We all know the expression "figs in Tula." There is such a saying. When someone says “what the heck?”, they respond with this phrase. It is clear that many consider this expression obscene. For it is allegedly obscene, obscene. For many, it is obvious that "figs" in this case is a derivative of the well-known word "x#%". In fact, this is far from the case. I was lucky in the archives of Pavlovo-Posad local history museum unearth an interesting document.
This is a regular private letter. Merchant Ivan Ulyanovich Grebenshchikov (Pavlovo Posad residents are well aware that on the site of the house of the merchant Grebenshchikov, there is now a completely prosperous shoe store "Kabluchok" and Children's art school) writes to his, apparently, friend, merchant Arkady Nifontov. And among other things personal, there are facts that interest us. I quote:
“And just now I was in Tula. I traveled to samovar artels, to establish contacts. We will buy samovars there and sell them here. I bought a couple of pieces, I decided to check there. Put one. And he's skinny! The second one is the same! The furnace is also thin. In the water coal, ashes. How I went to make trouble! Quarreled with them. And they tell me, they say, what are you figing us for? We have good samovars, they come from all over the country. Then I tell them that how can I not bullshit you here in Tula? You haven't even learned how to tinker with iron! Everything is perforated! With that, he left. We won't buy anything from them...
As we can see, in the text there is the phrase "figure in Tula". That is, according to Dahl, "to blame, to blame, to denigrate, to humiliate, to condemn, to condemn, to call names bad, bad." But, as we understand, this does not yet prove the origin of the phrase we are interested in. Although it leads to the correct, true trail. And here an interesting detail is revealed. I, through difficult research, managed to find the so-called "Yaroslavl Chronicle" in the archives. Description of Yaroslavl's life, a kind of "Chronicle of Bygone Years" in a single city. A certain Afanasy Samokhvalov, a simple worker of a rope artel, once spoke at a meeting of shareholders. This rope artel was scolded for dishonesty. Among other speakers, Samokhvalov also spoke. Here is his speech at the meeting. I quote almost verbatim: “There is no need to bullshit us here, bullshit in Tula!” Of course, the word "figli" with an emphasis on the second syllable. And further in the "Yaroslavl Chronicle" it is said that after these words "the worker of the rope artel, Afanasy Samokhvalov, was expelled from the meeting for swearing." It remains unclear where the swearing comes from. Apparently, Afanasy Samokhvalov incorrectly stressed the word. Whether this happened intentionally or not remains a mystery. Maybe the gunner was just joking. But the fact remains - the phrase has gone to the people.
Now everything is falling into place. Only one thing remains unclear. Why did Samokhvalov use Tula in his expression? Apparently, after all, the phrase became known from the merchant Grebenshchikov. More precisely, not even from him, but from his friend, to whom that very letter was addressed, from Arkady Nifontov. Obviously, Nifontov often talked about that incident with samovars different people. So the phrase has taken root among the people and now it is often used, putting into it precisely the abusive meaning, unwittingly laid down by Afanasy Samokhvalov.

IN Everyday life, we often use all sorts of expressions, sayings, epithets, etc. Do all of us know the history of these expressions. From the numerous majority of expressions, I propose to learn about some of them.

1. "Drive by the nose"
Previously, gypsies entertained people at fairs, speaking with bears. They forced the animals to perform various tricks, while deceiving them with the promise of handouts. The gypsies led the bear by the nose ring. It was from that time that "don't lead me by the nose" means "do not deceive." And the expression “to know the whole story” is connected ... with the old torture, when the accused were driven nails or needles under the nails. The purpose of this rather unpleasant act was to gain recognition.

2. "Master sour cabbage soup"

About the one who knows little, we say "master of sour cabbage soup." The origin of the saying is quite simple. Sour cabbage soup (apparently, in the simplest variation) was a simple food: water, yes sauerkraut. It wasn't hard to make soup. And if someone was called the "master of sour cabbage soup", this meant that he was not good for anything worthwhile. The expression “to put a pig on”, that is, to do something bad to someone, is apparently due to the fact that some peoples do not eat pork for religious reasons. And if pork was imperceptibly put into a person’s food, then by doing so they did a very serious dirty trick.

3. "Beat the buckets"

Today, the expression "beat the buckets" means to do nothing. Meanwhile, before beating the buckets was an occupation. Although quite simple ... Dishes in ancient times were mainly made of wood: cups and spoons, “brothers” and plates - everything was wooden. But in order to cut something, it was necessary to chip off a chock - a baklusha - from a log. It was an easy, trifling matter that was entrusted to apprentices. This lesson was called “beating the buckets”. The craftsmen jokingly called the auxiliary workers "bottlenecks". So, from the jokes of the masters, this expression appeared.

4. "I didn't come to the court"

When you study proverbs and sayings, you wonder what antiquity they sometimes come from. “I didn’t come to court” - This saying has an interesting mythological basis. According to her, only the animal that the brownie likes will live in the courtyard (yard). And if you don't like it, you'll either run away or get sick. What to do ... not to the court ...

