«Стабильность восстановится, и с облечением вздохнут прежде всего в Москве. В конце концов, там же тоже есть люди, понимающие, что мы все связаны одной цепочкой.» (Аксёнов 7). “Stability will be restored, and everyone will breathe more easily, especially in Moscow.. Even in Moscow there are people who understand we’re all in it together” (7a).
В-42 • ВЕРИШЬ (ВЕРИТЕ) ЛИ coll [these forms only; sent adv (parenth)] used to call the interlocutor’s attention to the fact that sth. about to be said is unusual, surprising etc:
would you believe it; believe me; can you believe it (that.).
«Сто двадцать одну Маргариту обнаружили мы в Москве, и, верите ли, — тут Коровьев с отчаянием хлопнул себя по ляжке, — ни одна не подходит» (Булгаков 9). “We found one hundred and twenty-one Margaritas in Moscow, and, would you believe it,” here Korovyov slapped himself on the thigh in despair, “not one of them was suitable” (9c).
В-43 • ДЛЯ (БОЛЬШЕЙ) ВЕРНОСТИ coll [PrepP; these forms only; sent adv] in order to ascertain that sth. is more reliable, more accurate, more safe etc: as an extra (additional) precaution; by way of (additional) precaution; (just) to be (make) sure; (just) to make certain; (just) to be on the safe side; for safety’s sake; for (greater) safety; [lim.] to be accurate; for the sake of accuracy; for accuracy’s sake.
«Дед» мне поднёс обе бухты к ногам, и я их пощупал сапогом для верности (Владимов 2). The Chief lifted the two running coils and put them at my feet, where I felt for them with my boot just to make sure (2a). ♦ Он допятился до кресла, в недрах которого таился похищенный портфель, плюхнулся на сиденье и для верности ещё обхватил его руками (Акунин 8). He staggered backward to the armchair in the depths of which the purloined attache case lay concealed, plumped down heavily on the seat, and put his arms around the chair for safety’s sake (8a).
В-44 • ВЕРНЫЙ (ВЕРЕН) (САМОМУ’) СЕБЕ [AdjP; modif (long-form var. only) or subj-compl with copula (subj: human); fixed WO] (one is) consistent in carrying out one’s views or displaying one’s character, habits: (one is
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(remains)) true to o.s.; (one is (remains)) true to form; (one acts) in character.
Опомниться! Быть верным себе, не изменять своим привычкам. А то всё полетит прахом (Пастернак 1). He must come to his senses. He must be true to himself and to his habits. Otherwise everything would go up in smoke (1a).
В-45 • ВЕРОЙ И ПРАВДОЙ служить кому; ВЕРОЙ-ПРАВДОЙ [NPinstrum; these forms only; adv; fixed WO] 1. (of a person) (to serve s.o.) devotedly, honestly, with complete loyalty, (to render s.o.) good service (usu. over a long period of time): (do s.o.) yeoman (yeoman’s) service; (serve s.o.) loyally and well; (serve s.o.) faithfully (and truly); (be) a true and faithful servant; [when the period of service is indicated] (give ten years (a lifetime etc) of) true and faithful service.
«Послужи мне верой и правдою, и я тебя пожалую и в фельдмаршалы и в князья» (Пушкин 2). “Serve me faithfully and truly, and I will make you field-marshal and prince” (2b).
2. (of an everyday item, piece of clothing, tool etc) (to serve s.o.) reliably for a long period of time: (serve s.o.) long and well; (do s.o.) yeoman (yeoman’s) service; [lim] never let s.o. down.
Мы расстелили прямо на пол старую фланелевую шаль нашей няни Фимы, — уже десятый год она служила мне верой и правдой на всех этапах!.. (Гинзбург 2). We spread out on the floor the old flannel shawl belonging to my nurse, Fima, which had already done me yeoman service in all my journeyings under escort. (2a).
В-46 • ПО ВСЕЙ ВЕРОЯТНОСТИ [PrepP; Invar; sent adv (parenth); fixed WO] apparently, judging by what can be seen or what is known: in all probability (likelihood); most likely; to (by, from) all appearances; probably.
Сейчас мне не совсем понятно, почему, собственно, потребовалось вмешательство бабушки: ведь я был достаточно взрослым мальчиком. По всей вероятности, бабушка была послана, так сказать, для отчёта (Олеша 3). It isn’t entirely clear to me now just why my grandmother’s intervention was required; I was after all, quite sufficiently grown-up to have gone by myself.. Most likely, my grandmother was sent to keep account, so to speak (3a).
В-47 • ЗА СЕМЬ ВЁРСТ КИСЕЛЯ ХЛЕБАТЬ (ЕСТЬ)
ехать, идти и т.п. coll [VP; infin only; usu. this WO] to go to some place a long distance away in vain (or without any special need; the place in question is implied or specified by the context): X поехал за семь вёрст киселя хлебать = X went all that way for nothing (for no good reason (at all)); X went (all that way) on a wild-goose chase.
[author’s usage] «Ты поедешь?» — спросил Павел Петрович. — «Нет; а ты?» — «И я не поеду. Очень нужно тащиться за пятьдесят вёрст киселя есть» (Тургенев 2). “Are you going?” asked Pavel Petrovich. “No. What about you?” “I’m not going either. Why drag myself thirty miles for no good reason at all” (2g). “Are you going?” asked Pavel Petrovich. “No; are you?” “No, I won’t go either. Much object there would be in dragging oneself over thirty miles on a wild-goose chase” (2b).
В-48 • СЕМЬ ВЁРСТ ДО НЕБЕС (И ВСЁ ЛЕСОМ) наговорить, наобещать и т.п. coll, humor or iron [NP; these forms only; adv (quantif); fixed WO] (to say) a lot of things which are either not true or are presented in an unintelligible, long-winded fashion, (to make) a lot of promises (that one has no intention of keeping): наговорить ~ = say all kinds of things; talk a lot of hot air; go on at a great rate and leave s.o. baffled; || наобещать ~ = make s.o. a cart-
load of (empty) promises; promise s.o. the moon (and the stars).
В-49 • КОЛОМЕНСКАЯ ВЕРСТА; С (В) КОЛОМЕНСКУЮ ВЕРСТУ all coll, humor [NP, sing only (1st var.); PrepP, adv, or nonagreeing modif (2nd var.)] (of a person) very talclass="underline" tall as a beanpole; beanpole; (long,) tall drink of water.
[Любим Карпыч:] Остался я после отца, видишь ты, мал-малёхонек, с коломенскую версту, лет двадцати несмышлёно-чек (Островский 2). [L.K.:] I was left when my father died, just a kid tall as a bean pole, a little fool of twenty (2a).
< From a comparison of a very tall person with a "verst pole," i.e., a very high roadside pole marking a verst (an old Russian unit of length, about 1.06 km, used prior to the introduction of the metric system). Such poles were placed by order of Tsar Aleksei Mikhailovich on the road from Moscow to the village of Kolomenskoye, where the tsars resided in the summer.
В-50 • ЗА ВЕРСТУ [PrepP; Invar; adv.] 1. (being) at a relatively great distance (from some person, thing etc): a mile away; far off; (so) far away.