There is incredible confusion about the origin of this expression.
Still from the film "Horns", directed by Alexander Azha, 2013.
Most of the popular etymological reference books give the following options:
1. The expression is associated with the Byzantine emperor Andronicus Comnenus (1180 - 1185), who chose his beloved from among the wives of his nobles. Husbands received huge hunting grounds as compensation and, as a sign of their right to the estate, nailed antlers to the gates of the estate.
2. In ancient Germany there was a custom: a wife, seeing her husband off to war, put a helmet with horns on their head. Among women, the expression “to put horns on a husband” meant equipping a husband on a hike and staying free.
3. An expression from the myth of Actaeon, who spied on the bathing goddess Diana and for this was turned into a deer by her.
4. In a German imperial decree of 1427, it is forbidden to be in the army with a wife. Whoever violated the ban had to wear horns.
5. In English, the word "Cuckold" is used to denote a husband who has been cheated on by his wife, which is derived from cuckoo - cuckoo and is associated with the fact that the cuckoo lays its eggs in someone else's nest. The expression "wearing the horns of a cuckold" (to wear the horns of a deceived husband) is used in the same sense, as well as the shorter "wearing the horns" (to wear horns). Probably "wearing horns" in English came from the fact that often a deceived husband is the last to know about his wife's betrayal and, in this sense, he looks like a man who wears horns - everyone notices his wife's betrayal.
Well, etc.
All this is very naive and unreliable, if only for the reason that the expressions "cuckold", "wear (instruct) the horns" are already found in ancient literature.
A much more reasoned hypothesis is put forward in the book of Onians R. "On the knees of the gods: The origins of European thought about the soul, mind, body, time, world and fate." Per. L.B.Summ. M., 1999. 235 - 240.
The researcher deduces the expression of interest to us from the ancient symbolism of the horn and associated representations.
In Homeric times, horns were held in special honor, they were gilded before sacrificing an animal. In the Cretan-Mycenaean era, the horns were considered sacred and therefore were called "horns of initiation" - these were the horns themselves or their images. Usually they were placed above the altar or above the sanctuary, in "sacred places." The sacrifice was identified with the deity (those who partake of the sacrifice received communion with God) ... With Minoan beliefs, we can compare not only Homeric customs, but also the horn altar preserved on Delos.
Why were the horns endowed with such holiness? Because they were the concentration of the vital force that was in the head (Greek psyukhe). What grows out of the head is naturally perceived as a continuation of what is in the head itself. Democritus explained the growth of antlers in a deer as follows: “The bone covering the brain is very thin, membrane-like, and thick tubes rise from it to the top of the head. The food and its most generative part quickly rises up the head, and the fat is distributed around the entire animal from the outside, while the power of the food goes to the head through the tubes, and horns grow out of it, moistened with abundant moisture. This moisture, constantly pouring in, pushes the processes forward, and the liquid, leaving the body, solidifies, as the air cools it and turns it into a horn. " Probably, this idea of the philosopher was brought by the process of hardening of the flowing juice and resin.
Horns are a manifestation of generative power and they are used mainly in sexual activity. Citing many examples, Darwin comes to the conclusion that "horns and fangs in all cases develop primarily as a sexual weapon", i.e. they are used by males in fights for the female.
The Greeks, in particular Archilochus, called the male member "horn" - κέρας. The connection between the horn and fertility explains Diomedes' mockery of Paris: "an archer, a braggart, a proud horn, pursuing girls." Later, in some counties of England, "to be horned" meant "to be lustful," and the epithet "horny" means "loving."
If the "horn" in ancient times had a similar sexual meaning, it becomes clear why an unfaithful wife "instructs her husband's horns." Probably the joke implied that the wife was trying in her husband's favor. A man who "had in the house many of his Helen's paris" (Anthologia Palatina, XI 278) turned out to be horned. A note to this epigram calls the spouse a cuckold. This is the earliest mention of this expression.
In medieval poetry, especially in the 13th century, a horn grows on the forehead of a deceived spouse. Soon in Europe there was a custom to decorate a husband's head with horns, demonstrating what his wife had endowed him with. Probably, the connection between the horns and the fighting fervor caused by sexual feelings played a role here. The deer loses antlers every year after mating and regrows them again the next year. Having lost his horns, he loses both courage and desire for females. Compassionate neighbors could decorate the head of a patient husband with horns to give him back the missing sexual power and fervor generated by the substance in his head.
A cheated husband is an angry husband. Additional values cerebrum, cerebrosus confirm that, from the point of view of the Romans, the more brain a person had, the more substance he had that manifested itself in rage and aggression. Ovid, describing his belated anger at the betrayal of his beloved, exclaims: "later horns appeared on my head." The same with Petronius: "the angry, whose horns grow for their sins"; in Virgil: irasci in cornua - about a bull, whose anger turns into horns.
There is incredible confusion about the origin of this expression.
