Meaning
To bounce back / To overcome
Example
Minha vida sempre foi difícil, mas graças a Deus eu dei a volta por cima!
My life has always been difficult, but thank God I bounced back!
Origin
An old Portuguese expression (attested in 19th-century sources): the image is of climbing a tricky slope and then coming up and over — rising above the difficulty. The phrase was canonized in the 1962 Paulo Vanzolini samba 'A Volta por Cima,' which cemented its place in Brazilian speech.
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More idioms
Acertar na moscaTo guess correctly / To hit the nail on the headAmigo da onçaA fake/false friendAndar na linhaTo toe the line / To behave properlyArmar um barracoTo cause a public sceneRodar a baianaTo cause a public scene / To go ballisticArrumar sarna pra se coçarTo ask for troubleArrastar as asasTo hit on someone / To flirtAbrir o jogoTo come clean / To open upArregaçar as mangasTo roll up one's sleeves / To get to workAgarrar com unhas e dentesTo hold on for dear life / To seize an opportunity