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Top most famous catchphrases
Who are the judges?
Quote from A. S. Griboedov’s comedy “Woe from Wit” (1824), d.2, yavl.5, words by Chatsky:
Who are the judges? - For the antiquity of years
Their enmity towards a free life is irreconcilable,
Judgments are drawn from forgotten newspapers
The times of the Ochakovskys and the conquest of Crimea.
Balzac age
The expression arose after the publication of the novel by the French writer Honore de Balzac (1799-1850) “A Woman of Thirty” (1831); used as a characteristic of women aged 30-40 years.
Without a rudder and without sails
Quote from M. Yu. Lermnotov’s poem “The Demon” (1842), part 1:
On the air ocean
Without a rudder and without sails
Quietly floating in the fog -
Choirs of slender luminaries.
White crow
This expression, as a designation of a rare person, sharply different from the rest, is given in the 7th satire of the Roman poet Juvenal (mid-1st century - after 127 AD):
Fate gives kingdoms to slaves and brings triumphs to captives.
However, such a lucky person is rarer than a black sheep.
Adopt greyhound puppies
It arose from the comedy of N.V. Gogol's "The Inspector General", d. 1, yavl. 1, words by Lyapin-Tyapkin: “There are different sins. I tell everyone openly that I take bribes, but with what bribes? With greyhound puppies. This is a completely different matter.”
Throwing a stone
The expression “throwing a stone” at someone in the sense of “accusing” arose from the Gospel (John 8:7); Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees, who, tempting him, brought to him a woman caught in adultery: “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her” (in ancient Judea there was a penalty - stoning).
Paper endures everything (Paper does not turn red)
The expression goes back to the Roman writer and orator Cicero (106 - 43 BC); in his letters “To Friends” there is an expression: “Epistola non erubescit” - “A letter does not blush,” that is, in writing one can express thoughts that one is embarrassed to express orally.
To be or not to be - that is the question
The beginning of Hamlet's monologue in Shakespeare's tragedy of the same name, translated by N.A. Polevoy (1837).
You cannot harness a horse and a tremulous doe to one cart
Quote from the poem by A.S. Pushkin "Poltava" (1829).
The great, powerful, truthful and free Russian language
Quote from a prose poem by I.S. Turgenev "Russian language" (1882).
Let's go back to our sheep
With these words in the farce “Lawyer Pierre Patlen” (c. 1470), the first of a series of anonymous farces about the lawyer Patlin, the judge interrupts the speech of a wealthy clothier. Having initiated a case against the shepherd who stole his sheep, the clothier, forgetting about his litigation, showers reproaches on the shepherd's defender, lawyer Patlen, who did not pay him for six cubits of cloth.
Wolf in sheep's clothing
The expression originated from the Gospel: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.”
In borrowed plumes
It arose from a fable by I.A. Krylov "The Crow" (1825).
Time is money
An aphorism from the work of the American scientist and politician Franklin (1706-1790) “Advice to a Young Merchant” (1748).
I carry everything I have with me
The expression originated from an ancient Greek legend. When the Persian king Cyrus occupied the city of Priene in Ionia, the inhabitants abandoned it, taking with them the most valuable of their possessions. Only Biant, one of the “seven wise men”, a native of Priene, left empty-handed. In response to the perplexed questions of his fellow citizens, he answered, referring to spiritual values: “I carry everything I own with me.” This expression is often used in the Latin formulation due to Cicero: Omnia mea mecum porto.
Everything flows, everything changes
This expression, defining the constant variability of all things, sets out the essence of the teachings of the Greek philosopher Heraclitus from Ephesus (c. 530-470 BC)
Was there a boy?
One of the episodes of M. Gorky’s novel “The Life of Klim Samgin” tells about the boy Klim skating with other children. Boris Varavka and Varya Somova fall into the wormwood. Klim hands Boris the end of his gymnasium belt, but, feeling that he too is being pulled into the water, he lets go of the belt. Children are drowning. When the search for the drowned begins, Klim is struck by “someone’s serious, incredulous question: “Was there a boy, maybe there wasn’t a boy.” The last phrase became popular as a figurative expression of extreme doubt about something.
Twenty two misfortunes
This is how in A.P. Chekhov’s play “The Cherry Orchard” (1903) they call the clerk Epikhodov, with whom some comic misfortune happens every day. The expression is applied to people with whom some misfortune constantly happens.
Twenty-three years and nothing has been done for immortality
Words of Don Carlos from F. Schiller's drama "Don Carlos, Infant of Spain" (1782), d.2, yavl. 2.
Two-Faced Janus
In Roman mythology, Janus - the god of time, as well as every beginning and end, entrances and exits (janua - door) - was depicted with two faces facing in opposite directions: young - forward, to the future, old - back, to the past. The resulting expression “two-faced Janus” or simply “Janus” means: a two-faced person.
The work of helping drowning people is the work of the drowning people themselves
In the novel by I. Ilf and E. Petrov “The Twelve Chairs” (1927), in chapter 34, a poster with such a slogan is mentioned, hung in the club at the evening of the Water Rescue Society.
Money doesn't smell
The expression arose from the words of the Roman emperor (69 - 79 AD) Vespasian, said by him, as Suetonius reports in his biography, on the following occasion. When Vespasian's son Titus reproached his father for introducing a tax on public latrines, Vespasian brought the first money received from this tax to his nose and asked if it smelled. To Titus's negative answer, Vespasian said: "And yet they are made of urine."
Domostroy
"Domostroy" is a monument of Russian literature of the 16th century, which is a set of everyday rules and moral teachings. The husband, according to Domostroy, is the head of the family, the master of the wife, and Domostroy indicates in detail in what cases he must beat his wife, etc. Hence the word “domostroy” means: a conservative way of family life, a morality that affirms the slave position of women.
Draconian measures
This is the name given to the excessively harsh laws named after Dragon, the first legislator of the Athenian Republic (7th century BC). Among the punishments determined by its laws, the death penalty allegedly occupied a prominent place, which punished, for example, such an offense as theft of vegetables. There was a legend that these laws were written in blood (Plutarch, Solon). In literary speech, the expression “draconian laws”, “draconian measures, punishments” became stronger in the meaning of harsh, cruel laws.
Eat to live, not live to eat
The aphorism belongs to Socrates (469-399 BC), and was often quoted by ancient writers.
Yellow press
In 1895, American graphic artist Richard Outcault published a series of frivolous drawings with humorous text in a number of issues of the New York newspaper "The World"; Among the drawings was a picture of a child in a yellow shirt, to whom various funny sayings were attributed. Soon another newspaper, the New York Journal, began publishing a series of similar drawings. A dispute arose between these two newspapers over the right of primacy to the "yellow boy". In 1896, Erwin Wardman, editor of the New York Press, published an article in his magazine in which he contemptuously called both competing newspapers "yellow press." Since then, the expression has become popular.
Finest hour
An expression by Stefan Zweig (1881-1942) from the preface to his collection of historical short stories, Humanity's Finest Hours (1927). Zweig explains that he called historical moments sidereal hours “because, like eternal stars, they invariably shine in the night of oblivion and decay.”
Knowledge is power
Expression of the English philosopher Francis Bacon in Moral and Political Essays (1597).
Golden mean
An expression from the 2nd book of odes of the Roman poet Horace: “aurea mediocritas”.
And it’s boring, and sad, and there’s no one to give a hand to
Quote from the poem by M. Yu. Lermontov “Both boring and sad” (1840).
And you Brute?
In Shakespeare's tragedy "Julius Caesar" (d. 3, iv. 1), with these words the dying Caesar addresses Brutus, who was among the conspirators who attacked him in the Senate. Historians consider this phrase legendary. Marcus Junius Brutus, whom Caesar considered his supporter, became the head of the conspiracy against him and was one of those involved in his assassination in 44 BC.
Choose the lesser of two evils
An expression found in the works of the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, in the form: “The lesser of evils must be chosen.” Cicero (in his essay “On Duties”) says: “One should not only choose the least of evils, but also extract from them themselves what can be good in them.”
Making an elephant out of a molehill
The expression is one of the ancient ones. It is quoted by the Greek writer Lucian (3rd century AD), who ends his satirical “Praise of the Fly” like this: “But I interrupt my speech, although I could say a lot more, lest anyone think that I “As the proverb goes, I make a mountain out of a molehill.”
Highlight
The expression is used in the meaning: something that gives a special taste, attractiveness to something (a dish, a story, a person, etc.). It arose from a popular proverb: “Kvass is not expensive, the zest in kvass is expensive”; became popular after the appearance of L. N. Tolstoy’s drama “The Living Corpse” (1912). The hero of the drama, Protasov, talking about his family life, says: “My wife was an ideal woman... But what can I tell you? There was no zest - you know, the zest in kvass? - there was no game in our life. And I had to forget myself . And without the game you won’t forget..."
Capital to acquire and innocence to maintain
An expression popularized by M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin ("Letters to Auntie", letter 10, 1882; "Children of Moscow", "Little things in life", 1877, "Mon Repos Shelter").
Scapegoat
A biblical expression that arose from a description of the special ritual that existed among the ancient Jews of transferring the sins of the entire people onto a living goat; on the day of absolution, the high priest laid both hands on the head of a living goat as a sign of transferring the sins of the Jewish people to it, after which the goat was driven into the desert. The expression is used in the sense: a person who is constantly being blamed for someone else, who is responsible for others.
a swan song
The expression is used to mean: the last manifestation of talent. Based on the belief that swans sing before death, it arose in ancient times. Evidence of this is found in one of Aesop’s fables (6th century BC): “They say that swans sing before they die.”
Summer. Sink into oblivion
In Greek mythology, Lethe is the river of oblivion in Hades, the underworld; upon arrival in the underworld, the souls of the dead drank water from it and forgot their entire past life.
Flying Dutchman
A Dutch legend has preserved the story of a sailor who vowed, in a strong storm, to round the cape that blocked his path, even if it took him forever. Because of his pride, he was doomed to forever rush on a ship on a raging sea, never landing on the shore. This legend obviously arose in the age of great discoveries. It is possible that its historical basis was the expedition of Vasco da Gama (1469-1524), who rounded the Cape of Good Hope in 1497. In the 17th century this legend was associated with several Dutch captains, which is reflected in its name.
Seize the day
The expression apparently goes back to Horace (“carpe diem” - “seize the day”, “take advantage of the day”).
The lion's share
The expression goes back to the fable of the ancient Greek fabulist Aesop "The Lion, the Fox and the Donkey", the plot of which - the division of prey among the animals - was later used by Phaedrus, La Fontaine and other fabulists.
The Moor has done his job, the Moor can leave
Quote from the drama by F. Schiller (1759 - 1805) “The Fiesco Conspiracy in Genoa” (1783). This phrase (d.3, iv.4) is uttered by the Moor, who turned out to be unnecessary after he helped Count Fisco organize a rebellion of the Republicans against the tyrant of Genoa, Doge Doria. This phrase has become a saying characterizing a cynical attitude towards a person whose services are no longer needed.
Manna from heaven
According to the Bible, manna is the food that God sent to the Jews every morning from heaven when they walked through the desert to the promised land (Exodus 16, 14-16 and 31).
Disservice
The expression arose from I. A. Krylov’s fable “The Hermit and the Bear” (1808).
