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batosta

hard knock

noun bah-TOH-stah Rare

Also means

setback

Usage Note

Batosta is an informal, expressive word for a painful blow, defeat, or setback — physical or figurative. Prendere una batosta means 'to take a beating' or 'to suffer a bad loss.' It is colloquial and vivid; in formal writing sconfitta or rovescio would be preferred. Common in sports commentary and everyday speech to describe unexpected bad results.

Examples

"Abbiamo preso una brutta batosta."

Natural Translation

We took a really bad knock.

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