Кот наплакал (Kot naplakal)

Meaning: A laughably tiny amount.

Language: Russian

Literally: As much as the cat wept

Category: Animals

Origin: Cats do not cry, so a cat's tears measure exactly nothing — folk hyperbole recorded in Russian since the 19th century.

More idioms — Animals

• De hond in de pot vinden — To arrive too late — the food, or the opportunity, is gone.
• Ana ugglor i mossen — To sense that something fishy is going on.
• 马马虎虎 (Mǎmǎhūhū) — So-so; careless and only just passable.
• 拍马屁 (pāi mǎpì) — To flatter or suck up to someone.
• At have rotter på loftet — To be a little crazy.
• Päästä kuin koira veräjästä — To escape consequences entirely; to get off scot-free.

More Russian idioms

• Зарубить на носу (Zarubit' na nosu) — To remember something firmly, once and for all.
• Водить за нос (Vodit' za nos) — To deceive or string someone along.
• Бить баклуши (Bit' baklushi) — To loaf about doing nothing.
• 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.

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