Meaning
To air dirty laundry
Example
As duas lavaram muita roupa suja na frente de todo mundo!
The two of them aired a lot of dirty laundry in front of everyone!
Origin
The phrase echoes Napoleon Bonaparte's 1815 line after returning from Elba — il faut laver son linge sale en famille ('dirty laundry is washed in the family'). The sentiment crossed into Portuguese, English and other European languages through 19th-century newspapers and memoirs.
Practice idioms with the Idiom Trainer
Falando's Idiom Trainer teaches you to recognize idiom meanings and create sentences using them, so you can speak like a Brazilian.
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