Honeymoon
The idea that the happiness of the first stage of marriage quickly gives way to the bitterness of disappointment, figuratively expressed in eastern folklore, was used by Voltaire for his philosophical novel “Zadig, or Fate” (1747), in the 3rd chapter of which he writes: “Zadig experienced that The first month of marriage, as described in the book of Zend, is the honeymoon, and the second is the wormwood month."
Between a rock and a hard place
Title of the novel (1868) by Friedrich Spielhagen (1829-1911). It is used to characterize the difficult situation of someone when dangers and troubles threaten from two sides.
Maecenas
The wealthy Roman patrician Gaius Cilnius Maecenas (between 74 and 64 - 8 BC) widely patronized artists and poets. Horace, Virgil, Propertius glorified him in their poems. Martial (40 - 102 AD) in one of his epigrams says: “If Flaccus were Patrons, there would be no shortage of Maroons,” that is, Virgilius (Vergilius Maro). Thanks to the poems of these poets, his name became a household name for the wealthy patron of the arts and sciences.
Your gift is not dear to me, your love is dear to me
An expression from the Russian folk song “On the Pavement Street”:
Oh, my darling is good,
Chernobrov soul, handsome,
He brought me a gift,
Dear gift,
A gold ring from the hand.
Your gift is not dear to me, -
Dear is your love.
I don't want to wear a ring
I want to love my friend like that.
Young people love us everywhere
Quote from “Song of the Motherland” in the film “Circus” (1936), text by V. I. Lebedev-Kumach, music by I. O. Dunaevsky.
Milk rivers, jelly banks
An expression from a Russian folk tale.
Silent means consent
Expression of Pope Boniface VIII (1294-1303) in one of his messages, included in canon law (a set of decrees of church authority). This expression goes back to Sophocles (496-406 BC), in whose tragedy “The Trachinian Women” it is said: “Don’t you understand that by silence you agree with the accuser?”
Torments of Tantalus
In Greek mythology, Tantalus, the king of Phrygia (also called the king of Lydia), was the favorite of the gods, who often invited him to their feasts. But, proud of his position, he offended the gods, for which he was severely punished. According to Homer ("Odyssey"), his punishment was that, cast into Tartarus (hell), he forever experiences the unbearable pangs of thirst and hunger; he stands up to his neck in water, but the water recedes from him as soon as he bows his head to drink; branches with luxurious fruits hang over him, but as soon as he stretches out his hands to them, the branches deviate. This is where the expression “torment of Tantalus” arose, meaning: unbearable torment due to the inability to achieve the desired goal, despite its proximity.
We are lazy and not curious
Quote from “Travel to Arzrum” (1836) by A. S. Pushkin, ch. 2.
We cannot wait for favors from nature; taking them from her is our task
The expression belongs to the biologist-geneticist breeder I.V. Michurin (1855-1935), who in practice, on a large scale, showed the ability to change the hereditary forms of organisms, adapting them to human needs.
On the seventh sky
The expression, meaning the highest degree of joy and happiness, goes back to the Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BC), who in his essay “On Heaven” explains the structure of the firmament. He believed that the sky consists of seven motionless crystal spheres on which the stars and planets are established. The seven heavens are mentioned in various places in the Quran: for example, it is said that the Quran itself was brought by an angel from the seventh heaven.
Our regiment has arrived
An expression from the ancient “game” song “And we sowed millet”; used in the meaning: there have been more people like us (in some respect).
Don't throw pearls before swine
An expression from the Gospel: “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls (Church Slavic beads) before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and turn and tear you to pieces” (Matt. 7:6). Used to mean: do not waste words with people who cannot understand or appreciate them.
Without further ado
An expression from A. S. Pushkin’s tragedy “Boris Godunov” (1831), scene “Night. Cell in the Miracle Monastery”, words of the chronicler Pimen:
Describe without further ado,
All that you will witness in life.
I don't want to study, I want to get married
Words by Mitrofanushka from D. I. Fonvizin’s comedy “The Minor” (1783), no. 3, yavl. 7.
The sky is in diamonds
An expression from A. P. Chekhov’s play “Uncle Vanya” (1897). In the 4th act, Sonya, consoling the tired Uncle Vanya, exhausted by life, says: “We will rest! We will hear the angels, we will see the whole sky in diamonds, we will see how all earthly evil, all our suffering will drown in the mercy that will fill the whole world, and our life will become quiet, gentle, sweet, like a caress.”
Regardless of faces
Expression from the Bible. The idea of acting without partiality, without subservience to superiors is expressed in many places in the Old and New Testaments (Deuteronomy 1:17; Matt. 22:16; Mark 12:14, etc.), although in slightly different words. It is possible that the expression “regardless of persons” is a translation of the phrase “Ohne Ansehen der Person”, common in German speech, which is a quote from Luther’s translation of the Gospel (First Epistle of Peter, 1, 17).
No one will embrace the immensity
Aphorism from “Fruits of Thoughts” by Kozma Prutkov (1854).
Nothing is new [eternal] under the moon
Quote from N. M. Karamzin’s poem “Experienced Solomon’s Wisdom, or Selected Thoughts from Ecclesiastes” (1797):
There's nothing new under the sun:
What is, has been, will forever be.
And before, blood flowed like a river,
And before, a man cried...
This poem is an imitation of Ecclesiastes, one of the books that make up the Bible.
New is well forgotten old
In 1824, the memoirs of milliner Marie Antoinette Mademoiselle Bertin were published in France, in which she said these words about the queen’s old dress that she had updated (in reality, her memoirs are fake - their author is Jacques Pesce). This idea was perceived as new only because it had been well forgotten. Already Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400) said that “there is no new custom that is not old.” This quote from Chaucer was popularized by Walter Scott's book The Folk Songs of Southern Scotland.
O times! oh morals!
An expression that Cicero (106-43 BC) often used in his speeches, for example, in his first speech against Catiline. It is also quoted in Latin: “O tempora! o mores!”
About the dead it's either good or nothing
The expression often quoted in Latin: "De mortuis nil nisi bene" or "De mortuis aut bene aut nihil", apparently goes back to the work of Diogenes Laertius (3rd century AD): "Life, teaching and opinions famous philosophers", which contains the saying of one of the "seven wise men" - Chilon (VI century BC): "Do not slander the dead."
Oh holy simplicity!
This expression is attributed to the leader of the Czech national movement, Jan Hus (1369-1415). Sentenced by a church council as a heretic to be burned, he allegedly uttered these words at the stake when he saw that some old woman (according to another version, a peasant woman) in simple-minded religious zeal threw the brushwood she had brought into the fire. However, Hus's biographers, based on reports of eyewitnesses to his death, deny the fact that he uttered this phrase. The church writer Turanius Rufinus (c. 345-410), in his continuation of Eusebius's History of the Church, reports that the expression “holy simplicity” was uttered at the first Council of Nicaea (325) by one of the theologians. This expression is often used in Latin: “O sancta simplicitas!”
Formed
In L.N. Tolstoy's novel "Anna Karenina", part 1, chapter 2 (1875), the valet uses this word to encourage his master, Stepan Arkadyevich, who is upset by a quarrel with his wife. This word, used in the sense of “everything will be settled,” which became popular after the appearance of Tolstoy’s novel, was probably heard by him somewhere. He used it in one of his letters to his wife back in 1866, convincing her not to worry about various everyday troubles. His wife repeated his words in a response letter: “Probably, all this will work out.”
Window to Europe
Expression from A. S. Pushkin’s poem “The Bronze Horseman”, Introduction (1834):
On the shore of desert waves
He stood there, full of great thoughts,
And I looked into the distance...
And he thought:
From here we will threaten the Swede.
The city will be founded here
To spite an arrogant neighbor.
Nature destined us here
Open a window to Europe...
This expression, as Pushkin himself indicated in the notes to the poem, goes back to the Italian writer Algarotti (1712-1764), who in his “Letters about Russia” said: “Petersburg is the window through which Russia looks at Europe.”
An eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth
An expression from the Bible, the formula for the law of retribution: “A fracture for a fracture, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth: as he has done damage to a man’s body, so must he do it” (Leviticus, 24, 20; about the same - Exodus, 21, 24; Deuteronomy 19, 21).
All that's left are the horns and legs
A not entirely accurate quote from a song by an unknown author, “The Little Gray Goat,” which has appeared in songbooks since 1855.
From great to funny one step
This phrase was often repeated by Napoleon during his flight from Russia in December 1812 to his ambassador in Warsaw, de Pradt, who spoke about it in the book “History of the Embassy to the Grand Duchy of Warsaw” (1816). Its primary source is the expression of the French writer Jean-François Marmontel (1723-1799) in the fifth volume of his works (1787): “In general, the funny comes into contact with the great.”
Oh, you are heavy, Monomakh’s hat!
Quote from A. S. Pushkin’s tragedy “Boris Godunov”, scene “The Royal Chambers” (1831), monologue of Boris (Monomakh in Greek is a martial artist; a nickname that was associated with the names of some Byzantine emperors. In ancient Rus', this nickname was assigned to the Grand Duke Vladimir (beginning of the 12th century), from whom the Moscow kings traced their origin. Monomakh's cap is the crown with which the Moscow kings were crowned kings, a symbol of royal power). The above quote characterizes a difficult situation.
Panic fear
Originated from the Greek myths about Pan, the god of forests and fields. According to myths, Pan brings sudden and unaccountable terror to people, especially to travelers in remote and secluded places, as well as to troops who flee from this. This is where the word “panic” comes from.
Feast in Time of Plague
The name of the dramatic scenes of A. S. Pushkin (1832), the basis for which was a scene from the poems of the English poet John Wilson “Plague City” (1816). Used in the meaning: feast, cheerful, carefree life during some public disaster.
Plato is my friend but the truth is dearer
The Greek philosopher Plato (427-347 BC) in his essay “Phaedo” attributes to Socrates the words “Following me, think less about Socrates, and more about the truth.” Aristotle, in his work “Nicomachean Ethics,” polemicizing with Plato and referring to him, writes: “Even though friends and truth are dear to me, duty commands me to give preference to truth.” Luther (1483-1546) says: “Plato is my friend, Socrates is my friend, but truth should be preferred” (“On the Enslaved Will,” 1525). The expression “Amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas” - “Plato is my friend, but the truth is dearer”, was formulated by Cervantes in the 2nd part, ch. 51 novels "Don Quixote" (1615).
The fruits of enlightenment
The title of L. N. Tolstoy's comedy (1891).
Dancing to someone else's tune
The expression is used to mean: to act not according to one’s own will, but according to the will of another. Goes back to the Greek historian Herodotus (5th century BC), who in the 1st book of his “History” says: when the Persian king Cyrus conquered the Medes, the Greeks of Asia Minor, whom he had previously tried in vain to win over to his side, expressed their readiness obey him, but under certain conditions. Then Cyrus told them the following fable: “One flute player, seeing fish in the sea, began to play the flute, expecting that they would come to him on land. Having been deceived in his hope, he took a net, threw it in and pulled out a lot of fish. Seeing how the fish fighting in the nets, he told them: “Stop dancing; when I played the flute, you did not want to go out and dance." This fable is attributed to Aesop (VI century BC).
