Italian–English dictionary

piedipiatti

(British, Ireland, Australia, slang) A police officer.

piedistallo

(architecture) The base or foot of a column, statue, vase, lamp.

piega

A flat fold; a doubling, as of cloth; a pleat.

piegamento

(transitive) To cause to incline or swing to one side, or backward and forward; to bias; to turn; to bend; to warp.

piegare

(transitive, nautical) To tie, as in securing a line to a cleat; to shackle a chain to an anchor; make fast.

piegarsi

(transitive) To cause to change direction.

piegato

(Of something that is usually straight) Folded, dented.

piegatura

(uncountable) The state, quality, or condition of being physically bent or twisted out of shape.

pieghettare

(transitive) To form one or more pleats in a piece of fabric or a garment.

pieghettatura

A flat fold; a doubling, as of cloth; a pleat.

pieghevole

Designed to be collapsed, especially so as to be more compact when not in use.

Piemonte

An administrative region in the north of Italy.

pienamente

To the full or entire extent.

pienezza

Being full; completeness.

pieno

Followed by with: carrying, or charged or loaded up with (usually something negative); accompanied by; entailing.

pieno controllo

Of a ruler (especially a monarch): supreme authority or dominion over something.

pienotto

Of a body part: containing a moderate amount of fat.

piercing

A hole made in the body so that jewellery can be worn through it.

pietà

(uncountable) Relenting; forbearance to cause or allow harm to another.

pietanza

(culinary) A stage of a meal.

pietas

The condition and quality of being godly, pious, scrupulously observant of all the teachings of one's religion, practicing virtue and avoiding sin.

pietra

(uncountable, geology) A hard earthen substance that can form rocks; especially, such substance when regarded as a building material.

pietra angolare

A stone forming the base at the corner of a building.

pietra d'angolo

The projection into space of an angle in a solid object.

pietra di luna

(mineral) A translucent gemstone, an orthoclase feldspar, that has a pearly lustre.

pietra miliare

(figurative, also, attributive) A major event or discovery.

pietra preziosa

A finely cut gemstone, especially a diamond, cut in a particular form with numerous facets so as to maximize light return through the top (called "table") of the stone.

pietra tombale

A large, flat stone, especially one laid over a tomb.

Pietri

A member of an indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest Coast.

Pietrino

A en given name.

pietrisco di cava

(archaic) Coarse meal; groats.

Pietro

(biblical) The epistles of Peter in the New Testament of the Bible, 1 Peter and 2 Peter attributed to St. Peter.

Pietrogrado

A region of Saint Petersburg city, Saint Petersburg, Northwest Russia district, European Russia, Russia.

pifferaio

A musician who plays a pipe.

piffero

A small shrill pipe, resembling the piccolo flute, used chiefly to accompany the drum in military music

pigiama

Clothes for wearing to bed and sleeping in, usually consisting of a loose-fitting shirt and pants/trousers.

pigiare

To press between two hard objects; to squeeze so as to alter the natural shape or integrity, or to force together into a mass.

pigione

A payment made by a tenant at intervals in order to lease a property.

pigmalione

A wise and trusted counselor or teacher.

pigmentare

(transitive) To fill pores or spaces with a substance.

pigmentato

coloured by adding a pigment

pigmentazione

Coloration of human, plant or animal tissue, especially by pigment.

pigna

The fruit of a conifer.

pignatta

(Latin American culture) A doll or other decorated container that is filled with candy and hit with a hammer or a stick by blindfolded children during birthday parties or other celebrations until the candy falls out.

pignoleggiare

(figurative) To correct insignificant mistakes or find fault in unimportant details.

pignoleria

(figuratively, by extension) A process of finding or pointing out tiny details or errors, particularly if the pointed-out details seem insignificant or irrelevant to all but the finder.

pignolo

Excessively particular, demanding, or fussy about details, especially about tidiness and cleanliness.

pignone

(architectural element) The triangular area at the peak of an external wall adjacent to, and terminating, two sloped roof surfaces (pitches).

pignoramento

(legal) The legal right of a landlord to seize the property of a tenant in the event of nonpayment of rent.

pignorare

(legal) To retain someone’s property against the payment of a debt; to distrain.

pigolio

A short, soft, high-pitched sound, as made by a baby bird.

pigramente

In a lazy manner.

pigrizia

The state of being indolent; indolence.

pigro

(idiomatic) Useless; worthless.

pigrone

One who idles; a lazy person; a sluggard.

