Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Russian term or phrase:
ХОРОШ, КОГДА СПИТ ЗУБАМИ К СТЕНКЕ
English translation:
...is the best when asleep
Added to glossary by
Anastasiia_M
Nov 12, 2015 18:58
8 yrs ago
Russian term
United States
Native in: Ukrainian (Variant: Standard-Ukraine) 
, Russian (Variant: Standard-Russia)
Works in: English to Ukrainian, English to Russian, Ukrainian to English, and 3 more.
ХОРОШ, КОГДА СПИТ ЗУБАМИ К СТЕНКЕ
Russian to English
Art/Literary
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Idioms
Please help!
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
13 mins
katerina turevich
Netherlands
Netherlands
Native in Russian
&
English
Works in field
Netherlands
attentive to detail and fast
Native in: English , Russian
Works in: Dutch to English, Russian to English
Related KudoZ points
:
8
Selected
...is the best when asleep
children are the best when asleep
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Note added at 15 min (2015-11-12 19:14:12 GMT)
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Children are the best when they are asleep - would be better
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Note added at 15 min (2015-11-12 19:14:12 GMT)
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Children are the best when they are asleep - would be better
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
+1
41 mins
Mikhail Kropotov
Germany
Germany
Native in Russian
Works in field
Germany
US-educated, precise & thorough
Native in: Russian
Works in: English to Russian, Russian to English, Russian
Related KudoZ points
:
63
Good is as good does
♦ Хорош, когда спит зубами к стенке кто — ирон. о плохом человеке, которого считают (или называют) хорошим.
http://www.gramota.ru/slovari/argo/53_15414
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Note added at 43 mins (2015-11-12 19:42:29 GMT)
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I believe that by saying this, you imply that a person, judging by his/her actions, may not be as good as they are considered / made out to be.
http://www.gramota.ru/slovari/argo/53_15414
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Note added at 43 mins (2015-11-12 19:42:29 GMT)
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I believe that by saying this, you imply that a person, judging by his/her actions, may not be as good as they are considered / made out to be.
44 mins
Pavel Altukhov
Native in Russian
Top quality, reliability
Native in: Russian
Works in: English to Russian, Russian to English, French to Russian, and 6 more.
They are nice as long as you keep'em at a safe distance
n/a
+4
22 mins
Frank Szmulowicz, Ph. D.
United States
United States
Native in English
Works in field
United States
On time, on target, on budget.
Native in: English , Polish
Works in: Polish to English, English to Polish, Russian to Polish, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
22
he/she is an angel when he/she sleeps
IMO
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Note added at 16 hrs (2015-11-13 11:11:59 GMT)
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Following Vladimir's and Lilian's suggestions:
Devil by day, with his fangs retracted and facing the wall, he is an angel when asleep.
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Note added at 16 hrs (2015-11-13 11:14:57 GMT)
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Devil by day, his teeth towards the wall, he is an angel while asleep.
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Note added at 16 hrs (2015-11-13 11:11:59 GMT)
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Following Vladimir's and Lilian's suggestions:
Devil by day, with his fangs retracted and facing the wall, he is an angel when asleep.
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Note added at 16 hrs (2015-11-13 11:14:57 GMT)
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Devil by day, his teeth towards the wall, he is an angel while asleep.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
yutamlanguages
31 mins
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Thank you yutamlanguages.
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| agree |
Valeria Kamphaus
1 hr
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Thank you Valeria.
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| agree |
Vladimir Zakharov
: But: "... with his/her teeth towards the wall" — this is an important part of the phrase. I believe such brilliant figures of speech deserve calquing :) Upd. Something along these lines, yes :)
9 hrs
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Thank you, Vladimir. So, Devil by day, with his fangs retracted and facing the wall, he is an angel when he sleeps.
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| agree |
LilianNekipelov
: when he is asleep
13 hrs
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Thank you, Lilian, for the help.
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Discussion
Если нет, то вам это вообще зачем? (Только не надо удивляться этому вопросу, ок?)