5. Scapegoat

“Found a scapegoat”, “who will they make the scapegoat this time?” - such phrases can often be heard at work. The “scapegoat” is understood as a person on whom all the flaws were hung up, while he himself may have a very indirect relation to the troubles that have happened, or even be completely uninvolved in them. This expression has its own history... The ancient Jews had a rite of absolution, in which a goat participated. The priest laid his hands on the goat's head, as if shifting the sins of the whole people onto it. After this unfortunate man, who had enough for the sins of an entire people weak attitude, exiled into the desert. So it goes. It is not known how many goats went on a harsh journey for the sins of others, but, fortunately, the rite no longer exists. And the expression still lives on.

6. "Kazan orphan"

As you know, the expression "Kazan orphan" refers to a person who pretends to be offended or helpless in order to pity someone. Now this phrase is used, rather, as a good-natured joke. But why exactly "Kazan"? This phraseological unit arose after the conquest of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible. Tatar princes (mirzas) became subjects of the Russian tsar. At the same time, they tried to beg from Ivan the Terrible all sorts of concessions and benefits, complaining about the bitter fate. It was they who, thanks to the sharp folk language, became the first "Kazan orphans."

7. "Do not wash dirty linen in public"

An ancient and ubiquitous proverb. Of course, it does not teach us uncleanliness. She advises not to endure family squabbles and quarrels in public. Dahl generally wrote beautifully about this proverb: “family squabbles will be sorted out at home, if not under one sheepskin coat, then under one roof.” But this proverb also has a direct meaning: among the peasants, rubbish was never swept out and carried out into the street. It was quite difficult to do: sweep the rubbish into the street through the high rapids. However, the main reason is the existence of a rather serious belief: according to rubbish, unkind people can send damage. Rubbish was usually swept into the oven or cooking corner. When the stove was fired, the rubbish was burned. There was also another interesting custom: the wedding guests, testing the patience of the bride, forced the hut to be revenged, while again and again they littered and said: “Sweep, sweep, but don’t take it out of the hut, but rake it under the bench and put it in the oven so that it will be smoked out.”

8. "Neither stake nor yard"

We are talking about a state of extreme poverty. If we disassemble the content of this proverb, it turns out that there is “not a stake”, that is, a short pointed stick, “not a yard” - that is, a house. As for the “yard”, everything is clear, and there are no disputes on this score. But about the “col” there is a rather convincing version of the late nineteenth century. The fact is that, at least in some places, a “stake” was called a strip of arable land two sazhens wide. Therefore, not to have a stake means not to have arable land; not to have a yard means to live with others. Well… it makes sense. It is difficult to overestimate, especially in the old days, the importance of arable land for the peasant. In fact, along with the house, she was his main wealth.

9. "Crazy"

The word "crazy" is used quite often in everyday life. As you know, it means a situation where a person has lost the ability to clearly perceive surrounding reality to think appropriately. Interestingly, the origin of the word is associated with large-scale events in 1771, it was then that a devastating plague raged in Moscow. Eyewitnesses described the following symptoms in people: "The reprimand of patients is unintelligible and confusing, the tongue is definitely frozen, or bitten, or like that of a drunk." The plague manifested itself in chills, fever, headache and confusion. The memory of the above events is reflected in the word "crazy", which we now apply to much less serious situations.

10. Get into trouble.

Means "to get into a difficult, stupid, embarrassing or ridiculous situation, to miss the danger." It appeared in the speech of old Russian spinners, rope craftsmen and was formed from the combination of getting into a trouble. The word prosak has been lost in the modern Russian language, since reality itself has passed away - a rope, rope camp, a machine, on which in the old days ropes were twisted, stretching from the spinning wheel to the sleigh. When working with prosak, the spinner was in great danger if the beard, clothes or hand fell into the loom: he could lose not only his beard, but sometimes his health or life. The expression to get into a mess, where the adverb in a mess is formed from a combination of a noun with a preposition, which is traditional for Russian dialects, has lost direct meaning and now it has become used only in a figurative way, that is, it has acquired the status of a phraseological unit. The origin of many Russian phraseological units, by the way, is connected with the professional environment.

11. Get it on your nose

This expression is often said today in full confidence that the nose is meant. Ordinary human nose. Sometimes they also show on the nose. Meanwhile, this is a mistake ... The nose used to be called a special plaque for records. It was worn along with special sticks, with which they made various notes or notches as a keepsake. Indeed, in antiquity, for all its severity, no one made any notches on his personal nose as a keepsake.

12. Play spillikins.

There is such old game, with the help of which, as they say, patience and caution are developed: spillikins. In front of you lies a bunch of tiny little things, glasses, hammers, hearts - spillikins - heaped up in a mess. It is required with a small hook to pull out one spillikin after another from the pile so that the rest are not disturbed. A great activity for idlers! It is not surprising that the expression "playing spillikins" has long meant: to engage in trifles, nonsense, leaving aside the main and important.

13. "Shelving."

