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impossible to worst

Russian translation: Can't be beaten or tricked

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:impossible to worst
Russian translation:Can't be beaten or tricked

16:41 Jan 30, 2014
    The asker opted for community grading. The question was closed on 2014-02-02 22:54:10 based on peer agreement (or, if there were too few peer comments, asker preference.)


English to Russian translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
English term or phrase: impossible to worst
"There was indeed something wholly ridiculous about him … but he had a formidable and quick-acting intelligence, astonishing powers of observation and an unrivalled ability straightaway to see deeply below the surface. He was impossible to worst"

What does "impossible to worst" mean? Absolutely impossible? From impossible to terrible?

Thank you in anticipation
Maria Klavdieva
Local time: 12:47
Can't be beaten or tricked
Explanation:
It's very antiquated way of saying things, nevertheless you can translate it as "Его нельзя было победить или обхитрить" или как-то так.

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Note added at 29 mins (2014-01-30 17:11:13 GMT)
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I've just heard it before...
Selected response from:

Tzvi Arieli
Ukraine
Local time: 12:47
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +3Can't be beaten or tricked
Tzvi Arieli
3 +2его невозможно было переиграть
Serg Yefimov
3не так-то просто заткнуть за пояс
Andrew Vdovin


  

Answers


20 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
его невозможно было переиграть


Explanation:
to worst = to get the advantage over; defeat or beat


Serg Yefimov
Ukraine
Local time: 12:47
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian, Native in UkrainianUkrainian
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks a lot, Serg! I have missed this meaning of "worst"

Asker: мне кажется, даже еще лучше "над ним было невозможно одержать верх"


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sasha A. Pal (X): Может быть, подойдёт и "провести, обмануть, перехитрить..." в зависимости от более широкого контекста.
2 hrs
  -> Cпасибо)
agree  Natalia Volkova: И Ваша версия мне нравится. Литературный вариант.
1 day 22 hrs
  -> Cпасибо)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

17 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +3
Can't be beaten or tricked


Explanation:
It's very antiquated way of saying things, nevertheless you can translate it as "Его нельзя было победить или обхитрить" или как-то так.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 29 mins (2014-01-30 17:11:13 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I've just heard it before...

Tzvi Arieli
Ukraine
Local time: 12:47
Native speaker of: Russian
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Many thanks, Tzvi. It did not occur to me check "worst" as a verb at OneLook!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Serg Yefimov
6 mins
  -> Спасибо)
agree  MariyaN (X)
3 hrs
  -> Спасибо)
agree  Natalia Volkova: победить или перехитрить
1 day 22 hrs
  -> Спасибо, Наталья)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
не так-то просто заткнуть за пояс


Explanation:
Вряд ли кто мог бы заткнуть его за пояс.

Andrew Vdovin
Local time: 16:47
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 37
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