“No brainer”: the etymology of expressions known from childhood. The meaning of the word “hedgehog Hedgehog: description and photo”
hedgehog genus. p. ezha, ukr. zh, zhak, Serbian-tslav. ѥжь ἐχῖνος, Bulgarian. hedgehog, serbohorv. jezh, gen. p. jezha, Slovenian. jéž, Czech, Slavic jež, Polish jeż, v.-luzh. jěž, n.-luzh. jež. Praslav. *ezio-. Related Lit. ežỹs, ltsh. ezis "hedgehog", d.-v.-s. igil, new-century-n. Igel "hedgehog", Armenian. ozni, Greek ἐχῖνος "hedgehog", frig. ἔξις (instead of *ἔζις). This word is further connected with the Greek. ἔχις "snake", Armenian. iž “viper”, i.e. “hedgehog” = “relating to a snake”, possibly a taboo name “snake eater”; see W. Schulze in Lohmann, Gnomon 11, 407; Pedersen, Kelt. Gr. 1, 99; Specht 39; KZ 66, 57; Havers, 31; Fick, BB 29, 237; Bernecker 1, 266 et seq.; M. – E. 1, 572; Trautman, BSW 73. Other Russian. ozh "hedgehog" from *hedgehog under the influence of the shape *ozhik [ Wed blr. leader "hedgehog". - T.], where o is natural (see Shakhmatov, Essay 141). ...
living insectivorous mammal, characterized by a spiny cover. E. common, long-eared, whitish, etc. live in the USSR. They feed on insects, worms, mice, etc. E. is useful in exterminating mice and insects.
M. Ezhishe Kaluzhsk. chicken hedgehog Erinaceus animal. There are two types of them in Rossn; simple, E. europaeus, and Kyrgyz, steppe or black-bellied. | *A person who shudders from the cold or for some other reason. | Miser, miser, inaccessible rich man. The zhel will not outrun the hedgehog. The turtle will not outrun the hedgehog. You can't grab a hedgehog with your bare hands. A curiosity of a hedgehog: and there’s a lot of it! Move away, hedgehog, the sheepskin coat doesn't look good on you! It's a hedgehog, you can't pick it up with your hands. So that these hedgehogs will give birth to wool! The hedgehog is angry, and the whole dermis is angry. What the heck, it's a ruff and a hedgehog! The man was looking for a knife and ran into a hedgehog. There's a bag here, and there's a hedgehog in the bag. He spins around as if he sat on a hedgehog. It curls like a snake, but bristles like a hedgehog. It stings like nettles and stings like a hedgehog. Sea urchin, sea urchin, sea animal, made from slugs, in the form of a needle ball, ball. Ezhka, Ezhenka m. nickname pet hedgehog. The hedgehog will belittle. the hobbled one who shudders and winces. Hedgehog, related to a hedgehog, made from it. Keep someone under tight rein, strictly. The hedgehog loach is a craftswoman to teach. He is overgrown with hedgehog bristles. Headache: acute...
(Is.14:23, Is.34:11, Zeph.11:14) (from Arabic - something prickly, curled into a ball) - a well-known needle-shaped, insectivorous animal. In case of danger, the hedgehog curls up into a ball and puts out needles on all sides, and thus defends itself and even injures its enemy. They say that no poison is effective for hedgehogs. In the summer they crawl out of their holes to hunt for prey at night, but in the winter they usually fall into a lethargic sleep; are found in damp, desert, uninhabited places, together with pelicans and other desert animals, and therefore are cited in the above quotes next to other animals of the same kind, as evidence of the desolation and ruin of once noisy and populous cities and villages.
Pelican and hedgehog, speaks etc. Soph...
1. Insectivorous mammal.
2. Forest “pincushion”.
3. “An angry touch-me-not lives in the wilderness of the forest, there are a lot of needles, but not a single thread” (riddle).
4. “There was a pillow with needles lying between the trees. She lay quietly, then suddenly ran ”(riddle).
