Chiodo
NOUN [masculine]
Meaning and English translation 🔖
Nail, spike
🇬🇧 Thin iron rod with a pointed end and a wider head, used for fixing or hanging things.
🇮🇹 Sottile barretta di ferro con un'estremità appuntita e l'altra allargata in una capocchia, usata per fissare o appendere.
| Masculine ♂️ | Feminine ♀️ | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | il - un chiodo | - |
| Plural | i - dei chiodi | - |
Example sentences 💬
Ho bisogno di un chiodo per appendere questo quadro.
I need a nail to hang this painting.
Non riesco a piantare il chiodo nel muro di cemento.
I can't drive the nail into the concrete wall.
Devo comprare dei chiodi per montare la libreria nuova.
I need to buy some nails to assemble the new bookshelf.
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Idioms with chiodo 🇮🇹
Chiodo fisso
→ Fixed idea, obsession
Imparare l’italiano è diventato il suo chiodo fisso.
Learning Italian has become her obsession.
Avere un chiodo in testa
→ To have something constantly on one's mind
Ha un chiodo in testa con questo viaggio in Italia.
She's got this trip to Italy constantly on her mind.
Chiodo scaccia chiodo
→ One problem drives out another (literal: a nail drives out another nail)
Dopo la rottura con Paola, ha iniziato a frequentare Marcella. Chiodo scaccia chiodo!
After breaking up with Paola, he started dating Marcella. One problem drives out another!
Non battere chiodo
→ To strike out, to have no luck (especially in dating)
È andato a tre appuntamenti questa settimana ma non ha battuto chiodo.
He went on three dates this week but struck out completely.
Magro come un chiodo
→ As thin as a rail/rake
Da quando ha iniziato la dieta è diventato magro come un chiodo.
Since he started his diet, he's become as thin as a rail.
Essere un chiodo
→ To be a clunker (referring to slow vehicles)
Questa macchina è un chiodo, non supera i 70 all'ora.
This car is a real clunker, it can't go faster than 70 per hour.
Appendere [l'attrezzo dello sport] al chiodo
→ To hang up one's [sport equipment]
Nadal ha appeso la racchetta al chiodo dopo la Coppa Davis.
Nadal hung up his racquet after the Davis Cup.
Attaccare il cappello al chiodo
→ Clove
Per questo piatto servono due chiodi di garofano.
This dish requires two cloves.
Chiodo di garofano
→ To settle down (especially by marrying someone wealthy)
Ha finalmente attaccato il cappello al chiodo sposando una ricca ereditiera.
He finally settled down by marrying a wealthy heiress.
Chiodo
→ Leather jacket (biker jacket)
Si è presentato al concerto con il chiodo e gli anfibi.
He showed up at the concert wearing a biker jacket and combat boots.
Where does the word chiodo come from? 🔎
Chiodo comes from the Latin clavus, which became claus in Vulgar Latin. From the latter came the ancient forms chiavo and chiovo, which then evolved into the current chiodo. The Latin word clavus had several meanings beyond "nail": it could also refer to a purple stripe on Roman senators' tunics (the so-called clavus latus), a type of ship's rudder, and even a corn or painful foot growth.
