Russian-English Dictionary of Idioms
Russian-English Dictionary of Idioms
Russian-English Dictionary of Idioms
RUSSIAN-ENGLISH
DICTIONARY
OF IDIOMS
REVISED EDITION
Sophia Lubensky
PREFACE
The dictionary was widely reviewed both in Englishspeaking countries and in Russia, and the response from users,
especially translators and lexicographers, has been overwhelmingly favorable. Occasionally, user feedback included suggestions regarding the addition of phrases that recently acquired
currency or idioms which had been overlooked in the Dictionary, should a new edition materialize. Many of the users suggestions are incorporated in this first revised and enlarged
edition.
Features of the First Revised Edition
The revised edition has built on the strengths of the 1995 dictionary, and the underlying lexicographic principles employed
in the original edition have been preserved. The structure of
the dictionary entry has remained unchanged. When selecting
new equivalents for existing entries and working on new entries, I abided by the ironclad rule that each equivalent should
be practically applicable.
At the same time, this edition differs considerably from the
original edition. About 550 new entries containing over 900
new idioms along with their synonyms and variants have been
added, thus increasing the total number of entries in the current
edition to approximately 7,500 and bringing the total number
of idioms close to 14,000. These new entries reflect changes in
the living language and its use in the late twentieth and early
twenty-first centuries: they present new idioms that have become rooted in the language and are commonly used in speech
and writing. Some of the idioms included in the original edition have acquired new idiomatic meanings. These idioms
have been revised and are presented differently in this edition.
In selecting English equivalents, special attention was paid to
phrases that have been enjoying wide currency on television,
in the press, and on the street, but have not yet found their way
into Russian-English dictionaries. Although most of these
phrases, as well as other equivalents presented in the dictionary, are common to all varieties of the English language, the
dictionary predominantly reflects American usage.
The availability of language corpora made it possible to
check the idioms register and usage in multiple contexts and
to make the labels more uniform. Numerous citations come
from the works of Russian authors of the last two decades: B.
Akunin, A. Chudakov, R. Gallego, V. Pelevin, V. Sorokin, L.
Ulitskaya, and A. Eppel. While Russian classics of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries figured prominently in the 1995
edition, the current edition has benefited from a number of new
translations of these works. Regrettably, I had to reduce the
number of citationsa necessary and unavoidable movein
order to make room for new entries and meanings.
It is largely because of the initiative and enthusiasm of my
editor Vadim Staklo and Yale University Press that the dictionary has found a new and extended life. I am most grateful.
Sophia Lubensky
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Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
SAMPLE ENTRIES
USAGE LABELS
HEAD MATTER
SYNONYMOUS VARIANT
DEFINITION
CITATION
USAGE LABEL
LETTER - NUMBER
INDICATOR FOR INDEX
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
SUPERSCRIPT NUMBERS
INDICATING HOMOGRAPHS
NUMBERS INDICATING
VARIOUS SENSES
COLLOCATES
SUPERSCRIPT NUMBERS
INDICATING HOMOGRAPHS
? !
, ,
. You go exactly by the recipe? Of
course! Half a cup of sugar, ten grams of gelatin, and one teaspoon
of liqueur to the drop.
-29 ;
[saying] do not rush to undertake sth. risky or
dangerous, let older and more experienced people make a
move first: dont rush ahead of people who know
better; dont jump the gun.
, .
[sic] ( 5). Not so fast, said
Comrade Koba, knitting his brows. Youre always jumping the
gun (5a).
ENGLISH EQUIVALENTS
HEAD MATTER
SYNONYMOUS IDIOM
ENGLISH EQUIVALENTS
AUTHOR AND
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL
INFORMATION
GRAMMATICAL
INFORMATION
RUSSIAN PATTERNS
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL
REFERENCE FOR
TRANSLATION
CITATION
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
2. ~ , , .. (to buy,
rent, hire etc) without seeing sth. or meeting s.o. first: sight
unseen; without even having set laid eyes on (s.o.
sth.).
-70 2 , ,
.. , less often coll [PrepP; Invar; modif ] (the
quantity or amount of sth. or the number of people is) entirely sufficient, (sth. is even) more than sufficient: X- Y-
~ Y is quite more than enough for X; Y is
more than X needs will ever need.
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COLLOCATES
ETYMOLOGICAL OR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
IMPERFECTIVE
CONTEXTUAL
RESTRICTIONS
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL
REFERENCES FOR
TRANSLATION
DEFINITION
RUSSIAN PATTERN
SPECIAL PATTERN
( NEGATIVE VERBAL
ADVERB )
-424 , ()
[saying] suddenly there is a lot of something that had been
completely lacking (said in response to unexpected money,
luck etc): its rags to riches; yesterday a pauper, today
a king.
< is an old coin worth half a kopeck; is
an old coin worth three kopecks. Neither is any longer in
use.
-203 /
coll, usu. disapprov [VP; subj: human; usu. impfv, often neg
imper] to (try to) distract the interlocutor by talking about
extraneous matters (with the goal of avoiding an unpleasant
topic, deceiving the interlocutor, persuading him to act as
one wishes etc): X Y-y X is fooling Y
with smooth talk with fine words; X is spinning (Y) a
fine yarn; [esp. with the goal of avoiding an unpleasant
topic] X is putting Y off with fine words; [esp. with the
goal of deceiving the interlocutor] X is pulling the wool
over Ys eyes; [esp. with the goal of obtaining sth. from s.o.
or extricating o.s. from an uncomfortable situation] X is
sweet-talking fast-talking Y; X is trying to talk his way
out of this it.
[:]
- - , [ ( ):] !..
, . ,
. [:] . [:]
( 3). [V.:]
If only it were possible to live through the rest of life in some
new way! To begin a new life. Tell me how to begin [A.
(shouts angrily):] Stop it! Dont try to put me off with fine words.
Give me back what you took from me. [V.:] I didnt take anything
from you. [A.:] You took a bottle of morphine out of my medical
traveling case (3a). [V.:] If only we could live out our lives in some
new way! If I could start a new life Tell me how to begin [A.
(shouting angrily):] Stop it! Stop trying to talk your way out of it.
Give it back. [V.:] I havent taken anything. [A.:] You took a bottle
of morphine from my medicine bag (3b).
-224
[saying] ones own well-being (or the well-being of those
dear to one) is more important than other peoples interests
(when said of o.s., usu. used to justify ones actions; when
said of another, usu. used disapprovingly): charity begins
at home; self loves itself best; self comes first; people
look out for number one; people look out for their own
skins first; men value their own skins more than those
that of others.
-78 B K oaa,
.. () coll [PrepP; Invar; adv; the verb is usu. negated
or used with , , etc; often Verbal Adv
; fixed WO] (of a person or group) (to postpone some matter) for an indefinite period: X X
doesnt put things off (indefinitely); X doesnt leave anything things to gather dust on the shelf; X doesnt put
things on the back burner; || Imper
dont let the grass grow under your feet;
dont shelve it; || right
away; without delay; losing no time.
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USAGE NOTE
PERFECTIVE
CASE GOVERNMENT
AUTHOR AND
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL
REFERENCE
USAGE NOTE
ENGLISH EQUIVALENTS
COLLOCATES
SPECIAL PATTERN
( NEGATIVE IMPERATIVE )
in which the given idiom may be used and various other aspects of its usageinformation that is for the most part absent
in monolingual Russian dictionaries. Usage notes, like definitions, are given in English.
Russian Idioms and Their Equivalents
Sources of Russian idioms include approximately 285 works
of Russian literature; numerous contexts provided by the National Russian Corpus; all available monolingual general dictionaries; monolingual phraseological dictionaries; surveys of
Russian speakers spanning several generations; and linguistic works on Russian phraseology. In addition to the books
used for the original edition, this edition has benefited from
the more recent works of B. Akunin, A. Chudakov, R.D.G.
Gallego, A. Lvov, V. Pelevin, V. Sorokin, T. Tolstaya, L. Ulitskaya, and A. Eppel.
The equivalentsthe English phrases that suitably render
the Russian idiomare intended to cover all possible contexts
in which the given idiom can occur and to offer the translator a
complete picture of the semantic range of the idiom. The contextual adequacy of the equivalents was evaluated in numerous
contexts: citations provided by the National Russian Corpus
(including examples from colloquial speech), selected Internet
texts, and illustrations in Russian monolingual dictionaries. A
number of recent translations of Russian literature, including
first-time translations into English and new translations of
books quoted in the original edition of this dictionary, have
been used for illustration (see Bibliography).
Variables and Patterns
The equivalents for verbal idioms are presented in patterns that
employ the variables X, Y, and Z to indicate the subject, object(s), and, occasionally, location. This notation, which is
widely accepted by linguists and is used in Meluk and Zholkovskys trailblazing explanatory-combinatorial dictionary of
Russian1 (and Meluks et al. dictionary of French2), has several advantages:
1) It allows for the presentation of a wide variety of equivalents that might otherwise not be presented for fear of confusion as to who is doing what, especially equivalents that
reverse the Russian subject and object. For example, in
-89 / ,
the use of variables allows for the inclusion of equivalents
that have both X and Y as the subject:
X Y-y = X caught Ys eye; Y caught
sight of X; Ys eyes lighted lit on X
2) In Russian the full names of the variables employed can be
declined in both the singular and the plural (X-a = ,
X-y = , X- = , Y-a = , Y-y = ,
Y- = , Z-a = , Z-y = , Z- = , etc.).