Most of the popular etymological reference books give the following options:
1. The expression is associated with the Byzantine emperor Andronicus Comnenus (1180 - 1185), who chose his beloved from among the wives of his nobles. Husbands received huge hunting grounds as compensation and, as a sign of their right to the estate, nailed antlers to the gates of the estate.
2. In ancient Germany there was a custom: a wife, seeing her husband off to war, put a helmet with horns on their head. Among women, the expression “to put horns on a husband” meant equipping a husband on a hike and remaining free.
3. Expression from the myth of Actaeon, who spied on the bathing goddess Diana and for this was turned into a deer by her.
4. A German imperial decree of 1427 prohibits being in the army with a wife. Whoever violated the ban had to wear horns.
5. In English, the word "Cuckold" is used to denote a husband who has been cheated on by his wife, which is derived from cuckoo - cuckoo and is associated with the fact that the cuckoo lays its eggs in someone else's nest. The expression "wearing the horns of a cuckold" (to wear the horns of a deceived husband) is used in the same sense, as well as the shorter "wearing the horns" (to wear horns). Probably "wearing horns" in English came from the fact that often a deceived husband is the last to know about his wife's betrayal and, in this sense, he looks like a man who wears horns - everyone notices his wife's betrayal.
All this is very naive and unreliable, if only for the reason that the expressions "cuckold", "wear (instruct) the horns" are already found in ancient literature.
A much more reasoned hypothesis is put forward in the book of Onians R. "On the knees of the gods: The origins of European thought about the soul, mind, body, time, world and fate." Per. L.B.Summ. M., 1999. 235 - 240.
The researcher deduces the expression of interest to us from the ancient symbolism of the horn and associated representations.
In Homeric times, horns were held in special honor, they were gilded before sacrificing an animal. In the Cretan-Mycenaean era, the horns were considered sacred and therefore were called "horns of initiation" - these were the horns themselves or their images. Usually they were placed above the altar or above the sanctuary, in "sacred places." The sacrifice was identified with the deity (those who partake of the sacrifice received communion with God) ... With the Minoan beliefs, we can compare not only the Homeric customs, but also the horn altar preserved on Delos.
Why were the horns endowed with such holiness? Because they were the concentration of the vital force that was in the head (Greek psyukhe). What grows out of the head is naturally perceived as a continuation of what is in the head itself. Democritus explained the growth of antlers in a deer as follows: “The bone covering the brain is very thin, membrane-like, and thick tubes rise from it to the top of the head. The food and its most generative part quickly rises up the head, and the fat is distributed around the entire animal from the outside, while the power of the food goes to the head through the tubes, and horns grow out of it, moistened with abundant moisture. This moisture, constantly pouring in, pushes the processes forward, and the liquid, leaving the body, solidifies, as the air cools it and turns it into a horn. " Probably, this idea of the philosopher was brought by the process of hardening of the flowing juice and resin.
Horns are a manifestation of generative power and they are used mainly in sexual activity. Citing many examples, Darwin comes to the conclusion that "horns and fangs in all cases develop primarily as a sexual weapon", i.e. they are used by males in fights for the female.
The Greeks, in particular Archilochus, called the male member "horn" - κέρας. The connection between the horn and fertility explains Diomedes' mockery of Paris: "an archer, a braggart, a proud horn, pursuing girls." Later, in some counties of England, "to be horned" meant "to be lustful," and the epithet "horny" means "loving."
If the "horn" in ancient times had a similar sexual meaning, it becomes clear why an unfaithful wife "instructs her husband's horns." Probably the joke implied that the wife was trying in her husband's favor. A man who "had in the house many of his Helen's paris" (Anthologia Palatina, XI 278) turned out to be horned. A note to this epigram calls the spouse a cuckold. This is the earliest mention of this expression.
In medieval poetry, especially in the 13th century, a horn grows on the forehead of a deceived spouse. Soon in Europe there was a custom to decorate a husband's head with horns, demonstrating what his wife had endowed him with. Probably, the connection between the horns and the fighting fervor caused by sexual feelings played a role here. The deer loses antlers every year after mating and regrows them again the next year. Having lost his horns, he loses both courage and desire for females. Compassionate neighbors could decorate the head of a patient husband with horns to give him back the missing sexual power and fervor generated by the substance in his head.
