Phraseologisms of three words. Phraseologisms are examples of catchphrases in Russian

rain cats and dogs - pour like a bucket
face like thunder - darker than clouds
storm in a teacup - a storm in a teacup, a lot of ado about nothing
chase rainbows - chase the unattainable
lightning-fast - lightning fast
have one "s head in the clouds - soar in the clouds
be snowed under - be overworked
be under the weather - be unwell
twist in the wind - languish
under and cloud - under suspicion
as right as rain - in perfect order
for a rainy day - for a rainy day
bolt from the blue - like snow on the head

• August 21, 2018, 01:24

Goal like a falcon
The expression denotes extreme poverty, need.

Arshin swallowed
An expression denoting a person who stood at attention or assumed a majestically haughty posture with a straight back.

Scapegoat
This is the name of a person who has been blamed for any failure, failure.

Shouting all over Ivanovskaya
That is, it yells loudly, at the top of its voice, attracting attention.

Clear out these Augean stables
Deal with an incredibly neglected mess of cyclopean proportions.

bosom friend
Now a positive expression denoting an old and trusted friend. Previously it was negative, because meant companion.

• 03 April 2013, 00:25

I AM
I won't if... - I won't justify my character, myself, my habits, if... I won't if I don't achieve my goal.
I will give you! (colloquial fam.) - an expression of a threat. I'll give those apples to steal!
I to you (those, to you; colloquial) - used to express prohibition, threat. I'll lie on the couch for you!
I you (him, you, them; colloquial) - used to express a threat. Find this hour, who dared to talk to me, I'm his! A. Pushkin.

AN APPLE
In apples - about horse suit: with dark round small spots on the coat. From the Nikolsky Gates, a six dappled grays walked at a big trot. A.N. Tolstoy.
The apple of discord is that which gives rise to a quarrel, discord, an object of contention [according to ancient Greek. the myth of the apple presented by Paris to the goddess Aphrodite as a prize for beauty, and which served as a cause of contention between her and the goddesses Hera and Athena]. Among the movables was the famous tarantass, which almost served as a bone of contention between mother and son. M. Saltykov-Shchedrin.
There is nowhere for an apple to fall (colloquial) - (trans.) about extreme crowding. Life is such a crush that the apple has nowhere to fall. N. Gogol. There were people in the church, there was nowhere for an apple to fall. A. Pisemsky.

BERRY
Our (one, our) field berry (colloquial fam.) - similar to someone. or suitable for someone. a person who is completely his own in spirit, behavior. He, both in his position and in his mood, was our field's berry. M Gorky.

LANGUAGE
Sticking out your tongue (to run) (spacious.) - swiftly, without taking a breath. Rushed home, sticking out his tongue.
Keep your mouth shut - be silent, do not speak when it is not necessary. He knows how to keep his mouth shut.
Long tongue (who) - (trans.) about a talkative person. I don't like long tongues.
To bite the tongue - to refrain from speaking, to be silent. Here Ivan Ignatich noticed that he had let it slip and bit his tongue. A. Pushkin.
Evil tongues - trans. about gossips, slanderers, about people who spread malicious rumors about someone / something. Ah, evil tongues are worse than a gun. A. Griboyedov. All these evil tongues are spoken.
Broken language - distorted, with an incorrect pronunciation (about language, speech). In broken French, he had difficulty explaining what he needed.
On the tongue - in your speech, in your words. Why, I will tell you bluntly, should I be so intemperate with my tongue? A. Griboyedov. Sharp on the tongue.
In language - 1) is used to denote a strong desire to say, speak out, pronounce something. These objections were on my tongue last spring. M. Saltykov-Shchedrin. The word is spinning on the tongue, I don’t catch it. M. Gorky. 2) in speech, conversation. A drunkard has what's on his mind, then on his tongue. Proverb.
Common language (with someone - something) mutual understanding between someone - something. Find mutual language with colleagues.
Hold your tongue (colloquial) - refrain from speaking, being silent. Hold your tongue, it's too crowded in here.
Swallow your tongue - about a silent person who cannot or does not want to say something. - Tell me what's on your mind?
Well!., why did you swallow your tongue? P. Melnikov-Pechersky.
To untie the tongue (colloquial) - 1) (to someone) to give an opportunity, induce or force to talk. Your honey and velvety beer have loosened my tongue today. A.A. Pushkin. Suddenly, a circumstance happened that loosened his tongue. G. Uspensky. 2) (without add.) talk, start talking a lot (after silence). It is true that I loosened my tongue at the wrong time. I. Nikitin.
It fell off the tongue - unexpectedly, suddenly become said, uttered (colloquial). A last, inspirational sound escaped his lips. I. Turgenev. The stupid word just slipped out of my mouth. I.Turgenev.
Pull or pull the tongue (colloquial) - force to speak, speak out. No one is pulling your tongue.
Well hung or hung on the tongue of someone about a person, who smartly, smoothly, speaks well. He has a good tongue.
Who has a tongue without bones (colloquial translation) - about a person who speaks too much. Here is your tongue without bones, now without bones; and chatting, and chatting. A. Ostrovsky.
The tongue will not turn to say - there is no determination to say. I wouldn't turn my tongue now to tell him that I love him. L. Tolstoy, How did your tongue turn?
Wag your tongue (scratch, chat, grind; colloquial) - speak (in vain, to no avail, to pass the time). Talk with your tongue, but do not let your hands free. Proverb.
Swallow your tongue - very tasty. They cook noble cabbage soup - you will swallow your tongue. P. Melnikov-Pechersky.
The tongue came loose - from someone (colloquial) - someone. started talking, began to talk a lot (after silence). Tongues loosened, frank conversation began. Melnikov-Pechersky.
To scratch the tongue (colloquial) - to speak in vain, to no avail, to pass the time. Not tired of scratching your tongue yet?
The tongue itches (colloquial) - there is a desire, I want to say, speak out. So the tongue itches to admit everything,

• 03 April 2013, 00:24

SKIRT
In a skirt (colloquial joking or ironic obsolete) - in a female form (usually equivalent to the word “woman” when applied to a word denoting some kind of profession, occupation, from among those considered in bourgeois society to be the exclusive or predominant affiliation of a man ). Professor in a skirt (i.e., a female professor). Excuse my frankness, a sparrow can give any philosopher in a skirt ten points ahead. Chekhov.
Hold on to someone's skirt (colloquial fam. joke.) - trans. not to show any independence, in everything to obey someone. What do you thank me for? - Because you don’t overstay, you don’t hold on to a woman’s skirt. L. Tolstoy.

HUMOR
Hangman's humor [translation from German. Galgenhumor] (iron.) - jokes, witticisms of a person who is in hopeless replenishment, who is threatened with death.

• 03 April 2013, 00:24

ENCYCLOPEDIA
A walking encyclopedia (jokingly) - a person with whom you can always inquire about a variety of subjects. We had our own walking encyclopedia in class.

STAGE
By stage or stage (historical) - under the protection of special escort teams (about the method of transferring those arrested by the police in Tsarist Russia). He, for lack of a legal form, was sent by stage to his place of residence. A. Ostrovsky. Stage by stage we lead thieves and convicts in chains. Nekrasov.

• 03 April 2013, 00:24

STEP
In a few (or two, three) steps - very close, very close. He lives two steps away from us.
At every step - incessantly, every now and then; everywhere, everywhere. Here, at every step, in the face of nature, his soul opened itself to peaceful soothing impressions. Goncharov. This book has typos at every turn.
Not one step or not a step (do not move away, do not let go, etc.) - without going away even at close range. We will be with you, not a step away from you. Sukhovo-Kobylin. To sit with the patient day and night, without moving a single step away! A. Pushkin. I won't let go of her now. A. Ostrovsky.
One step from what to what - transfer. about an easy transition from one to another, about a close connection between something. From hate to love is only one step, you know. A. Pushkin. From the great to the ridiculous one step. Proverb.
First steps - peren. initial period in some activities. First steps in the career field. Achieve success from the first steps.
The first step (to do) is to change. to take the lead in smth., to speak first. I won't take the first step. L. Tolstoy.
Step by step (obsolete) - slowly, quietly. They trudge (animals) step by step, the souls hold on to them a little. Krylov.
Step by step - gradually, measuredly, steadily. Step by step, the couple made their way among the crowd to the descender. Leikin. Step by step got to the heart of the matter.
One cannot (or cannot) take a step without someone-something - one cannot (or cannot) be without someone-something. Without him, Mr. Polutykin could not take a step. Turgenev.
Do not take a step for what - do nothing (to achieve something). Turgenev did not take a step to return the property so illegally taken from him. Grigorovich.

