книга за семью печатями (kniga za sem'yu pechatyami)
Meaning: Something utterly mysterious and incomprehensible; a complete enigma.
Language: Russian
Literally: a book under seven seals
Category: Daily Life
Origin: The image alludes to the sealed book in the biblical Book of Revelation, representing secrets that are locked away and inaccessible.
More idioms — Daily Life
- в Тулу со своим самоваром (v Tulu so svoim samovarom) — To do something pointless or wasteful; to bring something unnecessary or redundant to a p…
- до свадьбы заживёт (do svad'by zazhivyot) — A minor injury or problem will resolve itself naturally and quickly.
- наступить дважды на одни и те же грабли (nastupitʹ dvazhdy na odni i te zhe grabli) — To repeat the same mistake or fall into the same trap a second time.
- козырная карта (kozyrnaya karta) — A decisive advantage or secret resource held in reserve.
- оставаться в дураках (ostavat'sya v durakakh) — To be tricked or made a fool of; to lose or come out the worse in a situation.
- под башмаком (pod bashmakóm) — Dominated or controlled by one's wife; henpecked.
More Russian idioms
- за тридевять земель (za tridevyat' zemel') — An extremely distant, remote place; somewhere impossibly far away.
- проверять на вшивость (proveryat' na shivost') — To scrutinize or investigate someone closely to uncover hidden faults or problems; to vet…
- в долгах как в шелках (v dolgakh kak v shelkakh) — To be deeply and hopelessly in debt.
- положа руку на сердце (polozhá ruku na sérdtse) — Speaking with complete sincerity and honesty.
- давать на чай (davat' na chay) — To give a tip or small payment to a service worker.
- ежовые рукавицы (ezhovye rukavitsy) — Harsh, strict, or iron-fisted rule or discipline.
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