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STATES OF MIND
Character Types
Happiness, Sadness And Despair
Calmness, Nervousness, Anger And Fear
Doubt and Confusion

S  T  A  T  E  S    O  F    M  I  N  D

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CHARACTER TYPES

Essere sereni e disinvolti

(to be) free and easy

Tom's a good teacher: he's free and easy with his students and they love him.

Pat has a free and easy social attitude and a way of acting that attracts many guys.

David was free and easy with his money... it was soon gone.

Essere determinati

To make a dead set

He's to be admired in being able to work all the night long to make a dead set at finishing the manuscript.

To ride roughshod

She always did what she wanted to, riding roughshod over her friends' points of view.

Pensarla allo stesso modo, essere dello stesso avviso, della stessa opinione

(to be) at one with somebody

The teachers were at one with the dean over his decision to reduce the classes.

Pensarla sempre diversamente, essere il "bastian contrario"

To be bloody minded

The strange man was very bloody minded... he always refused any offer of help.

Essere pignoli, andare nei dettagli

To pick holes

Stop picking holes in my used computer: it's not the last model, but I bought it for very little money.

To be set in one's ways

I can't believe how conservative she could be: she's really set in her ways.

To dig one's heels in

He refused all the tips we gave him and firmly dug his heels in, refusing our hints.

To shut up like a clam

John has a very introverted character... he frequently shuts up like a clam.

To call a spade a spade

You know Marc: he made so many enemies because of his calling a spade a spade.

To be mealy-mouthed

He's honest, but not very frank and outspoken... he's mealy-mouthed.

To take something as gospel

Mandy believes in supernatural events and every night she lights candles for the spirits: she takes it as gospel.

Comprendere, capire, rendersi conto (situazioni nuove o difficili)

To get to grips with something, to come to grips with something

Wendy…? She’s never really got to grips with the new software!

Essere rapidi di comprendonio, reagire velocemente

To be quick on the uptake (on the draw, off the mark)

I don't know if it's a matter of intuition or intelligence: she's so quick on the uptake (on the draw, off the mark) in reading your thoughts.

To be slow on the uptake (on the draw, off the mark)

It's so frustrating when you've to explain something to him: he's so slow on the uptake (on the draw, off the mark) in catching the meaning of what you are talking about.

To change one's tune (to chop and change)

It's so difficult to understand her... she's shilly-shallies about everything, changing her tune at every step (chopping and changing).

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HAPPYNESS, SADNESS AND DESPAIR

Esser molto felici

To be as happy as the day is long (as happy as Larry, as happy as a sandboy)

He was as happy as the day is long (as Larry, as a sandboy) when he asked her to marry him and she said "yes".

To be over the moon (on cloud nine)

He was over the moon (on cloud nine) when he realised he won the lottery.

To be like a dog with two tails (as happy as a clam)

Knowing that he passed the exam he was like a dog with two tails... jumping and singing (as happy as a clam).

To be given a buzz

Even if she didn't like walking, the fact of having a stroll at the sunset with him gave her a real buzz.

To be a wet blanket (to be a spoilsport)

They stopped calling him to go out with them because he was such a wet blanket (such a spoilsport).

To have a face (as long) as a wet weekend

What a sad expression! Why have you got a face like a wet weekend? What happened?

To wear a hair shirt

She really wears a hair shirt mentality... she's always punishing herself, to make herself feel bad.

Prendersela, offendersi, aversela a male

To take something amiss

I was worried that Fiona might take my suggestions amiss: it was to help her.

Essere veramente infelice

To be as miserable as sin

Since his girlfriend left him, Jim looks as miserable as sin.

Hoping against hope

Having such a bad character, it's hoping against hope to think that Ed could get along well with anybody.

To take a load off one's mind

When she knew that nothing bad happened to them, it was a load off her mind.

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CALMNESS, NERVOUSNESS, ANGER AND FEAR

Rilassarsi

To let one's hair down

Sit down, enjoy your tea and let your hair down!

Mantenere la calma, non perdere la pazienza

To be as cool as a cucumber (to keep one's shirt on)

It doesn't matter what Fred had gone through... he was never disturbed by anything: he always stayed cool as a cucumber, as if nothing ever affected him.

To get one's brain in gear

You really have to calm down and get your brain in gear for finishing your dissertation.

To psych oneself up

Before the interview he spent ten minutes psyching himself up.

Per non avere dubbi, per andare sul sicuro

A safe bet

Are you looking for a reliable car? That runabout is a safe bet.

Avere un presentimento, sentirsi qualcosa, presentire

To feel something in one's bones

Don't worry, Lisa: you'll pass the exam... don't ask me how: I just feel it in my bones!

Aspettarsi qualcosa (in senso negativo)

To bargain for something

In planning the weekend we hadn't bargained such bad weather.

Jesus... Sandy's here! I hadn't bargained for her arrival!

Avere delle aspettative elevate, desiderare ancora di più

To want jam on something

You've already had a lot of credit, what do you want... jam on it?

Attendere nervosamente

To have butterflies in one's stomach (to be on tenterhooks)

He had butterflies in his stomach (was on tenterhooks) waiting to know the outcome of his job interview.

To be all steamed up (to champ at the bit)

The girl's dogs were all steamed up (champing at the bit), waiting to go to the park.

To be like a cat on a hot tin roof

She'll call you, be calm! Stop acting like a cat on a hot tin roof, pacing up and down the corridor.

