far fuori (figurato)

[underhouse]

Ho fatto fuori il libro in un paio d'ore (I read the book very quickly)
Ha fatto fuori un barattolo di marmellata in cinque minuti (he ate the jam very quickly)

How could I say it in English?

Thanks!

 

[youllneverwalkalone]

In entrambi i casi potresti usare "to devour"

Ex. I devoured the book in a couple of hours.

 

[Binario]

Il mio tentativo: "I finished off a book (o qualcosa)". E un po' piu vicino al senso violento di "fare fuori".

 

[haywire]

"To devour" works for any food, but not for the book.

If I were talking to friends or in another non formal situation about some sort of task (reading a book, doing homework, painting a house) they knew I worked on, I'd say something like:

"I knocked it out in a couple hours" (it = the thing I did)
"I made short work of it"

If you're referring to a book I'd say: "The book was a quick read."

If I were talking in some kind of more formal situation I'd say:

"I finished the book quickly"

There are dozens of ways to say it that are common.

 

[Cassidy's Mom]

I agree you cannot use "devour" for the book example.

Instead, why don't you use the set phrase "all in one go"?

He finished the book all in one go.

The food was gone all in one go/ I ate it all in one go.

I read the book all in one go.

He saw Venice all in one go.

Works for me!

 

[You little ripper!]

Devouring books is used in Australia and also the U.K. as far as know. It is mentioned in the Encarta dictionary which American, so it must only be certain parts of the States that it is heard.

2. take something in eagerly: to read, look at, watch, or listen to something eagerly
Young children seem to devour her stories
http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?refid=1861604269

 

[haywire]

Devouring books may not be used in American English but is definitely used in Australian English and I'm pretty sure it is used in British English also. Interestingly, it is mentioned in the Encarta dictionary, which as far as I know, is American.

2. take something in eagerly: to read, look at, watch, or listen to something eagerly
Young children seem to devour her stories
http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?refid=1861604269

Fair enough, but in my short 28 years of life I've never heard it used in reference to a book, a film, or a CD. The only exception I could think of outside of being related to the physical act of eating was being "devoured by fear" which is even an abstract way of saying he was eaten up by fear.

If I heard someone say "Young children seem to devour her stories" the first thing that would pop into my head would be a bunch of kids eating books, seriously.

 

[You little ripper!]

Fair enough, but in my short 28 years of life I've never heard it used in reference to a book, a film, or a CD. The only exception I could think of outside of being related to the physical act of eating was being "devoured by fear" which is even an abstract way of saying he was eaten up by fear.

If I heard someone say "Young children seem to devour her stories" the first thing that would pop into my head would be a bunch of kids eating books, seriously.

It must be only in certain parts of the States that it is used that way as I edited in my last post. The American Heritage Dictionary has it listed in the same way.
3. To take in eagerly: devour a novel.

http://www.bartleby.com/61/35/D0183500.html

 

[cialuzzo]

Salve

Some additions: 'Make short work of', 'finish off' or 'dispense with'.

Ciao Cialuzzo

 

[jackdiroma]

Instead, why don't you use the set phrase "all in one go"?

Could this sentence mean something like "in un baleno" (very quickly) in Italian?

 

[cialuzzo]

Salve JDR

Depende dal contesto. In alcue contesti credo che va bene, ma come si usava Sciascia direi di no. Perche 'far fuori' significava 'to kill or to do away with' 'to dispatch' someone.

Ciao, Cialuzzo

 

[You little ripper!]

To 'whip through' is another expression we use to mean read/eat very quickly.

whipped through the book

Incidentally, there are over 600,000 Google listings for 'devoured the book'.

 

[neuromatico]

I would also say "I devoured that book", (and I guess we're not alone, Charles ).

But it's true that certain idioms are just not used in certain parts of the English-speaking world, like Louisiana and Texas.

Another variation is "polished off".

 

[You little ripper!]

I would also say "I devoured that book", (and I guess we're not alone, Charles ).

But it's true that certain idioms are just not used in certain parts of the English-speaking world, like Louisiana and Texas.

Another variation is "polished off".

How true. I use 'polish off' often when referring to food, but not about books. I notice, however, that Google has a few listings using it that way.

P.S. I notice that some people say "gobbled up that book", which can also be used in relation to food.

 

[neuromatico]

How true. I use 'polish off' often when referring to food, but not about books. I notice, however, that Google has a few listings using it that way.

546,000 hits.

 

[You little ripper!]

546,000 hits.

Is that how you do that (I've always wondered if that was possible. I guess I should read the instructions on how to use a search engine! )?!!!!! I just put in "polished off that book" and only got 2 listings.

 

[Bookmom]

I have been a bookseller for over twenty years and I can tell you that devouring a book is not only an acceptable description of the way in which one tears through the pages of a book, it is a succinct and evocative description of the sensation of being grabbed and propelled through the pages. It's what I hope for, anticipate and cherish when a good read fulfills the promise of the words written on it's pages. I devoured Linda Olsson's "Ingrid & Veronika" last weekend. I felt like I was holding my breath until the last sweet sentence.

 

[rubuk]

I have been a bookseller for over twenty years and I can tell you that devouring a book is not only an acceptable description of the way in which one tears through the pages of a book, etc...

Sometimes we use the same expression in Italia: Hai letto il libro? L'ho divorato in due orette. (colloquial)

St.

 

[neuromatico]

Hai letto il libro? L'ho divorato in due orette, sono un lettore vorace (a voracious reader).

 

[Aryetti]

E come si traduce invece in questo contesto?
Si è fatto fuori da solo, nel senso che si è rovinato e si è fatto cacciare grazie alle sue azioni (e non per volere altrui).

 

[Mary49]

546,000 hits.

I just put in "polished off that book" and only got 2 listings.

neuromatico's results are wrong:
"polish off" - Google Search

The results based on the terms input by neuromatico ("polished off * book".) are only 26 and refer mostly to a novel with the title "Polished Off".

 

[Einstein]

I got through that book/jar of jam in no time at all.

 

[rrose17]

E come si traduce invece in questo contesto?
Si è fatto fuori da solo, nel senso che si è rovinato e si è fatto cacciare grazie alle sue azioni (e non per volere altrui).

Sorry but this isn't really a context. Could you give us a complete sentence since there are many ways to express this.
He brought about his own downfall or He brought it on himself are two but hard to know for sure without more info.

 

[Aryetti]

Sorry but this isn't really a context. Could you give us a complete sentence since there are many ways to express this.
He brought about his own downfall or He brought it on himself are two but hard to know for sure without more info.

Il contesto è che sto parlando con un amico e gli dico che un utente, prima che potessi buttarlo fuori da un gruppo in cui stava dando fastidio, "si è fatto fuori da solo" scrivendo le parolacce che autoespellono chi le scrive:
- avevo già perso la pazienza ma non ho neanche dovuto buttarlo fuori, si è fatto fuori da solo.

 

[Bookmom]

There are so many ways to express this from a very businesslike tone to a more vulgar one. Here are a few: He did himself in/He got himself removed/thrown off/thrown out/booted out/kicked off/shit canned...

 

[Aryetti]

Autoespellono.

Di notte fatico anche con l'italiano, non solo con l'inglese 😅😂 Ho corretto, grazie.