Therefore, when used in patterns, the variables clearly
show both the case and number of the corresponding Russian noun or pronoun. When used in the English equivalents, variables can show the possessive (Xs, Ys, etc.).
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While the English equivalents provided for these special patterns tend to be best used in the specified construction, all or
most of the equivalents for the basic affirmative pattern can
usually be used in the negative, the imperative, the negative
imperative, and with many adverbials.
The variables X, Y, and Z cover both genders for human
nouns. In those few instances when an idiom can be used only
with a female (or male) subject or object, gender specifications
are included in the grammatical description; for example:
B-260 / 2. [subj: usu.
male] X X lets his hands wander
C-166 [VP; subj:
human, female] X Y-a
X was with child
The words person and thing are used with variables X,
Y, and Z to indicate animacy/inanimacy restrictions (the word
thing is used for all types of inanimate nouns). For example,
the last equivalent in sense 2 of -86 is presented thus:
-86 / (
-) [subj: human or abstr] X Y-
Z- thing X was an eye opener eye-opener.
The notation thing X shows that the subject for this
equivalent must be inanimate, while the grammatical brackets
indicate that any inanimate subject must be abstract.
The compilers lexicographic conservatism initially militated against the introduction of variables and patterns. In the
end, however, it became obvious that the use of variables is
significantly more user-friendly than the traditional one and
that it tremendously expands a lexicographers possibilities for
presenting a greater number of faithful translations in a clear
and understandable fashion. Feedback from users suggests
they concur.
IDIOMATICITY
For the purposes of this dictionary, an idiom is interpreted as a
nonfree combination of two or more words that acts as a semantic whole. In most cases, the meaning of an idiom cannot
be predicted from the meanings of its components. An idiom is
reproduced in speech as a ready-made unit, and it functions as
a part of speech or an independent sentence. This dictionary
includes idioms per se as well as other phrases whose idiomaticity varies in degree and type.
Characteristics of Idioms
Idioms possess the following characteristic properties, which
occur in various combinations:
1) Many idioms have a defective paradigm. The defectiveness
of a paradigm may involve:
a) case for example, a tiny bit is
used only in the accusative case in one of its senses
( )
b) number for example, lofty
topics matters is used only in the plural;
the evil eye is used only in the singular
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GRAMMAR
It is assumed that the user has a basic knowledge of Russian
and English grammar and grammatical terminology. There are,
however, several points that deserve special attention.
The term copula, used widely in the grammatical descriptions, is understood to embrace a rather broad group of copulalike verbs. It includes both those verbs that are regularly used
as copulas (that is, /, /, /, /, ,
, /, , and
in its copular use) and some other verbs occasionally used as
copulas (, , and the like).
Some idioms are used as subject-complements only with the
copular , which takes a zero form in the present tense.
This is shown in the grammatical brackets of the entry or sense
as .
Some idioms can be used both with copular , and with
existential or possessive (which can be used in the present tense in the form ). Such idioms are presented with
two patterns, one with and one without . For example,
has the following two patterns:
Y-a .. X Y has an a
certain, one X in mind; || () X Y-a
Y has had an his eye on (this that) X for
(quite) some time
The user must be aware that when a verb is used as a participle or a verbal adverb (whether as part of an idiom or not), it
changes its syntactic function. Such change of function is com-
mon to all Russian verbs and is therefore not specified for verbal idioms.
In the dictionary it is assumed that the grammatical subject
may be in the nominative or the genitive case. This approach
(suggested by a number of linguists including Meluk 19743,
Chvany 19754, and Apresjan 19805 and 19856) differs from
the traditional approach, which assigns the role of subject only
to noun phrases in the nominative case. In addition, a noun
phrase in the genitive case is considered to function as the subject in constructions where a quantifier functions as the predicate; for example, I have practically no money.
In definitions and equivalents, the English pronouns one,
ones, and o.s. (for oneself ) correspond to the subject of
the Russian clause, while the pronouns s.o. and s.o.s (for
someone and someones) correspond to the object of the
Russian clause (direct, indirect, and/or prepositional). For
example, the idiom HOC has the definition
to outdo s.o., prove ones superiority in sth. Here, s.o. corresponds to the Russian indirect object , and ones refers to the Russian subject of the verb phrase. The abbreviated
forms s.o. and sth. are used in all instances except when
the phrases someone else and something else are irreplaceable elements in an equivalent, as in the case of off someone elses back; someone elses
castoff(s); at someone elses
expense; on someone elses tab. When the Russian verb has
two objects, s.o. or s.o.s is used in reference to only one
of them; the other object is referred to as a person (or a
thing), another, etc.
In looking at the equivalents for Russian patterns, one must
remember that the Russian and English tense-aspect forms do
not fully correspond. For example, the Russian present tense
(imperfective verbs only) can be rendered by the English simple present or present progressive; the Russian perfective past
can be rendered by the English simple past, present perfect, or
past perfect. The English tense-aspect forms most commonly
used in patterns are the simple present and the simple past, but
they should be viewed as models to be modified as contexts
require.
ORDERING OF ENTRIES
Each entry begins with a letter-number indicator showing its
placement in the dictionary, as:
-163
Idiomatic homographs are listed as separate entries, each of
which is marked by a superscript number:
-559 1
-560 2
Entries are ordered alphabetically by their key words in
precisely the same form as the key words are used in the idioms. For example, is entered
under (genitive singular) rather than (nominative
singular).
Whenever possible, the key word is a content word. Content
words are nouns (including substantivized adjectives and participles), adjectives, numerals, main verbs, adverbs, and pronouns. If a complex particle, conjunction, preposition, or interjection has a content word, the idiom is placed under that con-
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[etc.]
For the purposes of alphabetization, the Russian letters E
and are treated as the same letter.
Each element in a hyphenated entry is treated as a separate
word, as:
-
!
-,
Optional elements in parentheses are counted in determining
alphabetical order in the dictionary proper, as:
()
()
A slightly different approach has been taken in the Index,
which is explained at the introduction to the Index.
Lexical, morphological, and orthographic variants in angle
brackets are not counted in determining alphabetical order, as:
For verb phrases used in both aspects, only the imperfective,
which is given first, is counted in determining alphabetical
order.
To ensure that the user can easily find any entry, the corpus
of the dictionary is followed by an alphabetical Russian index.
Each Russian entry is listed in the Index for each of its content
words, and each content word is listed in the same form in
which it occurs in the idiom. Verbsboth imperfective and
perfective formsare listed in the infinitive. Sayings are listed
under each of the first three content words plus all other particularly important words.
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GRAMMATICAL INFORMATION
The grammatical description is intended to supply the basic
information needed to use an idiom actively in speech and
writing. The majority of the terminology in the grammatical
descriptions should be familiar to anyone who has studied a
foreign language; exceptions are specified below.
The grammatical description appears within square brackets
[ ] and refers to the Russian idiom and its variants and/or synonyms as presented in the head matter. If an idioms variants
and synonyms differ in structure and/or syntactic function
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Verb Phrases
A verb phrase is described as VP when it can be used in all
or at least some finite and non-finite forms: / lead to (sth.).
Verbal idioms that function as predicates require that a subject (and often an object or objects) be added to them to create
a complete utterance. To help the user apply such idioms actively, the grammatical brackets indicate the type(s) of subject(s) and, if relevant, object(s) with which the given idiom is
used: human noun, personal or geographical name, animal
noun, collective noun, concrete noun (understood as denoting
a thing), abstract noun, infinitive, and clause. For example,
B-196 , be grist to
s.o.s mill has a human or abstract subject and is described as
VP; subj: human or abstr. When an idiom can be used only
with a specific thematic group or a limited number of nouns as
subjects and/or objects, this restriction is indicated:
K-116 [VP; subj: a noun denoting
heavy, sturdy footwear or individual parts of shoes] s.o.s
boots (shoes etc) are in bad condition, in need of repair
K-97 / [VP;
subj: human or collect; obj: abstr (usu. , etc)] to
risk ones life, reputation, security etc in the hope of winning or gaining sth
-7 / [VP; subj: abstr
or concr] to manifest itself, become noticeable
P-170 [AdjP; subj-compl
with (subj: infin or a clause)] sth. is predestined,
preordained for s.o
-318 ,
.. [VP; infin subj-compl with , (subj:
human)] to be unable to speak or express ones thoughts coherently
Verb phrases that are often or most commonly used in the
third-person plural with an omitted subject are described as
3rd pers pl with indef. refer. For example, -174 / is such an idiom, and
has the above grammatical description as well as the following
illustrative pattern:
they put the cow to mind the
corn; they put the wolf in charge of the sheep
Idioms Functioning as Adverbials
Idioms that function as adverbials are divided into two groups
based on their function. The first group, labeled adv (adverbial), comprises adverbials of manner, time, space, degree,
cause, etc. The second group, labeled sent adv (sentence adverbial), comprises adverbial idioms that refer to the sentence
or clause as a whole and are syntactically more detached from
the elements of the sentence than adverbials belonging to the
first group. Sentence adverbials may do the following:
* Indicate a manner of speaking (
putting it mildly
* Express an emotion or a value judgment ( unfortunately; in deed)
* Convey modality ( frankly
speaking)
* Anticipate the possibility that something might happen
( for all one knows, s.o. sth.
might)
* Emphasize a statement or one of its parts ( if you will; one might say)
* Play an organizing role in a text or speech in various
ways:
1) by connecting two halves of a statement by means of
a contrast (
on the one hand on the other
[hand])
2) by marking a transition to a new topic (
incidentally)
3) by introducing a summary ( in
conclusion), a specification ( for example), a result ( as a result), and
so forth.
