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)

  1. To try to hide something that is evident.
  2. To try to solve a problem in an ineffective way.

Conjugation