fare a meno

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Italian

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Etymology

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Literally, to do at less.

Verb

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fàre a meno (first-person singular present fàccio a meno, first-person singular past historic féci a meno, past participle fàtto a meno, first-person singular imperfect facévo a meno, second-person singular imperative fài a meno or fà' a meno, auxiliary avére)

  1. (intransitive) to do without [with di]
    Synonym: fare di meno
    devi fare a meno di fumareyou have to do without smoking
    non ho potuto fare a meno di dirglielo
    I could not help but tell it to him
    • 2019, George Orwell, translated by Nicola Gardini, Nineteen Eighty-Four, Mondadori:
      Sapeva bene che così le lasciava tutt'e due a bocca asciutta, ma non poteva farne a meno; si sentiva perfino in diritto di agire a quel modo.
      He knew that he was starving the other two, but he could not help it; he even felt that he had a right to do it.
      (literally, “He knew well that, in this way, he left them both starving, but he could not help it; he even felt entitled to act in that way.”)