Success is never blamed
These words are attributed to Catherine II, who allegedly expressed herself this way when A.V. Suvorov was put on trial by military court for the assault on Turtukai in 1773, undertaken by him contrary to the orders of Field Marshal Rumyantsev. However, the story about Suvorov’s arbitrary actions and about putting him on trial is refuted by serious researchers.
Know yourself
According to the legend reported by Plato in the dialogue “Protagoras”, the seven sages of ancient Greece (Thales, Pittacus, Bias, Solon, Cleobulus, Myson and Chilo), having come together in the temple of Apollo at Delphi, wrote: “Know yourself.” The idea of knowing oneself was explained and disseminated by Socrates. This expression is often used in its Latin form: nosce te ipsum.
After us there might be a flood
This phrase is attributed to the French king Louis XV, but memoirists claim that it belongs to the favorite of this king, the Marquise of Pompadour (1721-1764). She said it in 1757 to console the king, dejected by the defeat of the French troops at Rosbach. It is possible that this phrase is an echo of a verse by an unknown Greek poet, which was often quoted by Cicero and Seneca: “After my death, let the world perish in fire.”
Potemkin villages
In 1783, on the initiative of the statesman of the times of Catherine II, Prince G. A. Potemkin (1739-1791), Crimea was annexed to Russia, included in Novorossiya. Contemporaries said that Potemkin, in order to show Catherine the prosperity of the new territory (during her trip to the south in 1787), erected villages on the empress’s path that were entirely decorations, and set up festively dressed people to meet her, who had been brought from afar, but presented themselves as local residents, showed grain warehouses in which sacks were filled with sand instead of flour, drove the same herd of cattle from one place to another at night, planted parks in Kremenchug and other cities, and planting was carried out for several days, so that the plantings died after Catherine's passage, etc.
Delay is like death
In 1711, before the Prussian campaign, Peter I sent a letter to the newly established Senate. Thanks to the senators for their activities, he demanded that they continue not to delay in making the necessary orders, “before the lapse of time is like death, irrevocable.” Peter's words gained popularity in a more concise form: “Delay is like death.”
Go all out
Large bells in ancient Rus' were called "heavy". The nature of the bell ringing, i.e. when and which bells should be rung was determined by the “Typikon” - the church charter, in which the expression “to ring all the hard” meant: to ring all the bells at once. This is where the expression “go all out” arose, which is used to mean: to go astray from the correct path in life, to begin uncontrollably indulging in carousing, debauchery, extravagance, etc.
Spreading cranberry
The expression is used as a humorous designation for nonsense reports about Russia and Russians, belonging to ill-informed foreigners, in general - anything implausible, revealing complete unfamiliarity with the subject. Oral tradition considers the source of this expression to be the description of a journey through Russia by Alexandre Dumas father (1803-1870). Meanwhile, in the books describing his travels around Russia, no gross distortions in the depiction of Russian nature, Russian morals and customs are found. In "Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language" ed. D. N. Ushakova reports that the expression “came from a description of Russia, in which a superficial French author sat under the shadow of a majestic cranberry tree.” It can be assumed that the expression “spreading cranberry” is of parodic origin and arose from a Russian author, ridiculing the truly anecdotal descriptions of Russian life found in some ill-informed French authors.
Get itchy, shoulder! Swing your hand!
Quote from A.V. Koltsov’s poem “Mower” (1835).
Rare bird
This expression (Latin rara avis) meaning “rare creature” is first found in the satires of Roman poets, for example, in Juvenal (mid-1st century - after 127 AD): “A rare bird on earth, sort of like black Swan".
Born to crawl cannot fly
Quote from "Song of the Falcon" by M. Gorky.
Hands off!
Expresses the requirement of non-interference in the affairs of someone or something, maintaining the inviolability of something. This expression as a political slogan was first used by the English minister William Gladstone (1809-1898) to address Austria, which occupied Bosnia and Herzegovina in the fall of 1878.
Stigma in fluff
An expression from I. A. Krylov’s fable “The Fox and the Marmot” (1813). The Fox complains to the Woodchuck that she is suffering in vain and, slandered, was exiled for bribes:
- You know, I was the judge of the chicken coop,
I lost my health and peace in my affairs,
In my labors I didn’t finish eating a bite,
Didn't get enough sleep at night:
And for that I fell into anger;
And everything is based on slander. Well, just think about it:
Who will be right in the world if he listens to slander?
Should I take bribes? Am I going to get mad?
Well, have you seen, I'll go after you,
So that I am involved in this sin?
Think, remember carefully...
- No, Kumushka; I have often seen
That your stigma is covered in fluff.
This expression is used to mean: to be involved in something criminal, unseemly.
From the ship to the ball
Expression from “Eugene Onegin” by A. S. Pushkin, chapter 8, stanza 13 (1832):
And travel for him,
Like everyone else in the world, I'm tired of it,
He returned and hit
Like Chatsky, from the ship to the ball.
This expression characterizes an unexpected, sharp change in situation or circumstances.
With sweetheart paradise and in a hut
Quote from the poem by N. M. Ibragimov (1778-1818) “Russian Song” (“In the evening the maiden is beautiful...”):
Don't look for me, rich man:
You are not dear to my soul.
What do I care about your chambers?
With my dear one, heaven and in the hut!
First published in 1815, this poem gained great popularity and became a folk song.
With feeling, with sense, with arrangement
Quote from A. S. Griboedov’s comedy “Woe from Wit” (1824), d.2, yavl.1.
Blue stocking
The expression, denoting a contemptuous name for women who are completely absorbed in bookish, scientific interests, arose in England in the 80s of the 18th century. and did not have the disparaging meaning that it received later. Initially, it denoted a circle of people of both sexes who gathered at Lady Montagu's for conversations on literary and scientific topics. The soul of the conversations was the scientist Benjamin Stellingfleet (1702-1771), who, disdaining fashion, wore blue stockings with dark clothes. When for some reason he did not appear in the circle, they repeated: “We cannot live without blue stockings, today the conversation is going badly - there are no blue stockings!” Thus, for the first time, this nickname was given to a man, not a woman. The expression especially spread when Byron used it in his satire of Lady Montague's circle, "The Blues."
Blue bird
A play by Maurice Maeterlinck (1862-1949), staged at the Moscow Art Theater on September 30, 1908. The plot of this play is the adventures of the children of a poor woodcutter in search of the Blue Bird. According to Oak in the play, the Bluebird is "the secret of things and happiness." “If a person finds the Blue Bird, he will know everything, see everything” (words of the Cat).
A mixture of French and Nizhny Novgorod languages
Quote from A. S. Griboedov’s comedy “Woe from Wit.”
Combine business with pleasure
An expression from “The Art of Poetry” by Horace, who says about the poet: “He is worthy of all approval who combines the pleasant with the useful.”
Happy hours don't watch
Quote from A. S. Griboyedov’s comedy “Woe from Wit”, no. 1, yavl. 4, words by Sophia.
Wash your hands
Used to mean: to avoid responsibility for something. It arose from the Gospel: Pilate washed his hands before the crowd, giving Jesus to them for execution, and said: “I am not guilty of the blood of this righteous man” (Matt. 27:24). The ritual washing of hands, which serves as evidence of the non-involvement of the person washing in anything, is described in the Bible (Deuteronomy 21:6-7).
Weak spot
It arose from the myth about the only vulnerable spot on the hero’s body: Achilles’ heel, a spot on Siegfried’s back, etc. Used in the meaning: the weak side of a person, deeds.
Fortune. Wheel of Fortune
Fortuna is the goddess of blind chance, happiness and misfortune in Roman mythology. She was depicted blindfolded, standing on a ball or wheel (emphasizing her constant variability), and holding a steering wheel in one hand and a cornucopia in the other. The rudder indicated that fortune controls a person's destiny.
He who laughs last laughs best
The expression belongs to the French writer Jean-Pierre Florian (1755-1794), who used it in the fable “Two Peasants and a Cloud.”
End justifies the means
The idea of this expression, which is the basis of Jesuit morality, was borrowed by them from the English philosopher Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679).
Man is a wolf to man
An expression from the “Donkey Comedy” by the ancient Roman writer Plautus (c. 254-184 BC).
Q.E.D
This formula ends every mathematical reasoning of the great Greek mathematician Euclid (3rd century BC).
What we have, we don’t keep, having lost it, we cry
The name of the vaudeville (1844) by S. Solovyov
The language of native aspens
Expression from an epigram (1884) by I. S. Turgenev to N. H. Ketcher (1809-1886), translator of Shakespeare; His translations are distinguished by their exceptional closeness to the original, which often harms poetry:
Here is another luminary of the world!
Catcher, friend of sparkling wines;
He performed Shakespeare for us
In the language of native aspens.
This expression is used ironically to refer to rough translations from foreign languages into Russian.
Augean stables
In Greek mythology, the “Augean stables” are the vast stables of Augeas, the king of Elis, which were not cleaned for many years. They were cleansed in one day by Hercules: he directed the Alpheus River through the stables, the waters of which carried away all the impurities. This myth was first reported by the ancient Greek historian Diodorus Siculus. The expression “Augean stables” that arose from this refers to an extremely neglected premises, as well as to matters that are in extreme disorder. Aurora
In Roman mythology, Aurora is the goddess of the dawn. In figurative and poetic speech it is generally synonymous with dawn. The expression “rose-fingered Aurora” entered literary speech from the poems of Homer. In Greek mythology, it corresponds to Eos. Antey
In Greek mythology, Antaeus is a giant, the ruler of Libya, the son of the god of the seas Poseidon and the goddess of the earth Gaia. He challenged everyone who appeared in his domain to battle, and was invincible as long as he was in contact with mother earth. Strangled by Hercules, who tore him off the ground. This myth was conveyed by the Greek writer Apollodorus in the “Library”. The image of Antaeus is used when talking about the power that a person possesses if he is connected with his native land, his native people.
 Poor as Ir.
In Greek mythology, Ir is one of the characters in the Odyssey, a beggar who got into a fight with Odysseus when he returned to his home under the guise of a beggar. In a figurative sense - a poor man.
Balzac age
The expression arose after the publication of O. de Balzac’s novel “A Woman of Thirty” and is used as a humorous definition of women aged 30-40. White crow
This expression, as a designation of a rare, exceptional person, is given in a satire by the Roman poet Juvenal:
Fate gives kingdoms to slaves and brings triumphs to captives.
However, such a lucky person is rarer than a black sheep. Prodigal son
The expression arose from the Gospel parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), which tells how a certain man divided his property between two sons; the younger one went to the far side and, living dissolutely, squandered his share. Having experienced need and hardship, he returned to his father and repented before him, and his father accepted and forgave him: Let us eat and be merry, for this son of mine was dead and is alive again, he was lost and is found. The expression “Prodigal Son” is used both in the meaning of “a dissolute man” and in the meaning of “repentant of his errors.”
 Age of Astraea
In Greek mythology, Dike Astraea is one of the Or, the goddess of justice, daughter of Zeus and Themis. Dike informed Zeus about all the injustices happening on earth. The time when she was on earth was a happy, “golden age.” She left the earth in the Iron Age and since then, under the name of Virgo, she has been shining in the constellation of the Zodiac. The nickname Astraea (starry, heavenly) is probably associated with the idea that true justice is possible only in heaven. The expression “age of Astraea” is used to mean: a happy time.