There is an assumption that this phrase, which means “to give the case a long delay”, “to delay its decision for a long time”, arose in Muscovite Rus', three hundred years ago. Tsar Alexei, the father of Peter I, ordered in the village of Kolomenskoye in front of his palace to install a long box where anyone could drop their complaint. Complaints fell, but it was very difficult to wait for decisions; often months and years had passed before that. The people renamed this "long" box to "long". It is difficult, however, to vouch for the accuracy of this explanation: after all, we are not talking about "lowering" or not "putting", but "putting it on the back burner." One might think that the expression, if not born, was fixed in speech later, in “presences” - institutions of the 19th century. The then officials, accepting various petitions, complaints and petitions, undoubtedly sorted them, putting them in different boxes. "Long" could be called the one where the most unhurried things were put off. It is clear that the applicants were afraid of such a box. By the way, there is no need to assume that someone once specifically renamed the "long" box into "long": in many places in our country in in native language"long" means "long". The expression “put under the cloth” that was born later has the same meaning. Cloth covered tables in Russian offices.

Scapegoat 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 live goat, thereby, as it were, shifting the sins of the whole people onto him. After that, the goat was driven out into the wilderness. Many, many years have passed, and the rite no longer exists, but the expression lives on ... Tryn-grass The mysterious "tryn-grass" is not at all some kind of herbal medicine that is drunk so as not to worry. At first it was called “tyn-grass”, and tyn is a fence. The result was “fence grass”, that is, a weed that no one needed, indifferent to everyone. Sour soup master Sour cabbage soup is a simple peasant food: some water and sauerkraut. It wasn't hard to prepare them. And if someone was called a master of sour cabbage soup, it meant that he was not good for anything worthwhile. Balzac age The expression arose after the publication of the novel by the French writer Honore de Balzac (1799-1850) The Thirty-Year-Old Woman (1831); used as a characteristic of women aged 30-40 years. White crow This expression, as a designation of a rare person, sharply different from the rest, is given in the 7th satire of the Roman poet Juvenal (mid-1st century - after 127 AD): Rock gives kingdoms to slaves, delivers triumphs to captives. However, such a lucky man is less likely to be a white crow. put a pig In all likelihood, this expression is due to the fact that some peoples do not eat pork for religious reasons. And if such a person was imperceptibly put pork meat in his food, then his faith was defiled by this. Throw a stone The expression "to throw a stone" at someone in the sense of "accusing" arose from the Gospel (John, 8, 7); Jesus told the scribes and Pharisees, who, tempting him, brought to him a woman convicted of adultery: “He that is without sin among you, first cast a stone at her” (in ancient Judea, there was a penalty - to stone). Paper endures everything (Paper does not blush) The expression goes back to the Roman writer and orator Cicero (106 - 43 BC); in his letters “To Friends” there is an expression: “Epistola non erubescit” - “The letter does not blush”, that is, in writing you can express such thoughts that are embarrassed to express orally. To be or not to be, that is the question Beginning of Hamlet's monologue tragedy of the same name Shakespeare translated by N.A. Field (1837). Wolf in sheep's clothing The expression originated from the Gospel: "Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inside they are ravenous wolves." In borrowed plumes It arose from the fable of I.A. Krylov "Crow" (1825). Pour in the first number Believe it or not, but... from the old school, where students were flogged every week, regardless of who was right or wrong. And if the mentor overdoes it, then such a spanking was enough for a long time, until the first day of the next month. Register Izhitsa Izhitsa is the name of the last letter of the Church Slavonic alphabet. Traces of flogging on famous places negligent students strongly looked like this letter. So to prescribe Izhitsu - teach a lesson, punish, it's easier to flog. And you still scold the modern school! I carry everything with me The expression originated from ancient Greek tradition. When Persian king Cyrus occupied the city of Priene in Ionia, the inhabitants left it, taking with them the most valuable of their property. Only Biant, one of the "seven wise men", a native of Priene, left empty-handed. In response to the bewildered questions of his fellow citizens, he answered, referring to spiritual values: "I carry everything that is mine with me." This expression is often used in Cicero's Latin formulation: Omnia mea mecum porto. Everything flows, everything changes This expression, which defines the constant variability of all things, expounds the essence of the teachings of the Greek philosopher Heraclitus of Ephesus (c. 530-470 BC) Goal like a falcon Terribly poor, beggar. Usually they think that we are talking about a bird. But the falcon has nothing to do with it. In fact, the “falcon” is an old military wall-beating weapon. It was a completely smooth ("bare") cast-iron blank, fixed on chains. Nothing extra! Orphan Kazan So they say about a person who pretends to be unhappy, offended, helpless in order to pity someone. But why is the orphan "Kazan"? It turns out that this phraseological unit arose after the conquest of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible. Mirzas (Tatar princes), being subjects of the Russian Tsar, tried to beg him for all sorts of indulgences, complaining about their orphanhood and