5. “Under the pines, under the trees lies a bag of needles” (riddle).
6. “Not a tailor, but walks with needles all his life” (riddle).
7. Its skin is good for sewing boss gauntlets.
8. A beast that understands.
9. The touchy-feely beast.
10. All in needles and destroys harmful insects.
11. Military fortification against technology.
12. Defensive fence in the form of crossing stakes with barbed wire.
13. Barrage beast.
In Christianity, it means an Elodea who does evil. The hedgehog steals grapes just as the devil steals people's souls. Among the Sumerians it is the emblem of Ishtar as the Mother Goddess.
(foreigner) - quarrelsome, nagging
Wed. Wow... what a thing! And don’t say a word to her!... a couple with Grishka. You should be beaten with batogs every day... Then both of them would be different hedgehogs.
M. Gorky. The Orlov couple.
Hedgehog a projectile for catching bears (see the corresponding article).
hedgehog
HEDGEHOG hedgehog; m.
1. A small animal of the order of insectivores, the back and sides of which are covered with sharp spines. The hedgehog curled up into a prickly ball. The hedgehog carries an apple on his back. // Razg. About an unyielding, touchy, prickly person. Don’t say too much to you, you real hedgehog!
2. Military A defensive barrier in the form of crossing stakes or iron bars intertwined with barbed wire. Anti-tank hedgehogs. Install hedgehogs.
◊ (And) it's a no brainer. Absolutely clear, understandable to everyone. Sea urchin. The bottom in this place is strewn with sea urchins.
Hedgehog `Historical Dictionary`
(Heb. cypodes). In Is. 14:23; 34:11; Soph. 2:14 states that these animals are prophesied to dwell in the ruins of Babylon and Edom.
JEZ Tomasz Teodor (JeEє, 1824-1915) (pseudonym of Zygmund Milkowski) - Polish fiction writer and publicist, participated in the Hungarian uprising of 1848, lived for a long time in Turkey and Romania, wandered around Europe and Asia, and visited America. He wrote stories and novels about the life of the South Slavs, Romanians, and Magyars. Of particular importance are his works from Polish and Ukrainian life; in them E. convincingly talks about the times of the panshchina, the decay of the gentry's youth and the degeneration of the Polish nobility. E. published the magazine: “Nie poolleglocc” (in Switzerland) and “Wolne Polskie Slowo” (in Paris). One of the founders of the “Polish League” (Liga Polska, 1886), with his journalism he laid the foundation for the so-called. "all-Polish movement". E. is also known as the author of many articles on history, pedagogy and geography. Bibliography:
I. In Russian language transl.: Uskoki, Historical. novel, St. Petersburg, 1871 (same, “World Work”, 1870, VIII-X); Bride Gar...
Literally: 1) expanding (e) contracting (g).
The hedgehog is dangerous because, having contracted, it expands sharply, stabbing with needles.
2) “from minimum to maximum, from beginning to end (yo) compresses (g).”
From a little bit to the limiting state it compresses.
Both interpretations complement each other well in describing the object.
e — expansion from minimum to maximum volume. Increase. Development of volume. Height. Yo = y-o. From the beginning to the end.
and — pressed, compressed, close.
Article:
School etymological dictionary of the Russian language
HEDGEHOG. Obsesslav. The etymology is not precisely established. Some scientists explain it as related to Latvian. ezis "hedgehog", German. Igel - also, Greek. echinos - also, echis “snake”, Old Indian. áhi - also, Armenian. iž “viper” and is interpreted as a taboo name for a hedgehog as a “snake eater”. Others (which seems less likely, although supported by most scholars) trace this word to Indo-European. *eg’h- “to prick”; in accordance with this, a hedgehog literally means “prickly; with needles."