A cheated husband is an angry husband. Additional values cerebrum, cerebrosus confirm that, from the point of view of the Romans, the more brain a person had, the more substance he had that manifested itself in rage and aggression. Ovid, describing his belated anger at the betrayal of his beloved, exclaims: "later horns appeared on my head." The same with Petronius: "the angry, whose horns grow for their sins"; in Virgil: irasci in cornua - about a bull, whose anger turns into horns.
to whom. INSTALL HORNS to whom... Iron. 1. Living with another man, cheating on her husband. [ Ivan:] Some kind of carp, not a man. Tell me you don't have the little desire to give him horns, huh? [Hope:] How can you talk to your daughter about such sinful things?(M. Gorky. The last). 2. Insult the honor, dignity of a man by living with his wife. Frau Yanichkova was escorted to the exit door by the whole company, and when the doors were open, the noisy blonde shouted: “Tell your husband that we will definitely give him horns on our next visit!(V. Tartakovsky. Death and life side by side). to whom. INSTALL HORNS to whom... Spread. Express. Violate marital fidelity, cheat on a spouse. But was it worth it to strain yourself so that, just by looking, you can immediately understand this couple and their whole simple story? Oh, this young angel is capable of much! At least he puts horns on his bearded hubby for sure. Look how innocently she flaps her eyelashes(L. Skorik. Ficus).Phraseological dictionary of the Russian literary language. - M .: Astrel, AST... A.I. Fedorov. 2008.
See what "Horns" is in other dictionaries:
Set the horns- INSTRUCT 1, vlyu, vish; imposed; owls. Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 ... Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary
give horns- change, enrich the Dictionary of Russian synonyms ... Synonym dictionary
give horns- (to plant, tune, draw horns) to whom to cheat on a husband (wife) or seduce someone else's husband (wife) ... Dictionary of Russian argo
give horns- Insist / twist the horns (to the husband) Change to the husband ... Dictionary of many expressions
instruct- To set the horns to someone is used as a symbolic designation of treason to her husband (colloquial). Glad you give him horns. Chekhov. He has been wearing horns for a long time (deceived by his wife). And wealth befits her, and horns to your face. A. Pushkin. Set your nose ... Phraseological dictionary of the Russian language
INSTRUCT Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary
INSTRUCT- 1. INSTRUCT1, instruct, instruct, sover. (to instruct1). 1. what and who what. Deliver in some quantity (colloquial). Train the watchmen. Set up a lot of furniture. 2. what. Add, add, lengthen by any amount. Set up the ladder. ... ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary
instruct- INSTRUCT, vlyu, see; imposed; sover. 1. whom (what). Put in which n. quantity (colloquial). N. chairs. N. fives in the diary. N. bruises, bumps. 2. what. Extend by adding that n. why n. N. sleeves. 3. what. Zoom in, aim (colloquial). N. ... ... Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary
instruct- I vlyu /, vi / shu; St. see also. instruct, instruct, instruct 1) what and whom to put what, arrange, place where l. in what l. (usually large) quantities. Insist / set a dozen watchmen at each door ... Dictionary of many expressions
Horns to instruct- HORN 1, a, pl. horns, horns, m. an outgrowth (paired or unpaired) of bone matter on the skull in some animals, as well as an outgrowth on the head in some insects and mollusks. Horns of a bull, a goat. R. rhinoceros. Deer horns. Horns of a beetle, snail. Explanatory dictionary … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary
Books
- Why do we say this? Small encyclopedia of winged and figurative expressions,. We often use winged words, saturating our speech with shades of irony, reproach, jokes, or we use aphorisms as an apt description of the phenomena of our life. Often we don’t think ... Buy for 326 rubles
- Why do we say so Small encyclopedia of winged and figurative expressions, Kharchenko A. (comp.). We often use winged words, saturating our speech with shades of irony, reproach, jokes, or we use aphorisms as an apt description of the phenomena of our life. Often we don’t think ...
Everyone knows an ironic expression that means physiological betrayal. That is, if the wife went to the left, then the horns were given to the husband. Moreover, in the opposite case, if the husband is actively fulfilling his marital duty, but, of course, not with his wife, then this is usually not said.
There are many versions of the appearance of this interesting expression. Here is the Byzantine emperor, fucking the wives of his nobles and, as an excuse, granting them the right to hunt in the imperial lands, and as a "certificate" to hunt, obliging to nail antlers on the gates of the estate; and the ban of the German emperor on the stay of his wives in the army, and as a punishment for violating the ban - putting horns on his head (although what does treason have to do with it - the devil only knows, but the legend is a legend); and again, the German custom of the Middle Ages - the wife donning a horned helmet to her husband when sending off to the war, which means that she sent the hateful one out, and she herself is free!; even the antique version got in the way - the transformation by a certain goddess of a young man spying on her bathing into a deer. Although in this version the very concept of treason is somehow not traced. Well, think about it, peeped. I didn’t touch it with my hands ... In general, and so on. etc.
In principle, all of them, these versions, have a place to be and you can take note of any of them. But! The question is that the expression is much older than the presented versions date it. The expressions "cuckold", "instruct the horns" are already found in ancient literature, which completely excludes the version about the Middle Ages and even the Byzantine emperor.
One of the more plausible versions I have come across is the ancient Greeks' identification of the horn and the penis. In general, quite often this euphemism - horn = member was used in various written sources that have come down to us. Although it is also difficult to draw an analogy here: where is treason here, and why should a horn (or a member) grow in a husband? Yes, even on the forehead?
