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Agarrar com unhas e dentes

Portuguese

Meaning

To hold on for dear life / To seize an opportunity

Example

Precisamos agarrar essa chance com unhas e dentes!

We need to seize this chance with everything we've got!

Origin

The expression agarrar com unhas e dentes ("to grab with nails and teeth") evokes the image of clinging to something so fiercely that you defend it with every part of your body, refusing to let go.

Source: Priberam.