To be hung up

After her sharp reply he remained in silence all the night, hung up about her real character.

Essere sulla difensiva, diffidenti

A siege mentality

Sally has persecutions feelings always doing everything she can to protect herself... she has a siege mentality!

Morire d'invidia

(to be) green with envy

Sally's going to Europe for winter break, so I remained alone and all green with envy.

Cercare di mantenere la faccia seria

To keep a straight face

Sean was keeping a straight face but he really wanted to laugh however, he couldn't because it was a serious situation.

Tenere duro, non mollare, non cambiare posizione

To hold fast, to stand fast

Demonstrators were standing fast in the middle of the street, refusing to go home.

Kim held fast to his principles: he firmly maintained the same opinion without changing position.

Essere iperreattivi

To shoot from the hip

He's too nervous and paranoid: shooting from the hip every time you talk about that maniac, in the campus.

To get one's blood up

It got my blood up when we heard that they lost the reservation we made months ago.

To be on a short fuse

The barman was on a short fuse and lost a lot of clients by arguing and shouting at them.

To have a bellyful of something

I really have had a bellyful of your impolite and rude manners!

Far arrabbiare, far incazzare

To drive someone nuts (to drive someone up the wall)

His bad manners drive me nuts (drive me up the wall).

Far diventare isterici

To screw somebody up

Her nasty attitude screwed me up for the whole day.

Non riuscire a mandare giù qualcosa

To have a bitter pill to swallow

The bitter pill to swallow was to go out with them after knowing what they had said behind our backs.

Perdere le staffe

To fly off the handle

He started flying off the handle when the policeman told him that that his new car was stolen just a few minutes before.

Scoppiare, esplodere iniziando a parlare con aggressività

To blow one's top (to blow a gasket, to blow a fuse)

When her hubby realised how much she'd spent he blew a gasket!

When Sheila told me she lost my dog on the beach I was not able to control myself anymore and I blew my top about how unreliable she was.

Arrabbiarsi, incavolarsi, partire con i nervi

To have a fit, to throw a fit

Ed, I’m afraid that Fiona'll throw a fit when she sees your pictures with Sandy.

I had a fit when I saw that Meg had an accident with my car: I started shouting and swearing at her!

Andare su tutte le furie, arrabbiarsi, incazzarsi

To blow a fuse (to go bananas, to make the air turn blue, to go up in the air, to hit the roof)

He was said to blow a fuse every time anyone leaned on the bonnet of his new car.

To freak out

After his girlfriend left him, he completely freaked out.

Perdere il controllo, uscire di testa

To get carried away

Hey Danil, don't get carried away, that's only a game!

Impazzire

To go mental

Going out all the time with that strange girl made him go mental.

To fume with rage (to breathe fire)

The elegant man was fuming with rage (breathing fire) over the receptionist's confession that he had lost his luggage.

Prendere posizione contro qualcuno

To give somebody a rough time (to put two fingers up at)

Stop giving me a rough time tonight (putting two fingers at me): I told you I was late because of the traffic!

To let off steam

I'm sorry for having told you that bad story: it was just to let off steam.

To look sheepish

When his ex-wife saw him in the street with his new girlfriend, he immediately looked sheepish.

To go gaga

The old lady was put into a nursing home because she was going gaga.

To frighten the life out of someone

Scary! that stupid film frightened the life out of me... there were incredible hair-raising effects!

To be shaking in one's shoes

He was shaking in his shoes in the darkness of the woods.

To jump out of one's skin

That was stupid! Your silly joke made me jump out of my skin!

To shit oneself

Horror films make Julie shit herself.

To be scared stiff (to be scared out of one's wits, to get cold feet)

I confess that I was scared stiff during those twenty minutes I remained in the cavern without any light (I was scared out of my wits, I got cold feet).

To whistle in the dark (to seize the nettle)

I had to whistle in the dark (to seize the nettle) on the way home last night, as I was waiting for the last train on the underground and no one else was around.

 

 

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DOUBT AND CONFUSION

Comprendere, rendersi conto, capire qualcosa di nuovo o difficile

To get to grips with something, to come to grips with something

Wendy…? She’s never really got to grips with the new software!

Essere stupiti, sorpresi

To be bowled over

Their sudden arrival bowled him over.

Non riuscire a ragionare, a concentrarsi

Not to think straight

I feel nervous... I can't think straight even if the project needs a lot of concentration.

Non riuscire a raccapezzarsi

Not to make head nor tails of something

After all your interminable calls, I still can't make heads nor tails of how that bad accident happened.

Lasciare esterefatti, lasciare di stucco

To knock someone sideways (to knock for six)

What you told me about him knocked me sideways (for six).

Sentirsi confusi

To be (to feel) in a muddle

I always get in a muddle when I have to look for something in the chaos of the cellar.

Essere in uno stato di confusione

(to be) at sixes and sevens

We were at sixes and sevens after the operator announced that the tour was going to be interrupted.

Disorganizzato, confuso, incasinato

All over the shop

See your room, Mandy... your clothes are all over the shop!

I still feel sleepy... I'm all over the shop this morning

 

Far confondere

To do someone's head in

That crazy job is doing her head in.

Non aver capito nulla, esser fuori

To be off the beam

I think that Susan was off the beam when she said that we hate her!

Riprendersi, tornare a ragionare, far funzionare di nuovo il cervello

To come to one's senses

Ted's not a bad boy... I wish that he'd stop playing around and come to his senses.