In ancient times, the peasants did not know either letters or arithmetic. And if one asked the other for a loan of several sacks of grain or flour, they could not make notes or draw up receipts. And so that there would be no disputes during the calculation, the one who borrowed brought with him a long wooden board, which was called the “nose”.

On this board, transverse notches were made according to the number of sacks borrowed, then the board was split from top to bottom, and each left a half with notches. When the debtor came to return the bags, both parties to the transaction put their nose halves together. If the notches matched, and the number of bags equaled the number of notches, this meant that none of the peasants had forgotten or confused anything.

The same custom existed in medieval Europe. In the Czech Republic, for example, in the 15-16 centuries. innkeepers widely used special sticks - “cuts”, on which they applied, “cut down” marks with a knife on the amount of alcohol consumed or eaten by visitors.

homonymy

The word "nose" in the expression "on your nose" does not mean the organ of smell at all. Oddly enough, it is a "commemorative plaque", "a tag for records." The name of the tablet itself obviously comes from the Old Slavonic verb “to carry” - in order to be useful from notches, this tablet always had to be carried with you. And when it is desirable not to forget or confuse anything, and they say: “Kill it on your nose!”.

In addition, the word "nose" used to be used in the sense of an offering, a bribe, and if someone could not agree with the person to whom this nose was intended, this unfortunate someone, as you might guess, remained with this very nose.

Thus, "cut it on your nose" lives to this day, and its original meaning has lost its meaning.

Scientists' interest

Of particular interest to etymologists is the relationship between the alleged homonyms nose "organ of smell" and nose "tag with notches for memory." Trying to completely reject the association with the first homonym as absurd, E.A. Vartanyan notes that understanding would indicate cruelty: “it’s not very pleasant if you are offered to make notches on your own face,” and, reassuring readers from this “futile fear”, proceeds to present the traditional etymology.

In a slightly different way, without denying the associative connection of the turnover “on the nose” with the nose as an “organ of smell”, which is completely natural in everyday perception, V.I. Koval. He connects to his analysis the material of the Belarusian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian languages. Recognizing the original meaning of "tag for records", he emphasizes that gradually this word began to correlate with the well-known meaning, which led to the loss of the original image. Due to this, a person allegedly perceives it as "an image of a notch on the nose (organ of smell)".

Our language has many set expressions which are simple and understandable for us. However, linguists of foreign countries experience many difficulties when translating these expressions: it is not easy for them to understand what this or that stable combination means in one word. The origin of this has an interesting theory. Consider where the phrase "hack on the nose" came from, the meaning of this phraseological unit and several sentences using it.

This saying is used by people living in our country unconsciously. General value phrase is as follows: the speaker expresses the desire that the person to whom he is addressing firmly remember his words and never forget them again.

This phraseological unit can be used by school teachers or adults who scold children.

This expression perfectly illustrates the emotional diversity of our language. The standard request to remember something well is not as emotional and eloquent as a stable combination of words.

At the same time, foreigners may mistakenly believe that the statement contains the danger of physical punishment. This theory is correct, but only partly.

Reference! The meaning of the phraseologism "hack on the nose" is to remember.

How did phraseologism come about

How did the phrase "hack on the nose" come about? Initially, several centuries ago, the expression was not emotionally charged and had nothing to do with mutilation. When a person said "to cut down on the nose", he meant tablets that helped those who were illiterate.

The name of such boards comes from the word "wear". In those years, writing instruments were extremely important, so many people kept them with them at all times. The phrase "hack on the nose" meant to put notches on wooden planks-notebooks that were always at hand.

What were the boards for?

The history of the phraseologism "to cut down on the nose" is quite unusual. Until 1917, when the tsarist government was overthrown, only representatives of high society were literate and educated.

The overwhelming majority of the inhabitants of Russia did not know how to write even the simplest words. However, the lack of education and literacy did not prevent people from taking an active part in the trade, which flourished in the country at that time.