There are some idiomatic Russian adverbials which, although positive in form and used with non-negated verbs, are
negative in meaning; each such adverbial is described as neg
intensif (negative intensifier). For example,
, literally to under-
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stand sth. like a pig understands oranges, means to understand absolutely nothing (with regard to sth.).
Adverbials used only with a negated predicate are described
as used with negated verbs. This group of idioms consists
mainly of idioms such as (
) not for anything (in the world). The definitions for
these idioms include an English negation (usually not),
which corresponds to the combination of HE and .
In adverbials of the type + adjective ( as if one had been scalded) and + noun (
like a mule), the adjective and noun, respectively,
are always in the nominative case. Therefore such idioms are
described as nom only. These idioms are co-referential with
the subject (or, less commonly, the object), and their adjectival
or nominal components must agree with the subject or object
in gender (adjectives only) and number (both adjectives and
nouns).
Quantifiers
Quantifiers may function as predicates and/or adverbials.
Quantifiers that function predicatively are described as quantit subj-compl (quantitative subject-complement). Some predicative quantifiers can be used only with and are described as quantit subj-compl with . Other predicative
quantifiers can be used with a number of copular verbs and are
described as quantit subj-comp with copula. For example,
practically no (at all) and lots a lot of are described as quantit subj-compl
with copula.
Quantifiers that function as adverbialsfor example,
(cook) enough for an army
are described as adv (quantif ) .
Interjections
The label Interj (interjection) describes idioms that express
the speakers emotional attitude toward, or emotive evaluation
of, the person, thing, situation, etc., in question. Interjections
are syntactically independent structures that can express different, and sometimes even opposite, emotions depending on the
context and the speakers intonation; for example, can express annoyance, admiration, delight, surprise,
and bewilderment, among others.
Formula Phrases
The label formula phrase describes situationally conditioned
idioms used in communicative contexts. Such idioms are often
referred to as speech etiquette formulae in Russian sources.
They are used in greeting ( , !
its been ages!), at parting ( ! all the best!), when wishing someone something
( ! have a good trip!), in making a
request ( be so kind as
to), in expressing gratitude ( ,
sense 1, I humbly thank you), in responding to an expression
of thanks (HE dont mention it), and the like.
Sentential Idioms
Sentential idioms fall into three basic groups:
1) Idioms that need only a direct, indirect, or prepositional
object to become a complete sentence. For example, in order to become a complete sentence,
s.o.s legs wont support him requires a direct object,
and time is on s.o.s side re-
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ined; || - Y Xs
ravaged and plundered pillaged and ruined Y.
Prepositions, Conjunctions, Particles
No definition per se has been provided for most complex prepositions, complex conjunctions, and particles; instead, there
is a usage note describing the relationship between the element(s) associated with the idiom and other elements of the
context. In those cases where a definition per se has been provided, it follows the usage note. Some typical descriptions are:
* used to indicate the unexpected nature of the action that
follows
* used to introduce a clause, phrase etc whose information
adds to, and is more important than, the information in
the preceding statement
* used to show that the situation or action presented in the
main clause immediately follows the situation or action
presented in the subordinate clause
* used to show that the truthfulness or realization of what is
stated in the main clause is contingent upon the fulfillment of the condition stated in the subordinate clause
Interjections
Interjections are described in terms of the emotions they can
convey; for example: ! used to express surprise,
delight, displeasure, an ironic attitude etc.
ENGLISH EQUIVALENTS
The overwhelming majority of entries contain more than one
English equivalent, since different contexts often require different translations of a given idiom. When a Russian idiom has
several English equivalents, those that are most broadly applicable (or most similar to the Russian) are presented first, and
those that are most restricted are presented last. Equivalents in
a given entry may differ stylistically in order to cover nineteenth- as well as twentieth- and twenty-firstcentury contexts.
Whenever possible, equivalents are presented in the same
form as the Russian idiom, that is, an English noun phrase for
a Russian noun phrase, an English verb phrase for a Russian
verb phrase, and so forth. Equivalents for Russian idioms that
function as complete sentences are presented in sentential
form.
The notation Cf. (which when given follows the last English equivalent in an entry) is used to introduce English idioms
and sayings that, although not suggested for purposes of translation, provide insight into the meaning of the Russian idiom.
Often such phrases (as every Tom, Dick, and Harry for
anyone and everyone) have a distinct national flavor, include typical American
or British names, and the like. However, not all culturally
bound elements are reserved for Cf. Since substantial Russian communities can be found in English-speaking countries,
the terms ruble and kopeck, for example, are included
with penny, dime, etc., in numerous English equivalents.
Collocates in Equivalents
In cases when it is impossible to present the English equivalent
of a Russian idiom without collocates, the collocates are provided along with the equivalent (in parentheses, when possible). For example, many adverbial intensifiers cannot be translated without a verb. In such cases, the English equivalents are
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When a speech impediment is shown through English spelling, as in some citations from Tolstoy, the affected words have
been replaced by their correctly spelled counterparts in brackets. For example, in
bear the brunt of sth. the translation of the citation from Tolstoys War and Peace reads, This is certainly Scythian warfare. Its all [very] fineexcept for those who bear the [brunt]
of it. The translator has spelled the bracketed words as
vewy and bwunt.
Generally, the transliteration chosen by the translator is
preserved for proper names in citations and for the names of
characters in plays. However, since the designations of characters in Gogols The Government Inspector are so different in
different translations, the compiler has chosen to make uniform the names of the characters when indicating the speaker
in citations. For example, although is translated
as Mayor, Chief of Police, and Prefect in various translations, it is uniformly rendered Mayor in this dictionary.
Occasionally, two or more translations of the same citation
are quoted. The user must be aware that translators approaches differ, and so there may be significant differences in
the cited translations. For example, two translations were used
for Saltykov-Shchedrins (The History of a Town). The names in this book are meaningful. One
translator (Susan Brownsberger) chose to translate them into
meaningful English names, while the other (I.P. Foote) transliterated them. Thus, Melancholov and Dormousov in the
Brownsberger translation represent the same characters as
Grustilov and Bajbakov, respectively, in the Foote translation.
In some cases, the tense forms in the Russian and English
versions of a citation do not coincide, but it would require a
great amount of context to show why this is so. In such cases,
the tense discrepancy has been overlooked. For example, in
K-269 / (sense
2) tie up the loose ends, the beginning of the citation from
Zalygin reads , ,
(present tense) and the translation has By their
nature they [men] needed any sort of science (past tense).
Another lack of parallelism in citations concerns the use of
quotation marks. Some Russian authors (as Aksyonov and
Zinoviev) omit quotation marks in some of their works, while
their translators have chosen not to do so. The authors and
translators choices are retained in the presentation of citations.
Russian citations are presented exactly as they appear in the
published text with the exception of a few archaic forms that
have been replaced with contemporary ones. For example, in
the entry -274 ... the archaic
in the Gogol citation has been replaced by the contemporary . In some cases, Western editions of Russian
texts have been used as sources for citations. However, since
these editions are not as carefully edited as most editions published in Russia and the former Soviet Union, Soviet/Russian
editions have occasionally been used to check punctuation,
spelling, etc.
The word in the citations is capitalized when the
source has it capitalized, and lowercase when the source has it
lowercase.
The transliteration of proper names in invented examples
and Russian names in etymological notes follows the transliteration system used in the Handbook of Russian Literature,
edited by Victor Terras. The transliteration of authors names
[ xxvi ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
2.
3.
4.
5.
NOTES
6.
1. Meluk, I.A., and A.K. Zholkovsky. Tolkovo-kombinatornyi slovar sovremennogo russkogo iazyka: Opyt seman-
[ xxvii ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
-4 obs, lit
() coll [these forms only; sent adv (parenth); fixed WO] offense should not be taken at what I said
or am about to say: no offense meant intended; no harm
meant; no insult intended; dont take it this the wrong
-5 / [VP; subj:
human or collect] not to allow s.o. to be injured, wronged in
any way: X Y- X will not let anyone
harm hurt, insult etc Y; X will make sure see to it that
no (possible) harm comes to Y; X will not see Y harmed
insulted etc; X will not let Y be allow Y to be hurt
insulted etc; X will not allow any harm to come to Y.
:
( 1).
Lets have an understanding: I will not let anyone harm you, but
you must do what I say (1a). ,
( 3). I shall ask Alexei to make sure
that no possible harm comes to you (3a).
-6 / /
() [VP; subj: human or collect] not to allow o.s. to be harmed, to know how to defend
or protect o.s.: X X stands knows
how to stand up for himself; X can look after out for
himself; X doesnt let anyone push him around.
, ,
( 3). On Liusias account
she [the old lady] had nothing to fear. She knew Liusia could look
after herself, she was that type (3a).
-7 , ..
coll; () obs [PrepP;
these forms only; adv] (to speak or ask sth.) directly, openly,
without allusiveness: without beating around about the
bush; in no uncertain terms; in so many words; not
mincing (ones) words; pulling no punches; [lim.] getting
down to brass tacks; getting coming straight to the
point.
, , ? , ( 1). Tell me, Karamazov, do you despise me terribly?
