desenrascanço
Language: Portuguese · [dɨzẽʁɐʃˈkɐ̃su] · Pronunciation: duh-zen-rush-KAN-soo
Meaning
the art of wriggling out of a tight spot — improvisation
The story
Desenrascar means to untangle yourself, and the Portuguese treat the noun as a national talent: the fix arrives at the last minute, made of string and nerve. Students in Lisbon half-joke that it is what they have instead of planning. English calls the same skill improvisation, with less pride attached.
The four rounds
- Which language is it from?
- Portuguese
- How does it sound to native speakers?
- Informal, worn as a badge of honour
- Where would you hear it?
- A wedding cake saved with a butter knife
- What does it mean?
- Wriggling out of a fix with what's at hand
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