IdiomDaily Life
Russian
Russianна все четыре стороны (na vse chetyre storony)
Meaning: In any direction one wishes; to go wherever one pleases.
Literally: To all four sides
Example: “Забирай документы и иди на все четыре стороны.” — Take your papers and go wherever you like.
Origin: The four sides are the four cardinal directions, the whole world. Letting someone go на все четыре стороны is releasing them to go wherever they like, and also sending them away for good. Russian phrase dictionaries tie the formula to the ancient habit of seeing the world as four-sided; it has no particular story behind it.
More Russian idioms
- надуться как мышь на крупу (nadut'sya kak mysh' na krupu) To become angry or offended; to sulk or huff indignantly.
- пудрить мозги (pudrit' mozgi) To mislead someone with false or nonsensical talk; to deceive or confuse deliberately.
- сила есть — ума не надо (sila yest — uma ne nado) a person who is physically strong but intellectually weak or stupid.
- в лес дрова возить (v les drova vozit') to do something pointless or redundant; to offer something to someone who already has ple…
- сражаться с ветряными мельницами (srazhat'sya s vetryanymi mel'nitsami) To struggle against imaginary or futile enemies; to waste effort on impossible causes.
- гнать в три шеи (gnat' v tri shei) To expel or drive someone away forcefully and without ceremony.
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