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развесистая клюква

Meaning: Ignorant stereotypes and tall tales about Russia, especially those peddled by foreigners.

Language: Russian

Literally: spreading cranberry

Category: Food & Drink

Origin: Cranberries are relatively exotic to Russian audiences; the phrase mocks how Westerners carelessly spread false, oversimplified, or exaggerated tales about Russian life and culture.

More idioms — Food & Drink

  • молоко на губах не обсохло — a very young or inexperienced person; someone barely past infancy.
  • Tomber dans les pommes — Suddenly losing consciousness — possibly derived from the older expression 'être dans les…
  • Avoir la moutarde qui monte au nez — To be getting angry.
  • Pédaler dans la semoule — To be confused and getting nowhere.
  • Raconter des salades — To tell lies or tall tales.
  • En faire tout un fromage — To make a big deal out of nothing.

More Russian idioms

  • сыграть в ящик — To die.
  • нашего полку прибыло — Another person has joined a group or shared predicament; a welcome to the club.
  • на славу — Excellently; very well; in a first-rate manner.
  • ври больше — An expression of dismissive disbelief; an ironical way of saying someone's story is uncon…
  • вводить в заблуждение — To deceive or mislead someone deliberately.
  • пускаться во все тяжкие — To abandon restraint and indulge recklessly in vices or wrongdoing without scruple.

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