CRAZY
A stray bullet is about a bullet that accidentally hit someone. Chu! a long-range shot... A stray bullet buzzed. Lermontov. Killed by a stray bullet.
Easy money is money obtained without much effort. - This is me, I sewed it when I was still in the service. Then I had crazy money. A. Ostrovsky.

CAP
Without hats (colloquial) - with uncovered heads. Without hats they crowd at the entrance. A.K. Tolstoy. The hat on the thief is on fire - a proverb about the delinquent, who betrays himself.
Under the red cap - to please the soldiers. How long to please under the red hat?
According to Senka, a hat (colloquial) is worthy of no more than what it has, it deserves just that.
Throwing hats (colloquial fam.) - an expression of cheeky self-praise in relation to the enemy, meaning confidence that the enemy is very easy to defeat. And if with a new army he comes to us, to a hungry land, we will shower them with hats. A.K. Tolstoy.
To break a hat - to put it on one side in a smart way. Loose and cheerful, he rides a black horse, akimbo and valiantly wringing his hat. Gogol.
To break a hat - in front of whom (colloquial) - to bow humbly, ingratiatingly. Men in white shirts broke their hats in front of us. Babel.
To the hat analysis (come, appear; colloquial) - to the very end, to the end of something. Get dressed, mother, otherwise you will come to the hat analysis. Leskov.
Hat acquaintance (colloquial) - an acquaintance devoid of any intimacy, with Krom they only bow at a meeting. Our acquaintance was captive.
Hat acquaintance (colloquial) - an acquaintance, with whom there is only a hat acquaintance. I really don't know anything about him, he's just a hated acquaintance.

• 03 April 2013, 00:21

TEA
For seagulls (give, take; spacious, fam.) - rewarding for minor services (porter, waiter, etc.) in excess of salary.
For tea (give, take) - rewarding for minor services (doorman, waiter, etc.) in excess of salary (pre-revolutionary custom). Here's a couple of coins for tea. Gogol. I'll try to give you some tea, maybe there will be a room. Leikin.
For a cup of tea (invite, call, etc.; colloquial) - to visit, to spend time over tea with refreshments. In the autumn of 1765, Catherine invited the dignitaries closest to the court for a cup of tea. Shishkov.
Tea and sugar or tea and sugar! (colloquially obsolete) - a greeting, a good wish to those who were caught drinking tea. - Tea and sugar! said Smolokurov, greeting his acquaintance. “We ask you for tea,” answered the stout, bald-headed merchant. Melnikov-Pechersky.

HOUR
Admiral's hour (jokingly) - time to drink and eat. [From the time of Peter I, when the meetings of the Admiralty Boards ended at 11 am, and it was time for lunch.]
For an hour (ironic) - for a short time, temporarily. "Knight for an hour" (the title of Nekrasov's poem). King for a day.
Not by the day, but by the hour (colloquial) - very quickly, soon. And the child grows there by leaps and bounds. A. Pushkin.
Irregular hour - used in the meaning. an introductory word to express fear of something. unexpected in the meaning: what if. - That's it, you know, it's better to get a receipt. Irregular hour ... anything can happen. Gogol.
From hour to hour (about something expected) - every minute, in the very near future. Thunderstorms may break out any hour. The whole family of the Korolevs, who had been waiting for their Volodya from hour to hour, rushed to the windows. Chekhov. From hour to hour we should have expected an attack by Pugachev. A. Pushkin.
Hour by hour [an hour without a beat.] - with each passing hour (to indicate the gradual strengthening or weakening of the degree of something). Hour by hour the danger and labors become more dangerous and more difficult. A. Pushkin. It doesn't get any easier from time to time.

• 03 April 2013, 00:19

QUEEN
Queen of Heaven (obsolete) - one of the names of the virgin. A drunkard and a libertine such that the queen of heaven does not bring. Chekhov.

KINGDOM
Kingdom of heaven to whom (obsolete) - used when referring to a deceased person, originally. like a wish to go to heaven. I had an uncle - the kingdom of heaven to him! Grigorovich.

TSAR
The king in the head of someone or with the king (or with his king) in the head is smart; opposite without a king in his head (colloquial). You can go everywhere. - there would be a king in my head. Saltykov-Shchedrin. Somewhat stupid and, as they say, without a king in his head. Gogol. He liked to present himself more as the executor of someone else's idea than with his own king in his head. Dostoevsky.
Under Tsar Peas (jokingly) - in the immemorial past, a very long time ago. It was all under Tsar Peas.

COLOUR
In (in) the color of what (years, strength, etc.) - in the period of full development, the heyday of something. He died in bloom better days. Lermontov. Fading in the bloom of youth alive. A. Pushkin.

FLOWERS
These are only (or more) flowers (colloquial) - translation. about the very beginning, the germ of something, advantages. bad, unwanted. These are flowers, and berries are ahead. Proverb. - Wait a minute ... These are still flowers, but there will be berries already! Saltykov-Shchedrin. These are only flowers, and real fruits are ahead. Dostoevsky.

WHOLE
Entirely and completely (new) - the same as the whole, used for greater expressiveness.
In general and in general - in general, without touching on particulars, details. As far as I can tell, (commissar) is a rather reserved person. But overall, he seems like a nice guy. N. Nikitin.

PRICE
In price - very expensive, very expensive, highly valued. This product is now in price.
The price is worthless to someone - 1) about a very cheap thing; 2) trans. about something that doesn't matter. Take away his money, the whole price is worthless to him. A. Ostrovsky.
Expensive price - trans. by spending a lot of effort, after a lot of stress, loss. The victory came at a high cost.
To know the price of someone - something - peren. to be able to appreciate, to properly evaluate someone. Know your worth. Know the value of flattery.
There is no price for someone - 1) about a very expensive thing; 2) trans. About someone with great importance, valuable in some relationships. This Annushka was good, submissive, serious - all the spitting image of a mother. There would be no price for her if another husband got caught. Mamin-Siberian.

GYPSY
Gypsy sweat (sneaks; jokingly, outdated.) - chills, a feeling of cold. But already the cold will begin, so the gypsy sweat will begin to make. Leikin.

• 03 April 2013, 00:18

HAM
Boorish offspring (despises, bran, obsolete) - the original. was used by persons from the privileged classes to refer to people from the exploited classes of society and was widely used as a swear word. [By the name of the biblical Ham, the irreverent son of Noah.] - Why did he file a world lawsuit against me? Well, isn't the brat boorish? Chekhov.

CHARACTER
In someone's character - characteristic of someone. It's not in your nature to regret it. Turgenev.
To endure character (colloquial) - not to reveal weaknesses, to remain firm, true to oneself. For three days he was silent, withstanding his character.

HATA
My hut is on the edge (colloquial) - this does not concern me, this is a dumb matter, I do not want to deal with anything. Let the one who is to blame answer, my hut is on the edge.

ENOUGH, ENOUGH
There are not enough stars from the sky (colloquial upon.) - unremarkable, modest abilities. He is an experienced engineer, but there are not enough stars from the sky.
Grab your head or hair (colloquial) - trans. catch oneself, think again, remembering that something has been done. not this way. After these troubles, he clutched his head, but it was too late to do anything.
Grab your mind - become smarter, come to your senses. - And now they grabbed their minds, but it's too late, my friend: everyone has long known that he is our regimental cheater. L. Tolstoy.
Enough hot to tears (colloquial fam.) - trans. experience something. unpleasant.
Enough for the living (colloquial) - strongly excite, excite, affecting something. intimate, very dear, important to someone. He touched many with his story.
Enough (intercept) over the edge (colloquial fam.) - say something. too much to do something. completely inappropriate. Well, okay, I got excited, intercepted over the edge - how can you be angry with an old man? Kuprin.
Grab-praise (spacious.) - missed, began to look for (something that disappeared, lost). Grab-praise-no chervonets! Saltykov-Shchedrin. The next morning, praise-praise, there is no Parasha, and it’s full! Grigorovich.

• 03 April 2013, 00:16

FACT
The fact is that (colloquial) is the fact that ... [under the influence of the expression “the fact is that” is sometimes wrong, one also says “the fact is that”]. The fact is that I forgot the books at home.

FANS
Blow the fanfare [wrong, understanding the word “fanfare” as a “trumpet” in general] (iron.) - trans. to make a fuss about something, to talk loudly about something, to proclaim something.

STYLE
Keep the style (spacious.) - put on airs, force. Nerobei, keep the style.
Not a style (spacious.) - not good, should not be. To do so is not fashionable.

FERT
Firth to stand (look, look, etc.) - akimbo (so that it looks like the letter “f”), cheeky, brazenly. Hands on hips, look with enthusiasm, we look with a firth - we look and just spit. Dostoevsky. The guy is a craftsman - he looks like a ferth. Nekrasov.

