Keep a tight rein on the origin. Where did the "hedgehogs" come from

The Russian language is extremely rich in phraseological phrases and emotionally colored vocabulary. Our literature in bright colors will give any phenomenon or living being an exact definition. So there was a well-aimed association for ill-treatment - tight-fisted gloves. But do we perceive this concept correctly and what did our ancestors actually mean? Let's find out.

Where did hedgehog gloves come from?

This phraseological unit has its roots in the distant past. In the days of the peasantry, when, in addition to housing, a Russian person also had a barn with grain crops attached, he faced an acute problem: how to make sure that the crop remained safe and sound? Invasions of mice became a real problem for the agrarian. The most effective technique against voracious rodents were predatory animals - at least cats. So where does the hedgehogs?

In our everyday life, cats have partially lost the function of catching someone, because the owners bring them food on a silver platter. And hedgehogs do seem to be wild, non-tame animals. But inventive peasants used live hedgehogs to catch mice in their lands. To catch such a valuable specimen for the economy, the villagers needed protective clothing. This is how the heads were invented - the very prototype of mittens. They were made of very thick leather, the lining was not provided.

With hedgehog gloves, the peasant was able to quickly deal with prickly needles. The hedgehogs perfectly fulfilled their function as mousers. Therefore, this method of getting rid of mice was popular. So, these rough mittens were needed to solve a pressing domestic issue, and they became a stable expression only many years later.

Legend of Yezhov

The new life of this phrase began in the Soviet Union, during the reign of Stalin. Was like this People's Commissar in the notorious NKVD - Nikolai Yezhov. In accordance with his position in the state apparatus, he was famous for his cruel, ruthless character. The artist Efimov even released a satirical poster. On it, Yezhov was depicted in prickly mittens, holding a three-headed snake in his hands. The monster was the personification of the enemies of the state - the henchmen of Trotsky and Bukharin.

Thus, the expression has radically changed its meaning. From mittens for catching hedgehogs in the minds of people, they turned into mittens from hedgehogs. Previously, the expression "hedgehogs" was used in classical literature authors such as Pushkin, Turgenev, Chekhov, in his original understanding. But the language develops, does not stand still, so time and history sometimes change it beyond recognition.

Hedgehogs: meaning in modern times

IN Everyday life everyone must have had to use the phrase "keep it tight" more than once. The meaning of a phraseological unit is clear even to a schoolboy - this is a strict and cruel appeal to someone. Often it is used in relation to despotic bosses or even playful children who strive to break parental rules. What association does a person have at this moment? That's right, he imagines needle-shaped mittens, with which you can literally strengthen your authority (with the help of brute force, of course).

Initially, hedgehogs were completely irrelevant. Such mittens belonged to haberdashery made of leather. Although they were not worn for beauty, but for purely practical purposes. Well, now, animal advocates would most likely be outraged by such treatment of poor hedgehogs. Good thing it's just a harmless play on words. A coma of a smile, she is not able to evoke any other emotions in the interlocutor.

Antonym for phraseologism

At catchphrase"hedgehogs" there are several antonymous to her. It is quite natural that over time, people find completely opposite to each stable expression. The reception of antithesis is also used by writers and people of all professions who in one way or another relate to the study of the Russian language. What antonyms can be chosen for this phraseological unit? The simplest option is not to have a soul in someone or something. It means unconditionally loving and affectionately treating someone. So the opposite opinion can be expressed using this particular expression.

Phraseologisms-synonyms

Phraseologism "with a tightrope" also has several similar meanings. One of them can be attributed set expression"keep in a black body." Its meaning is to keep someone in absolute obedience or mistreat. This phrase originated in the Turkic language. These people were engaged in horse breeding everywhere. It was customary for them not to feed the horses to their fill, so that they would not lose their physical form. In this sense, the phrase should be interpreted as "black meat" - meat without fat.

The idiom "keep on a short leash" is also close in meaning. This means that one should not give too much freedom to anyone.

1935-1940, for the word "hedgehog").

