Б-87 • С БЛЕСКОМ [PrepP; Invar; adv] magnificently, excellently: brilliantly; superbly; [lim] with flair; [of the
passing of exams, tests etc] with flying colors.
«На съездах и конференциях. Валентин Сергеевич с блеском доказывает, что наш план тесно связан с задачами третьего пятилетнего плана» (Каверин 1). “At congresses, at conferences. Valentin Sergeyevich brilliantly proves that our plan is closely connected with the tasks of the Third Five-Year Plan” (1a).
Б-88 • ПЕРВЫЙ БЛИН (ВСЕГДА) КОМОМ [saying] you cannot expect your first attempt to be successful (usu. said to justify a failed first effort): = the first try is bound to be a flop (a washout); the first time is always the hardest; [lim] you must spoil before you spin.
Б-89 • ПЕЧЬ КАК БЛИНЫ что coll [VP; subj: human or collect; obj: pl; usu. pres] to produce things (often stories, articles etc) rapidly and in large quantities: X Y-и как блины печёт = X cranks out Ys (Y after Y); X turns (knocks) out Ys left and right; X churns out lots of Ys.
Б-90 • ЛОВИТЬ (ВЫИСКИВАТЬ и т.п.) БЛОХ highly coll [VP; subj: usu. human or collect] to find fault with s.o. or sth. for small and unimportant deficiencies: X ловит блох = X nitpicks (nit-picks); X splits hairs; X picks (minor) holes in sth.
Она заговорила о том, что всякая критика должна быть в первую очередь объективной, оценивать в целом, а потом уж выис-
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кивать блох (Трифонов 2). She said that criticism should above all be objective and should assess the work as a whole, and only then proceed to nit-picking (2a).
Б-91 • КАК НА БЛЮДЕЧКЕ (БЛЮДЕ) виден и т.п. coll [как + PrepP; these forms only; adv] (sth. can be seen) clearly, distinctly: (be) in clear (full) view; (be) in plain sight; [lim] (be) as clear as anything.
.День был чудесный, светлый и не жаркий; все горы видны были как на блюдечке (Лермонтов 1). It was. a really lovely day, bright but not too hot. The mountains all round were as clear as anything (1c).
Б-92 • НА БЛЮДЕЧКЕ С ГОЛУБОЙ КАЁМОЧКОЙ
преподносить, подавать что и т.п.; НА БЛЮДЕЧКЕ (С ЗОЛОТОЙ КАЁМОЧКОЙ); НА БЛЮДЕ all coll [PrepP; these forms only; sent adv; fixed WO] (to give sth. to s.o., let s.o. have sth. etc) without the recipient’s having to work hard to obtain it: (hand s.o. sth. (have sth. handed to one etc)) on a silver platter.
[Андрей:] Слушай, я, наверно, оттого такой пустой, что мне всё на блюдечке подавалось — дома благополучие. сыт, одет. (Розов 1). [A.:] I’m probably so shallow because everything has been handed to me on a silver platter—the family is well-off. they feed and clothe me. (1a).
< The source of the first variant is The Golden Calf («Золотой телёнок») by Ilya Ilf and Evgeny Petrov, 1931, ch. 2. The original source of the last variant is possibly the Russian translation of the Bible. Cf. Matt. 14:8, Mark 6:25, in reference to Salome's demand that John the Baptist's head be given to her "in a charger."
Б-93 • НА БОБАХ остаться, сидеть, оставить кого coll [PrepP; Invar; subj-compl with copula (subj: human) or obj-compl with оставить (obj: human)] (to end up, be, or leave s.o.) without sth. hoped for or counted on: high and dry; empty-handed; out in the cold; with nothing.
[Антонина Николаевна:] Я не спешила замуж, но сейчас это надо сделать. И быстрее, иначе я рискую остаться на бобах (Розов 3). [A.N.:] I haven’t rushed to get married, but now it has to be done. And rather soon, or else I run the risk of being left empty-handed (3a).
Б-94 • УБИТЬ БОБРА coll [VP; subj: human; fixed WO] 1. iron or humor to miscalculate, choosing the worst of the available options: X убил бобра = X put the saddle on the wrong horse; X put his eggs in the wrong basket; [said with ironic intonation] X picked a (real) winner; [lim.] X really did it this time; that was some catch.
2. obs to acquire sth. of great value or achieve sth. remarkable: X убил бобра = X hit it big; X hit the jackpot.
Б-95 • БОБЫ РАЗВОДИТЬ substand [VP; subj: human; usu. this WO] 1. to waste one’s time on trifles, act very slowly, procrastinate: X бобы разводит = X fritters (fiddles) away the time; [lim] X drags his feet.
[author’s usage] «Чем в губернское правление-то шататься да пустяки на бобах разводить, лучше бы дело делать!» (Салтыков-Щедрин 2). “Instead of wasting his time in government departments and frittering away the precious minutes on some stupid trifles, he [the pompadour] should have been doing something!” (2a).
2. obsoles to talk about insignificant, frivolous matters (often in order to distract s.o. from sth.), engage in idle chatter: X бобы разводит = X is prattling (on); X is babbling;
[lim] X is beating around (about) the bush; || X и Y бобы разводят = X and Y are gabbing; X and Y are shooting the breeze (the bull).
Б-96 • БОГ ДАЁТ/ДАЛ кого (кому) obs [VPsubj; obj: сына, дочь, детей etc; usu. this WO] God has given s.o. (a child or children) for which s.o. feels thankfuclass="underline" бог дал Y-у X-а = God has blessed Y with X; Y is blessed with X.
.Ребятишек Люсе бог не дал (Распутин 3). .God had not blessed her [Liusia] with children (3a).
Б-97 • БОГ ДАЛ (ПРИВЁЛ) встретиться, свидеться и
т.п. obsoles [VPsubj] it happened that s.o. had the occasion (to meet with another etc): it is (was) God’s will (that.); God (has) willed (granted, ordained) it (that.); (I didn’t expect (who would have thought etc) that) the Lord would have us (you, them) (meet etc).
[Андрей:] Ты был когда-нибудь в Москве? [Ферапонт:] Не был. Не привёл бог (Чехов 5). [A.:] Were you ever in Moscow? [F.:] Never was. It was not God’s will (5a). ♦ «А, старый хрыч! — сказал ему Пугачёв. — Опять бог дал свидеться» (Пушкин 2). “You old grumbler!” Pugachev said to him. “So God has ordained that we should meet again” (2b).
Б-98 • БОГ (ГОСПОДЬ) ДАЛ, БОГ (ГОСПОДЬ) И ВЗЯЛ
obs [sent; these forms only; fixed WO] said with resignation upon s.o.‘s death or upon the loss of sth.: = the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.
< From the Bible (Job 1:21).
Б-99 • БОГ ДАСТ coll [VPsubj; Invar; sent adv (parenth)] I hope, one hopes (that things will turn out as desired): God (Lord) willing; with God’s help; I hope to God; God grant.
«Ну, бог даст, ещё увидимся». Шофёр, поняв это как указание, надавил на газ, и машина рванулась (Евтушенко 2). “Well, God willing, we’ll see each other again.” The driver, interpreting this as a command, stepped on the gas, and the car sped away (2a).