FIG
To look (look) at a book and see a figure (colloquial fam.) - do not understand anything. I, brother, if it is written in German, I look into the book and see a fig. Leikin. The other looks at the case and sees a fig in it. Saltykov-Shchedrin.
A fig with butter (spacious, fam.) - about the inconclusive outcome of some. deeds, requests. You will get a fig with oil.
Fig leaf - 1) an image of a leaf (originally a fig leaf) in place of the genital organs of naked figures in sculpture; 2) trans. a hypocritical cover for knowingly shameless actions, dishonest deeds. They cover themselves with fig leaves so that no one notices what is being done behind them. Sheller-Mikhailov.

INCENSE
To smoke or burn incense to whom (book) - trans. to flatter, flatter someone. To others I smoked incense, but I carried you in the holiness of my heart. Baratynsky.

FLAG
Keep (your) flag where (sea) - have a stay (on some ship). The admiral kept the flag on the battleship.
Stay behind the flag - trans. to lag behind others, not to reach the goal. Auntie completed the difficult mission so quickly and deftly that all the rival parties remained behind the flag. Saltykov-Shchedrin.
Under the flag of whose (mor.) - having someone on board. (which is indicated by raising a certain flag). The squadron sailed under the flag of the fleet commander.

BACKGROUND
The fon-baron (colloquial joked.) - an arrogant, arrogant, overly self-important person. What kind of von baron are you, that you can’t even say a word?

FRONT
Change front (book) - change the line of behavior, direction of activity.
On two fronts, in two directions. You can't work on two fronts. ugh
Fu-you, well-you (colloquial) - 1) is used when expressing surprise (with the intonation of an exclamation). - Fu-you, well-you, scared! Even the hamstrings are shaking. Chekhov. 2) is used to express self-satisfied satisfaction. - She married a good man and a rich man, and walk like a pava ... Fu-you, well-you! That is not life! A. Ostrovsky.

LB
That's a pound! (spacious.) - an expression of surprise or disappointment. That's a pound! Yes, I was so drunk! Leikin.
Not a pound of raisins (colloquial joke) - not a trifle, not a trifle. This is not a pound of raisins for you!

CASE
The man in the case - trans. a person who is closed in a circle of narrow, philistine interests, who is afraid of any innovations and evaluates every business from an official, formal point of view [by the title of the story. A.P. Chekhov]. It is not at all interesting to talk with him, he is a man in a case.

You have probably heard more than once that some phrases are called phraseological units. And, we argue, many times they used such turns themselves. Let's check what you know about them. We bet we know more. And we are happy to share information.

What is a phraseological unit?

Phraseologism- a turnover that is freely reproduced in speech, has a holistic, stable and, often, figurative meaning. From the point of view of the structure, it is built as a coordinating or subordinating phrase (it has a non-predicative or predicative character).

In what case does a certain phrase turn into a phraseological unit? When each of his constituent parts loses its independence as a semantic unit. And together they form a phrase with a new, allegorical meaning and imagery.

Phraseological features:

• stability;
• reproducibility;
• value integrity;
• dismemberment of the composition;
• belonging to the nominative dictionary of the language.

Some of these features characterize the internal content of the phraseological phrase, and some characterize the form.

How are phraseological units different from words?

First of all, its pronounced stylistic coloring. Most commonly used words in the vocabulary of the average person are neutral vocabulary. Phraseological units are characterized by evaluative meaning, emotionally expressive coloring, without which the realization of the meaning of phraseological units is impossible.

From the point of view of the stylistics of the language, phraseological units can be divided into:

• neutral ( from time to time, little by little etc.);
• high style ( cornerstone, rest in Bose and etc.);
• colloquial and vernacular good riddance, catching crows etc.).

How do phraseological units differ from phraseological combinations, proverbs and sayings, popular expressions?

Phraseologisms are capable (and actively carry out this) in terms of composition to be combined with words of free use (that is, all other words of the language, “non-phraseologisms”).

How phraseological units are divided by origin:

• primordially Russian- some free phrases were rethought in speech as metaphors and turned into phraseological units ( reel in fishing rods, fish in troubled waters, knead mud, spread wings, grated kalach etc.);
• borrowings from Old Church Slavonic (without hesitation, like the apple of an eye, not of this world, a parable of the town, at the time it is, the holy of holies and etc.);
• set phrases-terms that have turned into metaphors (bring to a common denominator= equalize, specific gravity= value, exaggerate= to greatly exaggerate squaring the circle and etc.);
• accepted at home stable names, which do not belong to any terminological system ( Indian summer, goat leg etc.);
• winged words and expressions who came to us from Greek and Roman mythology (Achilles' heel, sword of Damocles, tantalum flour, wash your hands etc.);
• winged words and expressions come from the Bible and others religious texts (manna from heaven, the abomination of desolation etc.);
• catchphrases come from literature, which have lost touch with the original source and entered into speech as phraseological units ( mage and wizard- comedy A.V. Sukhovo-Kobylin "Krechinsky's Wedding" (1855), between hammer and anvil- novel by F. Shpilhagen "Between the hammer and the anvil" (1868), between Scylla and Charybdis- Homer, "Odyssey" (VIII century BC);
• phraseological units-tracing paper, that is, the literal translation set expressions from other languages ​​( smash on the head- it. aufs Haupt Schlagen, not at ease- fr. ne pas etre dans son assiette, dog and wolf time- fr. l'heure entre chien et loup, literally: the time after sunset, when it is difficult to distinguish a dog from a wolf).

Do not apply to phraseological units:

• phrases like scorn, pay attention, win, make a decision; wolfish appetite, maiden memory, bosom friend, sworn enemy, dog cold and the like. The words that make up these phrases retain the ability to connect in meaning and grammatically with another word. Phraseological combinations are classified as specific phrases. And actually phraseological units are not phrases in the common sense of this definition. (* in fact, this is a rather controversial point of classification and in the future we will consider some of these expressions);
• set phrases-terms ( exclamation mark, brain, chest, spinal column, progressive paralysis) and compound names (such as red corner, wall newspaper);
• constructs such as: in the form, for the sake of appearance, under the authority, if they cannot be compared with a literal prepositional combination of words (compare: On the nose= very soon and On the nose mole);
• catchphrases, proverbs and sayings ( Happy hours are not observed; Love has no age; Whoever comes to us with a sword will die by the sword; Do not renounce the bag and prison etc.) - they differ from phraseological units in that they are combined in speech not with words, but with whole sentences (parts of sentences).

Lexico-grammatical classification

Phraseologisms can also be classified from a lexico-grammatical point of view:

• verbal- are used in speech in the form of an imperfect and perfect form: take / take the bull by the horns, hang / hang the nose, stroke / stroke the wrong way etc. A significant number of verbal phraseological units nevertheless entrenched in the language in the form of only one type: perfect ( wave your hand, plug it into your belt, kill two birds with one stone) or imperfect ( lead by the nose, smoke the sky, stand as a mountain(for someone).
• registered- are implemented in nominal phrases ( Indian summer, dark forest, filkin's letter ). In a sentence, they can play the role of a nominal predicate - they are used in I.p. or sometimes in Etc.
• adverbial- implemented in adverbial combinations ( in all shoulder blades, in all eyes, in one word, in a black body, so-so).
• adjectival - are characterized by the fact that their interpretation requires definitive (adjective) phrases ( skin and bones= very thin wet behind the ears= too young).
• verb-nominal predicative - built on the model of a sentence and implemented in verbal-nominal phrases (in fact, sentences where an indefinite pronoun acts as a subject (grammatical or logical): eyes on forehead who, and the flag in hand to whom.

Phraseological units and idioms - is there a difference?

Is it necessary to distinguish between phraseological units and idioms? Idioms- these are speech turns that cannot be divided into constituent parts without losing the original meaning and the general meaning of which cannot be deduced from the meanings of the individual words that make up them. We can say that phraseologism and idiom are related as a genus and species. That is, phraseologism is a broader concept, a special case of which is an idiom.

Idioms are curious because literal translation in another language, their meaning is lost. An idiom gives such a description of phenomena that is logical for native speakers of a particular language, but relies on definitions and metaphors that cannot be understood outside this language without additional interpretation. For example, in Russian we talk about heavy rain the rain is pouring. The English in this case say it's raining cats and dogs). And, for example, Estonians about a heavy downpour will say that it is pouring like a beanstalk.

About something incomprehensible we will say chinese letter, but for the Danes it is " sounds like the name of a Russian city". German says: “I only understood “station”, Pole - “Thank you, everyone is healthy at my house”, the Englishman will use "It's all Greek to me" (It's all Greek to me).

