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mania das grandezas
DANOS PRÉ-LIQUIDADOS DE DISPONIBILIDADE ANUAL

Glossary entry

Portuguese term or phrase:

piranha

English translation:

piranha

Added to glossary by Tania Pires
Apr 29, 2015 10:22
9 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Portuguese term

piranha

Portuguese to English Other Cinema, Film, TV, Drama Subtitles
'-Parece que ela quer mesmo ir para a frente com o divórcio.
- Mas essa advogada é uma piranha.
- Se fosse a ti, punha já o dinheiro na Suíça.'

In this case the lawyer is either fierce or too expensive, or both. What would be a good name for her?

Thanks in advance for your help!
Proposed translations (English)
4 +3 piranha
4 +4 Bitch
5 +1 slut
3 +2 shark
3 +1 hussy
4 Rottweiler
3 man-eater
References
piranha

Discussion

Tania Pires (asker) Apr 29, 2015:
@ Tom You've got the context exactly right, but after reading Tobias' references I'll go with 'piranha'. It doesn't have the same meaning in English or Portuguese from Portugal as it does in Brazil. 'Bitch' is ok too but I find it a little too insulting for this context and a little too vague regarding that person's job. 'Piranha' seems stronger, if you know what I mean. But thanks for your input! :)
Tom Jamieson Apr 29, 2015:
Context In my experience, piranha usually infers sexual promiscuity (slut, whore, hussy, etc.) but in the context of your dialogue, that would not make sense, and I would go with "bitch".

Proposed translations

+3
23 mins
Selected

piranha

-
Peer comment(s):
agree T o b i a s
3 hrs
agree Muriel Vasconcellos
6 hrs
agree Vitor Pinteus
8 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Considering Tobias' reference this is the answer that better fits the context."
+4
37 mins

Bitch

Que eu saiba, "piranha", quando usado para adjetivar uma mulher, significa que ela é uma "biscate", ou seja a lady of ill repute. Uma mulher que pega todos os homens, e geralmente por dinheiro. Só não sei se "bitch" tem toda esta carga de significado.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 38 mins (2015-04-29 11:01:17 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Refiro-me ao uso de 'piranha' em português do Brasil.

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Note added at 50 mins (2015-04-29 11:12:48 GMT)
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A high-end bitch? Bitch também tem este significado, de pessoa muito fierce. Nestas alturas me lembrei do filme O Diabo veste Prada.
Note from asker:
Pois, mas eu expliquei que neste caso não tem esse significado.
Peer comment(s):
agree Lázaro Borges
2 hrs
Obrigada.
agree Mario Freitas : Não há o que discutir. É bitch mesmo!
4 hrs
Obrigada.
agree Clauwolf
5 hrs
Obrigada.
neutral Muriel Vasconcellos : I wouldn't use it to refer to a lawyer - at least in the US, 'bitch' refers to a person's character, not the way they act.
6 hrs
Yes, I was thinking more of the Brazilian Portuguese meaning of piranha, when I suggested bitch.
agree Paulo Eduardo - Pro Knowledge : Obrigado por seu feedback mas, porque não deu a sua sugestão Murel?
7 hrs
Something went wrong...
+1
57 mins

hussy

Reference: Larousse
Peer comment(s):
neutral Muriel Vasconcellos : Not applicable in this context.
5 hrs
agree Paulo Eduardo - Pro Knowledge : Obrigado por seu feedback mas, porque não deu a sua sugestão Murel?
6 hrs
Something went wrong...
+1
1 hr

slut

.
Peer comment(s):
agree Paulinho Fonseca
1 hr
Grato Paulinho
neutral Muriel Vasconcellos : Nooooo. Not in this context. Where I come from, 'slut' is the most insulting thing you could call a woman. Merriam-Webster definition: 2 a : a lewd or dissolute woman; especially : PROSTITUTE.
5 hrs
Obrigado por seu feedback mas, porque não deu a sua sugestão Muriel? Agradeço por sua explicação. Mas quando se está com raiva de uma pessoa, xinga-se de bitch, slut. Shark chega a ser elogio.
Something went wrong...
3 hrs

man-eater

suggestion
Example sentence:

(by extension, slang) A woman with a threatening attitude,

Reference:

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/man-eater

Something went wrong...
+2
3 hrs

shark

Note from asker:
Thanks Beatriz! I wasn't aware of this term.
Peer comment(s):
agree Muriel Vasconcellos
2 hrs
Obrigada, Muriel!
agree Georgia Morg (X)
4 hrs
Obrigada, Georgia!
Something went wrong...
2 days 23 hrs

Rottweiler

This term is common in the UK. It gets across the idea of going for the jugular in terms of getting as much money out of clients as possible. Piranha may be more suitable for the American continent, north and south.
Reference:

http://www.armstrongfamilylaw.co.uk/news/are-divorce-lawyers-investors-in-broken-marriages/

http://www.divorcefinance.co.uk/blogdetails.aspx?hid=5&id=37

Something went wrong...

Reference comments

2 hrs
Reference:

piranha

Other attorneys in the area were suggested to me because they were said to be bulldogs for their clients. That may be the case but then I would say my attorney is a piranha and just can't wait for the bulldogs to step into the water. If you are in need of a quality attorney, you cannot go wrong with Bree Sullivan or the Sullivan Firm!" ~ D.L., divorce client, Thomasville, GA
http://www.sullivan-firm.com/Content/Default/1/15/0/about/te...

Many divorce lawyers will tell you that they prefer to negotiate cooperatively, but they are hamstrung either by the adversary legal system or by the lawyer on the other side. They will tell you that they want to negotiate, but will warn you that your ex’s lawyer is a piranha, a pit bull, an ogre bent on eating the flesh off your bones. Your lawyer may say that he or she needs to be just as tough in order to protect you.
The Truth About Children and Divorce: Dealing with the Emotions So You and Your Children can Thrive.
By Robert E. Emery Ph.D. Penguin 2006


Dream on, baby. I met with the divorce lawyer this morning.
corky: Still Standing :applause: I hope your divorce lawyer is a piranha after the crap he has pulled.
And I agree 100%---it's only fun when it IS cheating. It is fun when you are demeaning and putting one over on the little lady. It is not just the fun of having sex with any of these women...it is fun because it is forbidden and laws and rules don't apply to our special guys, do they? Hell no!
http://outofthefog.net/forum/index.php?topic=28939.5;wap2


Excellent news!!!
Good people DO get rewarded!
NOW I will send happy, happy thoughts in hopes that your new lawyer is a piranha who will tear BM apart!
http://www.steptalk.org/node/170254


Judging by the lopsided smile she met, Shikaku seemed to understand. "Don't worry, this won't last for too long. Orochimaru's lawyer is a piranha, but once you've made it through this is all over and done with. The evidence is so strong that this is nothing but a formality to make sure he gets the hardest possible sentence."
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4238341/9/Last-Chance-Last-Danc...



This lawyer is a piranha! Can ya imagine what his 'notes' look like? Thick as the complete set of the Encyclopaedia Britannica.
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?246643-NH-El...


What Our Clients Say
A Piranha!
Jeff is an awesome divorce attorney! A piranha, but also a class act during my high conflict divorce.
- Holly, a Divorce client (5 star review)
http://www.jeffreyginzberg.com/family-law/relocation/
Note from asker:
Finally an acceptable answer! Thanks for the references, Tobias. This is exactly what I was looking for!
Peer comments on this reference comment:
agree Muriel Vasconcellos
4 hrs
agree Vitor Pinteus
6 hrs
Something went wrong...
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