Barbarian
Barbarian is a contemptuous term for a rude and uncultured person. It arose from "barbaros" - "incomprehensibly chattering." This is what the Greeks called those who did not speak Greek. Libation [worship] of Bacchus [Bacchus]
Bacchus (Bacchus) is the Roman name of the Greek god of wine and fun, Dionysus. The ancient Romans had a libation ritual when making sacrifices to the gods, which consisted of pouring wine from a cup in honor of the god. This is where the humorous expression “libation to Bacchus” arose, used to mean: drinking. The name of this ancient Roman god is also used in other humorous expressions about drunkenness: “worship Bacchus,” “serve Bacchus.” Babel
The expression originates from a biblical myth about an attempt to build a tower in Babylon that would reach the sky. When the builders began their work, the angry God “confused their language,” they ceased to understand each other and could not continue the construction (Genesis, 11, 1 - 9). (Church Glav.: pandemonium - the structure of a pillar, tower.) Used in the meaning: disorder, confusion, noise, turmoil
 Hercules. Herculean labor (feat) Pillars of Hercules (pillars.)
Hercules (Hercules) is a hero in Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene. He performed the famous twelve labors: he strangled the Nemean lion, killed the Lernaean hydra, cleaned the Augean stables, etc. In memory of his wanderings, Hercules erected the “Pillars of Hercules”. This is what the ancient world called two rocks on opposite shores of the Strait of Gibraltar. These pillars were considered the “edge of the world”, beyond which there is no way. Therefore, the expression “to reach the pillars of Hercules” began to be used to mean: to reach the limit of something, to the extreme point. The name of Hercules himself became a household name for a person with great physical strength. The expression “Herculean labor, feat” is used when talking about any task that requires extraordinary effort.
Hercules at the crossroads
The expression arose from the speech of the Greek sophist Prodicus, which became known to us in the presentation of Xenophon. In this speech, Prodicus told an allegory he had composed about Hercules (Hercules), sitting at a crossroads and reflecting on the path of life that he had to choose. Two women approached him: Effeminacy, who promised him a carefree life full of pleasures, and Virtue, who showed him the difficult path to glory. Hercules chose the latter and after much labor became a god. The expression “Hercules at the crossroads” is applied to a person who finds it difficult to choose between two decisions. Voice in the wilderness
An expression from the Bible (Isaiah, 40, 3; quoted: Matt., 3, 3; Mark, 1, 3; John, 1, 23), used in the meaning: a vain call for something, remaining unheeded, unanswered Hannibal at the Gate
This expression, meaning imminent and formidable danger, was figuratively used for the first time by Cicero in one of his speeches (Philippics 1:5,11) against the commander Anthony, who was marching on Rome to seize power. Cicero was referring to the Carthaginian commander Hannibal (Annibal) (247-183 BC), who was an ardent enemy of Rome.
 Sword of Damocles
The expression originated from an ancient Greek legend told by Cicero. Damocles, one of the close associates of the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius the Elder, began to enviously speak of him as the happiest of people. Dionysius, in order to teach the envious man a lesson, put him in his place. During the feast, Damocles saw a sharp sword hanging above his head from a horsehair. Dionysius explained that this is a symbol of the dangers to which he, as a ruler, is constantly exposed, despite his seemingly happy life. Hence the expression “sword of Damocles” received the meaning of impending, threatening danger.
Greek gift. Trojan horse
The expression is used to mean: insidious gifts that bring with them death for those who receive them. Originated from Greek legends about the Trojan War. The Danaans (Greeks), after a long and unsuccessful siege of Troy, resorted to cunning: they built a huge wooden horse, left it at the walls of Troy, and themselves pretended to sail away from the shores of Troy. The priest Laocoon, seeing this horse and knowing the tricks of the Danaans, exclaimed: “Whatever it is, I am afraid of the Danaans, even those who bring gifts!” But the Trojans, not listening to the warnings of Laocoon and the prophetess Cassandra, dragged the horse into the city. At night, the Danaans, hiding inside the horse, came out, killed the guards, opened the city gates, let in their comrades who had returned on ships, and thus took possession of Troy (Homer’s “Odyssey”, Virgil’s “Aeneid”). Virgil’s hemistich “I am afraid of the Danaans, even those who bring gifts,” often quoted in Latin (“Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes”), has become a proverb. This is where the expression “Trojan horse” arose, used in the sense of: a secret, insidious plan; betrayal. Two-Faced Janus
In Roman mythology, Janus - the god of time, as well as every beginning and end, entrances and exits (janua - door) - was depicted with two faces facing in opposite directions: young - forward, to the future, old - back, to the past. The expression “two-faced Janus” or simply “Janus” that arose from here means: a hypocrite, a two-faced person. Two Ajax
In Homer's poems, Ajax is two friends, heroes of the Trojan War, who together performed feats. The expression “Two Ajaxes” means two inseparable friends. Offenbach's operetta "The Beautiful Helen" contributed to its popularity.
 Echidna
In Greek mythology, Echidna is a monster, half-maiden, half-snake, who gave birth to a number of monsters: the Sphinx, Cerberus, the Nemean lion, chimera, etc. In a figurative sense - an evil, sarcastic and insidious person.
Egyptian darkness
This expression, used in the meaning: thick, hopeless darkness, arose from the biblical story about one of the miracles that Moses allegedly performed: he “stretched out his hand to heaven, and there was thick darkness throughout the whole land of Egypt for three days” (Exodus, 10, 22). If you want peace, prepare for war
This expression, often quoted in Latin form: “Si vis pacem, para bellum,” belongs to the Roman historian Cornelius Nepos (94 - 24 BC) and is found in the biography of the Theban commander of the 4th century. BC e. Epaminondas. A similar formula: “Qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum (He who desires peace prepares war)” is found in a Roman military writer of the 4th century. n. e. Flavia Vegetia. Eat to live, not live to eat.
The statement belongs to Socrates, and was often quoted by ancient writers (Quintilian, Diogenes Laertius, Aulus Helius, etc.). Subsequently, it was also actively used, including in Moliere’s famous comedy “The Miser.”
 Life is a struggle
The expression goes back to ancient authors. In Euripides’ tragedy “The Petitioner”: “Our life is a struggle.” In Seneca's letters: “To live is to fight.” Voltaire in the tragedy “Fanaticism, or the Prophet Mohammed” puts it into the mouth of Mohammed; phrase: “My life is a struggle”
Die is cast
Exclamation of Julius Caesar when crossing the Rubicon. Used to mean: the final decision has been made. According to Suetonius, the words “the die is cast” were pronounced by Julius Caesar in Latin (alea jacta est), and by Plutarch - in Greek, as a quote from the comedy of Menander: “Let the lot be cast.” Caesar's historical phrase is often quoted in its Latin form. Life is short, art is long lasting.
An aphorism by the Greek thinker and physician Hippocrates. It is often used not in the sense in which it was said - art is longer lasting than the life of one person - but also in a more expanded interpretation - art is greater, more significant than a person’s life, for understanding it and mastering it in a person’s life it will never be enough. He reaps where he did not sow.
This is what they say about people who benefit from the fruits of other people's labor. It arose from the Gospel: “You are a cruel man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter”, Matthew 25.24; “You take away what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow,” Luke 19:21. Yellow press
This expression, used to mean a low-quality, deceitful, sensation-hungry press, originated in the USA. In 1895, the American artist Richard Outcault published in a number of issues of the New York newspaper "The World" a series of frivolous drawings with humorous text, among which was a boy in a yellow shirt, to whom various funny sayings were attributed. Soon, another newspaper, the New-York Journal, began publishing its own series of drawings with a similar meaning and content. A furious dispute broke out between the newspapers over the right to the “yellow boy”. In 1896, Erwin Wardman, editor of the New-York Press, published an article in his magazine in which he spoke very contemptuously of both disputing sides. For the first time he used the expression “yellow press” in relation to disputants and since then the expression has become popular.
 The Golden Fleece. Argonauts
Ancient Greek myths tell that the hero Jason went to get the Golden Fleece - the golden skin of a magic ram - which was guarded by the dragon of the king of Colchis, Aeetes. Jason built the ship "Argo" and, having gathered the greatest heroes, who began to be called Argonauts after the name of the ship, set off. Having overcome many adventures, Jason obtained the Golden Fleece. The poet Pindar was the first to expound this myth. Since then, the golden fleece has been called gold, the wealth that people strive to acquire; Argonauts - brave sailors, adventurers.
Golden age
Hesiod called the Golden Age the very first and happiest time in the history of mankind, when people knew no wars, no worries, no suffering. In a figurative sense, the golden age is the time of greatest prosperity. Golden Rain
This image arose from the Greek myth of Zeus, who, captivated by the beauty of Danae, the daughter of King Acrisius, appeared to her in the form of golden rain, after which her son Perseus was born. Danaë, showered with a shower of gold coins, is depicted in the paintings of many Renaissance artists (Titian, Correggio, Van Dyck, etc.). Metaphorically, “golden shower” refers to abundant gifts. Bury your talent in the ground
The expression arose from the Gospel parable about how a certain man, leaving, instructed slaves to guard his estate; He gave one slave five talents, another two, and a third one. (Talent is an ancient monetary unit.) The slaves who received five and two talents “used them for business,” that is, they lent them at interest, and those who received one talent buried it in the ground. When the departing owner returned, he demanded an account from the slaves. Those who gave money on interest returned him instead of the five talents they had received, ten, and instead of two, four. And the master praised them. But the one who received one talent said that he buried it in the ground. And the owner answered him: “You are a wicked and lazy slave. You should have given my silver to the traders, and I would have received it with profit” (Matt. 25:15-30). The word “talent” (Greek talanton) was originally used in the meaning: scales, weight, then the amount of money of a certain weight and, finally, became synonymous with outstanding abilities in any field. The expression “bury talent in the ground” is used to mean: do not care about the development of talent, let it die out. Zeus the Thunderer
Zeus (Zeus) - in Greek mythology, the supreme god, father and king of the gods. In figurative speech - majestic, unparalleled. Zeus is the lord of thunder and lightning; one of his constant epithets is “thunderer.” Hence, ironically, “Zeus the Thunderer” is a formidable boss. Golden calf
The expression is used in the meaning: gold, wealth, the power of gold, money, - according to the biblical story about a calf made of gold, which the Jews, wandering in the desert, worshiped as a god (Exodus, 32) Lost Sheep
This is what they say about a dissolute person who has strayed from the righteous path. The expression arose from the Gospel (Matt. 18:12; Luke 15:4-6) Rear contemplation
The expression originated from the Bible; God said that people should not see his face, and if anyone looks, he will be struck with death; only Moses allowed him to see himself only from behind: “Behold my backside” (Exodus, 33:20-23). From here the expression “to contemplate the rear” received the meaning: not to see the true face of something, to know something unfoundedly. the Forbidden fruit
The expression is used to mean: something tempting, desirable, but forbidden or inaccessible. It arose from the biblical myth about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the fruits of which God forbade Adam and Eve to eat. Here is Rhodes, here and jump
Expression from Aesop's fable "The Braggart". A certain man boasted that he had once made a colossal leap in Rhodes and cited witnesses as proof. One of the listeners objected: “Friend, if this is true, you don’t need witnesses: here’s Rhodes, jump here.” The expression is used to mean: instead of showing off something in words, show it in action." Knowledge is power.
