pune batista pe țambal

== Romanian == === Etymology === Literally, “to put the handkerchief on the cimbalom”, a muting technique used in traditional Romanian Lăutărească music. First attested in the early 1990’s in its idiomatic sense. === Verb === a pune batista pe țambal (third-person singular present pune batista pe țambal, past participle pus batista pe țambal, third-person subjunctive pună batista pe țambal) 3rd conjugation (idiomatic) to sweep something under the rug to soften one’s tone, change one’s tune