bitter fate. unlucky person In the old days in Rus', "the way" was called not only the road, but also various positions at the prince's court. The falconer's path - in charge of princely hunting, the trapping path - canine hunting, the path of the stables - by carriages and horses. The boyars, by hook or by crook, tried to get a way from the prince - a position. And those who did not succeed, spoke of those with disdain: an unlucky person. Was it a boy? In one of the episodes of M. Gorky's novel "The Life of Klim Samgin" tells about the boy Klim skating with other children. Boris Varavka and Varya Somova fall into a hole. Klim gives Boris the end of his gymnasium belt, but, feeling that he is being pulled into the water, he releases the belt from his hands. Children are drowning. When the search for the drowned begins, Klima is struck by “someone’s serious incredulous question: “Was there a boy, maybe there wasn’t a boy.” The last phrase has become winged as a figurative expression of extreme doubt about anything. twenty two misfortunes So in the play by A.P. Chekhov " The Cherry Orchard”(1903) they call the clerk Epikhodov, with whom some kind of comic trouble happens every day. The expression is applied to people with whom some kind of misfortune constantly happens. Money doesn't smell The expression arose from the words of the Roman emperor (69 - 79 AD) Vespasian, said by him, as Suetonius reports in his biography, on the following occasion. When Vespasian's son Titus reproached his father for imposing a tax on public latrines, Vespasian brought the first money received from this tax to his nose and asked if they smelled. To the negative answer of Titus, Vespasian said: "And yet they are from urine." Draconian measures This is the name given to exorbitantly harsh laws named after the Dragon, the first legislator of the Athenian Republic (VII century BC). Among the punishments determined by its laws, a prominent place seemed to be occupied by the death penalty, which was punished, for example, such an offense as stealing vegetables. There was a legend that these laws were written in blood (Plutarch, Solon). IN literary speech the expression "draconian laws", "draconian measures, punishments" became stronger in the meaning of harsh, cruel laws. Inside out Now it seems to be quite a harmless expression. And once it was associated with a shameful punishment. During the time of Ivan the Terrible, a guilty boyar was put back to front on a horse in clothes turned inside out and in this form, disgraced, was driven around the city to the whistle and ridicule of the street crowd. Retired goat drummer In the old days, trained bears were taken to fairs. They were accompanied by a dancer boy dressed up as a goat, and a drummer accompanying his dance. This was the goat drummer. He was perceived as a worthless, frivolous person. Yellow press In 1895, the American graphic artist Richard Outcault placed a series of frivolous drawings with humorous text in a number of issues of the New York newspaper The World; among the drawings was a child in a yellow shirt, to whom various funny sayings. Soon another newspaper, the New York Journal, began printing a series of similar drawings. A dispute arose between the two newspapers over the right of primacy in " yellow boy". In 1896, Erwin Wardman, editor of the New York Press, published an article in his magazine in which he contemptuously called the two competing newspapers "yellow press." Since then, the expression has become catchy. finest hour An expression by Stefan Zweig (1881-1942) from the preface to his collection of historical short stories " star clock humanity" (1927). Zweig explains that he called historical moments star hours "because, like eternal stars, they always shine in the night of oblivion and decay." Golden mean An expression from the 2nd book of the odes of the Roman poet Horace: "aurea mediocritas". Choose the lesser of two evils An expression found in essays ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle's "Nicomachean Ethics" in the form: "The lesser evil must be chosen." Cicero (in his essay “On Duties”) says: “One should not only choose the least of the evils, but also extract from them what can be good in them.” To make mountains out of molehills The expression is ancient. It is cited by the Greek writer Lucian (3rd century AD), who ends his satirical "Praise of the Fly" as follows: "But I interrupt my word - although there is much more I could say - so that no one would think that I , according to the proverb, I make an elephant out of a fly. Zest The expression is used in the meaning: something that gives a special taste, attractiveness to something (dish, story, person, etc.). It arose from a folk proverb: “Kvass is not expensive, zest in kvass is expensive”; became popular after the appearance of Leo Tolstoy's drama The Living Corpse (1912). The hero of the drama Protasov, talking about his family life says: "My wife ideal woman was... But what can I say? There was no raisin - you know, is there a raisin in kvass? - there was no game in our life. And I had to forget. And without the game you will not forget ... " lead by the nose It can be seen that trained bears were very popular, because this expression was associated with fairground entertainment. The gypsies led the bears by wearing a nose ring. And they forced them, the poor fellows, to do various tricks, deceiving them with the promise of handouts. Sharpen laces Lasy (balusters) are chiseled curly posts of railings at the porch. Only one could make such beauty real master. Probably, at first, “sharpening balusters” meant having an elegant, bizarre, ornate (like balusters) conversation. But craftsmen to conduct such a conversation by our time became less and less. So this expression began to denote empty chatter. a swan song The expression is used in the meaning: the last manifestation of talent. Based