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wander from the main idea

[ˈwɑndər frəm ðə meɪn aɪˈdiə]
verb phrase
desviar-se da ideia principal
1. to deviate from the central topic or main subject being discussed; to digress
The speaker began to wander from the main idea and started talking about unrelated topics.
O palestrante começou a desviar-se da ideia principal e começou a falar sobre tópicos não relacionados.
2. to lose focus or concentration on the primary subject matter
During the meeting, the discussion wandered from the main idea several times.
Durante a reunião, a discussão desviou-se da ideia principal várias vezes.
NYC Slang
go off the rails; lose the plot
Synonyms
digressdeviatestray from the pointgo off on a tangentlose focus
Antonyms
stay on topicfocusconcentratestick to the pointremain on subject

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
desviar-se da ideia principal
most common usage across Brazil
São Paulo
sair do assunto principal
alternative phrasing commonly used
Rio de Janeiro
fugir do tema
more colloquial alternative
Portugal
afastar-se da ideia principal
European Portuguese variant

Related Idioms & Phrases

go off on a tangent
get sidetracked
lose the thread
stray off course
get lost in the weeds
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