положа руку на сердце
Meaning: Speaking with complete sincerity and honesty.
Language: Russian
Literally: putting a hand on one's heart
Category: Body & Senses
Origin: The gesture of placing one's hand over the heart has long signaled earnestness and truthfulness in European tradition, as if to say the words come from the heart itself.
More idioms — Body & Senses
- в ус не дуть — To show complete indifference or not to care at all.
- пудрить мозги — To mislead someone with false or nonsensical talk; to deceive or confuse deliberately.
- сила есть — ума не надо — a person who is physically strong but intellectually weak or stupid.
- гнать в три шеи — To expel or drive someone away forcefully and without ceremony.
- язык проглотил — To be unable or unwilling to speak; to remain silent when words are called for.
- до посинения — To do something with extreme effort or persistence, usually futilely.
More Russian idioms
- до свадьбы заживёт — A minor injury or problem will resolve itself naturally and quickly.
- давать на чай — To give a tip or small payment to a service worker.
- наступить дважды на одни и те же грабли — To repeat the same mistake or fall into the same trap a second time.
- ежовые рукавицы — Harsh, strict, or iron-fisted rule or discipline.
- козырная карта — A decisive advantage or secret resource held in reserve.
- оставаться в дураках — To be tricked or made a fool of; to lose or come out the worse in a situation.
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