on the belief that swans sing before death, it arose in antiquity. Evidence of this is found in one of Aesop's fables (6th century BC): "They say that swans sing before they die." Flying Dutchman Dutch legend has preserved the story of a sailor who swore in a strong storm to go around the cape that blocked his path, even if it took him an eternity. For his pride, he was doomed to forever rush on a ship on a raging sea, never touching the shore. This legend, obviously, arose in the age of great discoveries. It is possible that historical basis it was the expedition of Vasco da Gama (1469-1524), who rounded the Cape of Good Hope in 1497. In the 17th century this legend was dated to several Dutch captains, which is reflected in its name. seize the moment The expression, apparently, goes back to Horace ("carpe diem" - "seize the day", "take advantage of the day"). Lion's share The expression goes back to the fable of the ancient Greek fabulist Aesop "The Lion, the Fox and the Donkey", the plot of which - the division of prey among the animals - was later used by Phaedrus, La Fontaine and other fabulists. The moor has done his job, the moor can go Quote from the drama by F. Schiller (1759 - 1805) "The Fiesco Conspiracy in Genoa" (1783). This phrase (d.3, yavl.4) is spoken by the Moor, who turned out to be unnecessary after he helped Count Fisco organize an uprising of the Republicans against the tyrant of Genoa, Doge Doria. This phrase has become a saying that characterizes a cynical attitude towards a person whose services are no longer needed. Manna from heaven According to the Bible, manna is the food that God sent to the Jews every morning from heaven, when they went through the desert to the promised land (Exodus, 16, 14-16 and 31). Disservice The expression arose from the fable of I. A. Krylov "The Hermit and the Bear" (1808). Honeymoon The idea that the happiness of the first period of marriage is quickly replaced by the bitterness of disappointment, figuratively expressed in Eastern folklore, used by Voltaire for his philosophical novel Zadig, or Fate (1747), in the 3rd chapter of which he writes: honeymoon, and the second - the wormwood month. We have a road for young people everywhere Quote from "Song of the Motherland" in the film "Circus" (1936), text by V.I. Lebedev-Kumach, music by I.O. Dunaevsky. Silent means consent The expression of the Pope (1294-1303) Boniface VIII in one of his messages included in canon law (a set of decrees of church authority). This expression goes back to Sophocles (496-406 BC), in whose tragedy “The Trachinian Women” it is said: “Don’t you understand that by silence you agree with the accuser?” Flour Tantalum IN Greek mythology Tantalus, king of Phrygia (also called king of Lydia), was a favorite of the gods, who often invited him to their feasts. But, proud of his position, he offended the gods, for which he was severely punished. According to Homer ("Odyssey"), his punishment was that, thrown into Tartarus (hell), he always experiences unbearable pangs of thirst and hunger; he stands up to his neck in water, but the water recedes from him as soon as he bows his head to drink; branches with luxurious fruits hang over him, but as soon as he stretches out his hands to them, the branches deviate. Hence the expression "Tantal's torment" arose, which means: unbearable torment due to the inability to achieve the desired goal, despite its proximity. On the seventh sky An expression meaning the highest degree joy, happiness, goes back to the Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BC), who in the essay “On the Sky” explains the structure of the heavenly vault. He believed that the sky consists of seven motionless crystal spheres, on which the stars and planets are fixed. The seven heavens are mentioned in various places in the Qur'an: for example, it is said that the Qur'an itself was brought by an angel from the seventh heaven. I don't want to study, I want to get married Mitrofanushka's words from D. I. Fonvizin's comedy "Undergrowth" (1783), d.3, yavl. 7. New is well forgotten old In 1824, the memoirs of the milliner Marie Antoinette, Mademoiselle Bertin, were published in France, in which she said these words about the queen's old dress she had renovated (in fact, her memoirs are fake - their author is Jacques Pesche). This idea was accepted as new, too, only because it was well forgotten. Already Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400) said that "there is no new custom that is not old." This quote from Chaucer was popularized by Walter Scott's book " Folk songs southern Scotland." Nick down In this expression, the word "nose" has nothing to do with the organ of smell. "Nose" was called a commemorative plaque, or a tag for records. In the distant past, illiterate people always carried with them such boards and sticks, with the help of which all kinds of notes or notches were made as a keepsake. Break a leg This expression arose among hunters and was based on the superstitious idea that with a direct wish (both down and feather), the results of the hunt can be jinxed. Feather in the language of hunters means a bird, fluff means animals. In ancient times, a hunter going fishing received this parting word, the “translation” of which looks something like this: “Let your arrows fly past the target, let the snares and traps you set remain empty, just like the hunting pit!” To which the miner, in order not to jinx it, also replied: “To hell!”