BVP comment. There is a synonym for the word to shrink - to shrink. It may seem that "shrink" is a metaphor - to become like a hedgehog. But man and animals shrink and shrink from the cold. They are not prickly at all. The fabric shrinks when washed, it is not scratchy at all. Here is a set of synonyms. Shrunken - shrinking, shrinking, shrinking, curling, shrinking, shriveling, shrinking, shrinking, shrinking, shrinking. Shrinking - running wild, shrinking, embarrassed, shaking, timid, embarrassed, shy, shy. (Electronic “Dictionary-reference book of synonyms of the Russian language of the ASIS system” (version 4.6, 2009) Author Trishin V.N.)
Please note that there is no hint of prickliness, needles or snake eating.
Obviously, judging by the decoding, the word “hedgehog” is primary and means “to shrink.” And from this word came the word “hedgehog” - an animal that shrinks. Literally - from a little to the limit shrinking. The original meaning of the word “hedgehog,” as the reader may notice, does not in any way support fantastic speculation about some taboo names for the animal. And further. If hedgehog is a taboo name terrible beast, then what was his real name? There was also the real name of the monster. Lenin was actually Ulyanov, Trotsky was Bronstein, and the hedgehog?
Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron. From the article “Hedgehog, a mammal of the insectivorous order”:
The body covered with needles completely curls into a ball. This coagulation is carried out by the activity of a particularly developed circular subcutaneous muscle (m. Orbicularis panniculi), which, starting from the nasal and frontal bones, surrounds the body from the sides with a wide belt and, when bending the head and tail, plays the role of a closing muscle (sphincter), tightening the skin to the center of the abdominal surfaces; in this case, the head, legs and tail are pressed tightly against the belly and covered with stretched skin, and the needles are spread out so that there is no bare space left on the surface of the ball. E. curls up into a ball in any danger, and he sleeps in the same position.
A hedgehog is an animal that belongs to the phylum Chordata, class Mammals, order Urchiniformes, family Urchinaceae (Erinaceidae).
The origin of the Russian word “hedgehog” has not yet been fully studied. According to one version, the hedgehog got its name from the Greek “echinos”, which means “snake eater”. Supporters of another version see in the word “hedgehog” the Indo-European root “eg`h”, meaning “to prick”.
Hedgehog: description and photo. What does the animal look like?
The body length of a hedgehog, depending on the species, ranges from 10 to 44 cm. The weight of a hedgehog varies from 300 grams to 1.5 kilograms. The animal also has a tail, which grows from 1 to 21 cm in length.
Hedgehog tail
The animals have a large wedge-shaped head and an elongated muzzle with a pointed, mobile and moist nose.
The hedgehog's teeth are small and sharp; there are 20 teeth on the upper jaw and 16 on the lower jaw. Some types of hedgehogs have up to 44 teeth. The first incisors are enlarged and look like fangs.
The hind legs are longer than the front legs, each limb ends in 5 fingers, except white-bellied hedgehog, whose hind legs have 4 toes.
Long middle fingers help the hedgehog clean its spines.
The hedgehog's spines are hollow, with thin, sparse, barely noticeable hairs growing between them. The head and belly of the animal are covered with regular fur. On average, each hedgehog carries up to 10 thousand needles, which are gradually renewed.
The color of the needles of most species is dark, with alternating light stripes. The color of a hedgehog's fur, depending on the species, can be black-brown, brown, sand or white. In some places, the black color displaces the white, forming peculiar spots.
Most species of hedgehogs are distinguished by well-developed subcutaneous muscles. When in danger, the hedgehog curls up into a ball, and in this it is helped by the subcutaneous muscles located in the places where the spines grow.
Like most nocturnal animals, hedgehogs have poor vision, but their hearing and sense of smell are well developed.
It’s hard to call these animals fast, average speed the speed of a fleeing hedgehog is 3-4 km/h. Despite the fact that the hedgehog is a land animal, most species are excellent swimmers and climbers.
Hedgehog lifespan
The lifespan of a hedgehog in nature is 3-5 years. At home, hedgehogs live up to 8-10 years, as they do not die from natural enemies who hunt hedgehogs in wildlife. The main enemies of hedgehogs are wolves, foxes, ferrets, owls, badgers, martens, mongooses, hyenas, jackals, honey badgers, eagles, and other predators.