Keep in tight fist someone- (colloquial) treat someone strictly, severely. ( Dictionary Russian language (1992), N. Yu. Shvedova, to the word "mitten")

Many believe that the expression was formed on behalf of the head of the NKVD of the 30s of the 20th century, Yezhov Nikolai Ivanovich (1895 - 1940), who became famous for his repressions. In the middle of the 20th century, Boris Efimov's poster "Hedgehogs" was widely known, where the People's Commissar Yezhov N.I. he takes a multi-headed snake, symbolizing the Trotskyists and Bukharinites, with a tight grip.

But, the expression was widely used back in the 19th century, long before the birth of Yezhov, for example, by a writer (1860 - 1904) and a poet (1799 - 1837).

In fact, hedgehog mittens (or golitsy) are working leather mittens without lining and fur, they were intended for catching hedgehogs. Back in the 18th century, the expression "hedgehogs" was recorded in the proverb: "Hedgehogs and a soft body are taken."

Expression with close meaning:

Keep on a short leash.

Examples

Catherine Ryan Hyde (born 1955)

"Don't Let Go" (2010, translated from English 2015):

"Usually Grace had to keep herself in black gloves and bashfully hide your talent, but sometimes there was still a reason to show it.

"- And what, are there cockroaches in your house? Partanen said loudly:

If a woman keep a tight rein, then the insects, rest assured, will not breed ... The women will devour them, but destroy them ... "

The role of phraseological units in the Russian language can hardly be overestimated. Thanks to their use, the speaker's speech acquires a special brilliance, liveliness, and imagery. The roots of a great many set expressions should be sought in the vernacular. It is he who is the storehouse of truly precious treasures of our modern vocabulary.

The meaning of the expression "hedgehogs"

When one person wants to characterize the methods or methods of raising another, emphasizing their particular severity, perhaps even cruelty, he most often declares that he keeps his family in a black body. It is appropriate in the same sense to use the phraseological unit "hedgehogs".

The phrases, say, “fox coat”, “beaver hat”, are quite familiar, but what does a piece of clothing from a prickly mammal look like and does it really exist? We learn this by considering the etymology of the phraseological unit.

The history of the origin of the expression

It turns out that such mittens were not made from the skin of an animal, but to catch him. As you know, hedgehogs, along with cats, are good mousers. And the peasants in the old days very often used them for this very purpose, launching them into their cellars and undergrounds.

And how is it more convenient to catch a prickly creature, so as not to get hurt yourself, and not to injure him? This is where hedgehog gloves came to the rescue - specially made for catching mouse hunters. They were sewn without lining, from very rough leather, and they were called golits.

Use of the expression in colloquial speech and literature

It is believed that "hedgehogs" mean not just strictness in upbringing, attitude, but restriction of freedom, perhaps exaggerated, but out of the best of intentions - for the benefit of the educated person himself.

An old expression, which was used more than once in their work by classical writers, in the years Stalinist repressions suddenly took on a new meaning. These same mittens were associated among the people with the name of the head of the NKVD Yezhov - much more eloquent!

If we note the use of the expression in literature, then we immediately recall an episode from Pushkin's " captain's daughter". There main character, having handed over a letter from his father to his future boss, he is trying to cheat, in his own way explaining to the German general the meaning of the words "keep tight." Say, this means to treat gently, without severity, but he quickly realizes that this is not so, continuing to read the letter.

In modern colloquial speech, this expression is not so common.

0 Our vocabulary is full of various proverbs and expressions, and the origin of many of them is rather vague. This circumstance pushes immature minds to get into explanatory dictionaries in search of the required information. However, the search in these thick and dusty tomes is big problem and so we decided to create this resource, in which you will find transcripts on a variety of topics. I strongly recommend adding our site to your bookmarks so as not to miss useful and important information. Today we will finally analyze such a funny at first glance proverb as Keep tight-lipped which means you can read a little below.
However, before I continue, I would like to point you to a couple of our other popular publications on the topic of phraseological units. For example, what does Woe from Wit mean; the meaning of the expression Yuperny theater; how to understand the phrase Go through the forest; which means Seven Fridays in a week, etc.
So let's continue Keep a tight rein on the meaning? This proverb has a rather vague origin, but we will try to give the most detailed answer.

Keep tight-lipped- means to be strict and harsh, to keep in subjection, to force to completely obey oneself


Synonym for the phrase Hold tight: keep in a black body.

