• В ПОДМЕТКИ НЕ ГОДИТСЯ (НЕ СТАНЕТ obs) кому-чему coll, rather derog
[VP; subj: human, abstr, or concr; pres or past only (1st var.; fut only (2nd var.)]
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⇒ (used when contrasting two people, things etc either on a general basis or with regard to a specific quality) one person or thing is so much worse than the other that they cannot even be compared:
- X Y-y в подметки не годится••≈ X cannot hold a candle to Y;
- X doesn't come close to Y;
- person X isn't fit to tie person Y's shoelaces (bootlaces);
- person X isn't fit to shine person Y's shoes;
- [in limited contexts] person Y has more [NP] in his little finger than person X has in his whole body;
- (there's) absolutely no comparison.
♦ Конечно, есть люди, может быть, красивее Сони, у них длинные косы, голубые глаза, какие-нибудь особенные ресницы, но всё это ерунда.Потому что они Соне в подметки не годятся (Трифонов 2). Naturally there are girls who are maybe prettier than Sonya, who have long braids, blue eyes and long eyelashes, but none of that matters. Because not one of them can hold a candle to Sonya (2a).
♦ [Бобчинский:] А я так думаю, что генерал-то ему [Хлестакову] в подметки не станет! (Гоголь 4). [В.:] And I, sir, think a general isn't fit to tie his [Khlestakov's] bootlaces! (4c).
♦ "Эх, Любка, ты ведь и не знаешь, что я к тебе завтра утром приеду. Розка - зараза, в подметки не годится. Маникюр сделала и думает, что царица" (Семенов 1). "Ah, Lyubka, you don't even know that I'm coming to see you tomorrow morning. Rosa's a bitch - absolutely no comparison Had a manicure and thinks the world of herself" (1a).