dar uma rata

Portuguese

Meaning

to make a fool of oneself, to commit a gaffe

Example

Acabei de dar uma rata daquelas na frente de todo mundo.

I just made a complete fool of myself in front of everyone.

Origin

The noun rata means a public blunder or gaffe. Standard reference dictionaries (Priberam, Infopédia) classify the etymology as uncertain — possibly related to ratão.

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More idioms

quando é féall of a sudden, next thing you know tem base?can you believe it?, is that even possible?goiano do pé rachadotrue-blue Goiano, goiano through and through larga mãodrop it, let it go lá eleright back at you, not me but you comer águato drink heavily, to get hammered