Where do hedgehogs live?
The habitat of hedgehogs is quite wide: this prickly animal is found in all European countries - from the southern regions of Scandinavia to the British Isles; the hedgehog lives in Russia and hot Africa, in Asia, New Zealand and the Middle East.
In nature, wild hedgehogs live in forests, deserts, steppes, cultivated landscapes and even cities. They dig burrows under tree roots or in bushes, and also settle in abandoned rodent burrows.
How do hedgehogs live in nature?
By nature, hedgehogs are nocturnal animals and solitary animals, leading a secretive lifestyle. During the day, hedgehogs sleep, hiding in self-dug holes up to 1 meter long or occupying empty rodent dwellings. Populations of foothill areas use crevices between rocks and voids under stones as shelters. At night, wild hedgehogs go hunting, preferring not to go far from home. Unfortunately, statistics show that quite a few hedgehogs are killed by cars while trying to cross highways at night.
What do hedgehogs eat in the wild?
The hedgehog is omnivorous, but the main diet consists of adult insects, earwigs, beetles, spiders, ground beetles, caterpillars, slugs, woodlice, earthworms. Hedgehogs also love to eat toads, locusts, bird eggs, crustaceans and invertebrates. Northern populations of forest urchins feed on lizards, frogs, mice and other small rodents.
All species of the hedgehog family are resistant to any, even the most toxic poisons That's why hedgehogs eat poisonous snakes and scorpions. The hedgehog does not disdain carrion, and also food waste, which can be found at summer cottages. Plant food forest hedgehog- these are mushrooms, moss, acorns, cereal seeds and any sweet berries - strawberries, raspberries, blackberries.
During the summer, the hedgehog must be well fed, otherwise the animal may die during hibernation.
A solid supply of fat allows hedgehogs to stay in a state of suspended animation from October to April.
Types of hedgehogs: photos, names and descriptions
The hedgehog family includes 2 subfamilies: real hedgehogs(Erinaceinae) and rat hedgehogs (hymnurs) (Galericinae), represented by 7 genera and 23 species. Below are several interesting species hedgehogs:
- Common hedgehog(European hedgehog) ( Erinaceus europaeus)
One of the most common types of hedgehogs. The body length is 20-30 cm, the tail grows up to 3 cm, weight - about 800 g. The hedgehog's needles are no more than 3 cm long, the color is brownish-brownish with dark crossbars. The color of the muzzle, limbs and belly can be dark or yellow-white.
The common hedgehog is a typical inhabitant of woodlands, plains and parks in Western and Central Europe, Great Britain, the Scandinavian countries, the Western Siberian region, the north-west of the European part of Russia and Kazakhstan.
Molting of the common the hedgehog is coming slowly, in autumn or spring. Every third needle changes. Needles grow for about a year and even a little longer.
- long eared hedgehog(Hemiechinus auritus)
Is different long ears, sometimes growing up to 5 cm in length. Representatives of the species are small, the size of the hedgehog reaches from 12 to 27 cm in length, the weight is 430 g. The needles of the long-eared hedgehog have a length of 1.7 to 1.9 cm. In case of danger, the animals rarely curl up into a ball, trying to escape.
This type of hedgehog prefers dry steppes, deserts and semi-deserts, where it lives in damp ravines and abandoned ditches. The habitat covers Africa, Asia Minor and Central Asia, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China. In Russia, the eared hedgehog lives in areas from the Volga region to the Ural Mountains.
The animals feed on insects, lizards, toads, beetles, ants, small birds, berries, seeds, and fruits.
- Eastern European hedgehog(Erinaceus concolor)
Reminds me European hedgehog, but the color of the front of the neck and belly is much lighter than the hair on the head and sides. Adults grow up to 35 cm in length, and the weight of a hedgehog is summer period can reach 1.2 kg.
