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Бить баклуши (Bit' baklushi)

Meaning: To loaf about doing nothing.

Language: Russian

Literally: To beat the baklushi

Category: Daily Life

Origin: Splitting logs into baklushi — rough wooden blanks for carving spoons — was the easiest job around, a byword for idleness.

More idioms — Daily Life

  • Pisar na bola — To mess up or let someone down.
  • 바가지를 쓰다 (bagajireul sseuda) — To be overcharged; to get ripped off.
  • 비행기를 태우다 (bihaenggireul taeuda) — To flatter someone over the top.
  • Pabucu dama atılmak — To fall out of favor and be cast aside.
  • Être dans de beaux draps — To be in a real mess.
  • Tirer le diable par la queue — To struggle to make ends meet.

More Russian idioms

  • Остаться с носом (Ostat'sya s nosom) — To be left empty-handed or outwitted.
  • Как сельдь в бочке (Kak sel'd' v bochke) — Packed together very tightly.
  • Делать ноги (Delat' nogi) — To run away quickly.
  • Заговаривать зубы (Zagovarivat' zuby) — To distract someone with smooth, evasive talk.
  • Вешать всех собак (Veshat' vsekh sobak) — To blame someone for everything.
  • Седьмая вода на киселе (Sed'maya voda na kisele) — A very distant relative.

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