Thus, in my opinion, the most plausible version is a banal comparison of a cheated husband with a horned animal, such as a deer. It is with the help of the horns that such animals fight for the female, and the analogy here is straightforward - "your horns have grown!" - that is, "idiot, it's time for you to either fight for your female, or just teach your opponent a lesson!" So, no matter how you nail the horns to the gate, and the deer - he is the deer.
Where did the expression "set the horns" come from?
Where did the expression "set the horns" come from?
Let's figure out together where these expressions came into our lives.
With your prayers.
This colloquial playful expression is said in response to the question "How are you?" or "How is your health?" - in the meaning of "thank you, nothing" as an expression of gratitude for a sympathetic attitude.
All tryn-grass.
The mysterious "tryn-herb" is not at all some herbal medicine that is drunk so as not to worry. At first it was called "tyn-grass", and tyn is a fence. It turned out "podzabornaya grass", that is, no one needed, all indifferent weed.
Lead by the nose.
Cheat by promising and not fulfilling the promise. This expression was associated with fairground entertainment. The gypsies used to lead the bears by a ring threaded through their noses. And they forced them, poor fellows, to do different tricks, deceiving with the promise of handouts.
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. Perun was offered prayers for rain in a 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 does not know when it will be fulfilled.
Cut your nose.
If you think about it, the meaning of this expression seems cruel - you must admit it is not very pleasant to imagine an ax next to your own nose. In fact, everything is not so sad. In this expression, the word "nose" has nothing to do with the organ of smell. The "nose" was a plaque or note tag. In the distant past, illiterate people carried with them such boards and sticks, with the help of which all kinds of notes or notches were made for memory.
Grated roll.
In the old days there really was such a kind of bread - "grated kalach". The dough for him was kneaded, kneaded, "rubbed" for a very long time, which made the roll unusually lush and noble. That is, a person is taught by trials and experiences.
Scapegoat.
This is the name of a person on whom someone else is blamed. 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 a living goat, thereby, as it were, shifting the sins of his people onto it. After that, the goat was driven into the desert.
Unlucky person.
In the old days in Russia, "the way" was called not only the road, but also various positions at the court of the prince. Boyars by hook or by crook tried to get the way from the prince - a position. And to those who did not succeed, they said with disdain: a good-for-nothing person.
Beat your thumbs.
In ancient times, handicraftsmen made cups, bowls, spoons and other utensils from wood. And in order to cut a spoon, it was required to chop off a small chock from a log. It was this wood block that was called the thumbs-up. Pupils or, as they were also called, apprentices were entrusted with preparing thumbs, since it was a simple matter, one might say, trifling, requiring no special skill and skill. To cook such wooden chocks was called "to beat the thumbs up". And since this work was easy, careless students tried to stretch it out longer. Hence the expression "to beat the thumbs up" - a mockery of the lazy "baklushniki".
There is nothing behind the soul.
In the gray-haired old days, it was believed that a person's soul was placed in a depression located between the collarbones, such a dimple on the neck. Here there was a custom to hide money so that, if necessary, it would be possible to quickly and safely get it. But since the poor people had no money, there was nothing to hide. Therefore, they say that the poor man has nothing for his soul.
Break a leg.
For the first time this expression appeared among experienced hunters, and was justified by the superstitious idea that when you directly and openly desire both down and feather, you can jinx the results of the hunt. Evil spirits do not sleep, and will definitely drive and knock you off the trail. A feather in the language of hunters meant a bird, down - an animal. So it was customary to wish "No fluff, no feather" to deceive evil spirits. To which the earner, according to the same scenario, answered "To hell", so as not to jinx his secret wishes. Evil spirits took everything at face value and did not interfere with the hunters in their business, did not intrigue and did not take away the prey.
Gehenna is fiery.
One of the names of hell, a place of great suffering and unbearable torment. The word Gehenna comes from the name of the Gennom Valley near Jerusalem. Once upon a time here the pagans made human sacrifices, burning people alive. Here is the expression to burn in fiery hell and denotes the terrible fate of sinners.
Big boss
Remember the painting "Barge Haulers on the Volga"? Remember how the barge haulers pull the barge with all their might. The hardest and most important place in this strap is the place of the first barge haule. He sets the stage, he directs the rest. Therefore, this place was occupied by the strongest person. This man in a burlak strap was called a "bump". This means that the "big shot" is a big and important person.
Blue blood
Aristocrats have always been proud of their white skin. It was considered indecent if the skin tanned at least a little in the sun. Ladies always walked with umbrellas covering their faces from the sun's rays. Therefore, the skin of the nobility was thin and pale, while blue veins under the skin were visible. It seemed that blue blood was flowing in their veins. Since then, this expression has been used to refer to people from high society.