The Eastern European species of hedgehogs is common in Austria, Germany, Slovenia, the Urals, Kazakhstan, Asia Minor and the islands of the Mediterranean. It is found in a wide variety of areas: on the edges of the forest, in parks, personal plots, fields and river valleys.
Hedgehogs feed on caterpillars, ground beetles, beetles, earwigs, snails, woodlice, slugs, earthworms, moss, acorns, sunflower seeds, berries (strawberries, raspberries, strawberries, mulberries), and mushrooms.
- African pygmy hedgehog (white-bellied hedgehog) ( Atelerix albiventris)
It has a body length of 15 to 22 cm. The weight of the animal reaches 350-700 g. The color is usually brown or gray, the hedgehog needles have white tips. Usually the African hedgehog snorts or squeals quietly, but in case of danger it can scream loudly. The hedgehog's tail reaches 2.5 cm in length. The animal's eyes are small, its ears are round, and females are larger than males.
African hedgehogs live south of the Sahara desert, in countries such as Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia, Senegal, Mauritania. They eat spiders, insects, scorpions, snakes, snails, and worms.
- Long-spined hedgehog (dark-spined, bald hedgehog) ( Paraechinus hypomelas)
It measures up to 22-27 cm in length with a body weight of 500-900 grams. The species got its name due to a small bald spot on the crown and long, thick needles, up to 4-4.2 cm long. The hedgehog's needles have different colors: it can be black with a white base or very light, almost white.
The bald hedgehog lives on plains and foothills, preferring rocky and sandy landscapes. The range partially extends across the Arabian Peninsula, the Persian Gulf Islands, through Iran and Pakistan to Kazakhstan. It is listed in the Red Book of Uzbekistan and is also protected by the state on the territory of Turkmenistan.
Long-spined hedgehogs eat insects, locusts, cicadas, ground beetles, weevils, click beetles, small invertebrates and reptiles, including snakes, and rodents. Does not disdain carrion.
- Ethiopian hedgehog(Paraechinus aethiopicus)
It is distinguished by light brown needles, short, dark limbs and a dark “mask” on the face. At the same time, the rest of the body has white color. An adult grows up to 15-25 cm in length, and the weight of a hedgehog ranges from 400 to 700 g. In general, the species is distinguished by rare gluttony.
The Ethiopian hedgehog lives in deserts and sun-scorched steppes. North Africa: from Egypt and Tunisia to the coast of the Persian Gulf.
Ethiopian hedgehogs feed on insects, scorpions, snakes, bird eggs, frogs, termites, beetles, and locusts.
- Daurian hedgehog(Mesechinus dauuricus)
Belongs to the genus steppe hedgehogs and differs from most relatives in the absence of a strip of bare skin that separates the needles of the head into a parting. The spines of the hedgehog are short, sandy or Brown, coarse fur, painted gray or dark brown.
This species of hedgehog is a typical inhabitant of forest-steppes and steppe areas from Transbaikalia to Mongolia and northern China. Hedgehogs eat beetles small mammals(hamsters, pikas), bird chicks and eggs, snakes, frogs, toads, cotoneaster and rose hip berries.
- Ordinary gymnura(Echinosorex gymnura)
Belongs to the subfamily of rat hedgehogs. Gymnura grows in length from 26 to 45 cm with a body weight of 500 g to 2 kg. The hedgehog's tail, covered with sparse hairs and scales, reaches 17-30 cm in length, and its back part is colored White color. The back and sides are black, the hedgehog's head and neck are white.
Gymnura inhabits wet rainforests southeast Asia from Malacca to Borneo. It feeds on invertebrates and small vertebrates, crustaceans, frogs, toads, fish, and fruits.
- Small hymnura ( Hylomys suillus)
The smallest in the family. The length of her body does not exceed 10-14 cm. The tail reaches 2.5 cm. The weight of the animal is 45-80 grams.
The animal lives in mountainous areas and hills in the countries of southeast Asia (Indonesia, Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, China). Lesser gymnurs eat insects and worms.