Or let's take the well-known Russian phraseological unit beat the buckets(= to mess around, to engage in nonsense) - it cannot be translated into another language literally. Because the origin of the expression is connected with the phenomena of the past, which has no analogues in the present. “To beat the buckets” means to split a log into chocks for turning spoons and wooden utensils.

Phraseologisms, speech stamps and clichés

Do not confuse phraseological units with speech clichés and clichés. Phraseologisms are a product of language metaphorization. They enrich the speech, make it more expressive and diverse, give the utterance figurativeness. Cliches and clichés, on the contrary, impoverish speech, reduce it to some hackneyed formulas. Although phraseological units have a stable structure and are reproduced, as a rule, in their entirety, without changes and additions, they liberate thinking and give free rein to the imagination. But cliches and clichés make thinking and speech stereotyped, deprive them of their individuality and testify to the poverty of the speaker's imagination.

For example, expressions black gold(= oil), people in white coats(= doctors), soul light- have long been no longer metaphors, but real clichés.

Common mistakes in the use of phraseological units

The incorrect use of phraseological units leads to speech errors, sometimes just annoying, and sometimes even comical.

1. The use of phraseological units in the wrong meaning. For example, with a literal understanding or distortion of the meaning of a phraseological unit - In the forest, I always use repellents, so the mosquito will not undermine the nose. The meaning of this phraseological unit is “you can’t find fault with anything”, in this case the turnover was understood too literally and therefore was used incorrectly.
2. Distortion of the form of phraseology.

• Grammatical Distortion - It Works later willows sleeves(right later I sleeves). me his stories imposed on teeth(right imposed in teeth). It is also wrong to replace short forms of adjectives with full ones in phraseological units.
• Lexical distortion - plug behind mine someone's belt(it is impossible to freely introduce new units into the phraseological unit). live wide(right live wide leg - you can not throw out words from the phraseological unit).

Violation of lexical compatibility. He never had his own opinion - he always repeated after everyone and sang to someone else's tune(in fact, there are phraseological units dance to someone else's tune and sing from someone else's voice).

Modern phraseological units

Like any lexical units, phraseological units are born, exist for some time, and some of them sooner or later go out of active use. If we talk about the relevance of phraseological units, then they can be divided into:

• common;
• obsolete;
• obsolete.

The system of phraseological units of the Russian language is not once and for all frozen and unchangeable. New phraseological units inevitably arise in response to phenomena modern life. Borrowed as cripples from other languages. And enrich modern speech new, relevant metaphors.

Here, for example, are a few relatively “fresh” phraseological units, relatively recently (mainly in the 20th century) that have taken root in the Russian language:

On a live thread- to do something not too carefully, temporarily, with the expectation in the future to redo the work as it should, to do it without extra effort. The origin of the phraseological unit is quite transparent: when seamstresses sew the parts of the product together, they first sweep them with large stitches so that they just stick together. And then they sew the parts neatly and firmly.

cloudless nature- a characteristic for a calm and unflappable person with a benevolent and balanced character, a person without special flaws and not subject to mood swings. And it can also be used not only to describe a person, but also to characterize abstract phenomena (relationships between people, for example).

How to send two bytes- a characteristic for any action, which is completely easy to perform.

Speak different languages- do not find mutual understanding.

Make lemonade out of lemons- to be able to apply even the most unfavorable conditions and circumstances to your advantage and achieve success in this.

Why do we need phraseological units-synonyms?

By the way, phraseological units can be both synonyms and antonyms among themselves. Having understood what connections exist between phraseological units that are different at first glance, one can more deeply comprehend their meanings. And also to diversify the use of these turns in speech. Sometimes synonymous phraseological units describe various degrees of manifestation of a phenomenon or its various, but similar aspects. Look at these examples of phraseological units:

• About a person who means nothing to society and is nothing of himself, they say and small fry, and the last spoke in the chariot, and low flight bird, and bump in place.
• The antonyms for these phraseological units are turns: important bird, high-flying bird, big cone.

Interpretation of phraseological units

We bring to your attention the interpretation and even the history of the origin of some phraseological units. They are included in the active stock of the modern Russian language. And, despite the fact that some are no longer just tens, but even a couple of hundred years old, they remain popular and are widely used in everyday speech and literature.

Augean stables- so they burn about a very dirty place, a neglected and untidy room, things scattered in disorder. Applies also to messy, disordered and neglected cases.

Phraseologism comes from ancient Greek myths. One of the exploits of Hercules was cleaning the stables of the king of Elis Avgii, which had not been cleaned for 30 years.

Ariadne's thread- a wonderful way to find a way out of a predicament.

This turnover also came to us from ancient Greek myths. According to legend, the daughter of the Cretan king Minos, Ariadne, helped the Athenian hero Theseus get out of the labyrinth of the minotaur, giving him a ball of thread so that he could return from the tangled corridors along the thread fixed at the entrance to the labyrinth. By the way, if one day you become interested in ancient literature, you will know that later Ariadne probably regretted that she undertook to help Theseus.

Achilles' heel- the weakest and most vulnerable place, a secret weakness.

According to ancient Greek mythology, the hero Achilles was miraculously hardened against any danger. And only one heel remained humanly vulnerable. From the wound inflicted by an arrow in the heel, Achilles subsequently died.

lamb in paper- a bribe.

It is believed that phraseology originated in the eighteenth century. At that time, there was a magazine called "Vssakaya Vsyachina", the editor of which was the Empress Catherine II. The monarch was sharply critical of the bribery common among officials. And she claimed, they say, officials, hinting at a bribe, demand to bring them a "lamb in a piece of paper." The turnover was popular with the Russian writer M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin, who, as you know, often ridiculed the vices of contemporary society.

without a hitch, without a hitch– flawlessly, without complications and problems, well and smoothly.

A hitch used to be called roughness, unevenness on the surface of a smoothly planed board.

beat the alarm- to draw everyone's attention to something of great public or personal importance, to something dangerous and disturbing.

Nabat - in the Middle Ages and more early periods stories to alert people about trouble (fire, invasion of enemies, etc.), an alarm was given by the sound of bells, less often drums were beaten.

good obscenity(scream) - shout very loudly, at the top of your lungs.

Phraseologism has nothing to do with modern swear words, i.e. matu. From Old Russian good can be translated as strong, and mat - as a voice. Those. the expression should be taken literally only if you know what each of its parts means separately.

big boss- an important, respected and significant person in society.

In the old days, heavy loads on the rivers were rafted with the help of the draft power of people (barge haulers). The most experienced, physically strong and hardy person, who was called a bump in the jargon accepted in this environment, walked ahead of everyone in the strap.

shave forehead- to send to military service, to the soldiers.

Before the new statute on conscription was adopted in 1874, recruits for the army were recruited (usually under duress) for a period of 25 years. While the recruitment lasted, everyone fit for military service had the front half of the head shaved bald.

Babel- confusion and crowding, disorder.

The biblical traditions describe the construction of a grandiose tower up to the sky (“pillar of creation”), which was started by the inhabitants of Ancient Babylon and in which many people from different lands took part. In punishment for this insolence, God created many different languages, so that the builders stopped understanding each other and, in the end, could not complete the construction.

bartholomew night- massacre, genocide and extermination.

On the night of August 24, 1572 in Paris, on the eve of St. Bartholomew's Day, Catholics staged a massacre of Protestant Huguenots. As a result, several thousand people were physically destroyed and wounded (according to some estimates, up to 30 thousand).

Versta Kolomna- a characteristic for a person of very high stature.

In the past, milestones marked the distance on the roads. Specifically, this expression was born from a comparison of tall people with milestones on the way between Moscow and the village of Kolomenskoye (the summer residence of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich was located there).

hang dogs- accuse someone, condemn and blame, slander and blame someone else.

By "dog" is not meant an animal, but an outdated name for thorns and thorns.

in all shoulder blades- very fast.

This turnover was born to denote a very fast run of a horse, when it jumps "in all front legs."

free Cossack- a definition for a free and independent person.

In the Muscovite state of the 15th-17th centuries, this was the name given to free people from the central regions of the country who fled to the periphery in order to escape enslavement (that is, turning into serfs).

newspaper duck- unverified, distorted or generally false information in the media from beginning to end.

There are several versions of the origin of this phraseological unit. Journalists have a popular one: in the past, in newspapers, next to dubious and unverified reports, they put the letters NT ( non-testatum= "not verified" in Latin). But the fact is that the German word for "duck" ( ente) is consonant with this abbreviation. This is how the expression was born.

highlight of the program- the most important part of the performance, the best and most important number, something very important and significant.