Expression of the English materialist philosopher Francis Bacon (1561-1626) in Moral and Political Essays, 2.11 (1597). Golden mean
This is how they talk about some decision, a course of action that is alien to extremes and risk. This expression, "aurea mediocritas", is from the 2nd book of odes of the Roman poet Horace.
 And you Brute?
In Shakespeare’s tragedy “Julius Caesar” (d. 3, iv. 1), with these words (in the original Latin: “Et tu, Brute?”), the dying Caesar addresses Brutus, who was among the conspirators who attacked him in the Senate . Historians consider this phrase legendary. Marcus Junius Brutus, whom Caesar considered a supporter, became the head of a conspiracy against him and was one of the participants in his assassination in 44 BC. e. Caesar, at the first wound inflicted on him, as Suetonius reports in his biography, only sighed and did not utter a single word. However, at the same time, adds Suetonius, they said that Caesar, seeing Brutus advancing on him, exclaimed in Greek: “And you, my child?” But according to Shakespeare's tragedy, Caesar's legendary phrase became a catchphrase to describe his friend's unexpected betrayal.
Trumpet of Jericho Walls of Jericho.
An expression from a biblical myth. The Jews, upon leaving Egyptian captivity, on their way to Palestine, had to take the city of Jericho. But its walls were so strong that it was impossible to destroy them. However, from the sound of the sacred trumpets, the walls of Jericho fell by themselves, and thanks to this miracle, the city was taken by the Jews (book of Joshua, 6). The expression “trumpet of Jericho” is used to mean: a loud, trumpet voice. Massacre of the innocents
The expression arose from the Gospel legend about the killing of all babies in Bethlehem by order of the Jewish king Herod, after he learned from the Magi about the birth of Jesus, whom they called the king of the Jews (Matt. 2, 1 - 5 and 16). Used as a definition of child abuse, and also when jokingly talking about strict measures applied to anyone in general.
 Carthage must be destroyed
The phrase with which, as Plutarch tells us, the Roman commander and statesman Cato the Elder (234 - 149 BC), an implacable enemy of Carthage, ended each of his speeches in the Senate. Titus Livia, Cicero and others talk about the same thing. This expression began to be used as a persistently repeated call for a stubborn struggle against an enemy or some obstacle. Often quoted in Latin: "Carthaginem esse delendam."
Sink into oblivion. Summer
In Greek mythology, Lethe is the river of oblivion in the underworld. The souls of the dead, having tasted the water from Lethe, forgot about their earthly life. “Sink into oblivion” - to be forgotten, to disappear without a trace. Cassandra, prophetic Cassandra
In Greek mythology, Cassandra is the daughter of the Trojan king Priam. Cassandra received a prophetic gift from Apollo, but when she rejected his love, he made sure that her prophecies were no longer believed. Thus, the Trojans did not heed the words of Cassandra, who warned her brother Paris against the abduction of Helen; the latter, as is known, led to the Trojan War and the destruction of Troy. The name Cassandra has become a household name for a person who warns of danger, but who is not believed. Carnival
Carnival is a holiday. The word refers to Anthesteria, the great spring festivals of the awakening of nature, held in Athens. The first two days of Anthesteria, “the day of opening the barrels” and “the day of the mugs,” were dedicated to Dionysus: the statue of the god of wine was transported in a boat on wheels. The word “carnival” comes from the name of this boat (Latin carrus-navalis - “chariot-ship”).
Description of some catchphrasesWe often use so-called catchphrases without even knowing their origin. Of course, everyone knows: “And Vaska listens and eats” - this is from Krylov’s fable, “gifts of the Danaans” and “Trojan horse” - from Greek legends about the Trojan War... But many words have become so close and familiar that we don’t even think whoever said them first may come.
Scapegoat
The history of this expression is as follows: the ancient Jews had a rite of absolution. The priest laid both hands on the head of the living goat, thereby, as it were, transferring the sins of the entire people onto it. After this, the goat was driven out into the desert. Many, many years have passed, and the ritual no longer exists, but the expression still lives on...
Tryn-grass
The mysterious “tryn-grass” is not at all some kind of herbal medicine that people drink so as not to worry. At first it was called “tyn-grass”, and tyn is a fence. The result was “fence grass,” that is, a weed that no one needed, everyone was indifferent to.
Master of sour cabbage soup
Sour cabbage soup is a simple peasant food: water and sauerkraut. Preparing them was not particularly difficult. And if someone was called a master of sour cabbage soup, it meant that he was not fit for anything worthwhile. Balzac’s age
The expression arose after the publication of the novel by the French writer Honore de Balzac (1799-1850) “A Woman of Thirty” (1831); used as a characteristic of women aged 30-40 years.
White crow
This expression, as a designation of a rare person, sharply different from the rest, is given in the 7th satire of the Roman poet Juvenal (mid-1st century - after 127 AD):
Fate gives kingdoms to slaves and brings triumphs to captives.
However, such a lucky person is rarer than a black sheep.
Plant the pig
In all likelihood, this expression is due to the fact that some peoples do not eat pork for religious reasons. And if such a person was quietly put pork in his food, then his faith was desecrated.
Throwing a stone
The expression “throwing a stone” at someone in the sense of “accusing” arose from the Gospel (John 8:7); Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees, who, tempting him, brought to him a woman caught in adultery: “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her” (in ancient Judea there was a penalty - stoning).
Paper endures everything (Paper does not turn red)
The expression goes back to the Roman writer and orator Cicero (106 - 43 BC); in his letters “To Friends” there is an expression: “Epistola non erubescit” - “A letter does not blush,” that is, in writing one can express thoughts that one is embarrassed to express orally.
To be or not to be - that is the question
The beginning of Hamlet's monologue in Shakespeare's tragedy of the same name, translated by N.A. Polevoy (1837).
Wolf in sheep's clothing
The expression originated from the Gospel: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.”
In borrowed plumes
It arose from a fable by I.A. Krylov “The Crow” (1825).
Add the first number
You won’t believe it, but... from the old school, where students were flogged every week, no matter who was right or wrong. And if the mentor overdoes it, then such a spanking would last for a long time, until the first day of the next month.
Register Izhitsa
Izhitsa is the name of the last letter of the Church Slavonic alphabet. Traces of flogging on well-known places of careless students strongly resembled this letter. So registering an Izhitsa means teaching a lesson, punishing it, and it’s easier to flog it. And you still criticize modern school!
I carry everything I have with me
The expression originated from an ancient Greek legend. When the Persian king Cyrus occupied the city of Priene in Ionia, the inhabitants abandoned it, taking with them the most valuable of their possessions. Only Biant, one of the “seven wise men”, a native of Priene, left empty-handed. In response to the perplexed questions of his fellow citizens, he answered, referring to spiritual values: “I carry everything I own with me.” This expression is often used in the Latin formulation due to Cicero: Omnia mea mecum porto.
Everything flows, everything changes
This expression, which defines the constant variability of all things, sets out the essence of the teachings of the Greek philosopher Heraclitus of Ephesus (c. 530-470 BC)
Goal like a falcon
Terribly poor, beggar. People usually think that we are talking about a bird. But the falcon has nothing to do with it. In fact, the “falcon” is an ancient military battering gun. It was a completely smooth (“bare”) cast iron block attached to chains. Nothing extra!
Orphan Kazan
This is what they say about a person who pretends to be unhappy, offended, helpless in order to pity someone. But why is the orphan “Kazan”? It turns out that this phraseological unit arose after the conquest of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible. The Mirzas (Tatar princes), finding themselves subjects of the Russian Tsar, tried to beg all sorts of concessions from him, complaining about their orphanhood and bitter fate.
Unlucky man
In the old days in Rus', “path” was the name given not only to the road, but also to various positions at the prince’s court. The falconer's path is in charge of princely hunting, the hunter's path is in charge of hound hunting, the stableman's path is in charge of carriages and horses. The boyars tried by hook or by crook to get a position from the prince. And those who did not succeed were spoken of with disdain: a good-for-nothing person.
Was there a boy?
One of the episodes of M. Gorky’s novel “The Life of Klim Samgin” tells about the boy Klim skating with other children. Boris Varavka and Varya Somova fall into the wormwood. Klim hands Boris the end of his gymnasium belt, but, feeling that he too is being pulled into the water, he lets go of the belt. Children are drowning. When the search for the drowned begins, Klim is struck by “someone’s serious, incredulous question: “Was there a boy, maybe there wasn’t a boy.” The last phrase became popular as a figurative expression of extreme doubt about something.
Twenty two misfortunes
This is how in A.P. Chekhov’s play “The Cherry Orchard” (1903) they call the clerk Epikhodov, with whom some comic trouble happens every day. The expression is applied to people with whom some misfortune constantly happens.
Money doesn't smell
The expression arose from the words of the Roman emperor (69 - 79 AD) Vespasian, said by him, as Suetonius reports in his biography, on the following occasion. When Vespasian's son Titus reproached his father for introducing a tax on public latrines, Vespasian brought the first money received from this tax to his nose and asked if it smelled. To Titus's negative answer, Vespasian said: "And yet they are made of urine."
Draconian measures
This is the name given to the excessively harsh laws named after Dragon, the first legislator of the Athenian Republic (7th century BC). Among the punishments determined by its laws, the death penalty allegedly occupied a prominent place, which punished, for example, such an offense as theft of vegetables. There was a legend that these laws were written in blood (Plutarch, Solon). In literary speech, the expression “draconian laws”, “draconian measures, punishments” have become stronger in the meaning of harsh, cruel laws.
Inside out
Now this seems to be a completely harmless expression. And once it was associated with shameful punishment. During the time of Ivan the Terrible, a guilty boyar was placed backwards on a horse with his clothes turned inside out and, in this disgraced form, was driven around the city to the whistling and jeers of the street crowd.
Retired goat drummer
In the old days, trained bears were brought to fairs. They were accompanied by a dancing boy dressed as a goat, and a drummer accompanying his dance. This was the goat drummer. He was perceived as a worthless, frivolous person.
Yellow press
In 1895, American graphic artist Richard Outcault published a series of frivolous drawings with humorous text in a number of issues of the New York newspaper “The World”; Among the drawings was a picture of a child in a yellow shirt, to whom various funny sayings were attributed. Soon another newspaper, the New York Journal, began publishing a series of similar drawings. A dispute arose between these two newspapers over the right of primacy to the “yellow boy”. In 1896, Erwin Wardman, editor of the New York Press, published an article in his magazine in which he contemptuously called both competing newspapers "yellow press." Since then, the expression has become popular.
Finest hour
An expression by Stefan Zweig (1881-1942) from the preface to his collection of historical short stories, Humanity's Finest Hours (1927). Zweig explains that he called historical moments starry hours “because, like eternal stars, they invariably shine in the night of oblivion and decay.”
Golden mean
An expression from the 2nd book of odes of the Roman poet Horace: “aurea mediocritas.”
Choose the lesser of two evils
An expression found in the works of the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle “Nicomachean Ethics” in the form: “The lesser of evils must be chosen.” Cicero (in his essay “On Duties”) says: “One should not only choose the least of evils, but also extract from them themselves what can be good in them.”