. And both were sure that the evil spirits, invisibly present at this dialogue, would be satisfied and leave behind, would not plot during the hunt. Beat the thumbs What are "backcloths", who and when "beats" them? For a long time handicraftsmen have been making spoons, cups and other utensils from wood. To cut a spoon, it was necessary to chip off a chock - a baklusha - from a log. Apprentices were entrusted with preparing buckwheat: it was an easy, trifling matter that did not require special skills. Cooking such chocks was called “beating bucks”. From here, from the ridicule of the masters over the auxiliary workers - "bottlenecks", our saying went. About dead or good or nothing An expression frequently quoted in Latin, "De mortuis nil nisi bene" or "De mortuis aut bene aut nihil," seems to come from Diogenes Laertes (3rd century AD): "Life, Doctrine, and Opinions famous philosophers”, which contains the saying of one of the “seven wise men” - Chilo (VI century BC): “Do not slander the dead”. O holy simplicity! This expression is attributed to the leader of the Czech national movement Jan Hus (1369-1415). Sentenced by a church council as a heretic to be burned, he allegedly uttered these words at the stake when he saw that some old woman (according to another version - a peasant woman) in ingenuous religious zeal threw the brushwood she brought into the fire of the fire. However, Hus's biographers, based on eyewitness accounts of his death, deny the fact that he uttered this phrase. The ecclesiastical writer Turanius Rufinus (c. 345-410), in his continuation of Eusebius' History of the Church, reports that the expression "holy simplicity" was uttered at the First Council of Nicaea (325) by one of the theologians. This expression is often used in Latin: "O sancta simplicitas!". An eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth An expression from the Bible, the formula of the law of retribution: “A fracture for a fracture, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth: as he did damage to the human body, so it must be done to him” (Leviticus, 24, 20; about the same - Exodus, 21, 24; Deuteronomy 19:21). From great to funny one step This phrase was often repeated by Napoleon during his flight from Russia in December 1812 to his ambassador in Warsaw de Pradt, who told about it in the book "History of the Embassy to the Grand Duchy of Warsaw" (1816). Its primary source is the expression of the French writer Jean-Francois Marmontel (1723-1799) in the fifth volume of his works (1787): "In general, the funny comes into contact with the great." Language will bring to Kyiv In 999, a certain Kyivian Nikita Shchekomyaka got lost in the boundless, then Russian, steppe and ended up among the Polovtsians. When the Polovtsy asked him: Where are you from, Nikita? He replied that from the rich and beautiful city Kyiv, and so painted the wealth and beauty of the nomads hometown that the Polovtsian Khan Nunchak hooked Nikita by the tongue to the tail of his horse, and the Polovtsy went to fight and rob Kyiv. So Nikita Shchekomyaka got home with the help of his tongue. Balloons 1812. When the French burned Moscow and were left without food in Russia, they came to Russian villages and asked for Sherami food, like give me. So the Russians began to call them that. (one of the hypotheses). bastard This is an idiomatic word. There is such a river Voloch, when the fishermen sailed with their catch, they said ours from Volochi came. There are several more tomological meanings of this word. To drag - to collect, drag. It is from them that the word originated. But it has become abusive not long ago. This is the merit of 70 years in the CPSU. Know all the ins and outs The expression is associated with an old torture, in which the accused were driven under the nails with needles or nails, seeking a confession. Oh, you are heavy, Monomakh's hat! A quote from A. S. Pushkin's tragedy "Boris Godunov", the scene "The Tsar's Chambers" (1831), Boris's monologue (Monomakh in Greek is a wrestler; a nickname attached to the names of some Byzantine emperors. IN ancient Rus' this nickname was assigned to the Grand Duke Vladimir (beginning of the 12th century), from whom the Muscovite tsars originated. Monomakh's cap is the crown with which Moscow tsars were crowned to the kingdom, a symbol of royal power). The above quotation characterizes some difficult situation. Plato is my friend but the truth is dearer The Greek philosopher Plato (427-347 BC) in his work "Phaedo" attributes to Socrates the words "Following me, think less about Socrates, and more about the truth." Aristotle in his work "Nicomachean Ethics", arguing with Plato and referring to him, writes: "Let friends and truth be dear to me, but duty commands me to give preference to truth." Luther (1483-1546) says: “Plato is my friend, Socrates is my friend, but the truth should be preferred” (“On the Enslaved Will”, 1525). The expression "Amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas" - "Plato is my friend, but the truth is dearer", formulated by Cervantes in the 2nd part, ch. 51 Don Quixote novels (1615). Dancing to someone else's tune The expression is used in the sense: to act not according to one's own will, but according to the arbitrariness of another. It goes back to the Greek historian Herodotus (5th century BC), who in the 1st book of his “History” tells: when the Persian king Cyrus conquered the Medes, the Greeks of Asia Minor, whom he had previously tried in vain to win over to his side, expressed their readiness obey him, but under certain conditions. Then Cyrus told them the following fable: “One flutist, seeing fish in the sea, began to play the flute, expecting that they would come out to him on land. Deceived in hope, he took the net, threw it over and pulled out a lot of fish. Seeing the fish fighting in the nets, he said to them: “Stop dancing; when I played the flute, you didn't want to come out and dance." This fable is attributed to Aesop (VI century BC). After the rain on Thursday Russians - ancient ancestors Russians - honored among their gods the main god - the god of thunder and lightning Perun. One of the days of the week, Thursday, was dedicated to him (it is interesting that among the ancient Romans, Thursday was also dedicated to the Latin Perun - Jupiter). Perun 