à toa

See also: atoa and atoá

Portuguese

Pronunciation

 
  • (Brazil) IPA(key): /a ˈto.ɐ/
    • (Southern Brazil) IPA(key): /a ˈto.a/
 

Adverb

à toa (not comparable)

  1. (idiomatic) aimlessly, out of the blue
    Não é à toa que,…
    It is not a coincidence that…
    Ela não vai desistir à toa.
    She won't give up easily.

Adjective

à toa (invariable)

  1. (of a person) idle (not doing anything important)
  2. despicable, without importance
    Por um errinho à toa, levou uma bronca daquelas.
    For an unimportant little mistake, they got scolded like that.