Literal translation
to go looking at the miller's
Meaning
to be slow or idle in getting a task done
Explanation
The verb cerca means to seek, while Moulinàri belongs to the word family naming the mill and the miller's trade, moulinaire or moulinié, the one who grinds the grain. Cerca Moulinàri thus evokes the idea of circling the mill, hanging around the miller's, without ever really getting anywhere, rather like someone wasting time skirting a task without ever tackling it directly. The expression carries two related meanings: it first describes someone slow or reluctant to get a job done, as though endlessly circling without ever reaching the point, and it also describes, more broadly, the state of being stuck or in difficulty when a situation turns confusing or hard to resolve. The name Moulinàri is always pronounced with strong stress on the a, a feature that sets the expression apart to the ear. The register is familiar, used in the world of work to mock someone's slowness or indecision.