The famous Eiffel Tower was built in Paris specifically for the World Exhibition (1889). To contemporaries of those events, the tower looked like a nail. By the way, it was assumed that 20 years after the exhibition, the tower would be dismantled. And only the development of radio broadcasting saved it from destruction - the tower began to be used as a tower for placing radio transmitters. And the expression has since taken root to denote something unusual, noticeable and significant.

pillars of Hercules(pillars) - the highest, extreme degree of something.

It was originally used to describe something very distant, almost "on the edge of the world." So in ancient times they called two rocks located on the banks of the Strait of Gibraltar. In those days, people believed that the rocks-pillars installed there ancient greek hero Hercules.

naked as a falcon- a characteristic for a very poor person.

Falcon - the so-called ancient wall-beater used during the siege. It looked like an absolutely smooth cast-iron blank, fixed on chains.

sword of Damocles- constant threat, danger.

In ancient Greek myths, there was a story about a tyrant from Syracuse, Dionysius the Elder. He taught a lesson for envy to his position of one of his associates named Damocles. At the feast, Damocles was seated in a place over which a sharp sword was hung on a horsehair. The sword symbolized the many dangers that constantly haunt a person of such a high position as Dionysius.

case burned out– i.e. something completed successfully, in a satisfactory manner.

The origin of this phraseological unit is connected with the peculiarities of judicial office work in the past. A defendant could not be charged with anything if his case was destroyed, for example, by fire. Wooden courts, together with all the archives, often burned in the past. And just as often there were cases when court cases were destroyed intentionally, for a bribe to judicial officials.

reach the handle- to reach the extreme degree of humiliation, extreme need, finally sink and lose self-respect.

When old Russian bakers baked rolls, they gave them the shape of a padlock with a round bow. This form had a purely utilitarian purpose. It was convenient to hold the kalach by the bow while eating. Apparently, they already guessed about the diseases of dirty hands even then, so they disdained to eat the handle of the kalach. But it could be served to the poor or thrown to a hungry dog. It was possible to reach the point of eating a kalach handle only in the most extreme case, in extreme need, or simply not caring at all about one's health and image in the eyes of others.

bosom friend- the closest and most reliable friend, soul mate.

Before the arrival of Christianity in Rus', it was believed that the soul of a person is in the throat, "behind the Adam's apple." After the adoption of Christianity, they began to believe that the soul is located in the chest. But the designation of the most trusted person, to whom you can even entrust your own life and for whom you will regret it, has remained as a “bosom”, i.e. "soul" friend.

for lentil soup- to change their ideals or supporters for selfish motives.

According to biblical tradition, Esau gave up his birthright to his brother Jacob for nothing more than a bowl of lentil stew.

golden mean- an intermediate position, behavior aimed at avoiding extremes and making risky decisions.

This is a tracing-paper from the Latin saying of the ancient Roman poet Horace " aurea mediocritas".

history with geography- a state when things took an unexpected turn that no one expected.

Phraseologism was born from the outdated name of the school discipline - "history with geography".

and no brainer- something that should be clear even to the most obtuse, self-evident.

There are two versions of the origin of this phraseological unit. It is also possible that both are true and one follows from the other. One turn went to the people after the poem by V. Mayakovsky, in which there were such lines: “It is clear even to a hedgehog / This Petya was a bourgeois.” According to another, the expression took root in boarding schools for gifted children that existed in Soviet times. The letters E, G and I denoted classes with students of one year of study. And the students themselves were called "hedgehogs." In terms of their knowledge, they lagged behind students from classes A, B, C, D, E. Therefore, what is understandable to the “hedgehog” should have been all the more understandable for more “advanced” students.

not by washing, so by skating- not one way, but another way to achieve the desired result.

This phraseological unit describes the old way of washing, adopted in the villages. The linen was rinsed by hand, and then, due to the lack of such benefits of civilization as an iron at that time, they were “rolled back” with a special wooden rolling pin. After that, things became squeezed out, especially clean and even practically ironed.

latest Chinese warning- empty threats that do not entail any decisive action.

This phraseological unit was born relatively recently. In the 1950s and 1960s, US Air Force reconnaissance aircraft frequently violated Chinese airspace. The Chinese authorities responded to any such violation of the borders (and there were several hundred of them) with an official warning to the US leadership. But no decisive action was taken to stop the reconnaissance flights of American pilots.

on the sly- secretly and gradually do something, act on the sly.

Sapa (from it. zappa= "hoe") - a ditch or dig, imperceptibly pulled out towards the enemy's fortifications in order to take him by surprise. In the past, in this way they often dug under the walls of enemy fortresses, laying gunpowder charges in the trenches. Exploding, the bombs destroyed the outer walls and opened up the opportunity for the attackers to break through. By the way, the word "sapper" of the same origin - that was the name of the people who left the powder charges in the saps.

Conclusion

We hope that we were able to at least slightly open for you a diverse and interesting world phraseological units. If you continue this journey on your own, there are still many interesting discoveries ahead of you.

Phraseological phrases change over time, new phenomena in life lead to the emergence of new phraseological units. If you know any interesting new phraseological units, tell us about it in the comments. We will definitely supplement this article with them and do not forget to thank those who send us novelty phraseological units.

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100 years is a lot or a little? Let's just say: enough to forget over time true value words or . Now ask any teenager if he knows anything about the noun "spills"? Hear something like "that's some kind of nonsense", "unnecessary things", "jewelry" or "jewellery".

So what is "Spikers"? This is an old game that got its name from the outdated verb "take" - "take, choose."

According to its rules, participants had to take out one spillikin after another from a pile of small wooden objects (most often utensils), without affecting the neighboring ones. Usually this was done with a special hook or pin - the details were so small.

This one has been known since the 17th century and was originally considered an amusement of the common people. But by the beginning of the 19th century, everything had changed: then a real spillikin boom began and love for spillikins overwhelmed representatives of all classes.

AT Russian Empire there was not a single family that would not spend the evenings at this gambling business: everyone, young and old, competed in the number of toys caught on a hook.

It is known that even the family of Nicholas I was not spared by this hobby: exclusive sets of ivory with precious stones were made for them, which were subsequently passed on by inheritance.

How did it happen that such a harmless and useful activity for motor skills turned into a phraseological unit with a negative connotation? After all, we know that now "playing spillikins" means "doing nonsense and uselessly wasting time." History is silent about the reasons for the appearance of such a meaning, but, apparently, one day this pastime began to exceed the limits of reason.

2. Business is time, and fun is an hour

It would seem that everything is clear: it is necessary to devote more time to work than to entertainment and all kinds of fun. But if you were now in the 17th century and offered someone to play the same spillikins after a hard day, referring to the legitimate hour "for fun", hardly anyone would understand you. Because at that time the meaning of this saying was completely opposite, and indeed had to do with hunting. Why?

“Time for work and an hour for fun” is a famous saying of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, in which falconry, called fun, was given practically state significance.

Two facts speak eloquently about this: firstly, it was in charge of the Order of Secret Affairs - the most influential institution in Russia at that time, and secondly, in 1656, by order of the tsar, a detailed manual was compiled “The book, the verb of the Officer: a new code and dispensation of the order of the falconer's way", which described the rules and types of bird hunting.

Fortunately, we have come across the original manuscript of the "Sergeant", where there is a postscript "of the royal majesty by hand": "... do not forget: there is time for business and an hour for fun." Pay attention to the connecting union "and"? It turns out that Alexei Mikhailovich implied that it was necessary to deal equally with hunting, and; besides, then "hour" and "time" were synonymous and both meant "a long period."

The decline of falconry as a matter of state importance fell on the reign of Peter I, who, unlike his father, was indifferent to it. Nevertheless, the history of the royal phrase did not end there: it entered folklore as “time for business, hour for fun”, and then it completely acquired a new meaning thanks to the opposing union “a”. At the same time, “fun” also acquired new meanings: first, “an entertainment event,” and then “entertainment, fun, a joke.”

3. Seven Fridays in a week

What do pagans and those who work five days a week have in common? Both of them have always attached special importance to Friday. In pagan times, this day was dedicated to the goddess of fertility and the patroness of the feminine Mokosha, due to which all women were forbidden to spin, weave and wash.

After the adoption of Christianity, this tradition was reborn on the day of St. Paraskeva (Paraskeva - literally from the ancient Greek "Friday"), which was considered the guardian of the family and an assistant in agricultural labors, like Mokosh.