Kolya suddenly blurted out. Kindly tell me, without beating
around the bush (1a).
[ 369 ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
, ,
( 1). I knew this German inside out, just like he knew me
(1a).
- ,
: , , , , ?
( 4). There he is with his head in the clouds, and suddenly they bring him back to earth and ask him: So, my good man,
what are your thoughts regarding, say, leftist deviation or right-wing
opportunism? (4a). ,
, ( 2). I was talking
to Kochkurov yesterday. You know what hes likehes certainly
got his feet on the ground (2a).
, . Your
idea wont workyoure dreaming!
-14 /
/
, lit [VP; subj: abstr; fixed WO] to cease to exist
or be used, pass out of existence, disappear: X
X is has become a thing of the
past; X has passed into oblivion.
-15 highly coll
[ + NP; obj-controlled; adv] (to know s.o.) very well: X
-19 / coll
[VP; subj: human; more often pfv] 1. to put great pressure
on s.o. in order to make him act as one desires: X Y-
X turned put the heat on Y; X took Y in
hand; X got after Y; [lim.] X twisted Ys arm.
, ,
,
[ 370 ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
? .
, , , ?
( 1). When am I to live? he used to ask himself. When
shall I ever be permitted to make use of this store of knowledge,
most of which will serve no purpose in my life? (1b).
, , [] .
. .
( 1). [context transl] He
[Gorky] had already accomplished all he was capable of. He had already written Mother, the novel that would serve as the model for
coming generations of socialist realists. He had sung the praises of
Lenin and Stalin. And his most famous phrase If the enemy does
not surrender, he is wiped out was already in circulation (1a).
-26 coll; [NPinstrum; these forms only; adv; used with negated
verbs; fixed WO] not under any circumstances, not at all: in
no way; by no means; not by any manner of means; not
by a long shot; absolutely not; [when used as an indep.
remark] (thats) (absolutely) impossible.
,
. ,
, ,
( 9). And the
man, his face contorted with grief, was compelled to abandon his
attempts to break through to the carts, from which the posts had already been taken. These attempts would have resulted in nothing
but his capture, and it was certainly in no way part of his plan to be
arrested that day (9a).
,
,
, ; ( 2). This composition,
inscribed in a handsome rounded hand on a thin sheet of notepaper,
.
, -, , ( 2).
The smooth operator didnt like Catholic priests. He took an equally
dim view of rabbis, dalai lamas, popes, muezzins, medicine men,
and other such ministers of religious worship (2a).
[ 371 ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
ments.
, ( 3). In the daytime, the streetcars with their soft
yellow straw seats, on the foreign example, sped along with a pleasant steady hum (3b).
-29 ,
obsoles [PrepP; Invar; adv; fixed WO] patterned after
s.o. or sth., using s.o. or sth. as an example: in the image
and likeness semblance of s.o. sth.; in s.o.s image and
likeness; in s.o.s image likeness.
-35 / - [VP;
subj: human or collect] to (begin to) criticize s.o. or sth.
harshly, sharply: X Y- Y came under
fire from X; X began attacking firing away at Y; X
opened fire on Y; X blasted Y.
: ,
- ,
( 1). Let us repeat:
all this leaning toward a line created in the image and likeness of
definite socio-economic gods was unconscious on Chernyshevskis
part (1a).
[ 372 ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
2. ~ - , .. mil (to go, maneuver) around the flank (of an opposing military unit): outflank(ing).
, ,
,
, ( 4). Murat anxious to make
amends for his error, instantly moved his forces to attack the center
and outflank both Russian wings, hoping before evening, and before
the arrival of the Emperor, to crush the insignificant detachment facing him (4a).
-39 -;
- - [VP, subj:
usu. human or abstr (1st var.); VPsubj/gen (2nd var.)] not to be
associated with or conditioned by s.o. or sth.: X
Y- X has nothing to do with Y;
thing X bears no relation to thing Y; thing X has no connection with thing Y; thing X isnt connected with thing Y.
,
( 1). Gelding said that the positions allocated to
people on the social ladder bore no relation to their intellectual capabilities (1a).
-43 , ;
.. oldfash, elev [PrepP; these forms only; subj-compl with copula
with subj: human (1st var.) or adv; fixed WO] (to be) asleep,
(it is time to go) to sleep: be (nestled) in fall into the
arms of Morpheus; be in the Land of Nod.
. ,
, (
2). Bazarov began to yawn. I suppose its time our travelers were
nestled in the arms of Morpheus, observed Vasily Ivanovich (2g).
Bazarov began to yawn. I suppose it is time for our travellers to
fall into the arms of Morpheus, observed Vassily Ivanych (2c).
-45 ; [PrepP; these forms only; sent adv (often parenth)] as is always the case, as s.o. or sth. always does: as
usual; as always; as is ones habit custom, wont, way;
following ones usual habit of (doing sth.); [lim.] ones
its usual; [when used disapprovingly or ironically] true
to form (, one did sth.).
[:] , , ! ( 2).
[P.:] The papers are lying, as usual (2a). -
[ 373 ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
-47 /
or [VP; subj: human] to obligate s.o. or
o.s. to do sth.: X Y-
Z X made it Ys Xs duty to do Z; X imposed on Y
on himself a duty to do Z; X considered it Ys Xs obligation duty to do Z; X considered it an obligation a
duty to do Z; [lim.] X made it a requirement that Y do
Z.
: ,
( 1). I repeat: I have made it my duty to write
without concealing anything (1a). - , ,
( 3). As Shunechka had done to her, she
imposed on her women a duty to smile as part of their work (3a).
-? ,
. . . ?
.
, , ? . ,
. , ,
. ( 5).
What do you want? said Bogdashkin, displeased, having recognized me. Nothing special. A barrel of linseed oil. Linseed oil?
Bogdashkin took this as a personal affront. What do you do, put it
on your bread or something? I sent you two barrels last week.
Theres no more. I can give you a little alabaster if you want.
The hell with you then, I agreed. Ill take the alabaster. Even a
mangy sheeps good for a little wool (5a).
-48 / lit
[VP; subj: human; usu. this WO] to separate the good from
the bad, the useful from the harmful (may refer to people):
separate the sheep from the goats; make a distinction between the sheep and the goats.
, , ,
( 1). It was the people of the twenties who first began
to make a neat distinction between the sheep and the goats, between
us and them, between upholders of the new and those still
mindful of the basic rules that governed human relations in the past
(1a).
, , .
( 2). Consider your work like any job
that keeps you in food, but dont try to put your soul into it. The
game isnt worth the candle (2a).
-56 highly
coll, disapprov [ + AdjP; nom only; adv (intensif ) ] 1.
, ~ (to yell, shout) very loudly, furiously,
hysterically: (shout scream) like mad crazy; (yell
scream) ones head off; (scream) like a banshee the
dickens; scream bloody murder as if possessed.
[ 374 ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
2. , , .. ~ to run, run
around, race in a panicky fashion, as if one has lost his
mind: (run rush about etc) like mad crazy; (run rush
around etc) like a madman a madwoman; (run rush
about etc) like one possessed.
-57 /
() highly coll [VP; subj: human] 1. rude when addressed to the interlocutor to set off
back in the direction from which one came, leave some
place (usu. with the implication that one has failed, or is
about to fail, to accomplish what one set out to do): X
X went back (where he came from);
X (gave it up and) turned back; X turned back emptyhanded; [lim.] X turned tail.
( 2). He [Mandelstam] and Akhmatova even invented a game: each of them had a certain number of tokens to be
expended on the recognition of poetsbut while she was tightfisted
and hung on to her tokens for all she was worth, he spent his last
one on old Zvenigorodski, and then had to beg her to lend him
one, or even half of one. Having hoarded them up so jealously, in
her old age Akhmatova began to hand out her tokens indiscriminately, right, left, and center (2a).
[:] , , -,
( 10). [P.:] As for that nobles courting Olimpiada Samsonovnawhy hes turned tail already (10b).
2. [imper only; fixed WO] rude go away, leave immediately: ! clear out!; scram!; make
yourself scarce!; beat it!; get lost!; buzz bug off!
3. to retreat from ones former position, renounce ones
former convictions, go back on ones promise(s) etc: X X did made an about-face; X backpedaled; X changed his tune.
-58 coll [PrepP; Invar; adv] 1. ,
.. ~ (to run, run away etc) very quickly and
without turning around to look behind one: (fast and) without a backward glance; (fast and) without looking back;
with abandon.
, , , : !
. .
. !
( 1). Orozkul stood up,
pulled up his trousers, and, afraid to glance back, ran away at a
quick trot. But Kulubek stopped him: Wait! Well say to you one
final word. You will never have any children. You are an evil and
worthless man. Go from hereforever. Double quick! Orozkul
ran off without a backward glance (1a).
-60
.., () coll [VP; subj: human; often fut gener. 2nd
pers sing ] (sth. will happen, take place etc) very
quickly, almost immediately: before you know it; before
you have time to look around; before you can turn look
around.
,
, . ,
( 4). She had
told Andrei when he was pestering her with questions that man lives
almost no time at all. And it was truebefore you knew it, life was
over (4a).
-62 -; ()
; (
) all coll [Interj; these forms only; fixed
WO] used to express indignation, resentment, annoyance: to
the hell with s.o. sth.; I dont give a damn a hoot
about s.o. sth.; damn s.o. sth., it all.
[] ,
!
