Does a person often want to soap his neck? This desire is normal when it comes to showering or bathing. But as soon as we are talking about someone else, the meaning of the phraseologism takes on an ominous meaning. Consider it.
Professional secrets of executioners
Once upon a time, killing people was as much a chore as shifting papers in the office or writing articles for the newspaper today. Professional killers, like all people, wanted comfortable working conditions. Therefore, in order for the head of the condemned to pass into the rope without hassle and worries, the latter was usually smeared with soap. But the opposite is also true: if you lather the neck of a convicted person, then there will be no problems either.
True, this is no longer relevant for the present time, because in Russia, for example, there is a moratorium on the death pen alty, and in those countries where the "capital punishment" is allowed, other methods are used: executions, lethal injections. The latter are considered a more "humane" way to depart to another world. By the way, the neck also breaks quite quickly when hanging.
Meaning
Thus, when a cruel and bloody reprisal awaits a person, he is promised a date with soap, but the bath is absolutely notat what. There are any number of such situations. For example, when a schoolboy was supposed to prepare lessons for tomorrow, and instead he is chasing a ball in the yard, an angry father promises to soap his neck. In this case, it means a family scandal or a serious conversation with a future football star.
But when it comes to an outsider, phraseologism means most often violence. For example, the father does not like the young man of his daughter, and when she returns home too late, in the opinion of the parent, he promises the gentleman to lather his neck next time. Of course, such threats are usually not carried out, but the father needs to express his concern for the fate of his daughter.
Nostalgia
Now they almost don't say that. Either because few people are aware of the meaning of a phraseological unit, or because such a turn of phrase is considered old-school, in other words, old-fashioned. Now they are expressed more straightforwardly, because it seems that the taboo has been removed from the invective vocabulary. People are no longer shy to swear on the case and without it. Some believe that this makes them mature, while others simply lack taste. And how good it would be if people remembered the idiom “soap your neck” and use it, and not vulgar, rude expressions. Perhaps there will still be a renaissance of the great and mighty Russian language. The only pity is that we most likely will not have to live in this beautiful time. Although, maybe still lucky?
