example has to do with the second meaning:
Your doctor tells you to avoid turmeric (zerdeçal). You ask your wife what spices she used in the food she made, and she doesn't want to tell you that she used turmeric, so she gives you a very ambiguous answer: "you know, people cook with all different kinds of spices these days. You can find almost anything in the market! Actually, I was there today and..." You can tell she's trying to avoid answering your question so you say "don't beat about the bush! Is there turmeric in this?"
All the best, and many thanks,
Simon
According to the Macmillan Dictionary and the Free Dictionary respectively, “Don't beat about the bush!” has two meanings:
1 to spend a long time getting to the main point of what you are saying, especially because it is embarrassing.
2 to be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information.
The germane example has to do with the second meaning:
Your doctor tells you to avoid turmeric (zerdeçal). You ask your wife what spices she used in the food she made, and she doesn't want to tell you that she used turmeric, so she gives you a very ambiguous answer: "you know, people cook with all different kinds of spices these days. You can find almost anything in the market! Actually, I was there today and..." You can tell she's trying to avoid answering your question so you say "don't beat about the bush! Is there turmeric in this?"
All the best, and many thanks,
Simon
Proposed translations
(Greek)
| 5 +4 | Μη μου τα μασάς! Μην πας να ξεφύγεις! |
Nick Lingris
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Proposed translations
+4
13 mins
Nick Lingris
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in Greek
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
The word is my oyster
Native in: Greek 
Works in: English to Greek, Greek to English, Greek
Related KudoZ points
:
44
Selected
Μη μου τα μασάς! Μην πας να ξεφύγεις!
Μην αποφεύγεις το θέμα!
Peer comment(s):
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FOTINI TENTI
2 mins
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Ευχ!
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Georgios Tziakos
: How about "Άσε τα σάπια"? Too aggressive?
20 mins
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Not the sort of reply you suggest to SeiTT, because he then wants to know the origin of the idiom. :-)
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transphy
: 'Μην αποφεύγεις το θέμα!', best equates to the spirit it is said in English!! A very common saying. Seems that there are many more equivalents in Greek!! ''Come to the point, don't beat about the bush''
6 hrs
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Nadia-Anastasia Fahmi
7 hrs
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Many thanks, excellent."
Discussion
επιχειρώ, δοκιμάζω (χωρίς επιτυχία, αποτέλεσμα): Πήγα να του δώσω λεφτά αλλά αρνήθηκε. Πήγα να βοηθήσω και βρήκα τον μπελά μου. πάω για , επιδιώκω, στοχεύω να πετύχω, να γίνω κτ.: Πάει για πρόεδρος / για βουλευτής.
http://www.greek-language.gr/greekLang/modern_greek/tools/le...
And now, with thanks to Nick, we have “Μην πας να ξεφύγεις!”.
So can I conclude that πάω here means προσπαθώ?