And ends in water
This expression is deeply rooted in the time of Ivan the Terrible. During his atrocities, people were killed indiscriminately, without trial or investigation. Sometimes this took on such a scale that even Tsar Ivan the Terrible himself was perplexed. At the same time, so that fewer people knew about his atrocities, the corpses of people were thrown into the river at night. The current carried the bodies away from the crime scene. So, the ends in the water, meant to remove the traces of crimes, so that no one knew anything.
It is written on my forehead
This expression appeared during the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna. She issued a written order to brand the criminals. The stigma was placed on the forehead, "so that he could be distinguished from the righteous." Looking at such a person, they said that all his bad thoughts were written on his forehead, meaning the stigma.
Soap opera.
This is what we used to call TV series. And what does this expression mean? In 1932, the opera Betty and Bob was a huge success in the United States. It was sponsored by soap and detergent manufacturers. And later, to clarify what kind of opera they were talking about, they talked about a "soap opera", meaning this one.
In the bag.
In the old days there was no mail as such, there were special people who delivered the news with their own hands. They were messengers. And since in those days the roads were unsafe, in order not to lose the messages, they sewed them under the strong lining of a cap or hat. Since then, we have been saying "it's in the bag", meaning that the assigned task has been completed.
Shabby look.
This expression goes back to the time of Tsar Peter the Great. In those days there was such a manufacturer Zatrapeznikov. His manufactory produced very coarse and low-quality cloth. This fabric was bought only by poor people who could not buy something better for themselves. And the appearance of such poor people was appropriate. Since then, if a person is dressed sloppily, they say about him that he has a shabby appearance.
I got into trouble.
We now know what it means to be in an unpleasant situation. This expression comes from Ancient Rus. In those days, they often caught fish in the villages, setting a kind of snare - traps woven from vines and branches. These traps were called bindings, from the word weave. The fish caught in the binding ended up in a frying pan, which was very bad for the fish.
Mind chamber
In ancient Russia, chambers were called large rooms located in the sovereign's buildings. Later, the institutions that lived in them began to be called chambers. Remember, the Palace of Facets or the Armory. And in these chambers, various laws were usually discussed, and sovereign decisions were made. Therefore, the ward of the mind is said, meaning that a person is smart, his mind is like a whole collection of sovereign sages.
You old fuck
Remember how many times we have heard this expression. Now it sounds ironic and is usually addressed to the elderly. Ever wondered why?
It's all really about hell. Yes, yes, in the vegetable that we still grow in our gardens. Young horseradish is usually smooth, white, but it does not have that strength and vigor as in an old, two or three year old. Try rubbing old horseradish. Tears will pour in a stream for a long time and profusely.
So, saying to a man "you old fuck", we do not offend him, but only emphasize the strength and experience gained over the years.
Inside out
The history of this expression is connected with the decree of Ivan the Terrible to mark the guilty in a special way. The guilty boyars were dressed in a shirt inside out and put on a horse backwards and so they drove around the city, "so that everyone could see the scoundrel, and so that others would not disdain."
Deaf grouse
During mating games, that is, during mating, the male grouse experiences hearing loss for some time. Sometimes even he stops seeing. Therefore, hunters used it very often. Such birds could be taken with bare hands. Interestingly, this never happens to females.
Gray-haired as a harrier
The harrier is a bird with a bluish-whitish plumage. And her appearance is interesting, feathers frame her entire head with a crown, resembling an old man with a beard, whitened with gray hair. This is where the expression "gray-haired like a harrier" came to us. quite an old man with a gray, almost white head.
Put your hand
In ancient times in Russia, all illiterate people, instead of their signatures, left their fingerprint on the document. This meant that the person was familiar with the document and agreed. This is where the expression "to put a hand" came from, means to take part in any business. From there and "assault", that is, a person had a fight with someone, put his hand to someone else's face.
Foolishness blasted
This expression appeared thanks to the gentlemen-school students. The fact is that the word "moros", translated from Greek, just means "stupidity". This is how the teachers told the negligent students, if they started talking nonsense out of ignorance of the lesson, "you are carrying a drizzle." Then the words were rearranged, and it turned out that his ignorance of the gymnasium students "froze stupidity."
Him all tryn-grass
When they say tryn-grass, they mean that a person does not care about everything. And that's why. Initially, they said tyn-grass, meaning the grass that grows behind the tyn, that is, behind the fence, and to which no one cares. The grass was always mowed in the yard. And behind the fence, it grew, at random, to a huge size.
Walk gogol
And the question immediately arises: does this expression have anything to do with Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol. It turns out, no, it doesn't. But to the waterfowl duck it has the most direct. Gogol is the name of a diving duck. She has a large head and a short, strong neck. It comes out of the water slowly, holding its beak high. Therefore, the expression "walking with a gogol" means to be arrogant and proud.
Soul wide open
Even in ancient times in Russia, it was believed that the human soul has its place on the body, it is a dimple between the collarbones. And if any person wanted to show that he had no bad thoughts, he would unbutton the button on his shirt, showing this dimple. This meant that a person lives with an open soul, that is, he is sincere in his thoughts and actions.
