# επιτέλους!



## qnk

Κλείσε το τηλέφωνο, επιτέλους!
I cannot guess the right meaning of επιτέλους in this sentence. The proposals of the dictionary here do not include in my opinion a correct translation. I would venture for "hang up the phone, now!" but I am not sure.


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## deerdock

http://www.wordreference.com/gren/επιτέλους

I'd say its meaning of "already" fits this context.


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## qnk

Thank you Deerdock.


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## cougr

I'd say its equivalent in this case would be the expression "for goodness' sake".

"_Put the phone down, for goodness' sake!_"


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## Eltheza

Hi cougr!

Also, British English (?), "Put the phone down, *will you!*"


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## qnk

Thank you Eltheza and cougr.


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## sotos

cougr said:


> I'd say its equivalent in this case would be the expression "for goodness' sake".
> 
> "_Put the phone down, for goodness' sake!_"



Yes, something like this. Literally means "at last", but in this case is used to express nervousness, a "fed up" effect,  and strong desire that the telephone should be hang up.


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## qnk

sotos said:


> Yes, something like this. Literally means "at last", but in this case is used to express nervousness, a "fed up" effect,  and strong desire that the telephone should be hang up.



Thank you Sotos. So according to your explanation could be used an equivalent expression and substitute επιτέλους by αμέσως and say κλείσε το τηλέφωνο, αμέσως! could it not?


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## cougr

Eltheza said:


> Hi cougr!
> 
> Also, British English (?), "Put the phone down, *will you!*"



Hi Eltheza, 

I think this works too! Where "will you" is used not so much as a question but rather as a command or in protestation. I have a vague feeling though, that Americans use it in this way as well.


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## sotos

qnk said:


> So according to your explanation could be used an equivalent expression and substitute επιτέλους by αμέσως and say κλείσε το τηλέφωνο, αμέσως! could it not?


There are some subtle differences between the two expressions. Επί τέλους gives the sense "you talked too much, it's enough" and is familiar but somehow more polite than "αμέσως". The latter may be used for the same reason, but it is a hortative and may be understood as an order from superior to inferior. It may also mean that the phone call shouldn't have been done at all, or must stop for other reason than being too long.


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## Perseas

qnk said:


> Κλείσε το τηλέφωνο, επιτέλους!
> I cannot guess the right meaning of επιτέλους in this sentence. The proposals of the dictionary here do not include in my opinion a correct translation. I would venture for "hang up the phone, now!" but I am not sure.


I agree with sotos. I would like just to add that «επιτέλους» in this context reminds me of "enough is enough".


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## qnk

Ευχαριστώ πολύ sotos και Perseas. Τώρα καταλαβαίνω καλύτερα τους όρους *επιτέλους *και *αμέσως *και τις αποχρώσεις τους σε αυτή την έκφραση.
Στα ισπανικά θα λέγαμε ¡Cuelga el teléfono de una vez!


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