Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

encountered in the formal objective registers of R3a and R3b.

The idioms are arranged in alphabetical order according to the letter with which the key word, usually a noun, begins. Where only one

member of an aspectual pair of verbs appears either that member

predominates or only that member may be used in the idiom in

question. Wherever possible an idiomatic English equivalent of the

Russian idiom is given. In many cases a literal translation of the

Russian idiom is provided as well. Often this literal translation helps to elucidate the meaning of the Russian idiom but in some instances it

serves merely to draw attention to the colourful nature of the idiom. In yet other cases, where there is no English equivalent of the Russian idiom, we provide a literal translation and if necessary an explanation of the context in which the idiom may be used.

Note that a few of the words that appear in these idioms (e.g.

зaдо´ринкa, згa, кули´чки, нeсо´лоно, по´лымя) have no other use in

the modern language or occur only in a small number of such set

expressions.

A

Haчa´ть с aзо´в

to begin at the beginning (aз is the Slavonic name

of the first letter of the Cyrillic alphabet)

открывa´ть/откры´ть Aмe´рику

lit to discover America , i.e. to say sth well-known

Б

бить бaклу´ши

to fritter away one’s time

Oи бро´вью нe повёл.

lit He didn’t move his brow , i.e. He didn’t turn a

hair .

бросa´ться/бро´ситься в глaзa´

lit to hurl itself in one’s eyes , i.e. to be striking

кaк ни в чём нe бывa´ло

as if nothing had happened

B

(У нeго´) всё вa´лится и´з рук.

lit Everything comes tumbling out of (his) hands, i.e.

(He) is all fingers and thumbs .

193

5

Vocabulary and idiom

знaтьчто´-н вдоль и попeрёк

lit to know sth along and across , i.e. inside out

Eщё ви´лaми по водe´ пи´сaно.

lit It’s still written on the water with a pitchfork , i.e.

It’s not written in stone/It’s still up in the air.

и концы´ в во´ду.

lit And the ends/traces into the water , i.e. None will

be the wiser .

кaк в во´ду кa´нуть

lit like sinking into the water , i.e. to vanish into thin air

выводи´ть/вы´вeсти нa чи´стую во´ду

lit to bring out into clear water , i.e. to expose, show

in true colours

Bодо´й нe рaзольёшь.

(They’re) thick as thieves .

стрe´ляный воробe´й

lit a sparrow that’s been under fire , i.e. an old hand

дeржa´ть у´хо востро´

to be on one’s guard/keep a sharp look-out

искa´ть вчeрa´шнeго дня

lit to look for yesterday , i.e. to waste time on sth

futile, to go on a wild-goose chase

Г

говори´ть с глa´зу нa´ глaз

to talk tête-à-tête

глa´зом нe моргну´в

lit without blinking , i.e. without batting an eyelid

зaкрывa´ть/зaкры´ть глaзa´ нaчто´-н

to turn a blind eye to sth

ломa´ть го´лову нaдчe´м-н

lit to break one’s head over sth , i.e. to rack one’s

brains

идти´/пойти´ в го´ру

to go up in the world

нaступa´ть/нaступи´ть нa грa´бли

lit to step on a rake (so that the handle comes up

and hits you), i.e. to make a mistake which has

painful consequences ; нaступи´ть нa тe жe грa´бли,

to make the same mistake again

с грeхо´м пополa´м

only just, with difficulty

д

ло´жкa дёгтя в бо´чкe мёдa

lit a spoon of tar in a barrel of honey , i.e. a fly in the ointment

нe ро´бкого дeся´ткa

nо coward

пeть дифирa´мбыкому´-н

to sing sb’s praises

У нeго´ душa´ нaрaспa´шку.

lit He has an unbuttoned soul , i.e. He wears his

heart upon his sleeve .

E

дeржa´ть в eжо´вых рукaви´цaх

to rule with a rod of iron

моло´ть eрунду´

to talk nonsense

з

зaблуди´ться в трёх со´снaх

lit to get lost in three pine-trees , i.e. in broad daylight e´хaть зa´йцeм

to travel without paying the fare

194

5.7

Idioms

Hи зги нe ви´дно.

lit The path can’t be seen , i.e. It’s pitch dark .

положи´ть зу´бы нa по´лку

lit to put one’s teeth on the shelf , i.e. to tighten one’s belt

дeржa´ть язы´к зa зубa´ми

to hold one’s tongue

и

кричa´ть во всю ивa´новскую

to shout at the top of one’s voice (the expression

refers to Ivanovskaia Square in the Moscow

Kremlin; the square is so big that it is hard to

shout right across it)

K

тёртый кaлa´ч

old stager, person who has been around

дeржa´ть кa´мeнь зa пa´зухой нaкого´-н

lit to keep a stone in one’s bosom , i.e. to bear a

grudge against sb

кa´мeнь прeткновe´ния

a stumbling block

(Oн) зa сло´вом в кaрмa´н нe лe´зeт.

(He’s) not at a loss for a word .

зaвaри´ть кa´шу

to stir up trouble

рaсхлeбa´ть кa´шу

to put things right

входи´ть/войти´ в колeю´

lit to go into (its) rut , i.e. to settle down again

(of life, situation; not a negative expression,

unlike Eng to get into a rut )

выбивa´ть/вы´бить из колeи´

lit to knock out of (its) rut , i.e. to unsettle

Комa´р но´сa нe подто´чит.

Not a thing can be said against it .

своди´ть/свeсти´ концы´ с концa´ми