Disservice
This expression is directly related to Krylov's fable "The Hermit and the Bear". Once a hermit with a bear went for a walk in the forest in hot weather. The hermit was tired, sat down to rest and fell asleep, while the bear was driving the flies away from him. And when another fly landed on the hermit's forehead, the bear took a cobblestone and killed the fly, while cutting open the hermit's skull.
So, doing a disservice means doing harm instead of the promised help.
Sharashkin's office
What kind of office is this? This expression comes from the words sharan, trash. For a long time, this was the name of people who were engaged in deception, i.e. crooks. And therefore, those organizations that are trying to deceive people were called sharashkin offices. It was not recommended to believe such organizations, as well as any sharani.
Palm tree
The meaning of this expression must be sought in Ancient Greece. The fact is that during the Olympic Games in Greece, the winners were crowned not only with laurels, i.e. laurel wreaths, but also palm branches. Only the winners in competitions could get a palm branch. This implied subsequent honor and respect.
Get the deal off the ground
In mechanics, there is such a concept as a dead center, when forces from different sides balance each other. For a moment, the mechanism freezes at this critical point. And to make it work, flywheels were used. Those. to move the mechanism from a dead center means to make it move again. It's the same with the case. Getting things off the ground means overcoming difficult stagnation.
Like a goat's milk
The fact is that a goat gives a person both milk and wool. Those. it is doubly useful to man. But the problem with the goat, he does not give milk or wool. So they say so dismissively about a useless person, "Benefit from you, like a goat of milk."
Wash your hands
There was such a custom in the east. If a person was accused of a crime, and he was innocent, he washed his hands with water and said, "It's not my fault" or "My hands are clean." This equated to an oath. That is, the person relieved himself of the blame assigned to him. So the expression "wash your hands" means to relieve oneself of responsibility for an event.
White crow
We have all seen completely white cats, there are also white rabbits and white mice. And you also saw people with completely white hair and eyebrows. Such creatures are called albinos by scientists. This is due to the fact that there is no coloring pigment in the skin. Ravens are also albinos, but this is very rare. However, as with all other creatures. So the expression "white crow" means something rare and unusual that goes beyond.
Without a hitch
This expression came into our speech from the professional slang of carpenters and joiners. When processing wood, it was very important that all knots and roughness were removed. Only then the wood was obtained without flaws, that is, it was of high quality processing. So the expression "everything went smoothly" means that everything went very smoothly, without any hindrances.
Neither hearing nor spirit
This expression is from the arsenal of hunters. Since ancient times, it so happened that when hunters went hunting and sat in ambush for hours, they could not talk, and could not smoke, make a fire. And always the ambush was made from the leeward side. So that the beast could not hear a single, even the most quiet, sound, and not the slightest smell, that is, the human spirit. It was especially hard in winter. There was a lot of snow, the frosts were strong, and it was hard to withstand such a cold without fire. So the expression "neither hearing nor spirit" means that the hunter sits so quietly that nothing is known about him.
Reluctantly
Do you remember how the unlubricated cart creaks? Yes, there is such a nasty and annoying sound. That is, an unlubricated cart will roll hard and slowly, as if reluctantly. So the expression "reluctantly" means that a person does something against all his desires, with great reluctance
Alive Smoking-room
In the old days in Russia there was such a game: everyone sat in a circle, someone lit a torch, and then passed it around from hand to hand. At the same time, all those present sang the song "Alive, Alive Smoking-room, Alive, Not Dead ...". And so while the torch is burning. The one in whose hands the torch was dying out lost. Since then, this expression began to be applied to those people, and sometimes to things that, for a long time, it would seem, should have disappeared, but they still, in spite of everything, continued to exist.
Soul in the heels
You've probably noticed that when a person gets scared, he starts to run away with incredible speed. It would seem that there is no longer any strength, but the legs themselves bear. This is exactly what is said in the expression "soul in the heels", ie. the soul helps to be saved, therefore it leaves at the feet. And now we just talk like that when we get very scared.
Touch the inner core
It used to be customary to keep a large number of livestock on the farm. The one who had more cattle was considered a good owner. So, so that not a single cow or horse was lost, the owner put a brand by which he would always be able to find his own livestock. And when they branded cattle, each animal shuddered in pain, because they touched a living body with a red-hot brand. This is where the expression "to hurt" comes from, that is, to cause pain.
Get out of the ground
In ancient times in Russia it was necessary to pay the master's rent. And the peasant wanted to save a little for his life. Therefore, they buried some of the available money in the ground, i.e. made a cache. Only the one who hid it knew about the place of this cache. But the master also knew that the peasants were hiding money. And when the peasant said “No money” to the demand to pay the rent, the owner always answered “Get it out of the ground,” meaning the stash. This was clear to both the master and the peasant.