To make mountains out of molehills
The expression is one of the ancient ones. It is quoted by the Greek writer Lucian (3rd century AD), who ends his satirical “Praise of the Fly” like this: “But I interrupt my speech, although I could say a lot more, lest anyone think that I “, as the proverb goes, I make a mountain out of a molehill.”
Highlight
The expression is used in the meaning: something that gives a special taste, attractiveness to something (a dish, a story, a person, etc.). It arose from a popular proverb: “Kvass is not expensive, the zest in kvass is expensive”; became popular after the appearance of L. N. Tolstoy’s drama “The Living Corpse” (1912). The hero of the drama, Protasov, talking about his family life, says: “My wife was an ideal woman... But what can I tell you? There was no zest - you know, there is zest in kvass? - there was no game in our lives. And I needed to forget. And without the game you won’t forget...”
Lead by the nose
Apparently, trained bears were very popular, because this expression was also associated with fairground entertainment. Gypsies led bears by a ring threaded through their noses. And they forced them, the poor fellows, to do various tricks, deceiving them with the promise of a handout.
Sharpen the laces
Lyasy (balusters) are turned figured posts of railings at the porch. Only a true master could make such beauty. Probably, at first, “sharpening balusters” meant conducting an elegant, fancy, ornate (like balusters) conversation. But in our time, the number of people skilled in conducting such a conversation became fewer and fewer. So this expression came to mean empty chatter.
a swan song
The expression is used to mean: the last manifestation of talent. Based on the belief that swans sing before death, it arose in ancient times. Evidence of this is found in one of Aesop’s fables (6th century BC): “They say that swans sing before they die.”
Flying Dutchman
A Dutch legend has preserved the story of a sailor who vowed, in a strong storm, to round the cape that blocked his path, even if it took him forever. Because of his pride, he was doomed to forever rush on a ship on a raging sea, never landing on the shore. This legend obviously arose in the age of great discoveries. It is possible that its historical basis was the expedition of Vasco da Gama (1469-1524), who rounded the Cape of Good Hope in 1497. In the 17th century this legend was associated with several Dutch captains, which is reflected in its name.
Seize the day
The expression apparently goes back to Horace (“carpe diem” - “seize the day”, “take advantage of the day”).
The lion's share
The expression goes back to the fable of the ancient Greek fabulist Aesop “The Lion, the Fox and the Donkey”, the plot of which - the division of prey among the animals - was later used by Phaedrus, La Fontaine and other fabulists.
The Moor has done his job, the Moor can leave
Quote from the drama by F. Schiller (1759 - 1805) “The Fiesco Conspiracy in Genoa” (1783). This phrase (d.3, iv.4) is uttered by the Moor, who turned out to be unnecessary after he helped Count Fisco organize a rebellion of the Republicans against the tyrant of Genoa, Doge Doria. This phrase has become a saying characterizing a cynical attitude towards a person whose services are no longer needed.
Manna from heaven
According to the Bible, manna is the food that God sent to the Jews every morning from heaven when they walked through the desert to the promised land (Exodus 16, 14-16 and 31).
Disservice
The expression arose from I. A. Krylov’s fable “The Hermit and the Bear” (1808).
Honeymoon
The idea that the happiness of the first stage of marriage quickly gives way to the bitterness of disappointment, figuratively expressed in eastern folklore, was used by Voltaire for his philosophical novel “Zadig, or Fate” (1747), in the 3rd chapter of which he writes: “Zadig experienced that The first month of marriage, as described in the book of Zend, is the honeymoon, and the second is the wormwood month.”
Young people love us everywhere
Quote from “Song of the Motherland” in the film “Circus” (1936), text by V. I. Lebedev-Kumach, music by I. O. Dunaevsky.
Silent means consent
Expression of Pope Boniface VIII (1294-1303) in one of his messages, included in canon law (a set of decrees of church authority). This expression goes back to Sophocles (496-406 BC), in whose tragedy “The Trachinian Women” it is said: “Don’t you understand that by silence you agree with the accuser?”
Torments of Tantalus
In Greek mythology, Tantalus, the king of Phrygia (also called the king of Lydia), was the favorite of the gods, who often invited him to their feasts. But, proud of his position, he offended the gods, for which he was severely punished. According to Homer (“Odyssey”), his punishment was that, cast down into Tartarus (hell), he forever experiences unbearable pangs of thirst and hunger; he stands up to his neck in water, but the water recedes from him as soon as he bows his head to drink; branches with luxurious fruits hang over him, but as soon as he stretches out his hands to them, the branches deviate. This is where the expression “torment of Tantalus” arose, meaning: unbearable torment due to the inability to achieve the desired goal, despite its proximity.
On the seventh sky
The expression, meaning the highest degree of joy, happiness, goes back to the Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BC), who in his essay “On Heaven” explains the structure of the vault of heaven. He believed that the sky consists of seven motionless crystal spheres on which the stars and planets are established. The seven heavens are mentioned in various places in the Quran: for example, it is said that the Quran itself was brought by an angel from the seventh heaven.
I don't want to study, I want to get married
Words by Mitrofanushka from D. I. Fonvizin’s comedy “The Minor” (1783), no. 3, yavl. 7.
New is well forgotten old
In 1824, the memoirs of milliner Marie Antoinette Mademoiselle Bertin were published in France, in which she said these words about the queen’s old dress that she had updated (in reality, her memoirs are fake - their author is Jacques Pesce). This idea was perceived as new only because it had been well forgotten. Already Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400) said that “there is no new custom that is not old.” This quote from Chaucer was popularized by Walter Scott's book The Folk Songs of Southern Scotland.
Nick down
In this expression, the word “nose” has nothing to do with the organ of smell. A “nose” was the name given to a memorial plaque, or a note tag. In the distant past, illiterate people always carried such tablets and sticks with them, with the help of which all kinds of notes or notches were made as memories.
Break a leg
This expression arose among hunters and was based on the superstitious idea that with a direct wish (both down and feather), the results of a hunt can be jinxed. In the language of hunters, feather means bird, and down means animals. In ancient times, a hunter going on a hunt received this parting word, the “translation” of which looks something like this: “Let your arrows fly past the target, let the snares and traps you set remain empty, just like the trapping pit!” To which the earner, in order not to jinx it either, replied: “To hell!” And both were confident that the evil spirits, invisibly present during this dialogue, would be satisfied and leave behind, and would not plot intrigues during the hunt.
Beat your head
What are “baklushi”, who “beats” them and when? For a long time, artisans have been making spoons, cups and other utensils from wood. To carve a spoon, it was necessary to chop off a block of wood from a log. Apprentices were entrusted with preparing the bucks: it was an easy, trivial task that did not require any special skill. Preparing such chocks was called “beating the lumps.” From here, from the mockery of the masters at the auxiliary workers - “baklushechnik”, our saying came from.
About the dead it's either good or nothing
The expression often quoted in Latin: “De mortuis nil nisi bene” or “De mortuis aut bene aut nihil” seems to go back to the work of Diogenes Laertius (3rd century AD): “Life, teaching and opinions famous philosophers”, which contains the saying of one of the “seven wise men” - Chilon (VI century BC): “Do not slander the dead.”
Oh holy simplicity!
This expression is attributed to the leader of the Czech national movement, Jan Hus (1369-1415). Sentenced by a church council as a heretic to be burned, he allegedly uttered these words at the stake when he saw that some old woman (according to another version, a peasant woman) in simple-minded religious zeal threw the brushwood she had brought into the fire. However, Hus's biographers, based on reports of eyewitnesses to his death, deny the fact that he uttered this phrase. The church writer Turanius Rufinus (c. 345-410), in his continuation of Eusebius's History of the Church, reports that the expression “holy simplicity” was uttered at the first Council of Nicaea (325) by one of the theologians. This expression is often used in Latin: “O sancta simplicitas!”
An eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth
An expression from the Bible, the formula for the law of retribution: “A fracture for a fracture, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth: as he has injured a person’s body, so must he do it” (Leviticus 24:20; about the same - Exodus 21: 24; Deuteronomy 19, 21).
From great to funny one step
This phrase was often repeated by Napoleon during his flight from Russia in December 1812 to his ambassador in Warsaw, de Pradt, who spoke about it in the book “History of the Embassy to the Grand Duchy of Warsaw” (1816). Its primary source is the expression of the French writer Jean-François Marmontel (1723-1799) in the fifth volume of his works (1787): “In general, the funny comes into contact with the great.”
The language will take you to Kyiv
In 999, a certain Kiev resident Nikita Shchekomyaka got lost in the endless, then Russian, steppe and ended up among the Polovtsians. When the Polovtsians asked him: Where are you from, Nikita? He answered that he was from the rich and beautiful city of Kyiv, and described the wealth and beauty of his native city to the nomads in such a way that the Polovtsian Khan Nunchak attached Nikita by the tongue to the tail of his horse, and the Polovtsians went to fight and plunder Kyiv. This is how Nikita Shchekomyaka got home with the help of his tongue.
Sharomyzhniki
1812 When the French burned Moscow and were left in Russia without food, they came to Russian villages and asked for food She rami, like give it to me. So the Russians began to call them that. (one of the hypotheses).
Bastard
This is an idiomatic phrase. There is a river called Voloch, when the fishermen came with their catch, they said ours and Voloch came. There are several other tomological meanings of this word. To drag - to collect, to drag. This word came from them. But it became abusive not long ago. This is the merit of 70 years in the CPSU.
Know all the ins and outs
The expression is associated with an ancient torture in which needles or nails were driven under the fingernails of the accused to extract a confession.
Oh, you are heavy, Monomakh’s hat!
Quote from A. S. Pushkin’s tragedy “Boris Godunov”, scene “The Royal Chambers” (1831), monologue of Boris (Monomakh in Greek is a martial artist; a nickname that was associated with the names of some Byzantine emperors. In ancient Rus', this nickname was assigned to the Grand Duke Vladimir (beginning of the 12th century), from whom the Moscow kings traced their origin. Monomakh's cap is the crown with which the Moscow kings were crowned kings, a symbol of royal power). The above quote characterizes a difficult situation.
Plato is my friend but the truth is dearer
The Greek philosopher Plato (427-347 BC) in his essay “Phaedo” attributes to Socrates the words “Following me, think less about Socrates, and more about the truth.” Aristotle, in his work “Nicomachean Ethics,” polemicizing with Plato and referring to him, writes: “Even though friends and truth are dear to me, duty commands me to give preference to truth.” Luther (1483-1546) says: “Plato is my friend, Socrates is my friend, but truth should be preferred” (“On the Enslaved Will,” 1525). The expression “Amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas” - “Plato is my friend, but the truth is dearer”, was formulated by Cervantes in the 2nd part, ch. 51 novels "Don Quixote" (1615).
Dancing to someone else's tune
The expression is used to mean: to act not according to one’s own will, but according to the will of another. Goes back to the Greek historian Herodotus (5th century BC), who in the 1st book of his “History” says: when the Persian king Cyrus conquered the Medes, the Greeks of Asia Minor, whom he had previously tried in vain to win over to his side, expressed their readiness obey him, but under certain conditions. Then Cyrus told them the following fable: “One flute player, seeing fish in the sea, began to play the flute, expecting them to come out to him on land. Having lost his hope, he took a net, threw it in and pulled out many fish. Seeing the fish struggling in the nets, he said to them: “Stop dancing; when I played the flute, you didn’t want to come out and dance.” This fable is attributed to Aesop (VI century BC).