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 apply to everything that is not known when it will be fulfilled. Get into a loop In dialects, binding is a fish trap woven from branches. And, as in any trap, being in it is an unpleasant business. Beluga roar Beluga roar Mute like a fish - you have known this for a long time. And suddenly roar beluga? It turns out that we are not talking about a beluga here, but a beluga whale, as the polar dolphin is called. Here he is really roaring very loudly. Success is never blamed These words are attributed to Catherine II, who allegedly put it this way when A.V. Suvorov was brought to court martial for the assault on Turtukai in 1773, undertaken by him contrary to the orders of Field Marshal Rumyantsev. However, the story about Suvorov's arbitrary actions and about bringing him to trial is refuted by serious researchers. Know yourself According to the legend reported by Plato in the Protagoras dialogue, the seven wise men ancient greece(Thales, Pittacus, Byant, Solon, Cleobulus, Mison and Chilo), coming together in the temple of Apollo at Delphi, they wrote: "Know thyself." The idea of ​​self-knowledge was explained and spread by Socrates. This expression is often used in the Latin form: nosce te ipsum. rare bird This expression (lat. rara avis) in the meaning of “rare creature” is first found in the satires of Roman poets, for example, in Juvenal (mid. I century - after 127 AD): “A rare bird on earth, sort of like black Swan". Born to crawl cannot fly Quote from the "Song of the Falcon" by M. Gorky. smoke rocker In old Rus', the huts were often heated in black: the smoke did not escape through the chimney (it did not exist at all), but through a special window or door. And the shape of the smoke predicted the weather. There is a column of smoke - it will be clear, dragged - to fog, rain, rocker - to the wind, bad weather, and even a storm. Not to the court This is a very old sign: both in the house and in the courtyard (in the yard) only the animal that the brownie likes will live. And if you don’t like it, you will get sick, get sick or run away. What to do - not to the court! Hair on end But what kind of rack is this? It turns out that to stand on end is to stand at attention, on your fingertips. That is, when a person is frightened, his hair stands on tiptoe on his head. Throw on the rampage Rozhon is a sharp pole. And in some Russian provinces, the four-pronged pitchfork was called that. Indeed, you don’t really trample on them! From ship to ball An expression from "Eugene Onegin" by A. S. Pushkin, ch. 8, stanza 13 (1832): And he was tired of traveling, Like everything else in the world, He returned and ended up, Like Chatsky, from the ship to the ball. This expression is characterized by an unexpected, abrupt change in position, circumstances. Combine pleasant with useful An expression from the "Art of Poetry" by Horace, who says about the poet: "The one who combines the pleasant with the useful is worthy of all approval." Wash your hands Used in the meaning: to be removed from responsibility for something. Arising from the Gospel: Pilate washed his hands in front of the crowd, handing over Jesus to them for execution, and said: “I am not guilty of the blood of this righteous man” (Mat. 27:24). The ritual washing of hands, which serves as evidence of the non-participation of the person washing to something, is described in the Bible (Deuteronomy, 21, 6-7). Vulnerable point It arose from the myth about the only vulnerable spot on the hero's body: Achilles' heel, a spot on Siegfried's back, etc. Used in the meaning: weak side person, business. Fortune. Wheel of Fortune Fortune - in Roman mythology, the goddess of blind chance, happiness and misfortune. Depicted with a blindfold, standing on a ball or wheel (emphasizing her constant variability), and holding a steering wheel in one hand, and a cornucopia in the other. The steering wheel indicated that fortune controls the fate of a person. upside down Tormashit - in many Russian provinces this word meant to walk. So, upside down - it's just walkers upside down, upside down. Grated roll By the way, in fact there was such a variety of chl :) - grated kalach. The dough for him was kneaded, kneaded, rubbed for a very long time, which is why the kalach turned out to be unusually magnificent. And there was also a proverb - do not grate, do not mint, there will be no kalach. That is, a person is taught by trials and tribulations. The expression came from a proverb, and not from the name chl :). Output to clean water Once they said to bring the fish to clean water. And if the fish, then everything is clear: in the thickets of reeds or where snags drown in the silt, a fish caught on a hook can easily cut off the line and leave. And in clear water, above a clean bottom - let him try. So is an exposed swindler: if all the circumstances are clear, he cannot escape retribution. And there is a hole in the old woman And what kind of hole (mistake, oversight by Ozhegov and Efremova) is this, a hole (i.e. flaw, defect) or what? The meaning, therefore, is this: And a wise person can make mistakes. Interpretation from the mouth of a connoisseur ancient Russian literature: And on the old woman there is a blow Poruha (Ukrainian f. colloquial-decreased. 1 - Harm, destruction, damage; 2 - Trouble). In a specific sense, porukha (other Russian) is rape. Those. everything is possible. He who laughs last laughs best Expression belongs to French writer Jean-Pierre Florian (1755-1794), who used it in the fable "Two Peasants and a Cloud". End justifies the means The idea of ​​this expression, which is the basis of the morality of the Jesuits, was borrowed by them from the English philosopher Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679). Man to man wolf An expression from the "Donkey Comedy" by the ancient Roman writer Plautus (c. 254-184 BC).

