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B1🔤 Letters B & C

Italian word

bocciare

to fail (an exam or a student); to reject or knock down

Looks like

to boss

no direct English look-alike — trap is learners assuming it relates to 'boss'

⚠️ The trap

Bocciare means to fail someone or reject something (like a law). It does not relate to 'boss'. Also, bocce (the ball game) comes from the same root — nothing to do with failing.

To say "no direct English look-alike — trap is learners assuming it relates to 'boss'" in Italian:

bocciare = to fail/reject; dare ordini = to boss around

"bocciare" in English means:

to fail (an exam or a student); to reject or knock down

Example

"Ho preso un brutto voto — rischio di essere bocciato."

"I got a bad grade — I risk being failed."

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