Заговаривать зубы (Zagovarivat' zuby)
Meaning: To distract someone with smooth, evasive talk.
Language: Russian
Literally: To talk someone's teeth away
Category: Body & Senses
Origin: From folk healers who 'charmed' away toothache with chanted spells; the phrase shifted to mean diverting with patter.
More idioms — Body & Senses
- 二階から目薬 (Nikai kara megusuri) — A roundabout effort that has no real effect.
- 喉から手が出る (Nodo kara te ga deru) — To want something so badly you can hardly bear it.
- Μου έφυγε το καφάσι — I was utterly shocked.
- Att ha tummen mitt i handen — To be hopelessly clumsy; all thumbs.
- Wiercić komuś dziurę w brzuchu — To nag someone relentlessly.
- Vetää lonkalta — To improvise; to wing it.
More Russian idioms
- Вешать всех собак (Veshat' vsekh sobak) — To blame someone for everything.
- Седьмая вода на киселе (Sed'maya voda na kisele) — A very distant relative.
- Положить зубы на полку (Polozhit' zuby na polku) — To go hungry; to tighten your belt.
- Считать ворон (Schitat' voron) — To idle and let chances slip by.
- Гол как сокол (Gol kak sokol) — Dirt poor; without a thing to your name.
- сыпать соль на рану (sypat' sol' na ranu) — To deliberately make someone's suffering worse by adding mockery or fresh insult to their…
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