Trading houses were regularly opened, fairs and caravans appeared. Every minute, a lot of transactions were carried out, and for quite serious amounts.

For uneducated merchants, special boards were created. With the help of these tablets, merchants made special notches, which indicated the operations they carried out with money. The number of hacked sticks made it possible to decipher these records. It was inconvenient, but this version of the “notebook” was the only thing that people had in those days.

A general lack of literacy was also observed in European states during the Middle Ages. Similar boards also found their distribution there. Archaeologists regularly found not only planks, but also sticks with notches applied to them.

How did the shade of menace come about?

Today, people who demand that the interlocutor cut himself on the nose often jokingly (and sometimes seriously) threaten him.

This emotional coloration arose as a result of the main purpose of wooden "notebooks". On the boards, financial obligations that appeared with the debtor were recorded.

Consider an example. When someone borrowed 2 sacks of flour from a person, the owner of the goods made two notches on the board. If the debtor did not return the debt in full, the tablet was divided into parts between the cooperating people. Each piece contained half of the applied nicks.

Financial obligations meant a certain threat to the debtor. As a result, the expression in question acquired a special emotional coloring over time.

Useful video: the meaning of "hack on the nose"

Use cases

This is a fairly common expression, which is used everywhere and in oral speech, and in writing. It often occurs in dialogues in fiction, in films, print media.

Here are some examples of using the expression.

Sentences with phraseological units can be very different:

1. Hack it on your nose: the way the younger generation treats the older one characterizes the level of upbringing and culture of society as a whole.
2. He had long ago cut himself on the nose that it was not worth proving his case to everyone in a row.
3. Put it on your nose: you were lucky to meet me, and today you still got off lightly.
4. The little girl had made it her business to never try to tease street dogs.
5. Get it right on your nose: this promise must be kept, no matter what the circumstances.

Advice! Pictures for the phraseological unit “to cut on the nose” can better understand the meaning of the expression for children. Sentences with it, composed independently, will consolidate understanding of the topic.

Picture for phraseology

Hack on the nose Prost. Express. Remember firmly, firmly, forever. - Now is not the time to remember that you were a teacher. For me, you are first and foremost a fighter. And only a fighter. Get it on your nose(P. Pustyntsev. Through the lead blizzard).

Phraseological dictionary of Russian literary language. - M.: Astrel, AST. A. I. Fedorov. 2008 .

See what "Hack on the nose" is in other dictionaries:

Nick down- hack on the wall, notice, fix in memory, fix in memory, hack on the forehead, hack on the wall, take note, hack on the forehead, keep in memory, remember, tie a knot in memory, remember, tie a knot, ... … Synonym dictionary

Nick down- Hack / be on the nose (on the forehead) Take note, remember forever ... Dictionary of many expressions

Nick down- remember firmly, forever. Initially, turnover meant a playful threat. The nose was also called a tag that they carried with them and on which they put notches to record work, debts, etc ... Phraseology Handbook

hack- ruble /, rub / I mean; slaughtered/blended; flax, a, o; St. see also hack, hack, hack 1) whom To kill with a chopping tool, weapon (axe, saber, saber) Hack / be to death ... Dictionary of many expressions

stab yourself in the nose- See remember... Dictionary of Russian synonyms and expressions similar in meaning. under. ed. N. Abramova, M .: Russian dictionaries, 1999 ... Synonym dictionary

hack- To chop on your forehead or on your nose or on the wall (colloquial fam.) take into account the future tense, remember well. Kill yourself in the nose that I will not tolerate this anymore ... Phraseological dictionary of the Russian language

hack- hack, hack, hack, sover. (to hack). 1. whom what. Kill with a saber, sword, ax. "I will kill your child, Katherine!" Gogol. 2. what. Make a notch on something (special). 3. what. Make a cut in something (horn). ❖ Cut yourself on ... Dictionary Ushakov

hack- hack, kill, kill; killed; sovereign 1. whom (what). Kill with a saber, sword, ax. 2. what. Make a recess with a chopping tool in what n., on what n. Z. log. Hack on your nose or on your forehead (colloquial) remember it firmly for the future. | incompatibility kill, ... ... Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov

Razg. Express. The same as a href=”/dict/frazslov/article/2/3561.htm” to kill yourself on the nose/a. And I would have ordered another cook to hack on the wall, So that there speeches would not be wasted, Where you need to use power (Krylov. Cat and ... ...

