Meaning
mockery, cruel joke
- a trick, mockery, or cruel joke played at someone's expense
- a bitter twist of fate or cruel irony
In a sentence
La sconfitta all'ultimo minuto è stata una vera beffa.
The defeat in the last minute was a cruel joke.
Oltre al danno la beffa: oltre ai soldi persi ho dovuto pagare la multa.
To add insult to injury: besides losing money, I had to pay the fine.
Nessuno osava farsi beffe della sua severa autorità.
Nobody dared make a mockery of his strict authority.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| beffa | feminine · singular |
| beffe | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- Often heard in the idiom 'oltre al danno, la beffa' (to add insult to injury).