Reproduction of hedgehogs
At the end of hibernation, when the air warms up to 18-20 degrees, mating season begins for hedgehogs. Hedgehogs reach sexual maturity at 10-12 months. Northern populations reproduce once a year, southern populations produce offspring twice.
Female hedgehogs build nests in their burrows, lining the bottom of the hole with dry leaves and grass.
Males often fight for the female, starting fights with sniffling and snorting, biting each other on the face and legs, and pricking themselves with sharp needles. Then the winner circles for a long time around the female, who thoroughly smoothes her needles before mating. Hedgehogs are polygamous animals and immediately separate after mating.
The gestation period ranges from 34 to 58 days, resulting in the birth of 1 to 7 (usually 4) cubs weighing 12 grams.
Newborn hedgehogs are blind, covered with completely bare, bright pink skin. During the first day of life, soft, light and dark needles grow on the body of small hedgehogs. After 2 weeks, the animal’s needle-like cover is already fully formed.
For the first month, the female hedgehog feeds the cubs with milk, then the young move on to independent life.
Keeping a hedgehog at home and caring for it
Nowadays, hedgehogs are considered quite popular pets, but catching a wild animal and bringing it home is an unwise decision. A wild hedgehog can be a carrier of a number of dangerous diseases: ringworm, salmonellosis, hemorrhagic fever, rabies. In addition, you can almost always find fleas and ticks on hedgehogs. That's why, The best way purchasing a funny animal - turning to breeders who guarantee the pet’s health, good heredity and adaptation to existence in captivity.
When do hedgehogs hibernate?
The most important thing that the future owner of a prickly pet should know: even in captivity, a domestic hedgehog needs hibernation, albeit not as long as in natural conditions. Otherwise, by spring the animal may die. True, this does not apply to African pygmy hedgehogs that do not hibernate. In autumn, hedgehogs need to be fed intensively, since it is during this period that hedgehogs accumulate fat reserves.
At the end of October - beginning of November, the animal will experience a period of numbness and lethargy, this means the beginning of hibernation. Usually in nature, hedgehogs spend the winter in their nest, so the animal needs to be given a secluded place where the temperature does not exceed 5 degrees Celsius: on a loggia, attic, or in a barn. In warm weather, the hedgehog may not hibernate. To the nest pet hedgehog you need to put dry leaves, sawdust, straw, rags. And then you can identify your pet there.
How to wash a hedgehog at home?
You can bathe a hedgehog at home only if we are talking about an adult healthy animal. Small newborn hedgehogs, as well as sick, weak animals should not be washed. Take a bowl and fill it up warm water no higher than 34.8 degrees Celsius. The water level should not exceed 5 cm. Instead of a basin, you can use a washbasin to bathe your pet hedgehog; the main thing is to monitor the water temperature.
Supporting the hedgehog under its head and chest, you can lower it into the water. Let the hedgehog settle in, but don't let him swim. Wash the belly and paws of the hedgehog, then the back and quills. Do not pour water on the muzzle, otherwise the domestic hedgehog may be frightened. To wash the hedgehog's needles, you can use a toothbrush and neutral baby shampoo, which should be rinsed thoroughly. After washing, the hedgehog can be wrapped in a towel. But in no case do not dry it with a hair dryer and protect your pet from a draft.
- The ancient Romans used the skins of hedgehogs to brush their sheep.
- Gypsies eat hedgehogs, and fried hedgehog is a favorite gypsy dish.
- Serbs treat alcoholism with hedgehog urine, and use the animal’s heart as a talisman against diseases.
- In the early 20th century, the McDonalds restaurant chain killed many unfortunate hedgehogs. Cups from the popular McFlurry ice cream ended up in the trash, which was something that hedgehogs with a sweet tooth did not fail to take advantage of. The animals happily licked the remnants of the ice cream, sticking their heads into the neck of the glass, but they could not pull it back out because the diameter of the container was too poor. As a result, thousands of hedgehogs died, actually immured in glasses. As a result of protests from animal rights activists, the diameter of the necks of the glasses was changed, and animals stopped dying.
hedgehog, hedgehog, husband. A small animal covered with prickly needles on top. The hedgehog curled up into a ball.