. , , ? ( 3). The
opportunity to go hunting for the live abductor of a maiden roused
him [Tendel] to such unselfish fervor that he remained completely
cold to the opportunity to acquire a phonograph. To hell with
your phonograph! he even shouted at them. Dont you see whats
happening? (3a).
[ 375 ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
-63 , ,
, , .. - or
coll [AdvP; Invar; adv; usu. used with infin or neg pfv fut,
gener. 2nd pers sing etc; fixed WO] (of a person with remarkable qualities or qualifications, or a thing
rarely come across or difficult to obtain) rare, almost impossible to find even when much effort is put into searching:
X- or , X,
Xs people like X, things like X are hard to find (as)
scarce as hens teeth; never in the world will you find
another X another ([NP]) like X; try as you may
might youll never find another X another ([NP]) like
X; [lim.] person X is one in a million; you cant get thing
X for love (n)or money.
, ! , .
( 1). Well, you are
poor in sorrows, my dear. See how merciful God has been to you!
Such as you are hard to find (1a).
,
( 3). Never in the world will you find another man
with the self-control that he has (3a).
-65 - .. lit
[NPinstrum; Invar; adv; fixed WO] (to conquer, vanquish) brutally: with fire and sword; ruthlessly; mercilessly; raining
death on s.o.
-70 , ,
coll [PrepP; Invar; adv] (to call on s.o.) while passing by his
home, having seen by his lighted window(s) that he is home
(occas. may refer to ones calling on s.o. at his office after
hours etc): X Y- X saw Ys light(s)
the light in Ys window and dropped in decided to
drop in etc.
[] , , , , : , , ( 1). He
[Mikhail] banged the gate, stamped his boots on the plank footpath and for the first time went up to the porch, not crawling on
all fours, but standing up straight like a man. He said, I was just
passing by and I saw the light in the window, so (1a).
-67 / lit [VP; subj: human or collect; obj: usu. , etc] to ravage sth. mercilessly, destroying and burning
everything: X- Y Xs wreaked
destruction upon Y; Xs laid Y waste with fire and sword;
Xs reduced Y to rubble and ashes.
,
. , , ,
( 4). You are riding with your squadrons like Taras
Bulba laying everything waste with fire and sword, and alarming
the Cossacks. Steady up, please and stop putting prisoners to death;
send them to us instead (4a).
-72 ( , )
( ) coll
[VP; subj: human; usu. past; the verb may take the final position, otherwise fixed WO] (of a person who, in the course
[ 376 ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
of a difficult or complex life, has acquired vast life experience; occas. of a person with a tarnished reputation, undiscriminating sexual experiences etc) to experience, endure
much: X ( ) X has
been gone through fire and water; X has survived fire
and water; X has been through the mill through it all,
through hell, through the wringer; X has been there and
back; [lim.] theres nothing X doesnt know.
[ ] ,
,
,
( 1). She had stayed behind because she thought
that, as someone who had suffered under Soviet rule, she could do
well for herself with the Germans, and as she had already survived
fire and water she thought she would survive this, too (1a).
-77 ,
[saying; often only the first
half of the saying is used] the first thing one notices when
meeting s.o. is his outer appearance, but once one gets to
know him it is his intelligence, personality etc that matters:
clothes count only for first impressions; looks appearances matter only upon first meeting; you are judged by
appearances at first but by your mind later on; [when
only the first half is used] people judge you by appearances; people treat you according to your clothes; beauty
is a good letter of introduction.
[:] , , ? [:]
? [:]
? ,
( 1). [V.:] You mean you treat all guests according to their
clothes? [K.:] What do you think? In this job you dont get far without sharp eyes. [V.:] What do clothes tell you? Plenty of important people dress modestly (1a).
-78 [saying]
live according to your means, in keeping with your income:
-83 1 , ; ; all coll, usu. approv [NP; these forms only; subj-compl
with (subj: human, animal, or concr, pl) or detached
modif; fixed WO] (usu. in refer. to the physical features of
[ 377 ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
(
7). At one time the camp commandant had given orders that zeks
were not to walk about the camp singly (7c).
[:] ? ? [:] !
. !.. , , ! ( 4). [N.:] But what
about you? Is your work interesting? [L.:] I should say! By a miracle I managed to get into the most interesting department. The
conditions are so marvellous. And the atmospherewhat an atmosphere! But the main thing, Nina, is the people therefirst-class,
every one of them (4a).
-84 2 (, ,
.. ) coll [NP; Invar; adv; fixed WO] (to
copy sth., build or make a replica of sth. etc) such that the
copy or replica turns out to look precisely the same as the
original: (make build etc) an exact replica carbon copy
(of sth.); (make build etc sth.) exactly like (sth. else);
(make things so that they come out) exactly alike.
, - ,
,
, ( 1). In addition to
one pistol that really fired, we had two wooden models that I had
fashioned after my fathers TT pistol, exactly like it, millimeter for
millimeter, and painted a shiny black (1a).
2. , .. ~ [adv] (to engage in combat, fight etc) without aid or support from others, without allies: alone against s.o. sth.; single-handed; all by o.s.;
[usu. when only two people are involved] one on one; in
single combat.
,
, , ( 2). No, he didnt need the authorities support, his
friends affection or his wifes understanding; he could fight on
alone (2a). : , ,
- . , : , ,
, ( 2). While they were eating, Marya Ivanovna said to Yevgenia:
Let me go with you, Yevgenia Nikolaevna. Its always easier
with someone else. Yevgenia looked very embarrassed. No, no,
she said, but thank you very much. There are things one has to do
on ones own (2a).
-89 , ,
coll [PrepP; these forms only; modif ] (all)
excepting no one: every last single one (of ) ; every last
single [NP]; everyone all without exception; each and
every one (of ) ; one each and all; (all) to a man; all
down to the last; all (right) down to the last one; [usu. in
contexts of killing, being killed etc] (all) (down) to the last
man.
, .
. , ( 6). Youre being hasty, young men. General
Krymov will be here in two days, and well remember you all,
every single one of you (6a). ! []. . ,
, ( 2). Thats a lie. You
slept with them [foreigners]. The last time it was with the Swede.
We know about him, and we know about all the others before him,
right down to the last one (2a).
,
( 1). Grandfather was alone against ten infuriated wagon-drivers who intended to use their crowbars to turn
him into mincemeat (1a).
-90 [PrepP; Invar; adv] singly, not all together, following in succession: one by one; one at a time;
[lim.] in single file.
,
( 12). The album was kept in Kunenkos office, and
they let in one member of the Union board at a time for ten minutes
and locked the door from the outside (12a).
[ 378 ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
-92 elev;
obs [PrepP; these forms only; subj-compl with (subj:
human), obj-compl with , (obj: human),
or sent adv; fixed WO] when s.o. is dying, in a state close to
death: on ones s.o.s deathbed.
,
( 1). Its too late to re-educate a man, when hes on his
deathbed (1a).
-94 ()
() ; ()
() [PrepP;
these forms only; sent adv (parenth)] in spite of or exceeding what is expected: contrary to (all) expectation(s);
against all (ones) expectations.
, . The cottage was set back from the road and surrounded by birches.
: ,
( 8). I imagine myself lying
there in my coffin, all pale and beautiful, with white roses all
around me (8a).
. . ( 2).
Mitka was glistening with restrained joy. Triumph surged through
every movement. Contrary to expectations, the lieutenant seemed
not in the least put out (2a).
, . ?
? ( 6). That is what we need, and it is not our fault. Not
our fault? Really? (6a). [:]
. [ (
):] ? ( 1). [V.:] Then, you
can tell him that I am willing to marry him. [Sh. (with joyful
amazement):] You dont say so! (1a). [:]
. [:] ? (
2). [M.:] Hes pretending to be mad. Just pretending. [K.:] Im
not so sure (2a).
-96 iron [NP; sing only] a vigilant observation (formerly often used in relation to political
police, it came to refer to censors, the KGB etc during the
Soviet period): watchful vigilant eye; unslumbering unblinking eye.
[ ] - (- 1). [Among the
crowd] the intrepid staff-officer was keeping vigil with watchful eye
(1a).
-102 [saying]
a quiet, secretive person is capable of deeds that might seem
unexpected of him: still waters run deep.
,
, !
( 2). Madame Odintsov is very
charmingthere is no doubt about thatbut so cold and reserved
that Still waters you know, put in Bazarov (2c). Odintsova
is very niceno doubt, but her behaviors so cold and severe
that Still waters run deep, you know! Bazarov interrupted
(2g).
[ 379 ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
that? Yes. Like hell you have. Ill tell Mummy, and shell
give me something. Here we go again! Telling Mummy again.
Cant you do it without telling Mummy? (3a).
-106 , , ,
. . highly coll [ + AdjP; nom only; adv] (of
a person who feels) deeply (and usu. undeservedly) embarrassed, offended, insulted: (X . .)
(X was standing sitting etc there) feeling
deeply bitterly, totally etc humiliated; terribly horribly
slighted; crushingly snubbed; feeling (as if hes been)
chewed up and spit spat out.
, ,
, . .
( 2). The quasi-man
with the mustache suggested, He probably subscribed to that German journal, Jahrbuch fr Psychoanalytische und Psychopathologische Forschungen. Berlaga stood there, completely humiliated,
while the experts showered him with learned phrases from the theory and practice of psychoanalysis (2c).
-107 ; often ,
; ()
[NP, sing only, or PrepP (adv); fixed
WO] (through) difficult experiences: (learn sth. by become wise from) (ones) bitter experience; (find sth. out)
the hard way; (learn sth. in) the school of hard knocks.
