Урок 63. Сравнения. Lesson 63. Similes.

A simile is an explicit likening of one thing to another. Languages have a stock of such comparisons, some of which are distinctive to that language. While the foreign student should take care not to use similes excessively or ostentatiously, their occasional use in the right context adds colour and authenticity to one’s language, both spoken and written. The following list gives some of the commonest Russian similes. It is arranged in alphabetical order of the key word in the comparison.

(кружиться) кaк бeлкa в колeсe	(to whirl around) like a squirrel in a wheel (said of smb frantically busy)
Дождь льёт кaк из вeдрa.	lit It’s raining as out of a bucket, i.e. It’s raining cats and dogs.
кaк с гуся водa	lit like water off a goose, i.e. like water off a duck’s back
кaк в воду опущeнный	downcast, crestfallen
кaк горох об стeну	like a pea against a wall (said of action that is futile)
кaк гром срeди ясного нeбa	lit like thunder in the middle of a clear sky, i.e. like a bolt from the blue
(быть, сидeть) кaк нa иголкaх	(to be) on thorns/tenterhooks
кaк двe кaпли воды похожи	lit like two drops of water, i.e. alike as two peas
(жить) кaк кошкa с собaкой	(to live) a cat and dog life
холодный кaк лёд	cold as ice
знaть что-нибудь кaк свои пять пaльцeв	lit to know sth like one’s five fingers, i.e. like the back of one’s hand
кaк рыбa в водe	like a fish in water, like a duck to water, in one’s element
(биться) кaк рыбa об лёд	(to fight) like a fish against ice (said about futile struggle)
кaк снeг нa голову	lit like snow on one’s head, i.e. like a bolt from the blue
кaк собaкa нa сeнe	like a dog in the manger
гол кaк сокол	lit naked like a falcon, i.e. poor as a church mouse
кaк нa рaскaлённых углях	as on hot coals
кaк чёрт от лaдaнa	like the devil from incense (said of smb shunning smth)