• КУДА ВЕТЕР ДУЕТ coll, disapprov
[VPsubj; Invar; usu. this WO]
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1. знать, понимать и т.п. - . Also: ОТКУДА ВЕТЕР ДУЕТ [subord clause]
⇒ (to understand) whose views, opinions etc one should adhere to, which line of behavior is in one's best interests (usu. of a person who adjusts his opinions and behavior to those of his superiors):
- X знает, куда (откуда) ветер дует••≈ X knows (sees etc) which way <how, in which direction, from which direction> the wind blows <is blowing>;
- X trims his sails to (before) the wind.
♦ Его поддержало несколько Завторангов [попсе word]...которые сразу смекнули, куда дует ветер (Зиновьев 1). He was supported by a number of Secradeps...who immediately divined which way the wind was blowing (1a).
♦ Тридцать седьмой [год] покатил антисемитское колесо быстрее. Сталин в документе ТАСС собственноручно "исправил" фамилию Зиновьева и Каменева, сообщив населению о дореволюционных фамилиях жертв террористического процесса - Радомысльский и Розен фельд. Как оживились... карьеристы, которые уловили, наконец, откуда ветер дует... (Свирский 1). The year 1937 set the anti-Semitic wheel turning faster. In a TASS document Stalin personally "corrected" the names of Zinoviev and Kamenev, telling the population the pre-Revolutionary names of these victims of the process of the terror - Radomyslsky and Rosenfeld. That encouraged...the careerists, who could finally be sure which direction the wind was blowing (1a).
2. (идти, смотреть и т. п.) - [subord clause or, rare, predic with subj: human (sing or pl)]
⇒ lacking strong principles or out of selfish motives, to change one's views according to circumstances, prevalent opinions etc:
- X идёт куда ветер дует••≈ X changes (goes, swims, flows) with the tide;
- X is a weathercock (weather vane).