This expression was first noted in the first half of the 18th century as part of a folk proverb - " Hedgehogs, but take for a soft body". From here it is clear that these were really real mittens, and not some kind of euphemism. However, questions remain, what kind of mittens are they, and could they be sewn from hedgehog skin?

If we delve into dictionaries, we can find out that the word "hedgehog" does not mean " hedgehog", but rather means " hedgehog-like". Having studied the explanatory dictionary, we begin to understand that "hedgehog" is the thing with which you can hold this very hedgehog in your hands. As a result, we come to interesting information that in ancient times, there were special mittens that protect hands, they were called " golitsy"or" hedgehog gloves. "They were made of rough leather without fur and lining, and they were an excellent protection for working people when working. However, it was also easy to grab hedgehogs in them.

This phraseological unit acquired additional meaning in the days of the USSR, when a young Soviet Russia just got up from her knees, after civil war, and Comrade Yezhov was appointed head of the NKVD. It is with him that the wholesale landings of enemies of the people, as well as citizens who are not personally pleasing to him, are connected. Even in his entourage, they were afraid of this man, because he did not spare either his relatives or friends.
Many years later, and after the total propaganda of "liberda", it is now difficult to say how bad everything was, and whether those people were guilty. Of course, one cannot be guided by the information provided by such liars as Solzhenitsyn and other oppositionists. Since they, and those like them, in fact, were the very enemies of the people, and having taken power in their hands in the 90s, they began to actively throw some kind of brown substance on our past.

After reading this informative article, you learned what is Hold tight, and now you will not get into a predicament by discovering this phraseological unit in the future.

The role of phraseological units in the Russian language can hardly be overestimated. Thanks to their use, the speaker's speech acquires a special brilliance, liveliness, and imagery. The roots of a great many set expressions should be sought in the vernacular. It is he who is the storehouse of truly precious treasures of our modern vocabulary.

The meaning of the expression "hedgehogs"

When one person wants to characterize the methods or methods of raising another, emphasizing their particular severity, perhaps even cruelty, he most often declares that he keeps his family in a black body. It is appropriate in the same sense to use the phraseological unit "hedgehogs".

The phrases, say, “fox coat”, “beaver hat”, are quite familiar, but what does a piece of clothing from a prickly mammal look like and does it really exist? We learn this by considering the etymology of the phraseological unit.

The history of the origin of the expression

It turns out that such mittens were not made from the skin of an animal, but to catch him. As you know, hedgehogs, along with cats, are good mousers. And the peasants in the old days very often used them for this very purpose, launching them into their cellars and undergrounds.

And how is it more convenient to catch a prickly creature, so as not to get hurt yourself, and not to injure him? This is where hedgehog gloves came to the rescue - specially made for catching mouse hunters. They were sewn without lining, from very rough leather, and they were called golits.

Use of the expression in colloquial speech and literature

It is believed that "hedgehogs" mean not just strictness in upbringing, attitude, but restriction of freedom, perhaps exaggerated, but out of the best of intentions - for the benefit of the educated person himself.

The old expression, which classical writers used more than once in their work, suddenly acquired a new sound during the years of Stalinist repressions. These same mittens were associated among the people with the name of the head of the NKVD Yezhov - much more eloquent!

If we note the use of the expression in literature, then an episode from Pushkin's "The Captain's Daughter" immediately comes to mind. There, the main character, having handed a letter from his father to his future boss, tries to cheat, in his own way explaining to the German general the meaning of the words "keep tight." Say, this means to treat gently, without severity, but he quickly realizes that this is not so, continuing to read the letter.

In modern colloquial speech, this expression is not so common.

0 Our vocabulary is full of various proverbs and expressions, and the origin of many of them is rather vague. This circumstance pushes immature minds to get into explanatory dictionaries in search of the required information. However, the search in these thick and dusty tomes is a big problem, and therefore we decided to create this resource, in which you will find transcripts on a variety of topics. I strongly recommend adding our site to your bookmarks so as not to miss useful and important information. Today we will finally analyze such a funny at first glance proverb as Keep tight-lipped which means you can read a little below.
However, before I continue, I would like to point you to a couple of our other popular publications on the topic of phraseological units. For example, what does Woe from Wit mean; the meaning of the expression Yuperny theater; how to understand the phrase Go through the forest; which means Seven Fridays in a week, etc.
So let's continue Keep a tight rein on the meaning? This proverb has a rather vague origin, but we will try to give the most detailed answer.

