Meaning
toad
- An amphibian resembling a frog with dry, warty skin.
- Figuratively, an unpleasant truth or humiliation one is forced to accept.
In a sentence
C'era un grosso rospo vicino allo stagno ieri sera.
There was a big toad near the pond yesterday evening.
Non voleva farlo, ma ha dovuto ingoiare il rospo.
He didn't want to do it, but he had to swallow the bitter pill.
Dai, sputa il rospo e dimmi la verità!
Come on, spit it out and tell me the truth!
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| rospo | masculine · singular |
| rospi | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- The idiom 'ingoiare un rospo' means to swallow a bitter pill or put up with an insult.