Бить баклуши

Meaning: To loaf about doing nothing.

Language: Russian

Literally: To beat the baklushi

Category: Daily Life

Origin: Splitting logs into baklushi — rough wooden blanks for carving spoons — was the easiest job around, a byword for idleness.

More idioms — Daily Life

• Pisar na bola — To mess up or let someone down.
• 바가지를 쓰다 — To be overcharged; to get ripped off.
• 비행기를 태우다 — To flatter someone over the top.
• Pabucu dama atılmak — To fall out of favor and be cast aside.
• Être dans de beaux draps — To be in a real mess.
• Tirer le diable par la queue — To struggle to make ends meet.

More Russian idioms

• Остаться с носом — To be left empty-handed or outwitted.
• Как сельдь в бочке — Packed together very tightly.
• Делать ноги — To run away quickly.
• Заговаривать зубы — To distract someone with smooth, evasive talk.
• Вешать всех собак — To blame someone for everything.
• Седьмая вода на киселе — A very distant relative.

← Back to Idioms

Loading the full interactive collection…