lavorare ai fianchi

Italian

Etymology

Literally, “to work at the sides”.

Verb

lavoràre ai fianchi (first-person singular present lavóro ai fianchi, first-person singular past historic lavorài ai fianchi, past participle lavoràto ai fianchi, auxiliary avére)

1. (transitive, idiomatic) to overcome resistance with constant pressure or criticism; to pressure; to work over
   • 2020, Barack Obama, chapter 11, in Chicca Galli, Paolo Lucca, Giuseppe Maugeri, transl., Una terra promessa [A Promised Land], Garzanti Libri:

     Tuttavia, con l'opposizione repubblicana al Recovery Act che si faceva più chiassosa di giorno in giorno e con McConnell e il resto della leadership pronti a lavorarlo ai fianchi nelle riunioni del gruppo e nell'aula del Senato... Judd Gregg finì per perdersi d'animo.

     With Republican opposition to the Recovery Act growing more boisterous by the day, though, as McConnell and the rest of leadership worked him over in caucus meetings and on the Senate floor... Judd Gregg lost his nerve.

     (literally, “However, with Republican opposition to the Recovery getting rowdier by the day and with McConnell and the rest of the leadership ready to work him over in group meetings and on the Senate floor... Judd Gregg ended up losing heart.”)