Efremova's Dictionary
- m.
- A small animal of the order of insectivores, the back and sides of which are covered with sharp spines.
- trans. decomposition A person who reacts strongly to smth. unpleasant, offensive.
- m. Anti-tank or anti-personnel barrier in the form of reinforced concrete sleepers, rails, beams, wooden stakes firmly connected to each other and intersecting.
Ozhegov's Dictionary
HEDGEHOG, hedgehog, m.
1. A small mammal of the order of insectivores with needles on the body.
2. A defensive barrier in the form of intersecting stakes, beams, and rails intertwined with barbed wire. Place the hedgehogs.
No brainer(simple) clear and simple, understandable to everyone.
| adj. hedgehog, oh, oh (to 1 value). Hold the cogon with a tight grip. (treat someone strictly, sternly; colloquially).
Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language
Old Russian - hedgehog.
Common Slavic – jezъ (hedgehog).
The word refers to common Slavic. It has been known in East Slavic languages since approximately the 12th century.
The etymology of this word has not yet been finally determined by scientists. Some talk about borrowing from the Baltic languages. And as proof of this, they cite the fact that a word with the same meaning and similar sound can be found in the Lithuanian (ezys) and Latvian (ezis) languages.
Others are about borrowings from Western European languages: for example, the German lgel, as well as from Greek, where the word echinos meant “snake eaters.”
According to some researchers, the word “hedgehog” can be traced to the Indo-European root “egh”, meaning “to prick”. In this connection, “hedgehog” is literally understood as “prickly”.
These expressions are familiar to us from childhood, but where did they come from?
These expressions are familiar to us from childhood, but where did they come from?
No brainer!
“It’s a no brainer” - this expression became famous thanks to Mayakovsky’s poem (“It’s even a no brainer - / This Petya was a bourgeois”). It appeared in Soviet boarding schools for gifted children. They recruited teenagers who had two years left to study (classes A, B, C, D, D) or one year (classes E, F, I). Students of the one-year stream were called “hedgehogs”. When they came to the boarding school, the two-year students were already ahead of them in the non-standard program, so at the beginning school year The expression “no brainer” was very relevant.
Rub glasses
In the 19th century, gamblers resorted to a trick: during the game, using a special adhesive composition, they applied additional points (red or black marks) from powder to the cards, and if necessary, they could erase these points. This is where the expression “to rub glasses” comes from, meaning to present something in a favorable light.
Whipping boy
Whipping boys in England and others European countries XV - XVIII centuries called boys who were brought up with princes and received corporal punishment for the prince's offenses. The effectiveness of this method was no worse than direct flogging of the culprit, since the prince did not have the opportunity to play with other children except the boy with whom he established a strong emotional connection.
Tight to tucked
Tyutelka is a diminutive of the dialect tyutya (“blow, hit”), the name for an accurate hit with an ax in the same place during carpentry work. Today, to denote high accuracy, the expression “tail to neck” is used.
Nick down
Previously, the nose was called not only a part of the face, but also a tag that was worn with oneself and on which notches were placed to record work, debts, etc. Thanks to this, the expression “hack on the nose” arose.
In another meaning, the nose was a bribe, an offering. The expression “to stay with the nose” meant to leave with an unaccepted offering without reaching an agreement.
Play on your nerves
After ancient doctors discovered nerves in the human body, they named them by their resemblance to strings musical instruments the same word - nervus. This is where the expression for annoying actions came from - “playing on your nerves.”
Not at ease
Today in French V Everyday life the word assiette means "plate". However, earlier, no later than the 14th century, it meant “the seating of guests, their position at the table, that is, near the plates.” Then, with the expansion of the circle of connections, the assiette became the “location of a military camp” and then the city. In the 17th century the word absorbed all the “specifics” of possible “positions” and began to mean any “position” in general... In the same century, assiette also appeared figurative sense- “state of mind.”