Over time, only two days a year began to be set aside for the veneration of Saint Paraskeva: October 14 and 28, according to the old style. But there were also votive Fridays, when many Orthodox still refused to work, which was condemned by the church. So, for example, all the ancient Russian superstitions associated with this day of the week were called in Stoglav "godless and demonic temptations":

Yes, false prophets, men and women, and girls, and old women, naked and barefoot, and having grown their hair and let it go, tremble and are killed, go around the graveyard and the village and the volosts. And they say that they are Holy Friday and St. Anastasia and order them to command the peasants to perpetuate the canons. They also command the peasants not to do manual work on Wednesday and Friday, and not to spin their wives, and not to wash dresses, and not to kindle stones, and others command to do ungodly deeds except for divine scriptures ...

Stoglav, 1551

Obviously, it was these people who were said to have seven Fridays a week. And now they say so about those who often change their minds.

4. Give oak

Once, in a conversation with a friend, I heard the phrase addressed to me: “Did you give oak?” What do you think she meant? It turns out that she just asked if everything was in order with my head and if I had lost my mind. What was her surprise when she learned that the true meaning of this was "to die." Yes. And there are several versions of its origin.

According to one of them, this turnover is associated with the verb “zadubet” (“to cool down, lose sensitivity, become hard”). Thus, its original meaning is "to become motionless, like an oak tree, to grow cold." According to another, the phraseological unit may be associated with the tradition of burying the dead under an oak tree.

And the third version connects the origin of the expression with pagan rites: according to this hypothesis, the original turn sounded like “give to the oak”, that is, to make a sacrifice to the deity. Why oak? This tree was a sacred symbol of Perun, the pagan god of thunder.

5. Sherochka with a masher

Sherochka, why are you so sour today, like an autumn fly?

Shooting Stars, D. N. Mamin-Sibiryak

Do you think anyone in the 19th century would have been surprised to hear about the Sherochka? No. Because at that time such an appeal to a woman was widespread: ma chère - “my dear” - this is what pupils of the institutes of noble maidens usually called each other. From this French phrase, both “sherochka” and “masherochka” appeared as nouns derived in the Russian way.

Initially, those very noble noblewomen who were paired due to the lack of gentlemen were jokingly called a sherochka with a masher. And this is understandable, where did the men in the women's clothing come from? educational institution? Subsequently, they began to talk like that about any close friends - “bosom friends”.

Did anything in the previous sentence bother you? It is no coincidence that I put in one row both “shere with a masher” and “bosom friends”: recently these phraseological units are often used as synonyms, although it is better not to do so. Yes, they both imply friendship, but still, a bosom friend is rather a drinking buddy, because earlier “pour over the Adam's apple” meant “drink alcohol, get drunk”. All this is not even close to intelligent sherochki!

6. Pour in the first number

In pre-revolutionary times, students were often whipped, sometimes even for no reason. If someone received a particularly large number of blows, the punished person could be released from vice until the next month. That is why they began to say "pour in the first number."

7. Wash the bones

Here is another phraseological unit, the origin of which gives goosebumps. And all because it is associated with the ancient rite of re-burial of the deceased.

In the old days, some peoples believed that an unrepentant sinner after death could come out of the grave in the form of a ghoul. And in order to save him from the curse, relatives sometimes dug up the deceased and washed his remains with water, milk or wine.

Over time, this rite has sunk into oblivion, and the expression "wash the bones" for some reason began to be associated with slander and gossip. Apparently, it was not in vain that the ancient Greek politician and poet Chilon from Sparta (VI century BC) said: “About the dead, it’s either good, or nothing but the truth.”

Even more interesting and unexpected things about the etymology and grammar of the Russian language can be found in the book "Mighty Russian".

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Phrases in which we already habitually perceive words as a single definition, and not as separate units, and understand in the same sense, no matter who we are talking with, these are phraseological units.

Phraseologisms decorate our speech, making it figurative and more emotional. There are many of them, and perhaps even the most experienced linguist will not undertake to list them all. Therefore, we will focus on the brightest, which have already become, as they say, winged.

Unusual phraseological units in Russian: examples with explanation and origin

Unusual phraseological units in Russian:

Filkin's letter

• This name is given to any a document that is essentially not. This may be a fake or inappropriate certificate in this case, a note instead of an official paper with seals, something incorrectly composed and illiterate - in a word, everything that does not represent the true value of the document.
• The version of origin, according to which the authorship of this expression belongs to Ivan the Terrible, is also considered full-fledged. It was Filka that he contemptuously called Metropolitan Philip, who condemned the oprichnina, and each of his messages was a Filka letter.

Boil porridge, disentangle porridge

• These are two phraseological units denoting opposite concepts. The first one is used when a person creates some kind of difficult problem for himself or others by his actions, the second one - in the case when the problem is solved.
• The origin of these phrases is from the field of cooking. Previously, porridge was called cereal soup, which is essentially the first, liquid dish, which was both brewed and slurped with a spoon. In addition, there was a colloquial word "mess", denoting, again, a confusing problem and at the same time - the name of porridge.

Seven Fridays in a week

• So they say about a person who does not inspire confidence in others because of chronically changing plans, intentions, broken promises. Such inconsistency, as a rule, causes irritation, therefore phraseologism has rather a negative connotation.
• The one who violated the obligations, and became known as the person who has seven Fridays a week. Another version of the origin connects Friday with the consonant word "retreat", to deviate from this promise.

Not at ease

• It is used when it comes to a person who feels constrained in these circumstances, who is in an uncomfortable position.
• This phraseologism, according to philologists, came from an incorrect translation of the French word. This happened at the beginning of the 19th century, and at that time the educated part of the population objected to such a definition. But phraseologism has taken root in the Russian language, and today it is clear to everyone.

Sharashkin's office

• Phraseologism denoting some dishonest firm, organization, enterprise. This turnover of a negative connotation refers to colloquial.
• Its origin is still being debated, and linguists have not yet come to a consensus. The most accepted etymological basis is the word "sharash", referring to dialects and implying crooks. Thus, literally, the expression implies a certain enterprise organized by crooks.

Go recklessly

• The meaning of a phraseological unit is that we are talking about someone who without hesitation, he moves forward, almost at random, not knowing what awaits him on the next stage of the journey.
• It comes from the slang used by gamblers. They used the term "right game", knowing in advance that all the trump cards were in their hands and victory in the game was certain. As an antonym of this expression, the definition of “lost”, unknown, also arose.

Goosebumps ran

• It is used in the direct meaning of sensations similar to those when an ant ran lightly through the body. This may apply to a feeling of cold, fear, anxiety.
• Its origin has a direct analogy with the sensations experienced on oneself and noticed by people. And the fact that there are similar definitions in other Slavic languages ​​gives reason to assume that it appeared in the distant common Slavic past.

Stand as if rooted to the spot

• So they say about a man who practically froze in place as a result of any shock: shock, surprise, fear.
• The origin of the turnover comes from an old form of punishment, when a person was dug in for a crime. Naturally, he could not make a single movement. The punishment by entrenchment ceased under Peter I, and the memory of him was preserved in the form of a phraseological unit.

Cut into walnut

• Today we understand this expression as "merciless criticism". And before, its meaning was just the opposite.
• There is a turnover from the slang masters involved in carpentry. It was to create furniture from any tree so that it resembled walnut wood that was considered the highest craftsmanship, and therefore direct meaning phrase was that the work was done very well.

hang by a thread

• So they say when a person (or some business) is under threat. Versions of the origin of this turnover vary.
• Some believe that the expression came from a legend according to which Dionysius of Syracuse hung Damocles over his courtier a sharpened sword, which was held only with the help of a horsehair. Another version sees the usual use of the concept of "hair" as something fragile, which is easily torn.

Take rubbish out of the hut

• means to publicize something personal that concerns only close and dear people, discussion in the presence of others about what is happening in the family circle.
• Such a concept originates from ancient beliefs that indicated that it was in no case possible to sweep garbage out of the house onto the street, otherwise it could be used to harm the household. The rubbish had only to be thrown into the furnace to be burned to ashes.

bite the bit

• This phrase speaks of someone who stubbornly "oppresses" his line, sometimes even thereby harming himself. In this state, a person is no longer able to perceive any arguments, stubbornness comes to the fore.
• Of course, the etymology of the expression lies in the area associated with horses, riders, cabbies. It is customary to call the bits two iron links that are part of the harness and are laid in the horse's mouth. If the animal bites them, then it practically does not obey the rider, because it does not feel control.

Get it out of the ground

• Get what you need no matter what- this is how this phraseological unit is understood.
• There is an expression from those ancient times when the poor kept money and especially valuable things by burying them in the ground- the peasants did not have a more reliable place to protect them from rain or snow, as well as from theft.
• From here it was customary, demanding to pay a tax, a tax collector advised a peasant complaining of poverty to get hidden money from under the ground.

