balia
wet nurse
noun ba-LEE-ah Rare
Origin: From Medieval Latin balia, related to bajulare, 'to carry'.
Also means
custody, power
Usage Note
Balia covers two senses distinguished by stress: bàlia (BAH-lyah) is a wet nurse hired to breastfeed another's child, while in the phrase in balìa di (ba-LEE-ah) it means 'at the mercy of' — in balia delle onde (at the mercy of the waves).
Examples
"Il bambino era in balia delle onde durante la tempesta."
Natural Translation
The child was at the mercy of the waves during the storm.
Literal Translation
The child was in custody of-the waves during the storm.
Related Words
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