П675
СЕМИ (СЕМЬ rare) ПЯДЕЙ (ПЯДЕЙ
obsoles, ПЯДЕНЬ
obs, ПЯДЕНЕЙ
obs) ВО ЛБУ
collNP gen or NP, these forms only
usu. subj-compl with бытье,
subj:
human (
var. with семи)
var. with семь is used as
subj with быть» or
obj of иметь
usu. condit будь кто семи пядей во лбу
fixed WO one is very intelligent, quick-witted, has remarkable abilities: будь X семи пядей во лбу - be X
even if X were) a genius (a real brain, the smartest man in the world)
be X (even if X were) (as) wise as an owl ((as) shrewd as a fox, (as) wise as Solomon, (as) smart as a whip)).
..."Пядь" is an old unit of length equal to the distance between the tips of the thumb and the index finger when they are extended.Смотреть больше слов в «Большом русско-английском фразеологическом словаре»
П676 →← П674