Grandma said in two
We use this expression when we are unsure of something and assume that it is still unknown how the matter will end. "Grandma said in two" is a truncated part of the saying. And the proverb goes like this: "Grandmother said in two: either rain, or snow, or it will be, or not."
Sleep without hind legs
This expression has arisen a long time ago. The peasants, often observing the animals, noticed that when you wake up the animals, they, waking up, try to stand on their feet and always on the front. The hind legs do not obey them at first. That is, the horse rises first on the front legs, and then on the hind legs. It seems that when the front legs are already at work, the hind legs are still watching the dream. So, now we use this expression when talking about a soundly sleeping person.
Silently
We use this expression when we say that a person is doing something secretly, imperceptibly. We received this expression as a gift from the military. In military terminology, this is called a moat or a tunnel with the help of which one can quietly and imperceptibly get closer to the enemy. The word sapa was taken from the French language, where "sape" means a tunnel.
All on ointment
This expression came from carriers. They were obliged to make sure that the carts were greased on time, so that they did not creak, and that nothing was frayed or broken on the way. And when the merchant asked the carriers if everything was ready for the further journey, they answered "everything is in ointment," that is, the carts are ready for the road.
On the seventh heaven
This expression goes back to very ancient times. Then it was believed that the sky consists of seven spheres (this is from the teachings of Aristotle). And stars and planets are attached to these spheres.
But the most distant sphere is the most mysterious, there is a paradise, where every person seeks to get after death. And in paradise, joy, happiness and eternal bliss reign. So being in seventh heaven means that you are practically in paradise.
At the devil's place
This is what we say when we want to say that this place is very far away. Let's start with the fact that kulichi are swampy and viscous places in the forest, where, according to popular belief, evil spirits have always been found. And as usual, the devil dominates them, that is, these same little kulich are his diocese.
Elbow feeling
This expression also came to us from the military. In the ranks, it is very important that the soldiers accurately strike a step and wave their hand. And in order for all this to happen simultaneously, one had to feel very subtly the elbow of a comrade standing next to me. Not to touch it, but to feel it. Then the whole formation in the parade looked like one creature and the movements were clear and well-oiled.
Don't be on the rampage
This expression means that you do not need to do something without thinking, under the influence of emotions. So what is a rampage? Judging by ancient documents, this was the name of the stake with which experienced hunters went to the bear. Such a stake was made on purpose, cut to make it sharp. And when a bear appeared on the hunt, this stake was put up in front of them, like the first weapon from the hairy one.
Bring to white heat
We owe the origin of this expression to the workers who were engaged in melting the metal and stood all day by the red-hot furnaces. The fact is that when the metal is heated for forging, it changes color depending on the temperature. At first, the color is red, after a while it is yellow, and then it becomes white. This was the highest degree of heating. But to achieve this color of metal required a huge amount of strength and patience. So the expression "to bring to white heat" means to bring a person to the highest degree of irritation, to piss off oneself.
There are lees to every wine.
This expression is very many years old. It appeared even when our ancestors considered the sun to be a deity, they prayed to him and presented gifts. But even in those distant times, people already noticed that the sun is not uniquely yellow, there are darker spots on it. Now we know that these are traces of huge vortices, but then people did not know this. So the expression "there are spots in the sun" says that there is no absolute perfection in the world.
And there is a hole in the old woman
The word “hole” in ancient times meant a mistake, a mistake. And the wisest and most respected people in the villages were considered old people, wise by experience. But they sometimes made mistakes. So this expression suggests that even the most experienced people make mistakes.
Indian summer
By this expression we mean that at the beginning of autumn a period of warm, clear, calm weather begins. And what kind of attachment you have to women, ask. And, it turns out, the most, as they say, tight binding. At this time, after heavy field work, the time came when the work performed by women came to the fore, i.e. this is harvesting in the garden, picking berries and mushrooms. During this warm period, women tried to do more household work, not putting it off in the cold.
Wait until the carrot spell
The spell is the last day before fasting, when you can still eat meat, fish, and milk. There is a ban on these products during the fast. But there is no ban on eating carrots in any fast. Therefore, the carrot spell is just something that can never be. And the expression "to wait until the carrot spell" means to wait for the time that will never come.
Steerosovy cudgel
So we now call a person, meaning that he is stupid. This expression appeared among the seminarians. The fact is that the word "club" was used for a very long time and meant that a person is not very smart, and that his head is empty. And stoerosovaya was taken from the Greek language, from the word "stauros", which also in translation means a club, a pile, a stake. So, when a teacher called a seminarian a "stupid cudgel," he meant that a seminarian is more stupid than a stupid one, that is. stupid squared.
Breathes in incense
Frankincense is the sap of resinous trees, it has a strong smell and is usually used in various church rituals. In particular, a censer with smoking incense was swung in front of a dying person. This meant that the soul would easily leave the body. And the dying man with the last bit of strength tried to inhale this smell. So the expression "breathes in frankincense" means to be in a very serious condition, almost dying.
