alzare le mani

Italian

Etymology

Literally, “to raise the hands”.

Verb

alzàre le mani (first-person singular present àlzo le mani, first-person singular past historic alzài le mani, past participle alzàto le mani, auxiliary avére)

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see alzare,‎ mano.
2. (intransitive) to put one's hands up as a gesture of surrender
3. (intransitive, or transitive with su) to hit; to assault; to put one's hands (on)

   Synonyms: picchiare, percuotere; see also Thesaurus:battere

   • 2019, George Orwell, translated by Nicola Gardini, Nineteen Eighty-Four, Mondadori:

     Gridavano insulti alle guardie, alzavano le mani quando si vedevano sequestrare le loro cose, scrivevano parole oscene sul pavimento, mangiavano cibi di contrabbando che estraevano da qualche piega del vestiario e arrivavano a zittire il teleschermo quando cercava di riportare l'ordine.

     They yelled insults at the guards, fought back fiercely when their belongings were impounded, wrote obscene words on the floor, ate smuggled food which they produced from mysterious hiding-places in their clothes, and even shouted down the telescreen when it tried to restore order.

     (literally, “They yelled insults at the guards, assaulted [them] when they saw their things being sequestered, wrote obscene words on the floor, ate smuggled foods that they extracted from some folds of clothing, and came to shut up the telescreen when it tried to bring back order.”)