Keep tight-lipped- means to be strict and harsh, to keep in subjection, to force to completely obey oneself


Synonym for the phrase Hold tight: keep in a black body.

This expression was first noted in the first half of the 18th century as part of a folk proverb - " Hedgehogs, but take for a soft body". From here it is clear that these were really real mittens, and not some kind of euphemism. However, questions remain, what kind of mittens are they, and could they be sewn from hedgehog skin?

If we delve into dictionaries, we can find out that the word "hedgehog" does not mean " hedgehog", but rather means " hedgehog-like". Having studied the explanatory dictionary, we begin to understand that "hedgehog" is the thing with which you can hold this very hedgehog in your hands. As a result, we come to interesting information that in ancient times, there were special mittens that protect hands, they were called " golitsy"or" hedgehog gloves. "They were made of rough leather without fur and lining, and they were an excellent protection for working people when working. However, it was also easy to grab hedgehogs in them.

This phraseological unit gained additional meaning during the Soviet era, when young Soviet Russia was just getting up from its knees, after the civil war, and Comrade Yezhov was appointed head of the NKVD. It is with him that the wholesale landings of enemies of the people, as well as citizens who are not personally pleasing to him, are connected. Even in his entourage, they were afraid of this man, because he did not spare either his relatives or friends.
Many years later, and after the total propaganda of "liberda", it is now difficult to say how bad everything was, and whether those people were guilty. Of course, one cannot be guided by the information provided by such liars as Solzhenitsyn and other oppositionists. Since they, and those like them, in fact, were the very enemies of the people, and having taken power in their hands in the 90s, they began to actively throw some kind of brown substance on our past.

After reading this informative article, you learned what is Hold tight, and now you will not get into a predicament by discovering this phraseological unit in the future.

The Russian language is extremely rich in phraseological phrases and emotionally colored vocabulary. Our literature in bright colors will give any phenomenon or living being an exact definition. So there was a well-aimed association for ill-treatment - tight-fisted gloves. But do we perceive this concept correctly and what did our ancestors actually mean? Let's find out.

Where did hedgehog gloves come from?

This phraseological unit has its roots in the distant past. In the days of the peasantry, when, in addition to housing, a Russian person also had a barn with grain crops attached, he faced an acute problem: how to make sure that the crop remained safe and sound? Invasions of mice became a real problem for the agrarian. The most effective technique against voracious rodents were predatory animals - at least cats. So where does the hedgehogs?

In our everyday life, cats have partially lost the function of catching someone, because the owners bring them food on a silver platter. And hedgehogs do seem to be wild, non-tame animals. But inventive peasants used live hedgehogs to catch mice in their lands. To catch such a valuable specimen for the economy, the villagers needed protective clothing. This is how the heads were invented - the very prototype of mittens. They were made of very thick leather, the lining was not provided.

With hedgehog gloves, the peasant was able to quickly deal with prickly needles. The hedgehogs perfectly fulfilled their function as mousers. Therefore, this method of getting rid of mice was popular. So, these rough mittens were needed to solve a pressing domestic issue, and they became a stable expression only many years later.

Legend of Yezhov

The new life of this phrase began in the Soviet Union, during the reign of Stalin. There was such a people's commissar in the infamous NKVD - Nikolai Yezhov. In accordance with his position in the state apparatus, he was famous for his cruel, ruthless character. The artist Efimov even released a satirical poster. On it, Yezhov was depicted in prickly mittens, holding a three-headed snake in his hands. The monster was the personification of the enemies of the state - the henchmen of Trotsky and Bukharin.

Thus, the expression has radically changed its meaning. From mittens for catching hedgehogs in the minds of people, they turned into mittens from hedgehogs. Previously, the expression "hedgehogs" was used in classical literature by such authors as Pushkin, Turgenev, Chekhov, in its original sense. But the language develops, does not stand still, so time and history sometimes change it beyond recognition.

