tapar o sol com a peneira

Portuguese

Etymology

Literally: "to cover the sun with the sieve".

Verb

tapar o sol com a peneira (first-person singular present tapo o sol com a peneira, first-person singular preterite tapei o sol com a peneira, past participle tapado o sol com a peneira)

1. (idiomatic) to ignore or reject an unpleasant fact
2. (idiomatic) to try to solve a problem in an ineffective way