Pikachu

(video games, anime, manga) A small yellow rodent-like Pokémon that has red cheeks and a tail shaped like a lightning bolt, and has electricity-related powers.

pila

(electrical, electronics, countable) A device used to power electric devices, consisting of one or more electrically connected electrochemical cells or (archaically) electrostatic cells.

pilaf

A dish made by browning grain, typically rice, in oil and then cooking it with a seasoned broth, to which meat and/or vegetables may be added.

pilastro

A similar post preventing vehicle access to a pedestrian area, to delineate traffic lanes, or used for security purposes.

Pilato

(biblical character) Pontius Pilate, the man who, according to the Bible, ordered the crucifixion of Jesus.

pillo

A tool used to tamp something down, such as tobacco in a pipe.

pillola

(broadly) A small, usually round or cylindrical object designed for easy swallowing, usually containing some sort of medication.

pilloliera

A small box in which pills are kept.

pilone

(rugby) The player on either side of the hooker in a scrum.

pilota

Made or used as a test or demonstration of capability.

pilotare

(transitive) To control (an aircraft or watercraft).

pilotina

(nautical) A ship's boat, used for transport ship-to-ship or ship-to-shore.

pimento

(uncountable) A spice; the dried and ground unripe fruit of Pimenta dioica, thought to combine the flavours of several spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

pimpinella

Any of the herbs of genus Sanguisorba (syn. Poterium), including salad burnet (Sanguisorba minor), an herb used in salads and herbal teas.

pin

(US) A simple accessory that can be attached to clothing with a pin or fastener, often round and bearing a design, logo or message, and used for decoration, identification or to show political affiliation, etc.

pina

A seed-bearing conical fruit of a pine tree.

pince

(sewing) A fold that is stitched on a garment.

Pindaro

An Ancient Greek lyric poet from Thebes (ca. 522–443 BC).

pineta

(countable) A forest or grove of pine trees, either natural or as a plantation.

pinguino

Any of several flightless sea birds, of the family Spheniscidae within the order Sphenisciformes, found in the Southern Hemisphere, marked by their usual upright stance, walking on short legs, and (generally) their stark black and white plumage. [from 16th c.]

pinnacolo

The highest point.

pinnare

(often followed by a preposition such as "to" or "on") To fasten or attach (something) with a pin.

Pino

(rare) : a diminutive of various female given names.

pinta di latte

(British, metonym) A pint of milk.

pinza

A pincer-like gripping tool that multiplies the strength of the user's hand, often used for bending things.

pinzare

(transitive) To secure with a staple.

pinze

The front claws of crustaceans such as lobsters.

pinzetta

An instrument or tool used for picking things up without touching them with the hands or fingers, consisting of two slats or grips hinged at the end or in the middle, and sometimes including a spring to open the grips.

pio

Of or pertaining to piety, exhibiting piety, devout, god-fearing.

pio desiderio

(idiomatic, psychology) The formation of beliefs based on an outcome that aligns with one's desires or hopes, while disregarding evidence, rationality, or reality.

pioggerella

Light rain.

pioggerellina

(Britain, chiefly, dialectal) Misty rain; drizzle.

pioggia

The event of small airborne particles falling to the ground in significant quantities as a result of major industrial activity, volcano eruption, sandstorm, nuclear explosion, etc.

pioggia mista a neve

(chiefly, UK, Ireland, Northeast US) Precipitation in the form of a mixture of rain and snow.

piolo

A pin, or block, of wood or metal, fitting into holes in the abutting portions of two pieces, and being partly in one piece and partly in the other, to keep them in their proper relative position.

piombaggine

(botany) A plant of the genus Plumbago; leadwort. [from 17th c.]

piombare

(transitive) To fasten (something) so that it cannot be opened without visible damage.

piombino

(archaic, nautical) A piece of lead attached to a line, used in sounding the depth of water; a plumb bob or a plumb line.

piombo

(uncountable) A heavy, pliable, inelastic metal element, having a bright, bluish color, but easily tarnished; both malleable and ductile, though with little tenacity. It is easily fusible, forms alloys with other metals, and is an ingredient of solder and type metal. Atomic number 82, symbol Pb (from Latin plumbum).

pioniera

One who goes before, as into the wilderness, preparing the way for others to follow.

pioniere

One who goes before, as into the wilderness, preparing the way for others to follow.

pioppo

A poplar tree, especially of section Populus sect. Populus, of medium-size trees with thin, straight trunks of a greenish-white color.

piota

(uncountable) The stratum of the surface of the soil which is filled with the roots of grass, or any portion of that surface; turf; sward.

piotare

To cover with turf; to create a lawn by laying turfs.

piovanello maggiore

One of a variety of shore birds; red-breasted sandpiper (variously Calidris canutus or Tringa canutus).

piovere

(impersonal, meteorology) To have rain fall from the sky.