Ends in the water

• In this case, it is about concealment of traces of any misconduct or crime.
• The origin of this phraseological unit is attributed to the times of Ivan the Terrible and the oprichnina, when the scale of terror, executions and harsh repressions was such that it had to be hidden.
• To reduce the apparent number of executions at night a certain number of corpses of victims of the bloody policy of the king began to be thrown into the river. Until morning, the bodies were carried away by the current, and thus all the evidence testifying to the crime committed was literally "hidden" in the water.

Rare phraseological units in Russian: examples with explanation and origin

Rare phraseological units in Russian:

Cat in a bag

• So they say, wanting to emphasize that the item being purchased, a new thing, any product has an incomprehensible quality, which is not possible to verify.
• A similar phraseological unit is inherent in many languages, since it comes from the time of the birth of trade relations. People are mostly the same everywhere, and there are enough scammers in any country.
• It was they who tried to hand over the most ordinary cat to the gullible buyer instead of the promised hare, hiding it in a closed bag.

Erase to powder

• This is an example of a phraseological unit, which over time radically changed its meaning to the exact opposite. Now, pronouncing a similar expression, we understand it as massacre, destruction.
• Earlier, among merchants, especially well-known and reputable ones, there was a rule - they could provide their word of honor as a guarantee of payment. The name of the merchant and the amount that he promised to pay within the specified period were entered on the lintel.
• If the merchant for some reason did not pay, then the chalk with which the record was made was simply erased, turning into powder.

pull the gimp

• Highly delay doing something, this is how each of us understands this expression today. When a person does something very slowly, he is usually told that he is "pulling the gimp."
• In fact, literally the rigmarole is thin wire made of gold, silver or copper, which was used for embroidery. In order to draw out such a long and thin wire thread, a lot of time was needed, since the work required care and accuracy. Hence the concept of stretching the rigmarole, as a leisurely activity, appeared.

Worse than bitter radish

• This is how we habitually respond to what we pretty boring and not enjoyable.
• And this comparison was born with a radish, which, as you know, has a bitter taste, in the days of ancient Rus'. Then the radish was eaten almost daily, and given that fasting days were more than two-thirds of the year, we can say that this vegetable was a regular dish on the tables, especially of the lower classes.
• So the radish bothered those who were forced to eat it constantly.

Tongue swallow

• Means stubbornly silent, despite any threats, persuasion or attempts to talk a person.
• The origin of this turnover also goes back to hoary antiquity, when most of the servants close to the person of the lord were chosen from among the deaf and dumb.
• In the event that the messenger was captured, so that he could not surrender under torture and tell the contents of the assignment, he was obliged to bite off his tongue and swallow it. The need for swallowing was due to the fact that the ancients believed that magicians could make the language itself speak with their witchcraft. Hence the literal concept of a swallowed language has turned into a stable phraseological unit.

Not by washing, so by skating

• An expression denoting the ability to achieve what you want by any means, often applying them in turn, if one “does not work”, does not give the desired result.
• This phraseological unit originated from the methods of washing in the old days, when linen not only “washed”, but “rolled”, using rubels - a kind of rolling pins with grooves. Thus, if the contamination was not removed with water, it was tried to be removed by rolling with a rubel.

After the rain on Thursday

• That is, basically never- this is the meaning of the phrase.
• Its origin dates back to pagan times, when one of the most revered gods was Perun, throwing lightning, sending thunder and commanding rain and thunderstorms. It was Thursday that was considered the day of Perun, and if there was no long-awaited downpour on this day, then with such a phrase the ancient Slavs expressed their disappointment and secret hopes that the celestial would still have mercy on them.

Wash your hands

• Refuse responsibility, declare your innocence- this is the meaning of phraseology.
• In ancient times, there was a whole ritual, according to which the judge washed his hands before the start of the trial, thereby demonstrating his impartiality and non-partisanship.
• The same rite was often performed by those who acted as an accuser at the trial. In addition, the same action, according to the Gospel, was carried out by the procurator Pontius Pilate, agreeing that Jesus Christ be executed.

Augean stables

• Highly difficult, laborious task which must be done at any cost.
• This image came from ancient Greek myths, one of whose heroes, Hercules, performed twelve labors.
• Cleaning out the unreasonably dirty stables belonging to a king named Augeas is an example of one of them. It began to denote the accomplishment of the almost impossible, being understandable to us today ..

Put under a cloth

• When we say this, we mean it, and the interlocutor understands that This is a case that has been adjourned for an unknown period.
• Cloth used to be placed on the table instead of a tablecloth. When an official worked at the table, then, putting a folder or a separate paper under the cloth covering the surface of the desk, he thereby removed it away from his eyes and safely forgot.

Touch the inner core

• It implies the infliction of insult, irritation, emotional distress by a careless word or a topic that is unpleasant to the interlocutor, or about which he does not want to talk.
• There is an expression from ancient times, in which it was customary to put a brand on the body of a slave, burned out with red-hot iron. In addition to the fact that the process of cauterization itself was very painful, an accidental touch on a wound that had not yet healed brought no less pain.

Scapegoat

• It means the person who someone's guilt is assigned, the victim is actually for nothing.
• The roots of the expression lie in biblical traditions, where, among various rites, the ritual of remission of sins is also described, when a sacred person laid his hand on the most ordinary goat. This gesture symbolized the transfer to the animal of the sins committed by man. After that, an innocent goat was expelled from the settlement into the desert distances.

Like water off a duck's back

• Phraseologism referring to someone who easily relates to problems, without worrying and not agonizing about how to solve them.
• This comparison comes from biological features geese, which have a lubricant on their plumage, thanks to which it does not get wet, and water flows off the wings of a bird without wetting them.

Not a penny for the soul

• This feature is often used in relation to poor, sometimes impoverished person.
• We all have a depression in our neck. Previously, this place was considered exactly where the human soul lives. In addition, medallions and bags with money, precious stones or metals were often hidden in it. securities. If a person had nothing to hide in this dimple, then they said about him that there was absolutely nothing behind his soul.

The reins got under the tail

• A similar definition can be heard when it comes to about reckless acts that cause surprise in others.
• Initially, the reins were meant in the literal sense. If they fell under the horse's tail, the animal experienced pain, and in order to get rid of it, it jumped sharply, kicked, and became almost uncontrollable.

Teeth to speak

• We say this phrase when someone starts talking about subjects that are not related to the topic of conversation, trying to take him aside.
• And this expression appeared in those days when a toothache really spoke with conversations - healers did this, reading various conspiracies.

Roll up your sleeves, roll up your sleeves

• Both phraseological units denote a way of working. P The first is diligence and zeal in its implementation, the second is coolness and laziness.
• There has been a similar definition since the time when the sleeves of clothes were very long, sometimes much longer than the arms themselves. They hung down and interfered with work.
• Therefore, it was possible to perform any work only after these sleeves were rolled up, wrapped. If the work was performed with lowered, hanging sleeves, it was slow and inefficient.

Roll up - roll up sleeves

Winged phraseological units in Russian: examples with explanation and origin

Winged phraseological units in Russian:

Stay with your nose

• Such a figurative comparison means not get what you want, fail.
• The nose in this case does not mean part of the face, as we used to perceive this word. Previously, this was the name of an offering that was carried to an official to ask him for a necessary service, in fact, this is what we today call a bribe.
• If the official considered the "nose" too insignificant, he simply rejected it, thereby refusing the requester. Thus, he remained with his "nose", and the matter was not decided in his favor.

• That's what they say when in the absence of a person, they gossip about him, discuss, slander.
• Such an expression is connected with a long-standing idea of ​​\u200b\u200bghouls. The ancients believed that it could be a dead sinner, who was also cursed. Traditions said that in order to remove the curse, the bones of the deceased had to be taken out of the grave and washed in clean water. This eerie ritual has come down to us in the form of a phraseological unit.

Arshin swallow

• So they say about a person who is so upright that it looks unnatural.
• The concept of "arshin" came to us from the Turkish language and it means not only a measure of length, but also a wooden ruler, the length of which is more than 70 cm.
• Imagining a person inside whom there is a ruler of such a length, our ancestors began to apply a similar comparison to someone who is held in an exaggeratedly stiff and arrogant manner.

Henbane ate too much

• They talk about a man whose behavior is inadequate, aggressive, unpredictable.
• This is also the literal meaning of the action on a person of a poisonous plant called henbane. Its seeds produce a narcotic effect on people, causing delirium, hallucinations, sometimes leading to death.

