prendere le difese
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Italian
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Literally, “to take the defenses”. Compare French prendre la défense.
Verb
[edit]prèndere le difese (first-person singular present prèndo le difese, first-person singular past historic prési le difese, past participle préso le difese, auxiliary avére)
- to come to the defense [with di ‘of someone’]; to stand up [with di ‘for someone’]
- 2020, Barack Obama, translated by Chicca Galli, Paolo Lucca, and Giuseppe Maugeri, Una terra promessa [A Promised Land], Garzanti Libri:
- Inoltre, siccome adorava il genero, non esitava a prendere le mie difese ogniqualvolta fossi in ritardo, in disordine o comunque non all'altezza delle aspettative.
- She also happened to love her son-in-law and would rise to my defense whenever I was late, messy, or otherwise not up to scratch.
- (literally, “Moreover, because she adored her son-in-law, she did not hesitate to come to my defense whenever I was late, in disorder or anyways not living up to expectations.”)