Not from a timid dozen
This expression came from among the military in Ancient Russia. The fact is that "ten" is the name of a military unit, the smallest military unit headed by a foreman. Ten of these "dozen" were called a hundred and were headed by a centurion. And every single dozen warriors had their own reputation. And if a warrior showed courage in battle, they said that he was not from a timid dozen. Then this expression spreads from military speech to everyday speech.
Sing praises
What is praise? This is a solemn song in honor of the gods. In this song, the gods were praised and their mission was praised. Later, this expression began to be used when someone over praised someone, appreciating his merits. Those. man was practically equated with God.
You can count on your fingers
This expression appeared in very ancient times. Then most of the population of Russia was illiterate. But people somehow needed to keep basic records. So the first counts were considered to be the palm of a person and his fingers. When counting, the fingers bent and the number of counted increased.
Lead under the monastery
It so happened in Russia that they very often left for a monastery to atone for some of their sins, that is, after major everyday troubles. And the expression "bring under a monastery" meant that a person had done something, something very bad from the point of view of the church, that is, something that will have to be prayed for for a long time. Now we use it when someone has put someone in an uncomfortable position, brought on someone trouble or some kind of trouble.
Pour in on the first number.
In the old days, schoolchildren were often flogged, sometimes just like that, for prophylaxis. If the mentor showed special zeal, and the disciple was hit especially hard, he could be freed from further vice, until the first day of the next month.
Augean stables.
According to legend, King Augeas was an avid horse breeder: there were 3000 horses in his stables. However, for some reason, no one has cleaned the stables for 30 years. And when Hercules tried to make a name for himself in the field of exploits, he was instructed to clean them. Hercules took the channel of the Alfea River to the stables and washed out all the manure with a stream of water. Since then, the expression "Augean stables" has been applied to everything neglected or polluted to the last limit.
Vulgarity: a native Russian word, rooted in the verb "let's go." Until the 17th century, it was used in a decent meaning, and meant everything that was customary, traditional, done according to custom - that which has gone from ancient times. However, with the Peter's reforms, the cutting of a window to Europe and innovations, the word "vulgar" lost respect and began to mean "backward, uncultured, rustic."
Play on your nerves.
After doctors discovered the antiquity of the nerves in the human body, they named them by their similarity to the strings of musical instruments by the same word - nervus. Hence the expression for irritating actions - "playing on the nerves" arose.
Breathes in incense.
According to Christian custom, the priest confessed, gave communion and incense to a person who did not have long to live. As a result, the expression “breathes badly” has been stuck to denote a sick person or a barely working device.
To wash the bones.
According to the ideas of some peoples, any unrepentant sinner, if a curse bears over him, after death comes out of the grave in the form of a ghoul or a vampire and destroys people. To remove the spell, you need to dig up the remains of the deceased and rinse his bones with clean water. Today the expression "wash the bones" means the analysis of a person's character.
Money doesn't smell.
When the son of the Roman emperor Vespasian rebuked him for imposing a tax on public toilets, the emperor showed him the money received from this tax and asked if it smelled. The son gave a negative answer. Hence the expression "money does not smell" came from.
Bosom friend.
The ancient expression "pour over the Adam's apple" meant "to get drunk", "to drink alcohol". Hence the phraseological unit "bosom friend" was formed, which is used today to denote a very close friend
Have you heard? The driver gave the horns to our boss. Drove to the shops for a couple, the May beetle them bosom.
The meaning of this expression is practically familiar to everyone, and some, to their great regret, are even too familiar.
There are many versions on this topic, they interpret the origin of the expression in different ways
the version of the origin of the phraseological unit "to instruct the horns" is given by the Reference Service of the Russian Language, created with the support of the Ministry of Press, TV and Radio Broadcasting and Mass Media of Russia. The first, most common and most likely version is that the expression is borrowed from German. The wives of the ancient Germans accompanied their husbands to war - they put a helmet with horns on their heads. "Set the horns" - equip (option - send) the husband on the hike. The very same to stay free. The second explanation is from the myth of Actaeon, who spied on the bathing goddess Diana and for this was turned into a deer by her, but the logical connection with male horns is painfully vague here. Third, in a German imperial decree of 1427, it is forbidden to be in the army with a wife. The "criminal" had to put on impromptu "horns". And the last explanation - the Byzantine emperor Andronicus Comnenus (1183-1185) seduced other people's wives. To "restore justice", he allowed the husbands of these women to hunt in his menagerie. Deer antlers were displayed on the gates of such people.
The word "cuckold" appeared later and has an operetta connotation. And in Italy every year there is a competition for the most unfortunate cuckold. This year, he was a 40-year-old accountant from Rome, who never cheated on his wife himself, but she honestly admits that she cheats on her husband every week.