Hedgehogs: meaning in modern times

In everyday life, everyone probably had to use the phrase "keep it in a tight rein" more than once. The meaning of a phraseological unit is clear even to a schoolboy - this is a strict and cruel appeal to someone. Often it is used in relation to despotic bosses or even playful children who strive to break parental rules. What association does a person have at this moment? That's right, he imagines needle-shaped mittens, with which you can literally strengthen your authority (with the help of brute force, of course).

Initially, hedgehogs were completely irrelevant. Such mittens belonged to haberdashery made of leather. Although they were not worn for beauty, but for purely practical purposes. Well, now, animal advocates would most likely be outraged by such treatment of poor hedgehogs. Good thing it's just a harmless play on words. A coma of a smile, she is not able to evoke any other emotions in the interlocutor.

Antonym for phraseologism

The catchphrase "hedgehogs" has several antonyms to it. It is quite natural that over time, people find completely opposite to each stable expression. The reception of antithesis is also used by writers and people of all professions who in one way or another relate to the study of the Russian language. What antonyms can be chosen for this phraseological unit? The simplest option is not to have a soul in someone or something. It means unconditionally loving and affectionately treating someone. So the opposite opinion can be expressed using this particular expression.

Phraseologisms-synonyms

Phraseologism "with a tightrope" also has several similar meanings. One of them can be attributed to the stable expression "keep in a black body." Its meaning is to keep someone in absolute obedience or mistreat. This phrase originated in the Turkic language. These people were engaged in horse breeding everywhere. It was customary for them not to feed the horses to their fill, so that they would not lose their physical form. In this sense, the phrase should be interpreted as "black meat" - meat without fat.

The idiom "keep on a short leash" is also close in meaning. This means that one should not give too much freedom to anyone.

Keep tight-lipped whom. Razg. Express. Strictly, severely treat someone. I was under the command of Kolka Maslov, a boy equally nimble both in studies and in mischief; only by a strange chance this fellow was away from the fighters, it is clear that the strict dad kept his son in tight rein(M. Alekseev. Brawlers).

Phraseological dictionary of Russian literary language. - M.: Astrel, AST. A. I. Fedorov. 2008 .

See what "Keep tight" in other dictionaries:

    Keep tight-lipped- SLEEVES A, s, f. A piece of clothing that covers the entire hand and thumb separately. Fur gloves. Canvas mittens (working). Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 ... Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov

    keep a tight rein- See crowd... Dictionary of Russian synonyms and expressions similar in meaning. under. ed. N. Abramova, M .: Russian dictionaries, 1999 ... Synonym dictionary

    keep a tight rein- to keep someone in strict obedience, to treat someone very strictly and severely. Hedgehog mittens (holits) - working leather mittens without lining and fur, they were intended for catching hedgehogs. Back in the 18th century, the expression hedgehogs ... ... Phraseology Handbook

    Keep tight-lipped- whom. Razg. Get along with someone. strictly, severely; educate someone. with great rigor. DP, 219; BTS, 252; FSRYA, 396; BMS 1998, 507; ZS 1996, 227; SRGK 3, 173; F 1, 157; SOSV, 67 ...

    keep a tight rein- see hedgehog ... Dictionary of many expressions

    keep (someone) in a tight grip- Wed. He constantly watched me, as if I was capable of all crimes and I should have been kept in a tight grip. Turgenev. Unhappy. 17. Wed. I am cruelly mistaken if he, taught by experience and barely escaping from death, inexorably did not hold ... ... Michelson's Big Explanatory Phraseological Dictionary

    Keep it tight- whom. Novg. The same as holding in an iron fist (MITTLE). NOSE 2, 85 ... Big Dictionary Russian sayings

    Keep (someone) in tight rein- Keep (someone) in a tight grip. Wed He was constantly watching me, as if I was capable of all crimes and I should have been kept in a tight rein. Turgenev. Unhappy. 17. Wed. I am cruelly mistaken if he, taught by experience, and ... ... Michelson's Big Explanatory Phraseological Dictionary (original spelling)

    keep somebody in black gloves- razg. Get along with someone. strict, severe... Dictionary of many expressions

    in black gloves- in tight-fisted gloves. Unchanged Strictly, sternly, severely. More often with verb. nesov. kind: keep... how? in tight gloves; take ... in tight grips. Is it really necessary that they are peasants forever before Chichikov's eyes and that he keep ... ... Educational Phraseological Dictionary

Books

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