malocchio
1
9.9
- noun
- /mɑːˈloʊkioʊ/
- Literature
- Now, you wouldn't believe this because I find it hard to believe myself because of the regeneration in me, but if you got the malocchio, you can't find the oil you put in the bowl for diagnosis, and the water is ice cold!
Examples
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With the baby about to die, she tried the water and oil cure against the malocchio.
Academic text (2000) -
A social evil in its own right, envy was the primary emotive force generating the powers of the malocchio.
Academic text (2000) -
Do you believe in the malocchio?
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I'll give him the malocchio.
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Posted by Malocchio at 1:00 PM on September 14, 2007. 1 favorite.
Blog text (1) -
Il malocchio.
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Malocchio!
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C'ha il malocchio.
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In Italian folklore, many people believe that a malicious look can give someone the malocchio.
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To ward off the malocchio, they prepared a special ritual involving oil and water.
Synonyms
17
7.2
A look that people think causes harm or bad luck
3
8.1
A spell people think causes bad luck
A wish that bad things will happen to someone
Surface Forms
Etymology
Malocchio comes from Italian parts malo- 'bad' and occhio 'eye', so it literally means 'bad eye'. So, malocchio is used for a curse or bad luck people think comes from a harmful look, the same idea as the English 'evil eye'.