piovigginare

(impersonal) To rain lightly.

pioviggine

Light rain.

piovoso

(historical) The fifth month of the French Republican Calendar, from January 20, 21 or 22 to February 18, 19 or 20.

piovra

(countable, strictly) A mollusc from genus Octopus.

pipa

A V-shaped pattern; used in architecture, and as an insignia of military or police rank, on the sleeve.

pipino

(hypocoristic, slang, UK, Ireland, Australia, NZ, South Africa) the penis.

pipistrello

(intransitive) To take a turn at hitting a ball with a bat in sports like cricket, baseball and softball, as opposed to fielding.

pipita

A loose, narrow strip of nail tissue protruding from the side edge and anchored near the base of a fingernail or toenail.

Pippo

A Disney character: a slow-witted anthropomorphic dog with a goofy laugh.

pira

A funeral pile; a combustible heap on which corpses are burned.

piranha

(ichthyology) Any of certain freshwater fish of the subfamily Serrasalminae, native to South America; they are characterised by razor-sharp teeth and a reputation of being ferocious predators (despite most species being omnivorous).

pirata

A pirate.

pirata informatica

(computer security, telecommunications) One who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems.

pirata informatico

(computer security, telecommunications) One who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems.

pirateggiare

(transitive) To appropriate by piracy; to plunder at sea.

pirateria informatica

(computing, slang) The illegal accessing of a computer network.

Pirenei

The mountain range separating Spain from France, inhabited by Basques in the west, Occitans in the centre-north, Aragonese in the centre-south, and Catalans in the east.

piro-

Fire, heat.

piroetta

A figure in music, often denoted ~, consisting of the note above the one indicated, the note itself, the note below the one indicated, and the note itself again.

piroettare

(ergative) To rotate, revolve, gyrate (usually quickly); to partially or completely rotate to face another direction.

pirolusite

(mineral) A dark coloured mineral, consisting of manganese dioxide (MnO2), that is an important ore of manganese.

piromane

One who has committed the act of arson, or illegally setting fire to property.

piromania

(psychology) A compulsive disorder characterized by obsession with fire or uncontrollable urges to start fires.

piroscafo

A boat or vessel propelled by steam power.

pirosi

(pathology) A burning pain in the chest that is caused by stomach acid entering the gullet.

pirotecnica

The art and technology of fireworks and related military applications.

pirotecnico

(dated) A pyrotechnician: person skilled in the manufacture or setting off of fireworks and firework displays.

pirrico

Achieved at too great a cost or detriment to have been worthwhile (as a victory, accomplishment, etc).

Pisa

The capital city of the province of Pisa, Tuscany, Italy.

pisellata

(slang, vulgar, uncommon) The act of slapping someone with one's penis, particularly in the face.

pisellino

(hypocoristic, slang, UK, Ireland, Australia, NZ, South Africa) the penis.

pisello

(slang) The penis.

pisolino

A brief, light sleep, usually during the daytime. [from 1820s]

pista

Information which may lead one to a certain point or conclusion.

pista automobilistica

A course over which any type of races are run.

pista battuta

A road or other similar beaten path.

pista di atterraggio

An aircraft landing field, usually with one runway and only basic facilities.

pista di decollo

(aviation) A section of land, usually paved, for airplanes to land on or take off from.

pista sonora

A narrow strip running down a movie film that carries the recorded sound in synchronization with the pictures.

pistacchio

The nutlike fruit of this tree.

pistola

A very portable, short firearm, for hand use, which fires bullets or projectiles, such as a handgun, revolver, pistol, or Derringer.

pistola a cilindro

(firearms) A handgun with a revolving chamber enabling several shots to be fired without reloading.

pistola a ripetizione

(firearms) A handgun with a revolving chamber enabling several shots to be fired without reloading.

pistola a tamburo

(firearms) A handgun with a revolving chamber enabling several shots to be fired without reloading.

pistolero

(historical) A person in the Old West who carried a gun and was an expert at quickly drawing it and firing.

pistone

(mechanics) A solid disk or cylinder that fits inside a hollow cylinder, and moves under pressure (as in an engine) or displaces fluid (as in a pump)

pita

A piece of pita bread; a flatbread pouch used for making sandwiches such as gyros or falafels.

Pitagora

Pythagoras (c. 570 – c. 495 BC), an Ancient Greek mathematician and philosopher.

pitch

(sports, UK, Australia, NZ) The field on which cricket, soccer, rugby, gridiron or field hockey is played. (In cricket, the pitch is in the centre of the field; see cricket pitch.) (Not often used in the US or Canada, where "field" is the preferred word.)