Russian Bare, who spoke and even thought in French, apparently did not particularly care about the accuracy of the Russian language even in the 18th century. they “translated” the French phrase in their own way: instead of “position”, “not at ease” got into the Russian phraseological unit from the original language. It was thanks to their negligence that such a beautiful figurative expression appeared in the Russian language!
Add the first number
In the old days, schoolchildren were often flogged, often without any fault of the person being punished. If the mentor showed special zeal, and the student suffered especially hard, he could be freed from further vices in the current month, until the first day of the next month.
Orphan Kazan
After the capture of Kazan, Ivan the Terrible, wanting to bind the local aristocracy to himself, rewarded high-ranking Tatars who voluntarily came to him. Many of them, in order to receive rich gifts, pretended to be severely affected by the war. This is where the expression “orphan of Kazan” came from.
Run like a red thread
By order of the English Admiralty, since 1776, when producing ropes for the navy, red thread must be woven into them so that it cannot be removed even from a small piece of rope. Apparently, this measure was intended to reduce rope theft. This is where the expression “run as a red thread” comes from about the author’s main thought throughout literary work, and Goethe was the first to use it in the novel “Selective Affinity.”
Give the go-ahead
In the pre-revolutionary alphabet, the letter D was called “good.” The flag corresponding to this letter in the code of signals navy means “yes, I agree, I allow.” This is what gave rise to the expression “give the go-ahead.”
Beluga roar
The silent beluga fish has nothing to do with the expression “beluga roar,” which means to scream or cry loudly and strongly. Previously, beluga was called not only a fish, but also toothed whale, which today is known to us as the beluga whale and is distinguished by its loud roar.
Blue blood
Spanish The Royal Family and the nobility were proud that, unlike the common people, they traced their ancestry to the West Goths and never mixed with the Moors who entered Spain from Africa. Unlike the dark-skinned commoners, blue veins stood out on the pale skin of the upper class, and so they called themselves sangre azul, which means “blue blood.” From here this expression for denoting aristocracy penetrated into many European languages, including Russian.
Reach the handle
IN Ancient Rus' The rolls were baked in the shape of a castle with a round bow. Townspeople often bought rolls and ate them right on the street, holding them by this bow or handle. For reasons of hygiene, the pen itself was not eaten, but was given to the poor or thrown to be eaten by dogs. According to one version, about those who did not disdain to eat it, they said: they got to the point.
And today the expression “reach the pen” means to completely descend, to lose human appearance.
Spread your thoughts across the tree
In “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” you can find the lines: “The prophetic Boyan, if someone wanted to compose a song, his thoughts spread across the tree, like a gray wolf on the ground, a gray eagle under the clouds.” Translated from Old Russian, “mouse” is a squirrel. And due to an incorrect translation, in some editions of the Lay a humorous expression appeared, “spreading thoughts over the tree,” which means going into unnecessary details, distracting from the main idea.
Skeleton in the closet
“Skeleton in the closet” is an English expression meaning a certain hidden biographical fact (personal, family, corporate, etc.), which, if made public, can cause significant damage to one’s reputation.
The appearance of the expression is associated with medicine. Doctors in Britain were not allowed to work with dead bodies until 1832. And the only bodies available for dissection for medical purposes were those of executed criminals. Although the execution of criminals was by no means uncommon in 18th-century Britain, it was unlikely that a particular doctor would have had many corpses in his possession during his work history. For this reason, it was common practice for a doctor who had the good fortune to dissect the corpse of an executed criminal to preserve the skeleton for scientific research purposes. Public opinion at the same time, it did not allow doctors to keep the skeletons in sight, so they were forced to keep them away from prying eyes. For this reason, many suspected that doctors kept skeletons somewhere, and one of such places could be a closet. published