After the rain on Thursday
The Rusichi - the most ancient ancestors of the Russians - honored among their gods the main god - the god of thunder and lightning Perun. One of the days of the week was dedicated to him - Thursday (it is interesting that among the ancient Romans Thursday was also dedicated to the Latin Perun - Jupiter). Prayers were offered to Perun for rain during the drought. It was believed that he should be especially willing to fulfill requests on “his day” - Thursday. And since these prayers often remained in vain, the saying “After the rain on Thursday” began to be applied to everything that is unknown when it will come true.
Get into trouble
In dialects, a binder is a fish trap woven from branches. And, as in any trap, being in it is not a pleasant thing. Beluga roar
Beluga roar
He's as dumb as a fish - you've known that for a long time. And suddenly a beluga roars? It turns out that we are not talking about the beluga, but the beluga whale, which is the name of the polar dolphin. He really roars very loudly.
Success is never blamed
These words are attributed to Catherine II, who allegedly expressed herself this way when A.V. Suvorov was put on trial by military court for the assault on Turtukai in 1773, undertaken by him contrary to the orders of Field Marshal Rumyantsev. However, the story about Suvorov’s arbitrary actions and about putting him on trial is refuted by serious researchers.
Know yourself
According to the legend reported by Plato in the dialogue “Protagoras”, the seven sages of ancient Greece (Thales, Pittacus, Bias, Solon, Cleobulus, Myson and Chilo), meeting together in the temple of Apollo at Delphi, wrote: “Know yourself.” The idea of knowing oneself was explained and disseminated by Socrates. This expression is often used in its Latin form: nosce te ipsum.
Rare bird
This expression (Latin rara avis) meaning “rare creature” is first found in the satires of Roman poets, for example, in Juvenal (mid-1st century - after 127 AD): “A rare bird on earth, sort of like black Swan".
Born to crawl cannot fly
Quote from “Song of the Falcon” by M. Gorky.
Smoke rocker
In old Rus', huts were often heated in a black way: the smoke did not escape through a chimney (there was none at all), but through a special window or door. And they predicted the weather by the shape of the smoke. The smoke comes in a column - it will be clear, dragging - towards fog, rain, a rocker - towards the wind, bad weather, or even a storm.
Not appropriate
This is a very old sign: only the animal that the brownie likes will live both in the house and in the yard. If he doesn’t like it, he’ll get sick, get sick, or run away. What to do - not good!
Hair on end
But what kind of rack is this? It turns out that standing on end means standing at attention, on your fingertips. That is, when a person gets scared, his hair seems to stand on tiptoes on his head.
Get into trouble
Rozhon is a sharp pole. And in some Russian provinces this is what they called four-pronged pitchforks. Indeed, you can’t really trample on them!
From the ship to the ball
Expression from “Eugene Onegin” by A. S. Pushkin, chapter 8, stanza 13 (1832):
And travel for him,
Like everyone else in the world, I'm tired of it,
He returned and hit
Like Chatsky, from the ship to the ball.
This expression characterizes an unexpected, sharp change in situation or circumstances.
Combine business with pleasure
An expression from “The Art of Poetry” by Horace, who says about the poet: “He is worthy of all approval who combines the pleasant with the useful.”
Wash your hands
Used to mean: to avoid responsibility for something. It arose from the Gospel: Pilate washed his hands before the crowd, giving Jesus to them for execution, and said: “I am not guilty of the blood of this righteous man” (Matt. 27:24). The ritual washing of hands, which serves as evidence of the non-involvement of the person washing in anything, is described in the Bible (Deuteronomy 21:6-7).
Weak spot
It arose from the myth about the only vulnerable spot on the hero’s body: Achilles’ heel, a spot on Siegfried’s back, etc. Used in the meaning: the weak side of a person, deeds.
Fortune. Wheel of Fortune
Fortuna is the goddess of blind chance, happiness and misfortune in Roman mythology. She was depicted blindfolded, standing on a ball or wheel (emphasizing her constant changeability), and holding a steering wheel in one hand and a cornucopia in the other. The rudder indicated that fortune controls a person's destiny.
Upside down
Loitering - in many Russian provinces this word meant walking. So, upside down is just walking upside down, upside down.
Grated kalach
By the way, in fact there was such a type of bread - grated kalach. The dough for it was crushed, kneaded, and grated for a very long time, which is why the kalach turned out to be unusually fluffy. And there was also a proverb - don’t grate, don’t crush, there won’t be a kalach. That is, trials and tribulations teach a person. The expression comes from a proverb, and not from the name of the bread.
Bring to light
Once upon a time they said to bring fish to clean water. And if it’s a fish, then everything is clear: in thickets of reeds or where snags are drowning in silt, a fish caught on a hook can easily break the fishing line and leave. And in clear water, above a clean bottom - let him try. So it is with an exposed swindler: if all the circumstances are clear, he will not escape retribution.
And there is a hole in the old woman
And what kind of gap (mistake, oversight by Ozhegov and Efremova) is this, a gap (i.e. flaw, defect) or what? The meaning, therefore, is this: And a person wise by experience can make mistakes. Interpretation from the lips of an expert in ancient Russian literature: And on an old woman there is a blow of Porukha (Ukrainian zh. coll.-dec. 1 - Harm, destruction, damage; 2 - Trouble). In a specific sense, porukha (other Russian) is rape. Those. everything is possible.
He who laughs last laughs best
The expression belongs to the French writer Jean-Pierre Florian (1755-1794), who used it in the fable “Two Peasants and a Cloud.”
End justifies the means
The idea of this expression, which is the basis of Jesuit morality, was borrowed by them from the English philosopher Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679).
Man is a wolf to man
An expression from the “Donkey Comedy” by the ancient Roman writer Plautus (c. 254-184 BC).
Winged expression. Often many people no longer understand the source of this catchphrase, but the words themselves remain unforgettable. For example, everyone knows the catchphrase “After us at least a flood,” but few people remember that these words were spoken by the Marquise de Pompadour. There are a great many such examples. The concept of “catchphrase” is very closely intertwined with another, related to it - “phraseological unit”. A phraseological unit is also a stable verbal expression, but, unlike a catchphrase, a phraseological unit does not always have a literary source. In addition, a phraseological unit is an indivisible, separate lexical unit, which cannot be said about a catchphrase. A winged expression may have a different life span. This depends on how high the level of cultural development of a particular society is, as well as on the speed of introduction of new trends and elements into cultural life. As an example, we can recall the popular expression “Life, as they say, is good. A good life is even better!" from the film "Prisoner of the Caucasus". This expression is often consumed by people of the old generation. It is unlikely that the same phrase will be able to evoke the same positive emotions among young people who have different value and cultural guidelines. Catchphrases are a cultural phenomenon that testifies to high spiritual development and the phenomenon of cultural memory. Cultural memory is a phenomenon associated with the continuity of traditions and customs of ancestors by new generations. With a developed cultural memory, there should be no doubt that the new generation will disrespect the events of past years. Related article Well-known public figure Alexei Navalny announced on March 5 that it is necessary to create a so-called “Good Propaganda Machine” in Russia, which will be a counterweight to the state propaganda machine. Later, Navalny published a special manifesto about his new brainchild, which he called “Mega-hyper-agitmachine of good.” 
If you describe the manifesto, you get the following: the majority of the Russian people, according to Navalny, are confused by the state media, and therefore cannot understand the need for democratic change. The people need to be enlightened and their eyes opened. And for this it is necessary to create that very good propaganda machine, that is, a network of agitators-activists (in the future, at least one hundred thousand people), who must disseminate information about the actual state of affairs in the country in any available way. Thus, according to Navalny, after some time the prevailing masses will realize the negative essence of the current government led by V.V. Putin and will demand political changes. The manifesto clearly states what information needs to be disseminated. Navalny focuses on two main areas: corruption, which has indeed reached enormous proportions, and crimes by law enforcement agencies. As a typical example, he mentions the sad story that thundered throughout the country that happened in Kazan, where sadistic police officers tortured a detainee to death. Navalny places the main responsibility for this terrible incident and for other negative events in the country on V.V. Putin. Just an eloquent passage from the manifesto: “In Kazan, police raped a man with a champagne bottle and killed him. And no one suffered either political or criminal responsibility. And this happened because Putin only needs from the police to cover up election fraud. This is what 61% of United Russia in the city of Kazan costs us.” Of course, it is necessary to wage a decisive fight against both corruption and lawlessness. But Navalny’s statements about the “darkness” of the prevailing mass of the Russian people, who are in need of enlightenment, can hardly be called anything other than dubious. Russians are aware of negative phenomena, and they by no means idealize the current government at all levels, including the President of Russia. This is eloquently evidenced by the fact that the rating of V.V. Putin has noticeably decreased. And it is difficult to imagine that in the era of the Internet, the state propaganda machine could so deceive tens of millions of people that they lost the ability to critically perceive reality. Another thing is that the majority of Russians do not trust the activities of opposition leaders, including Navalny. If only because the opposition has still not come up with a clear and precise program of action, limiting itself to the endless repetition of slogans like: “Everything is very bad, there is only negativity everywhere, Putin is to blame for everything.” “A house cannot be built without corners, speech cannot be said without a proverb” - phraseological units, catchphrases, proverbs not only make speech expressive, but also allow one or two words to express what cannot always be explained in whole sentences. 
In any language there are stable expressions - phraseological units. A phraseological unit is a ready-made combination of words that can be used to mean a single word or expression. The origin of the term itself is attributed to the French linguist Charles Bally. Often the original meaning is hidden by history, but the phrase itself illustrates a fact that is linguistically unrelated to the specific expression. For example, the expression “ate the dog” means vast experience in a certain matter. And in exactly that order and not another. “Eat a dog” - this is exactly the case when the “sum” changes due to a change in the places of the terms. Winged expressions from the depths of folkloreThe initial sources of phraseological units were proverbs and sayings, some of which became an inseparable part of the Russian colloquial and literary language, as well as ancient grammatical forms and archaisms of the Russian language. From the proverb “A drowning man clutches at a straw,” he came to “grasp at a straw” in the meaning of seeking salvation, resorting to any, even the most unreliable, means. “To distant lands” - a fairy-tale expression is completely appropriate in everyday life, in literary speech, and as a figurative expression in public speaking it will not cause misunderstanding among native speakers of the Russian language. The expression “without hesitation” refers to archaisms - without hesitation. The ancient grammatical form is “is it a joke.” Phraseologisms from literary worksThe work of I.A. is a treasure trove of phraseological units. Krylov, each fable of which presented the world with capacious figurative expressions, the meaning of which is clear even to a person far from literature: “And the cart is still there,” “Ay Moska, she is strong to know,” and so on. “Stay with nothing,” “And the smoke of the fatherland is sweet and pleasant to us” - if many people recognize “The Tale of the Fisherman,” then the meaning of the second expression is clear even without knowledge of Griboyedov. Religious phraseological unitsWith the penetration of Christianity and church literature into the broad masses of the people, the Russian language was enriched with a new layer of phraseological units. “Scapegoat”, “stumbling block”, “salt of the earth” are not the only biblical expressions that have become phraseological units. The source of phraseological expressions were the myths of antiquity “Procrustean bed”, “Pandora’s box”, “The work of Sisyphus”. Translation incidentsOften words translated from a foreign language with an error become phraseological units. The classic “out of place” erroneous tracing from the French. The common expression “sharomyga” is the French cher ami (dear friend), heard in the Russian manner, with which the defeated French turned for help in the Patriotic War of 1812. Video on the topic
Tip 4: Where does the expression “a habit given to us from above” come from and what does it mean? It is not for nothing that writers and poets are called “engineers of human souls.” Sometimes one apt phrase from a novel or poem can say more about human nature than the most thorough psychological study. 
