tapar o sol com a peneira
Portuguese
Etymology
Literally, “to cover the sun with the sieve”. Perhaps after Arabic غَطَّى الشَّمْسَ بِالْغِرْبالِ (ḡaṭṭā š-šamsa bi-l-ḡirbāli), whence Maltese għatta x-xemx bl-għarbiel.
Verb
tapar o sol com a peneira (first-person singular present tapo o sol com a peneira, first-person singular preterite tapei o sol com a peneira, past participle tapado o sol com a peneira) (idiomatic)
- To try to hide something that is evident.
- To try to solve a problem in an ineffective way.
Conjugation
1Brazilian Portuguese.
2European Portuguese.