Б-24 • ВЕРНЁМСЯ К НАШИМ БАРАНАМ [sent; Invar; fixed WO] let us return to the main topic of our conversation (used as a request to the interlocutor not to digress from the main topic; also used by the speaker to indicate a return to
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the main topic): let’s get back to the subject (the matter) at hand; let’s return to the question at hand; let’s get back to the point at issue; let’s get back on track; (back (and now back, let’s go back etc)) to our muttons.
< Loan translation of the French revenons a ces moutons or retournons a nos moutons ("let us return to our sheep"), from the medieval farce Maistre Pierre Pathelin.
Б-25 • БАРАШЕК В БУМАЖКЕ obs [NP; sing only; usu. obj; fixed WO] a bribe: palm oil (grease); hush money.
Б-26 • СИДЕТЬ БАРИНОМ (КАК БАРИН) coll [VP; subj: human] to be idle while everyone else is working cooperatively: X сидит барином = X sits around like royalty; X sits on his hands.
Б-27 • КИСЕЙНАЯ БАРЫШНЯ derog [NP; usu. obj, subj-compl with copula, nom or instrum (subj: human), or adv (after как); fixed WO] a coddled person (usu. a young woman) who is unable to adjust to real life (orig., an affected and prudish young woman with petty interests): pampered young lady; pampered darling; prim young lady.
«Я кисейных барышень не люблю и вам такой быть не советую. Капризы извольте оставить» (Михайловская 1). “I don’t like pampered young ladies and I don’t advise you to become one. Please stop being capricious” (1a).
Б-28 • БРАТЬ/ВЗЯТЬ БАРЬЕР(Ы) [VP; subj: human] to overcome obstacles to success: X возьмёт барьеры = X will cross (surmount) barriers; X will leap over hurdles.
«Потребность в таком безделье — чаще всего неосознанная необходимость перескочить в том, что называется подсознанием, трудный барьер... Как часто я бессознательно и поражающе легко брал такие барьеры, стоило только мне перестать стараться и погрузиться в подобное безделие, в неожиданный сон» (Гладков 1). “The need for such idleness comes more often than not from an instinctive wish to leap over some difficult hurdle in the so-called subconscious…. How often I have crossed such barriers unconsciously and with astonishing ease once I stopped trying and simply sank into idleness, into a sudden lethargy” (1a).
Б-29 • НЕ ЛЕЗЬ ПОПЕРЁД БАТЬКИ В ПЕКЛО; ПРЕЖДЕ ОТЦА (бАтькИ) в пЕтлю не суйся
(НЕ ЛЕЗЬ) [saying] do not rush to undertake sth. risky or dangerous, let older and more experienced people make a move first: = don’t rush ahead of people who know better; don’t jump the gun.
«Не спеши, — поморщился Коба. — Ты всегда спешишь поперёд батька [sic] в пекло» (Войнович 5). “Not so fast,” said Comrade Koba, knitting his brows. “You’re always jumping the gun” (5a).
Б-30 • ПО БАТЮШКЕ (звать, величать кого) old-fash, coll [PrepP; Invar; usu. adv] (to call, address s.o.) by the name derived from his or her father’s name (by adding a suffix), which follows the first name and precedes the last name (in formal address, it is used in conjunction with the first name, whereas in uneducated or humorous speech it may be used alone): patronymic.
«Как, бишь, её зовут?» — спросил Базаров. «Фенечкой... Фе-досьей», — ответил Аркадий. «А по батюшке? Это тоже нужно знать». — «Николаевной» (Тургенев 2). “What did you say her name was?” asked Bazarov. “Fenichka… Fedosya,” Arkady replied. “And her patronymic? One must know that too.” “Nikolayevna” (2c).
Б-31 • БАТЮШКИ МОИ (СВЕТЫ)! obsoles, coll; БАТЮШКИ СВЯТЫ! obsoles, substand; МАТУШКИ МОИ (СВЕТЫ)! obs, coll [Interj; these forms only; fixed WO] used to express amazement, admiration, fear etc: (my) goodness (gracious)!; (my) gracious!; good heavens (God, Lord)!; merciful heavens!; (good) God in heaven!; saints alive!; (holy) Mother of God!
«Ой, батюшки светы, дорогие товарищи, что с нами сделалось. Дрожим, ни живы ни мёртвы, язык отнялся от ужаса ...!» (Пастернак 1). “Oh, God in heaven, need I tell you the state we were in. . We were shaking all over, half dead with fright and speechless with terror!” (1a). “Oh, saints alive, dear comrades, what a state we were in. We tremble, more dead than alive, can’t speak from fright.” (1b).
Б-32 • БАШ НА БАШ highly coll [NP; Invar; fixed WO] 1. ~ менять(ся), обменивать и т.п. [adv] (in refer. to goods) (to exchange) one thing for another without additional payment, without adding anything: (make) an even swap (trade); (make) a straight (equal) swap.
2. [subj-compl with быть0 (subj: usu. всё), adv, or indep. sent] an action (is undertaken), form of behavior (is demonstrated) etc in retaliation or reciprocation for a similar action, form of behavior etc: tit for tat.
Он [Мишка-сын] работал с Галибутаевым на одном производстве ... То спросит какую-нибудь гадость, то толкнёт. Го -нял его. Галибутаев. спуску тоже не давал. Баш на баш (Попов 1). He [Sonny Mishka] worked at the same factory as Gali-butayev.. One minute he’d be asking Galibutayev some filthy question, the next he’d be shoving him.. Always after him.. But [Galibutayev] would also let Sonny Mishka have it, when he got the chance. Tit for tat (1a).
Б-33 • ПОД БАШМАКОМ (ПОД БАШМАЧКОМ) чьим,
(у) кого быть0, находиться и т.п. or держать кого; ПОД БАШМАК чей, кого, к кому попадать all coll [PrepP; these forms only; subj-compl with copula (subj: human) or obj-compl with держать (obj: human)] under the full control or influence of s.o., completely dependent on s.o. (usu. of a husband in relation to his wife): X под башмаком у женщины Y = X is under Y’s thumb; X lets Y boss him around; [lim] X is henpecked (a henpecked husband); || Y держит X-а под башмаком = Y has (keeps) X under Y’s thumb; Y has X wrapped around Y’s little finger; [lim] Y wears the pants (in the family).
Общее мнение было то, что Пьер был под башмаком своей жены, и действительно это было так. С самых первых дней их супружества Наташа заявила свои требования (Толстой 7). The general opinion was that Pierre was under his wife’s thumb, which was really true. From the very first days of their married life Natasha had announced her demands (7b).
Б-34 • БАШНЯ ИЗ СЛОНОВОЙ КОСТИ lit [NP; sing only; usu. obj; fixed WO] a place or state of isolation from the realities of life, esp. a preoccupation with remote intellectual pursuits rather than worldly affairs: ivory tower.
Думать, что в башне из слоновой кости он [Пастернак] охранял своё олимпийское спокойствие, — это абсурд (Ивинская 1). It is absurd to imagine that he [Pasternak] sat in an ivory tower, preserving an Olympian calm (1a).