на безрыбье и рак рыба
phrase
Listen:
Transcription (the accent is shown in capital letters):
[na beez-RYB'-ye ee rak RY-ba]
Translation / meaning:
(lit.: when there is no fish, even a crayfish is a fish)
beggars can’t be choosers;
in a pinch anything will do;
any port in a storm
More explanations and examples here: Курам на смех
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пахать (вкалывать) как папа Карло
to work hard
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to do nothing, to idle
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fingers itch; describes the state of anticipating to do something У меня руки чешутся = I can't wait / I anticipate something.
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too hard for smb
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~ it's enough to make a cat laugh
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to totally obey someone, to do everything he/she says
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far and wide
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тебя только за смертью посылать
approximately: you are good only when sent to call the death (i.e. it takes you too long to do things, ~ I could grow old)
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