It is impossible to imagine the Russian language without famous catchphrases. "Beat the thumbs", "you can't see anything", "sit in a puddle", "break wood" - all these are phraseological units.
Similar fixed expressions exist in every language. They decorate speech, make it more diverse, richer. The meaning of most phraseological units cannot be understood without knowing their origin. This makes people delve into the history of their native language and their people.
Origin and Meaning
The meaning of the phraseological unit "to break firewood" in one word can be conveyed by the verb "blunder". In a more extended sense, this expression means "to make many mistakes, while making blunders."
The meaning and origin of the phraseologism "to break firewood" are connected. The meaning of the expression is explained by its history. It is believed to be from the 19th century. The word "firewood" meant "everything that can kindle the stove" (brushwood, deadwood). These materials break very easily. Womenthey prepared such “firewood” on their own, splitting them into several pieces on their knees.
Why did the phraseologism take on a negative connotation? The fact is that the broken brushwood lay in careless piles. The sticks were of different lengths and with clumsy edges. That is why any sloppy job with a lot of misses and mistakes was compared to breaking firewood.
Synonyms
This stable expression can be replaced with similar ones:
- Sit in a puddle - blunder, get into an awkward position, fail.
- Make a mistake - make a mistake, make a mistake.
- Sit in a galosh - get into an awkward position.
- To miss - to miss, to make a mistake.
- To lose face - to disgrace, blunder.
- Mishuritsya - make a mistake, miss.
- To get into trouble - to be in an awkward/difficult position.
There are also a number of antonyms for this catchphrase:
- Do not lose face - do everything in the best possible way; do not embarrass yourself.
- Be on horseback - emerge victorious.