Versta Kolomna

• This is how they respond about a man of gigantic stature.
• This definition comes from the pillars that counted miles on the road to the village of Kolomenskoye, where Tsar Alexei Romanov went to his summer residence in the warm season. The pillars were of enormous height, which became the "measure" of growth for people.

lead by the nose

• Phraseologism means that a person is deceived for a long time, each time promising and not fulfilling his promise.
• This expression came from the atmosphere of noisy fairs and booths, during which they drove a bear, holding a ring that was threaded into the animal's nose. To make the bear walk more willingly, they showed him the bait, but did not give it.

• Means deliberate distortion of information in order to present it in a favorable light.
• The concept originates from the environment gamblers. "Points" in this case are the icons placed on playing cards, according to the number of the value of the card. There have always been cheaters, so they skillfully, right during the game, could either imperceptibly cover up the “point” or paste in an extra one, thereby changing the value of the card. This was called "rubbing" in the language of gamblers. Later, the term migrated into colloquial speech and became synonymous with scam.

Goal like a falcon

• Absolutely a beggar, not having a penny- such a value is embedded in this image.
• There are two versions of the origin of the expression. The first one is from the name of an old wall-beater, which was used to ram a stone or wooden wall. Such a falcon was smooth and even, in fact - naked.
• There is also a version that relates the origins of this phraseological unit to the similar-sounding word "sukol". This was the name of the stakes that propped up the falling fences, wattle fences. In this case, both the prop peg itself and the inhabitant of the house with a frail wattle fence were indeed “naked”. The first - literally, since it did not have a single knot, but a completely smooth surface, the second - figuratively.

Woe onion

• This is how they sometimes respond. about a man who is pursued by failures, about a fool.
• This figurative comparison came from the property of the onion to cause tears when peeling and slicing it. Because the chemical composition tears caused by the caustic substances in onions are different from those produced naturally, they are more cloudy.
• And cloudy tears, as a rule, do not inspire confidence. That is why onion grief does not mean true misfortune, but rather troubles that do not lead to tragic consequences.

In the bag

• By saying this, we mean that some case or problem was resolved successfully.
• The most likely explanation for the appearance of such a phraseological unit is the order in which in Rus' officials during court proceedings, in their own hats, received offerings and bribes to make a positive decision.
• This is how they could answer the question about the state of this or that case, and the parties to the process themselves could also call it, hoping that the gift put in the hat would decide the outcome of the case in their favor.

• Literally, this means strict and almost despotic treatment.
• This phrase comes from Turkic dialects. If we literally translate the concept - meat with no fat (this is how horses were fed), then we get the term black meat. It was he who gave birth to an analogue in Russian - a black body.

To white heat

• Means that a person so angry that he can no longer contain himself.
• This is a professional term used by blacksmiths who, when the metal is heated, sees it take on various shades as the temperature changes. White is the color characteristic of metal at the maximum allowable heating, a further increase in temperature already leads to melting. This is where the comparison comes from.

Nick down

• Encouragement to thoroughly memorize this or that information.
• And again, the old, long-forgotten meaning of the word "nose" became the basis for the appearance of such a phraseological unit. Here, the concept of wear acts as a basis.
• It was the nose that was called small wooden boards or sticks, which people who were not literate in ancient times kept at hand to make notches on them, designed to remember what needs to be done. This cross is the ancient expression that has come down to us "to chop on the nose."

It is not worth it

• This expression should be understood in the sense that the efforts spent on this or that business are not justified, there are too many of them, and the result is scanty.
• This phraseologism also appeared thanks to the slang of gamblers. Earlier in the evening, when long preferences took place, the room was lit with candles. In the case when small bets were made, the amount of winnings turned out to be so insignificant that it did not even pay off the cost of candles bought in order to light the room and table.

Sing Lazarus

• Seeking complaints evoke a feeling of compassion in others, whining.
• The expression is based on the motives of the gospel legends about the poor man Lazar, who, leading a beggarly existence, ended up in paradise after his death, unlike his rich brother. Previously, a song about this was often sung by beggars under temples. In this way they tried to pity the parishioners.
• But, given that both now and then, some of the beggars in reality were not, but simply looking for an easy way to get money, then such feigned complaints about life and compassionate songs began to be called "singing Lazarus."

Climb on the rampage

• Consciously take risks, put yourself in danger- this is how this phraseological turn is understood.
• The word "rozhon" in ancient times referred to a sharp stake, with which they went hunting for a bear. It was used as a means to enrage a predator, and it was also put forward by hunters when the bear approached. Having run into this stake, the animal died. This analogy formed the basis of the phrase.

Bring under the monastery

• So they say when, through someone else's fault get into trouble and get punished.
• Linguists disagree about the origin of this turnover. Some believe that this is just a description of the hopeless situation in which a person found himself and from which he could be saved only in a monastery. Others see the basis for the appearance of the phrase in military tactics, according to which enemies were brought to the walls of monasteries, which were real fortresses. Another version is based on the fact that relatives of a woman who was subjected to domestic violence could apply for protection to the patriarch, who exiled the tyrant to a monastery, where he had to learn humility for six months.

put a pig

• The value of turnover is a person surreptitiously does something bad against another.
• The origin, according to most philologists, comes from the habits and customs of those peoples who, by faith, do not allow eating pork. Wishing to laugh at such a person, or with the intention of desecrating his religious views, they could slowly put pork on a plate under the guise of other meat. Thus, the pig, planted in food, became over time a phraseological turn.

Video: Phraseologisms and their meaning

Prepared a review phraseological units for the word a lot .

Found more than 50 such phraseological units.

They are brought together into three groups: phraseological units with the word a lot, phraseological units with the meaning of a lot and phraseological units with the meaning of a lot.

In turn, phraseological units with the word are reduced a lot in thematic groups: a lot of honor, inflated self-esteem, indecent behavior, writers about a lot.

Phraseological units with the word many

Phraseologisms about a lot of honor

• Do a lot of honor (show a lot of attention) - by the way, phraseological units with do
• A lot of honor (someone is not worth, does not deserve attention to himself, a good attitude)
• Too much honor (not worth the work, effort, attention)

Phraseologisms about high self-esteem

• Taking on/taking on too much (overestimating oneself, being overly bold)
• Thinking/dreaming a lot about yourself (to think too highly of yourself)

Phraseologisms about indecent behavior

• Take on a lot (allow yourself more than you should; do not know the measure, decency)
• Too much indulgence (behaving inappropriately)

Other phraseological units with a lot

• A lot of water has flowed under the bridge (many changes have taken place over the years) - by the way, phraseological units with water
• There is a lot of sadness in a lot of wisdom (the more a person knows himself and those around him, the more acutely he perceives the imperfection of life and himself) - by the way, biblical phraseological units
• Neither more nor less (just right) - by the way, phraseological units with neither
• Give a lot of will (give someone more freedom in actions, etc.)
• It costs a lot of blood (to be very expensive, to cause trouble) - by the way, phraseological units with blood

Phraseologisms of writers with the word a lot

• There are many things in the world, friend Horatio, that our wise men never dreamed of (W. Shakespeare, "Hamlet")
• Much Ado About Nothing (W. Shakespeare, "Much Ado About Nothing")
• Moscow ... how much is in this sound (A.S. Pushkin, "Eugene Onegin", see phraseological units from "Eugene Onegin")
• And he has no friend, at least many friends (V. G. Benediktov, "Singer")
• It is difficult to talk about many things, and sometimes dangerous (V. G. Benediktov, "Questions")
• Many noble words, but noble deeds are not visible ... (N.A. Nekrasov, "Smug talkers")
• In place of the chains of serfs, people came up with many others (N.A. Nekrasov, "Freedom", see Nekrasov's phraseological units)
• How little has been lived, how much has been experienced! (S.Ya. Nadson, "The veil has been thrown off")
• If you take a little from a lot, this is not theft, but just a sharing (M. Gorky, "Tales of Italy")
• The Man Who Knew Too Much (G.K. Chesterton, "The Man Who Knew Too Much")
• So few roads have been traveled, so many mistakes have been made (S.A. Yesenin, "I'm sad to look at you ...", see Yesenin's phraseological units)

Phraseologisms with the meaning of a lot

• Above the head - by the way, phraseological units from the head
• The tables are breaking
• As much as you like - by the way, phraseological units from the soul
• no lights out
• no end
• Chickens don't peck
• Their name is legion - by the way, phraseological units with a name
• nowhere to go
• Wagon and small cart
• Up to the throat - by the way, phraseological units from the throat
• More than enough
• Whole box
• a dime a dozen
• Like uncut dogs - by the way, phraseological units with a dog
• The mouth is full - by the way, phraseological units from the mouth
• In excess
• To hell / dope

Phraseological units with a lot of meaning

• dark darkness
• Apparently-invisibly
• Countless
• many many
• Horror how much
• Horse dose - by the way,