The Russian language cannot be imagined without phraseological units. In the people they are called winged expressions, aphorisms or idioms. However, whatever name they are given, their role in our language remains unchanged.
Phraseologism - what is it?
Phraseologism is an expression that has become entrenched in speech in a certain form and is not subject to any changes. Some phraseological units in the language are so "old" that it is not possible to catch their meaning without the use of dictionaries. Remember the expressions that you may often hear at home, at school or at work: “beat the buckets”, “you can’t see”, “sharpen your hair”, “slip down” and others.
Words in the composition become obsolete along with the objects they once denoted, and popular expressions do not disappear anywhere and feel great in the language.
Meaning of phraseology, origin
There are two meanings of the idiom "pull the gimp":
- Slow to do; delay the completion of the work begun. For example: It's better to do homework right away than to pull the rigmarole until nightfall.
- Tell something boringuninteresting. For example: Constantly he starts to pull some kind of rigmarole at the meeting.
You ask what is a rigmarole and why it is pulled. The Russian language adopted this word from the French language (fr. cannetile). This was the name of a thin thread made of gold, silver or copper, which needlewomen used for embroidery.
The process of making the gimp was very long and tedious: it was pulled out of a red-hot wire. Therefore, the meaning of the phraseological unit "pull the gimp" has acquired a negative connotation. This expression describes a tedious and meaningless activity.
Synonyms and antonyms
The meaning of the phraseology "pull the gimp" can be conveyed using synonyms.
Slow to do, delay with execution:
- Barely a soul in the body: meaning "to be weak due to illness", but used in an ironic way.
- A teaspoon per hour.
- Pull the cat's tail.
- Pull rubber.
- Start the bagpipe (tighten).
- Shelving.
- When cancer on the mountain whistles.
- Wait by the sea for the weather.
- Crush water in a mortar.
- Gimble: a derivative of the idiom "pull the gimp".
Also, you can pick up a number of antonyms for this phraseological unit:
- Take the bull by the horns - act immediately and decisively.
- Go ahead.
- Rolling up the sleeves.
- From the spot toquarry.
Phraseologisms decorate and enrich speech. To understand the main part of these expressions, you need to delve into the history of your native country and language. Accordingly, knowledge of catchphrases develops the intellect, forms the cultural competence of the speaker.
