dietro le sbarre

Italian

Etymology

Literally, “behind the bars”. Compare French derrière les barreaux.

Prepositional phrase

dietro le sbarre

1. behind bars
   • 2020, Barack Obama, chapter 12, in Chicca Galli, Paolo Lucca, Giuseppe Maugeri, transl., Una terra promessa [A Promised Land], Garzanti Libri:

     Diversi elettori democratici chiedevano già come mai non usassimo una maggiore severità con le banche – come mai, cioè... nessuno dei soggetti che aveva provocato un tale sconquasso fosse finito dietro le sbarre.

     Already, some Democratic constituencies were asking why we weren't being tougher on the banks–why... none of the individuals who had caused such havoc had gone to jail.

     (literally, “Some Democratic voters were already asking how come we did not use great severity with the banks – how come, that is to say... none of the subjects that had provoked such a mess ended up behind bars.”)