? ,
, , :
. ,
,
, ( 9). Do you understand me? I understand very well, Stravinsky answered seriously and, touching the poets knee, he added:
Dont get upset. Continue please. I will continue, said Ivan, trying to strike the same tone and knowing from bitter experience that
only a calm approach could help him (9a).
, .
- . ? . . , . .
. - , ? ( 3).
Id give you a good spanking, but Uncle Ilia doesnt want me to.
So in return you can bring me and Uncle Ilia something to eat. Got
: , , ?
? , , .
( 1). I whisper back, Is that your lover scratching at the
door? What lover? I think Revaz is back from his trip earlier than
planned. Ill really get it nowthe old man is exhausting me with
his suspicions (1a). [:] , [], ! ! ( 4). [L.:]
Only mind you dont let on that you borrowed it [the money] from
meGod help youor Madame Gooseberry-Jam will make it hot
for me! (4a).
[ 380 ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
-113 coll
[VP; subj: human; obj: pl] to solve (problems, crossword
puzzles etc) easily and quickly: X Y-
X cracks solves Ys just like that; X breezes whizzes
right through Ys; [lim.] Ys are a snap as easy as pie for
X.
,
. I cant compete with you when it
comes to crossword puzzlesyou whiz right through them.
-118
[VP; subj: human; obj:
usu. , etc] to achieve superiority over an
opponent by employing his own arguments, methods etc: X
Y- X fought Y with Ys own
weapon(s); X used Ys own weapons against him; X beat
Y at Ys own game; X turned the tables on Y; [lim.] fight
fire with fire.
, ,
, ,
, ( 2). Although he tried
to fight his enemies with their own weapon, that is, betrayed them
in his turn, Lyova simply could not outplay them, outdo them in
treachery (2a).
-114 coll
[NP; sing only] 1. a person who is unbending, difficult to
deal with, convince, subjugate etc: tough cookie nut, customer; hard nut (to crack).
,
. -
? , , , . , , ( 4). Theres no point in
resisting. Answer one question and well let you go rest in your
cell. Who sent you to the village of Krasnoye? Thats known by
whos supposed to know, said Chonkin, panting. The next punch
hit his chin like a sledgehammer. A tough nut, said the colonel
pensively, rubbing his bruised hand (4a).
, ( 4). At a
village meeting it was decided to mobilise everyone capable of
bearing arms, from the age of sixteen to seventy (4a).
[ 381 ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
2. ~ () [subj: usu. abstr] (of a statement, idea, procedure etc) to elicit an unfavorable reaction, cause s.o. to react
negatively (by being or having been overused, often repeated, boring etc): X (Y-) X sets Ys
teeth on edge; Y is has become sick and tired of X; Y is
fed up with X; || -, -
, .. hackneyed trite, tired old etc
joke phrase etc; clich.
, ,
( 2). I am sick and tired of the
whole business of service at court with its parades, receptions,
changing of the guard and so on (2a).
-125 () lit
[NP (sing only) or VPsubj (usu. indep. clause)] a meek, quiet
person who unexpectedly begins to protest sth. or express
his opinion about sth.: Balaams ass (has begun to speak).
, , .
. , -, !
( 1). Well, now youre going to have
some fun, and precisely in your line. Youll laugh your head off. Balaams ass, here, has started to talk, and what a talker, what a
talker! Balaams ass turned out to be the lackey Smerdyakov (1a).
-128 , ,
- .. [PrepP; Invar; adv] (to destroy
some group of people, some phenomenon etc) completely,
(to shock s.o.) profoundly etc: ~
totally utterly destroy ruin, annihilate s.o. sth.; wipe
out s.o. sth.; [lim.] raze level sth. (to the ground); destroy sth. to its the roots; || ~ shake sth. to
its foundations; shake s.o. badly.
[] ,
, , , ( 2). Ivans mistake
was not that he punished them [the nobles], but that he didnt punish them enough, he did not destroy the four main noble clans right
down to their roots (2a).
-130 ; /
[VP; subj : abstr] to be or become the
main principle, guiding idea of sth.: X
Y- X is has become the basis of for Y; X
has formed the basis of Y; X has served as the basis for
Y; X underlies Y; X is has become the essential principle of Y; Y is has become based on X.
, ,
( 2). Victors sudden inspiration,
the idea that had come to him on the street that night, formed the
basis of an entirely new theory (2a).
-131 [PrepP; Invar; adv or sent adv (parenth)] 1. (applicable) in more cases than not, (done) to a
greater extent than not etc: basically; mainly; in the main;
for the most part; mostly; on the whole; by and large.
[ ] .
,
,
( 3). On the whole they signed [the petition] gladly.
Some out of a sense of justice, others out of regard for the author,
still others out of hatred for Turganov and Ivanko (3a).
? ( 1). On what
basis have I been arrested? (1a).
? ( 2).
And on what grounds were you so generous to Mr. Rakitin? (2a).
-127 , ;
, [PrepP; these forms only; Prep; the resulting
PrepP is adv] stemming, proceeding from sth., founded on
sth.: on the basis the strength of; based on; on the
ground(s) of that; assuming sth. as the basis; on a
[AdjP] basis; on [AdjP] grounds; [lim.] on account of.
. Recommendations on this issue have been formulated on the basis of expert opinions.
,
, ,
( 2). Fascism arrived at the
idea of the liquidation of entire strata of the population, of entire nations and races, on the grounds that there was a greater probability
-132 / ;
/ (); / [VP; subj: human
or collect] to use sth. as the main premise, foundation: X
Y Z- X used assumed Y as the basis of for Z; X made Y X used Y as the basic premise
of Z; X used Y as the essential principle of Z.
,
. The author used real events as the
basis for the story, changing only the time and place of the action.
[ 382 ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
-139 / [VP; subj: human or collect; neg only; often foll. by , -clause] not to vacillate about committing some actoften reprehensible, extreme, or criminal
in naturein pursuit of ones goals: X
Y- , Y X did not
stop at (doing) Y; X did not hesitate to do Y; X had no
qualms compunctions, second thoughts about doing Y;
X was (fully) prepared to do Y; X didnt let Y stop him;
[lim.] X was not above doing Y; || X
X will stop at nothing.
, ,
,
, , ( 6). If she was prepared to kill the dogs, if she could decide to end her grandmothers
life just like thatand she really did almost send the old woman to
her gravethat means she really had fallen in love, and her love
had no bounds (6a).
-137 / [VP] 1. ~
- obsoles. Also: / obsoles [subj and obj: usu. human or collect,
occas. a noun denoting the result of s.o.s endeavors, creative efforts etc] to outdo, excel s.o. or sth.: X
Y- X left Y far behind; X left Y in the dust; X
surpassed outdistanced, outstripped, bested Y.
2. ~ [subj: human] to retain sth. for o.s.: X
Y X kept Y (for himself ) ; X reserved saved
Y for himself; X set Y aside for himself.
, , ,
( 1). Tell him that because of
changed circumstances I cannot keep the flat (1a).
-138 () () /
(, ) [VPsubj/gen; impers; if past,
usu. impfv; if fut, usu. pfv; fixed WO (var. without )] there is only one possible course of action (left) for s.o.
to take: X- , X has no (other)
-142 , ,
.. [PrepP; Invar; adv] (to work, argue, fight, do
sth.) in a wildly excited fashion, in a state of uncontrolled
frenzy: frantically; furiously; frenziedly; ferociously; like
crazy mad; like a madman a madwoman, a maniac.
.
( 2). It was worst of all at night. He would wake up and
scratch furiously at his chest (2a).
[ 383 ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
-144
[VP; subj: human; the verb may take the final position, otherwise fixed WO] to take a great risk, do sth. that might
have dangerous consequences for o.s.: X
X is walking a tightrope; X is living sitting on a
razors edge; X is (skating) on thin ice.
their tune on the subject of Vasya. Although over the past two years
he had almost worn them down with his wayward behavior and they
themselves had demanded that I take him off their hands, now that
it had become a practical possibility they were afraid to send him on
such a long journey (2a).
,
: . Working simultaneously for two intelligence agencies, he was walking a tightrope:
he lived in constant fear of exposure.
-145 - ( ) coll [ +
VPimper; Invar; quantit subj-compl with (subj/gen: any
common noun), more often pres; fixed WO] a large or excessive number or amount of (people, some type of person,
things, some substance etc): X- ( Y-)
there are Y has more than enough Xs; there are Y has
plenty of Xs; there is Y has an abundance of Xs; there
are Y has Xs galore; Y has enough and to spare of Xs;
there is no end of Xs; there are Xs everywhere.
[] , ,
, .
,
( 5). [Mitka] had acquired officers rank,
and not like Grigory Melekhov, by risking his neck in reckless exploits. Meritorious service in a punitive detachment required other
qualities. And Mitka had enough and to spare of such qualities
(5a).
-150 - , ,
coll [PrepP; these forms only; adv] (to eat or feed s.o.) to the
point where one or s.o. can eat no more: to the bursting
point; || X ~ X gorged stuffed himself; X (ate
until he) was (as) full as a tick; || X Y- ~ X
stuffed Y with food; X stuffed Y to the limit.
[] , ,
( 1). Just a short while ago he [Orozkul]
had been sitting with friends, drinking koumyss and gorging himself
on meat (1a).
