Зарубить на носу (Zarubit' na nosu)

Meaning: To remember something firmly, once and for all.

Language: Russian

Literally: To notch it on your nose

Category: Body & Senses

Origin: Here 'nos' meant a wooden tally stick the illiterate carried; cutting a notch into it made an unforgettable record.

More idioms — Body & Senses

• Iets onder de knie hebben — To have mastered a skill.
• اللي على راسه بطحة بيحسس عليها (illi ʿala rasu baṭḥa byiḥassis ʿalayha) — The guilty person gives himself away.
• Avoir le bras long — To have influence and useful connections.
• Avoir le cœur sur la main — To be very generous and giving.
• To cost an arm and a leg — To be extremely expensive.
• Tener más cara que espalda — To be utterly shameless and brazen.

More Russian idioms

• 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.
• Заговаривать зубы (Zagovarivat' zuby) — To distract someone with smooth, evasive talk.

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