Many true “pearls” of psychological observation can be found in the works of A. Pushkin. One of these quotes that separated from the original source and began to “live their lives in language” can be considered the phrase “The habit has been given to us from above.” Larina Sr. and habitThe phrase about a “given from above” habit, which became a catchphrase, came from Pushkin’s novel in verse “Eugene Onegin”. The full idea goes like this:
“The habit has been given to us from above,
She is a substitute for happiness.” With these words, the poet sums up the description of the fate of the mother of Tatyana and Olga Larin. It is noteworthy that this heroine - unlike the girls' father - is not even named. The name could be anything - such a fate seemed so typical for young noblewomen of that era. In her youth, Tatyana’s mother appears as one of those whom the literary critic V. Belinsky contemptuously called “ideal maidens.” Her reading range consists of French and English novels, into which she does not delve deeply, which does not interfere with external imitation. As expected of a romantic heroine, she is engaged to one, but loves another. However, the beloved is very far from the romantic ideal - an ordinary dandy and player. The desire to surround herself with romantic images goes so far that the young noblewoman gives French names to her serfs (“she called Polina Praskovya”). But time passes, the girl gets married, plunges into everyday life, and takes up managing the household on the estate. Gradually, this way of life becomes familiar, and now the heroine is quite happy with her life. Perhaps she cannot be called insanely happy, but the stability of her usual life suits her quite well. SourceSumming up the “biography” of Larina Sr., A. Pushkin quotes in a free translation the saying of the French writer F. Chateaubriand: “If I still had the temerity to believe in happiness, I would look for it in habit.” Drafts have been preserved, which indicate that this phrase was originally supposed to be put into Onegin’s mouth - the hero was supposed to say this to Tatyana, explaining himself after receiving the letter. Probably, the author abandoned this plan because some contradiction could arise, because Onegin precisely represents habit as the enemy of happiness (“No matter how much I love you, having gotten used to it, I will immediately stop loving you”). However, these words would fit quite organically into the image of Onegin. Evgeny’s explanation with Tatiana is not just a clash of a young girl’s fantasies with harsh reality, it is a clash of romanticism and realism that took place in the work of A. Pushkin in a certain period. In Eugene Onegin this motif occupies a significant place. Lensky, a romantically inclined young man, dies, unable to withstand the collision with cruel reality. However, the author does not spare either his poems or the young poet himself: according to the author, Lensky was destined to forget both poetry and romantic aspirations for youth, to immerse himself in everyday life and become an ordinary man in the street. In other words, the same thing should have happened to Lensky that happened to Tatyana’s mother: replacing happiness with habit. This opposition pronounces a merciless verdict on romanticism, which A. Pushkin himself parted with not so long ago. Sources: - Volpert L. Pushkin and Chateaubriand
12 popular expressions, the meaning of which is not known to everyone
Editor's response Catchphrases help to express thoughts more accurately and give speech a more emotional coloring. They allow you to express more emotions in a few short but precise words and convey your personal attitude to what is happening.
AiF.ru resembles the meanings of some Russian phraseological units.
QuietlyOriginally, this expression implied secretly digging a tunnel or secret tunnel. The word "zappa" (translated from Italian) means "earth shovel". Borrowed into the French language, the word turned into the French “sap” and received the meaning of “earthwork, trench and underground work,” from which the word “sapper” also arose.
In Russian, the word “sapa” and the expression “silent sapa” meant work that was carried out with extreme caution, without noise, in order to get close to the enemy unnoticed, in complete secrecy.
After widespread dissemination, the expression acquired the meaning: carefully, in deep secrecy and slowly (for example, “So he quietly drags all the food from the kitchen!”).
Can't see anything
According to one version, the word “zga” comes from the name of a part of a horse’s harness - a ring in the upper part of the arch, into which the reins were inserted so as not to dangle. When the coachman needed to unharness the horse, and it was so dark that this ring (zgi) was not visible, they said that “there is no sign of it.”
According to another version, the word “zga” comes from the Old Russian “s’tga” - “road, path, path.” In this case, the meaning of the expression is interpreted as “so dark that you can’t even see the road or path.” Today the expression “nothing is visible”, “nothing is visible” means “nothing is visible”, “impenetrable darkness”.
The blind leads the blind, but both do not see. (last)
“Darkness hangs over the earth: you can’t see it...” ( Anton Chekhov,"Mirror")
Dance from the stove
Vasily Alekseevich Sleptsov. 1870 Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / Published in St. Petersburg, 1903 The expression “dance from the stove” first appeared in a novel by a 19th-century Russian writer Vasily Sleptsova"Good man". The book was published in 1871. There is an episode in it when the main character Seryozha Terebenev remembers how he was taught to dance, but he could not do the steps required from the dance teacher. There is a phrase in the book:
- Oh, what are you, brother! - the father says reproachfully. - Well, go back to the stove, start over.
In Russian, this expression began to be used when speaking about people for whom the habit of acting according to a fixed script replaces knowledge. A person can perform certain actions only “from the stove”, from the very beginning, from the simplest and most familiar action:
“When he (the architect) was commissioned to plan, he usually drew the hall and the hotel first; just as in the old days college girls could only dance from the stove, so his artistic idea could only originate and develop from the hall to the living room.” ( Anton Chekhov,"My life").
Shabby lookDuring times Tsar Peter I lived Ivan Zatrapeznikov- an entrepreneur who received the Yaroslavl textile manufactory from the emperor. The factory produced a material called “pestryad”, or “pestryadina”, popularly nicknamed “trashy”, “trashy” - coarse and low-quality cloth made from hemp (hemp fiber). Clothes were made from shabby clothes mainly by poor people who could not buy themselves something better. And such poor people looked appropriate. Since then, if a person is dressed sloppily, they say about him that he looks shabby:
“The hay girls were poorly fed, dressed in shabby clothes and given little sleep, exhausting them with almost continuous work.” ( Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin, “Poshekhon antiquity”)
Sharpen the laces
To sharpen your lasses means to talk idle talk, to engage in useless chatter. Lyasy (balusters) are turned, figured posts of railings at the porch.
At first, “sharpening balusters” meant conducting an elegant, fancy, ornate (like balusters) conversation. However, there were few people skilled in conducting such a conversation, and over time the expression began to mean idle chatter:
“They used to sit down in a circle, some on a bench, some simply on the ground, each with some kind of task, a spinning wheel, a comb or bobbins, and they would go and go sharpen their laces and tell tales about another, old time.” ( Dmitry Grigorovich, "Village").
Lies like a gray gelding
To lie like a gray gelding means to tell tales without being embarrassed at all. In the 19th century, an officer served in one of the regiments of the Russian army, a German by the name of von Sievers-Mehring. He loved to tell funny stories and tall tales to the officers. The expression “lies like Sivers-Mehring” was understandable only to his colleagues. However, they began to use it throughout Russia, completely forgetting about the origins. Sayings have appeared among the people: “lazy as a gray gelding”, “stupid as a gray gelding”, although the horse breed has nothing to do with this.
BullshitAccording to one version, the expression “bullshit” comes from “lying like a gray gelding” (in fact, these two phrases are synonymous) There is also a version that the expression “bullshit” comes from the name of one scientist - Brad Steve Cobile, who once wrote a very stupid article. His name, consonant with the words “bullshit,” was correlated with scientific nonsense.
According to another version, “bullshit” is an expression denoting a stupid statement or thought; appeared due to the beliefs of the Slavs that the gray horse (gray with an admixture of another color) was the most stupid animal. There was a sign according to which if you dream of a gray mare, then in reality the dreamer will be deceived.
Androns are traveling
“Androns are coming” means nonsense, nonsense, nonsense, complete nonsense.
In Russian, this phrase is used in response to someone who tells a lie, puts on inappropriate airs and brags about himself. In the 1840s, throughout almost all of Russia, andres (andron) meant a cart, various kinds of carts.
“And you don’t have to scold my house! - Am I scolding?.. Cross yourself, Petrovnushka, the androns are coming! ( Pavel Zarubin, “Dark and bright sides of Russian life”)
Live as a Biryuk
The expression “to live like a pearl” means to be a hermit and a closed person. In the southern regions of Russia, a wolf is called a biryuk. The wolf has long been considered a dangerous animal for the economy. The peasants perfectly studied his habits and habits and often remembered them when speaking about the person. “Oh, you’ve grown old, brother! - Dunyashka said regretfully. “It’s become kind of gray, like biryuk.” ( Mikhail Sholokhov, "Quiet Don")
Mikhail Golubovich in the film "Biryuk". 1977 Play spillikins
Spillikins are various small household items that were used during the ancient game. Its meaning was to pull out one toy after another from a pile of toys with your fingers or a special hook, without touching or scattering the rest. The one who moves the adjacent spilliyule passes the move to the next player. The game continues until the whole pile is cleared. By the beginning of the twentieth century, spillikins had become one of the most popular games in the country and were very common not only among children, but also among adults.
In a figurative sense, the expression “to play tricks” means to engage in trifles, nonsense, leaving aside the main and important things:
“After all, I came to the workshop to work, and not to sit idly by and play with spillikins.” ( Mikhail Novorussky"Notes of a Shlisselburger")
Pies with kittens
In Rus' they never ate cats, except in times of severe famine. During long-term sieges of cities, their inhabitants, having exhausted all food supplies, used domestic animals for food, cats were the last to go.
Thus, this expression means a catastrophic state of affairs. Usually the proverb is abbreviated and said: “These are the pies,” in other words, “those are the things.”
Leave unsalted with a slurp
Illustration for the fairy tale “Shemyakin Court”. Copper engraving, first half of the 18th century. Reproduction. Photo: RIA Novosti / Balabanov In Rus' in the old days, salt was an expensive product. It had to be transported from afar off-road; taxes on salt were very high. When visiting, the owner salted the food himself, with his own hand. Sometimes, expressing his respect to especially dear guests, he even added salt to the food, and sometimes those who sat at the far end of the table did not get any salt at all. Hence the expression “to leave unsalted”:
“And the more she spoke, and the more sincerely she smiled, the stronger the confidence became in me that I would leave her with a slurp.” ( Anton Chekhov"Lights")
“The fox let go of his prey and went away, slurping unsalted.” ( Alexey Tolstoy"The Fox and the Rooster")
Shemyakin court
The expression “Shemyakin court” is used when they want to emphasize the injustice of any opinion, judgment or assessment. Shemyaka - a real historical figure, Galician Prince Dimitry Shemyaka, famous for his cruelty, deceit and unrighteous deeds. He became famous for his tireless, persistent struggle with the great Prince Vasily the Dark, his cousin, for the Moscow throne. Today, when they want to point out the bias or injustice of some judgment, they say: “Is this criticism? Some kind of Shemyakin court.”
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