-146 ;
() ; all
highly coll [VP; subj: human] to beat s.o. severely: X Y- X will turn Y into mincemeat; X
will make mincemeat out of Y; X will beat Y black and
blue to a pulp.
,
( 1). Grandfather was alone against ten infuriated wagon-drivers who intended to use their crowbars to turn
him into mincemeat (1a).
-147 / / coll
[VP; subj: human] to relinquish a previous decision, plan,
opinion etc: X X beats a retreat; X backs
down out; X changes his tune; X backpedals; [lim.] X
pulls draws in his horns.
[] ,
, , ,
, ( 2). They [the Aksyonovs] sent me an embarrassed letter in which they changed
, , , .
, ,
( 5). Strolling through the magnificent parks, barely touched
by the yellow of August, Madame de Calvimont complained to the
Prince about the absence of any entertainments in the chteau. In
reply, the Prince said everything that is commonly said on such occasions, namely that to him the ladys wishes were law (5a).
[ 384 ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
-152 ( , );
[VP; subj: human; usu. fut or infin (with
, etc)] to be accountable to s.o. for sth., (to
be required or choose to) bear responsibility for sth. etc: X
( Y- Z) X will (have
to) answer (to Y) for Z; X will be held responsible (to Y)
for Z.
, -
. , ,
( 1). Perhaps Ill be held responsible to some
higher-up or other for undermining an organized activity. That
was the least of my worries (1b).
-158 , , coll
[PrepP; Invar; adv] (to take, borrow sth.) without planning
to return it, (to give sth. to s.o.) without asking him to return
it: [in refer. to taking, borrowing sth.] never returning it
them; never intending to return it them; with no intention of returning it them; [in refer. to money only]
with no intention notion of repaying it; [in refer. to giving sth.] for good; for keeps.
, ,
. , ,
,
, , ,
, ( 5). He
believed that God had created him to spend thirty thousand a year
and always to occupy a prominent position in society. He was so
firmly convinced of this that looking at him others were persuaded
of it too, and refused him neither a leading place in society nor the
money he borrowed right and left, obviously with no notion of repaying it (5a).
, . He promised
to write, but so far there hasnt been a word from him.
-155 / -
[VP; subj and obj: human or collect; often pfv fut or pfv
infin with , , , etc or in
a -clause] to hold a person or organization responsible
for sth.: X Y- X will call hold Y to
account; X will hold Y accountable (for sth.); X will
make Y answer (for sth.); X will hold make Y answerable (for sth.); X will bring Y to book (concerning sth.).
, ,
( 6). They themselves are not respectable members of
society but petty thieves who can be called to account at any moment by the courts and the police (6a).
,
, ,
( 6). As a diversionary
move you throw into your basket a piece of Carmen brand soap
,
, ( 1). Every motion in the
world taken separately was calculated and purposeful, but, taken together, they were spontaneously intoxicated with the general stream
of life which united them all (1a).
[ 385 ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
-161 - -
obs, coll [VP; subj: usu. human; the verb may take the
final position, otherwise fixed WO] not to give s.o. any time
or opportunity at all to rest, relax etc (by forcing him to
work nonstop, pestering him continually etc):
Y- X didnt give Y a moments
peace a moments rest.
-162 , ; , .. [PrepP; these forms only; subj-compl with
copula (subj: human)] (to be) retired from work, take the
step of retiring from work (usu. upon reaching the appropriate age): (be in enjoy) (a ones well-deserved
well-earned) retirement; (go step) into (a ones welldeserved well-earned) retirement; (take) a welldeserved well-earned retirement.
-163 () [formula phrase;
these forms only] (used as part of a polite request) please
agree (to do sth.): (please) be so kind good (as to).
-164 ; coll
[VP; 1st pers fut or subjunctive only; often foll. by infin]
(usu. used as a response to an invitation or offer to participate in sth., to help o.s. to sth. etc) I am (or we are) not
averse to and would even quite enjoy (doing sth.): I we
wouldnt mind; dont mind if I we do; I we wont
cant say no (to that); how can I we say no refuse,
pass that up?; I we wont turn that down pass that
up.
? , . Would you like
some tea? Thanks, dont mind if I do.
ity (2a). [] .
( 7). [Tanya] turned
on the taps full blast. To the roar of the water she pulled off her
clothes and picked herself up in front of the full-length mirror (7a).
-167 coll;
or obs;
coll; or
coll [impers predic with , pres or past (variants with
), or neg pfv fut, gener. 2nd pers sing (variants with
)] one cannot help but recognize, admit that s.o. has a certain quality: X- Y- one cannot deny
X Y; theres no denying that X has Y is [AdjP]; you
cant take that away from X; you cant say X is not
[AdjP].
, ( 3). One couldnt
deny him the remarkable erudition with which he was able to overwhelm anyone he talked to (3a). ,
? . .
, ,
. ( 1). Dont you know
your own wife? Shes an efficient woman: that you cant take away
from her. And while were on the subject, her timber production
was no worse than anyone elses. Better even (1a).
-165 , [PrepP;
Invar; adv] (of a machine, mechanism etc) (to work, run etc)
very well, without problems: (run) smoothly; (work run)
perfectly fine etc.
, . This watch
may be old, but it runs perfectly.
-170 ,
[saying]
(usu. said as advice to s.o. to overcome his laziness or reluctance to do sth.) do what you have to do right away: dont
put off till tomorrow what you can do today.
-171 / [VP]
1. Also: / [subj: usu. abstr,
often , ] to deteriorate sharply, collapse: X
X is on the road to ruin; X is falling apart;
X is going to pot to ruin; [of plans, s.o.s career etc] X
X got derailed.
[ 386 ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
, ,
! ( 1). Suddenly I was terrifiedmy God, my life
is about to get derailed! (1a).
-174 / ()
[VP; subj: human] 1. obs to give s.o. exclusive rights to use
or hold sth. in exchange for money: X Y
X farmed leased Y (out).
[:] ,
. ? ( 4).
[B.:] As I was on my way here, I saw some peasants stripping the
bark off your willow bushes along the river. Why dont you lease
out those willow bushes? (4a).
,
. He always keeps aloofI dont know if
its out of shyness or conceit.
, . We started walking
toward the house standing off at a distance.
-181 -; - [PrepP; these forms only; the resulting PrepP is adv] regarding: in relation to; with respect
regard to; concerning; [lim.] in reference to; ||
[ 387 ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
( 4). Olgas presence had its effect on the whole household
(4a).
-182 / (
) coll [VP; subj: human] to discuss and resolve the problem spots in an interpersonal relationship, air and get over
mutual resentments: X Y X and
Y are sorting out clarifying their relationship; || X-
Y- X and Y must clear the
air; X and Y need to have it out.
,
. , ,
( 1). The difference between a family and an office is that
in a family you dont keep minutes and detailed records. Besides,
its too late now for us to sort out our relationship, let alone our past
relationship (1a).
-188 / () coll
[VP; subj: human; usu. impfv] to sacrifice sth. one needs in
order to give it to or share it with another: X
Y X deprives himself (of Y); X shares what little
he has (with s.o.); X shares his little bit of Y (with s.o.); X
gives up Y (for someone else).
-189 [Verbal Adv; Invar; adv] 1. ~
, -, - (to
look at s.o. or sth.) intently, constantly, without looking
away: X Y- X kept was
staring at Y; X fixed his eyes had his eyes fixed on Y; X
did not take his eyes off Y; X gazed fixedly at Y; X
watched Y stared at Y intently.
[ ]
,
, . ( 2).
Borisov whacked [the plaster bust of ] Stalin on the head, then
shook his hand in pain. Instantly, the expression of pain on his face
changed into one of mortal fear. He opened his mouth and stared
at Golubev as if hypnotized. Golubev, meanwhile, was scared to
death himself (2a).
,
( 1). In many respects the circus was exactly the same as other Soviet institutions
(1a).
2. , , , .. ~ (to work,
read, play an instrument, drink alcohol etc) continuously,
without interruption: nonstop; without stopping ceasing,
cease, pause, a break; [lim.] without (a any) letup; [of
reading only] (read through) without putting it the book
down; || drink in at one go;
drink drain in one draft; drink straight down.
,
, . The book proved to be quite engaging, and I read it without putting it down for three hours until I
finished it. , ,
( 2). He took the glass, fingers trembling,
and drained it in one draught (2a).
[] ,
( 1). He [Zakhar] belonged to two different epochs, and each of them had left its mark on him (1a).
. One cant analyze this work
ignoring the basic philosophical movements of the time.
[ 388 ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
-198 / /
[VP; subj: human; more often impfv; often
foll. by , ; fixed WO] to comprehend, apprehend
sth.: X , X realizes
understands, knows, is aware that; || Neg X
, X has no idea
,
, , ,
, ! ( 1). Shed never
seen a drunkard pestering a policeman: that meant they knew perfectly well what they could do, what was worth trying, and what
wasnt (1a). . , , ( 1). A
young nurse was writing a letter. Her hands were trembling and she
was not aware of what she was doing (1a).
-194 lit, occas. humor [NP; fixed WO] a divergence from the theme of a lecture, speech, story etc. that allows the speaker or narrator to
express some emotion: lyrical digression.
-195
often humor [NP; fixed WO] the state of being mentally absent from what is going on around one: (s.o. is) out of it;
(s.o. is) out to lunch; (s.o. is) off in space; theres nobody
home.
