ξύλο

English translation: hit each other, pick a fight, butt heads

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

Greek term or phrase:	παίζω ξύλο
English translation:	hit each other, pick a fight, butt heads
Entered by:	Spiros Doikas

09:34 Dec 4, 2008

Greek to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

Greek term or phrase: ξύλο

The narrator of a novel is describing the games that one of the characters played with her sister as a child. The sentence is:

Με την αδερφή της, λόγω της διαφοράς ηλικίας, δεν έπαιξαιν ποτέ ξύλο.

I'm aware that ξύλο is used in a number of expressions having to do with thrashings or beatings... or does the writer mean that the two girls never played at very rough games?

Burrow_Dweller KudoZ activity Questions: 48 (1 open) Answers: 0
Local time: 19:38

never hit each other, picked a fight

Explanation:
It is in the physical sense of hitting each other.

ξύλο
http://www.google.gr/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.m...

Selected response from:

Spiros Doikas
Local time: 19:38

Grading comment

4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +6

never hit each other, picked a fight

Spiros Doikas

4 +3

butted heads

Valentini Mellas

4 +1

beat each other up-παίζουν ξύλο

Ivi Rocou

Answers

6 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +6

never hit each other, picked a fight

Explanation:
It is in the physical sense of hitting each other.

ξύλο
http://www.google.gr/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.m...

Spiros Doikas
Local time: 19:38
Native speaker of:

Greek
PRO pts in category: 14

20 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

beat each other up-παίζουν ξύλο

Explanation:
Παίζω ξύλο is an expression meaning that they beat each other up.

Example sentence(s):

Not everyone can say that their best friend is their sister and that they get to work together. … When we were young we used to beat each other up, so I guess we got all of that out of the way.

Reference: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb4728/is_/ai_n2940349...

Ivi Rocou
Greece
Local time: 19:38
Native speaker of:

Greek,

English

32 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

butted heads

Explanation:
I think that the expression "to but heads" gives that general idea of conflict, i.e. that the two sisters never butted heads = they did not disagree or even literally beat each other up on account of anything.

Valentini Mellas
Greece
Local time: 19:38
Native speaker of: Greek

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ξύλο

English translation: hit each other, pick a fight, butt heads

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ξύλο

English translation: hit each other, pick a fight, butt heads

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