“Sand is already pouring out of you,” we often say with some sarcasm about a person whose age, according to our concepts, no longer corresponds to the realization of his plan. At the same time, everyone understands perfectly well that the statement is related to the onset of old age, but they are unlikely to be able to intelligibly explain why. Let's try to understand the prehistory of the appearance of this phraseological unit.

A few words about fashion

The desire to satisfy the two main human needs - food and clothing - contributed to the dynamic development public life exactly in this direction. Everyone had the opportunity to stand out from the environment, preferring a special outfit or dish. If his style became popular and more and more people wanted to stick to it, then it turned into a fashion.

It has always been short in time, interacting with the identity of society and other areas of culture. At the same time, it left some intricate imprint in history through one or another phraseological unit. "The sand is pouring" - which has several versions of its origin. First, consider the one that is associated with the European fashion of the XVI century.

Version one

Where did the expression "sand pour" come from? Its roots originate in Europe. So, the 16th century is a period of severe reforms, as well as the rule of the Inquisition. Blasphemers were subjected to persecution, cruel torture and even death. It is very difficult to imagine such an instrument of torture as "egg vise", but the then heretics tested it on themselves. Manhood has always been great importance, such treatment in those days contributed to increased attention to the reproductive organ by society.

And in order to make up for the humiliation, a new clothing accessory appears and is decorated in every possible way in French men's fashion - a codpiece (from the Dutch gulp). This is a special bag or trouser pocket, where reproductive organ. This is not just another fashion trend, it is a kind of challenge to the Pope, because the Inquisition encroached on the most vulnerable part of the male body.

Over time, the male organ was cultivated more and more, forcing the ladies' hearts to beat faster when looking at an unusual phallus pocket.

The codpiece was sewn from silk and velvet, the most expensive fabrics of that time, decorated with pearls and embroidered with gold threads. Men competed with each other, enticing the admiring attention of court ladies. The old womanizers also did not miss the opportunity to demonstrate to others: "I'm still hoo!" To this end, they put sandbags in their codpieces. However, after prolonged use, while dancing or sudden movement they could easily break, leaving a path of sand on the floor.

This caused a friendly laugh, and after the poor fellow it sounded: "And sand is already pouring out of this!"

Version two

Today, individual scientists give a different explanation of where the expression "sand pours in." It entered Russian speech in the 18th century and is associated with the name of Peter I. The emperor, who prefers everything European, introduced new form, which was absolutely unusual for a Russian peasant.

Tight pants, similar to modern leggings, so pulled together manhood that the servicemen were forced to go to some trick to make them more comfortable. They cut out two additional pouches a little larger than their genitals and tied them to their belts. To avoid friction during movement, both accessories were filled with sand. It also helped relieve pressure on the phallus.

In those days, the service lasted 25 years, so the bags of the old-timers broke through due to the dilapidation of the fabric. If the sand fell after the soldier, then his term of service was coming to an end. Therefore, with a certain amount of sarcasm, one could speak of him as a decrepit, old man.

Least common version

Some historians have a different guess as to where the expression "sand is pouring in" comes from. Scientists are confused by two points: firstly, the phrase became widespread only in the 19th century, and secondly, in everyday life it is used not only in relation to men, but also to women.

According to their version, the explanation is very simple and goes back to human physiology. Over the years, stones often form in the body. A part of the organs is susceptible to a similar disease: kidneys, gall and bladder, liver. When sand leaves the body with urine, for example, this indicates a certain age of a person. Hence, they began to say with humor that "sand is pouring out of the old people."

Instead of a conclusion

We have dismantled several versions that shed light on where the expression "sand is pouring" comes from. This phraseological unit refers to one of the most commonly used and is used to emphasize the venerable age of the person being talked about. The explanation about the connection of the statement with the fashion of the Middle Ages seems to be the most preferable. And its use in relation to ladies can be explained by the fact that in everyday life people have stopped thinking about the history of the origin of phraseological units.

News and Society

"Bomb Voronezh": where did the expression come from?

Set expressions are not always something archaic that has come to us from time immemorial. Some have very recent history. We will be convinced of this when we analyze where the expression "Bomb Voronezh" came from, which was brought to great popularity by active Internet users, who came up with a lot of memes (humorous pictures) with it.

The meaning of phraseology

Using this stable phrase, a person puts the following meaning into it:

• To apply against someone or something a series of sanctions or anti-sanctions that bring more harm to the initiator himself than to the one against whom he directed these actions.
• Striking back not the enemy, but oneself.

"Bomb Voronezh" - where did it come from?

If we rummage through the Internet archives, we will find such interesting information about this phraseological unit. It is connected with the sad events of 2008 - the Georgian-Ossetian conflict. Then the Russian government allocated financial assistance for the restoration of South Ossetia, in particular, Tskhinvali after the bombing.

So where did "Bomb Voronezh" come from? The mentioned, in general, good deed, according to legend, caused discontent in the City Council this city. One of the deputies said epic speech, in which he complained that the amount allocated to South Ossetia is three times more than that Voronezh region receives in 3 years. In his hearts, he continued: "Then bomb Voronezh - at least we will build normal roads."

Since history has not preserved either the name of the desperate deputy or the recording of his speech, it can be assumed that this is just a story invented by the author of the meme, dissatisfied with the decision of the Russian government.

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Synonymous expressions

"Bomb Voronezh": where did the expression come from, we learned. Let's see how it can be replaced in oral and written speech.

It is appropriate to use the following phraseological units:

• Beat on Voronezh (an expression of the same origin).
• To spite himself - to the joy of his mother.
• To spite the conductor, I'll take a hundred tickets and set off on foot.
• To spite my mother, I will freeze my ears.
• If I gouge out my eye, my mother-in-law will have a one-eyed son-in-law.

"Bomb Voronezh": where the phrase came from is now clear to you and me. Although memes with her have long been forgotten, in some places you can still find her in publications, oral speech.