-196 () lit, iron
[VP; subj: human, abstr, or concr] to be noticeably absent
from somewhere, draw attention to o.s. or itself by being absent: X X was conspicuous
by his its absence; X was conspicuously absent.
< Loan translation of the French briller par son absence.
Original source: Tacitus (A.D. c55c120), Annals. English
source: Lord John Russell, Speech to the electors of the City
of London, 1859.
-197 [PrepP; Invar; the resulting
PrepP is adv] 1. ~ in connection with a persons temporary absence from a given place at a given time: in the absence of.
,
, ( 8). In order to emphasize its importance I wrote on the envelope: To be delivered to His Honor State
Counselor Brilling, or in his absence to His Excellency the Chief
of Police (8a).
2. , .. ~ ( )
[adv or subj-compl with (subj: human)] (to be, choose
to be etc) isolated, separate from others, (to feel) estranged:
X () ( Y-) X keeps aloof
apart from Ys; X keeps his distance maintains a distance; X keeps to himself; || X
X feels alienated cut off.
-200 -,
..; , - .. both
coll [PrepP; these forms only; adv] (to take hold of, grab,
hold, carry etc s.o. or sth.) with both arms around him or it:
(throw) ones arms around s.o. sth.; (grab hold, carry
etc s.o. sth.) with both ones arms wrapped around
him it etc.
,
( 4). Finally Zinaida threw her arms around him
and wouldnt let him go (4a).
2. ~ - in connection with the unavailability, complete absence of a person or thing: for lack want of; in
the absence of.
( 2). For
want of proper shoes, I was wearing a grotesque pair of Kazan
boots which I had bought at the Kiev fair (2a).
[ 389 ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
sth. that others might consider unpleasant, too laborintensive etc): when you do something by choice for
fun it doesnt seem hard; work you enjoy never feels too
hard; [lim.] a willing horse needs no spur.
-203 substand [PrepP; Invar] 1. [adv] (to do
sth.) willingly, enthusiastically: gladly; with pleasure; (be)
keen (on doing sth.); || Neg (be) none too
eager anxious (to do sth.); [lim.] have to be begged.
[:] , ,
,
, ( 2). [F.:] In
the old days there were generals, barons, admirals dancing at our
parties, and now we send for the post-office clerk and the stationmaster, and even they are none too anxious to come (2d). [F.:] Time
was we had generals and barons and admirals at our parties, and
now who do we get? The postmaster, the stationmaster. And even
they have to be begged (2b).
-208
, , , ..
[PrepP; these forms only; adv] completely, without leaving
any doubt: (most) convincingly; beyond the shadow of a
doubt; perfectly; totally; fully; || ~ .. it
this makes it perfectly obvious that ; ||
.. feel realize etc
full force.
, ? .
,
. , ( 6).
You see, gentlemen? He has small hands. He simply could not
have had a strong enough grip on this weighty tripod to strike a
blow of such great force. From which it is perfectly obvious that he
did not kill Arkadii Sergeevich Poggio (6a). !
,
. ,
,
( 2). Comrades! he repeated, feeling he
could not say another word, for it was only at that moment that he
was struck full force by everything that had occurred, the grief that
had come down on them all, himself included (2a).
.
, . ,
( 6). And Marya Afanasievna was an absolute treasure as a wife. She had made the change from highsociety charmer to mother and commanders wife and later to lady
of the manor in stride. All with absolute sincerity and with a willing
heart (6a).
-205 / or
coll [VP; subj: abstr or human; more often pfv]
to cause s.o. to lose the desire to do sth.: X Y-
Z X killed squelched Ys desire cured
Y of the desire to do Z; X made Y lose interest in doing
Z; X made Y lose Ys taste for doing Z; X discouraged
Ys inclination to do Z.
- , -
( 2). An
acquaintance with Russian history might long ago have discouraged
any inclination to look for the hand of justice, or for some higher
cosmic meaning, in the tale of Russias woes (2a).
-206
obs [VP; subj: human; the verb may
take the initial position, otherwise, fixed WO] not to overlook ones own interests, not to fail to exploit an opportunity
from which one might gain sth.: X
X doesnt let an opportunity pass him by; X
[ 390 ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
, , ,
( 1). When the ground had been sufficiently broken by courteous treatment, and when the people had had some respite from
enlightenment, naturally, the next concern was for legislation (1b).
-212 obs
[PrepP; these forms only; sent adv (parenth); fixed WO]
used to show that the action in question follows another action in series and is similar to that action in nature or effect:
in ones its turn; in turn; [lim.] for ones part.
:
, , ( 3). What he had in mind was
this: Put in a word for me with the Mensheviks, and I in turn will
hold my tongue about your coming here with a military secret (3a).
-214 /
[VP; subj: human; usu. 3rd pers pl with indef. refer.] to include s.o. on a list (to receive sth.): X-
X Xs name was put on a the waiting list.
. We were put on the
waiting list for an apartment.
-215 / /
[VP] 1. ~ ( ) [subj: human] to include ones name on a list (to receive sth.): X
X put himself his name (down) on a the
waiting list; X added his name to a the waiting list.
, .
Were thinking about buying a car and have already put our name
on the waiting list.
-219
- [VP; subj: human; usu. pres or past; the verb may
take the final position, otherwise fixed WO] to idealize s.o.
or sth., not notice his or its shortcomings: X Y-
X sees looks at Y through rosecolored glasses.
-220 / ,
.. coll [VP; subj: human; often
pfv fut; the verb may take the final position, otherwise fixed
WO] to surpass s.o. in sth. significantly: X Y-
X will beat (out) Y hands down by a
mile; X will leave Y in the dust.
[ ] , !
! ( 2). This [Vlads
verse] is the real thing, its classic stuff! He beats out Kazimir hands
down! (2a).
-221 , ,
.. highly coll [ + AdjP; nom only; adv] (one runs,
races, rushes about etc) in a crazed way, as if one has lost
his mind: like mad crazy; like a madman a madwoman; like one possessed.
, , (-
[ 391 ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
-222 , ..
highly coll [ + AdjP; nom only; adv] (to jump, run out
etc) suddenly, swiftly: as if (one had been) scalded; like a
shot; like a bat out of hell.
-
, ,
, ,
( 4). He came out from behind his desk and began to
push Nyura toward the door. Yielding to his pressure, Nyura
moved back over to the door, and knocking it open with her backside, she jumped through it as if she had been scalded (4a).
2. [adv] (to search for sth.) with ones hands, without relying on sight: grope fumble, feel for; .. ~ locate discover, find etc by touch; || ~
.. know identify etc by
(the) feel; be able to tell by (the) feel; [when counting
people or objects] by touching.
, , , ,
, ,
, , : ( 12). Quite unmoved, Phil stretched his hand out
behind him without turning around, opened a wall cabinet, groped
for a box, took a little packet from it, handed it to the sufferer and
said, Drink that with some water (12a).
,
( 4). Dark figures in sopping-wet sweaters
stood in front of Svintsov. He counted them by touching each one
(4a).
3. , , ~ .. [adv]
(to look for the road; try to find a solution etc) uncertainly,
not knowing how to proceed, applying guesswork: grope
feel, fumble ones way (forward ahead); grope fumble for (the road a solution etc); grope fumble in the
dark; grope fumble along.
,
( 2). The mechanism of psychological shock has been too little studied as yetI have to grope
my way forward (2a).
[ 392 ]
Copyright 1995, 2013 by Sophia Lubensky.
Praise for
Russian-English Dictionary of Idioms, Revised Edition:
I own many dictionaries of many kinds, but there is
none I enjoy using more than Sophia Lubenskys. It is
organised impeccably. The explanations are crystal clear.
And the illustrative examples are entertaining and often
memorable. I am delighted that it is being republished in
an expanded version.Robert Chandler, translator of
Vasily Grossmans Life and Fate
Sophia Lubenskys Russian-English Dictionary of Idioms is a masterpiece of scholarship and a treasure trove
for translators. Updated to capture the rapid changes
in contemporary usage, it is an indispensable guide to
understanding idioms in various contexts and time periods, learning how to use them, and translating them into
English. No student of Russian or translator should be
without it.Michele A. Berdy, author of The Russian
Words Worth
A most complete Russian-English dictionary of idioms, Sophia Lubenskys dictionary offers virtually the
only lexicographic description of Russian phraseology
alongside its English counterpart that is based on contemporary notions of linguistically significant features
of idioms. In addition to English equivalents and government patterns (for verbal idioms), this dictionary
provides definitions of Russian idioms in English. The
presentation of entries and principles employed to describe the idioms meet the highest lexicographic standards.Dmitrij Dobrovolskij, Vinogradov Russian
Language Institute
Before another day goes by, I must tell you that every translator on the staff of The Current Digest of the
Post-Soviet Press greatly admires your Dictionary of
Idioms and makes daily use of it. There is a personal
copy on almost every desk as well as a public one on
the reference table. I can think of no other single reference work that solves as many problems for us as yours
does. Its almost as good as having a very literate native
informant with a native grasp of English at your elbow
with nothing else to do all day long but help you translate Russian idioms. Ive wanted to communicate this to
you for over a year, and finally hit on the idea of finding
your e-mail through the University internet directory.
Timothy D. Sergay, University at Albany
Sophia Lubensky deserves full praise for the academic side of this mammoth and highly professional
lexicographic work.Paul Cubberley, University of
Melbourne, Australian Slavonic and East European
Studies, Vol. 9, No. 2, 1995