Obsolete Express. The same as a href=”/dict/frazslov/article/2/3561.htm” to kill yourself on the nose/a. In fact, the perfect box comes out. Once you have hacked something into your head, you can’t overpower him with anything (Gogol. Dead Souls). I… … Phraseological dictionary of the Russian literary language

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In the Russian language, you can find such expressions and idioms that will baffle even a professional foreigner linguist. People who try to learn Russian are generally shocked when they try to realize the meaning of many catch phrases. Not even every Russian can explain the meaning of phraseological units " Nick down".

In Russia, everyone is familiar with this expression and perfectly understands its meaning. For example, a mother, chastising her child, can say: "Nikolai, never do this again, cut it on your nose." And the baby fully understands that this is the last warning that must not be violated, otherwise bad consequences will follow. Although the child is unlikely to understand the meaning of this phrase, he understands the emotional coloring of this expression.

The history of the expression "hack on the nose"

However, in dark ages medieval Russia, only priests and nobles were literate, and even then not all. However, life in the country was seething and seething, trade caravans scurried between cities, fairs and trading houses opened everywhere. Merchants made deals and made money.
With general illiteracy, it was necessary to somehow get out.
At that time, there were special boards on which sticks (notches) were scratched.
For example, one merchant lends a person three skeins of fabric. He takes out a plank and put exactly three notches. Then, when the debt was gradually returned, the plank was divided into parts. This was done in such a way that half of each notch remained on both sides.

Well, everything is clear with this, but many will have a question.
What's with the nose?
Researchers believe that this is not about a human organ, but about a derivative of the verb "wear". The plates on which notches were made were of great importance in ancient Russia, so most citizens carried them with them without parting for a minute. After all, this is their money.

The Russian language includes a large number of set expressions, and their meaning is well understood by its native speakers, but foreigners are often puzzled. An example of this is the catchphrase “to cut down on the nose”, the translation of which is very difficult for some countries, while others do not understand at all. The origin of such expressions most often has a simple but interesting explanation.

In contact with

The meaning of the phrase "to chop on the nose"

It's very stable popular expression, and is used most often unconsciously by native speakers of the Russian language. Phraseological units come to the aid of people when they want their interlocutors to remember their words. For example, such a statement is often allowed by teachers or parents who scold a naughty child. The phrase is also used by adults who quarrel with each other.

This phraseological unit is a clear proof of the emotional richness of the native Russian language. A phrase conveys the emotions and importance of the speaker's words better than a simple request to remember something. The expression does not contain the threat of physical reprisal, as it may seem to many foreigners who translate this statement word by word.

The history of the phraseologism "hack on the nose"

At first, the popular expression did not have any emotional connotation. It had nothing to do with damage to the human body. Offering to hack something, the speaker of this phrase did not mean the organ of smell at all, as one might think initially. Among the people, this name was given several centuries ago to tablets that served as a lifesaver for an untrained literacy person.

How are these devices related to the human nose? No way, because their name did not come from this word, but from the verb "to wear." These writing materials were very significant for the inhabitants of that time, and they practically did not part with them. The phrase meant to put a notch on such a notebook, which was constantly with you.

Why do we need "noses"

Before the overthrow of the tsarist government in 1917, only people from high society were literate. BUT most of the population of all of Russia did not possess any writing skills. Huge gaps in education did not prevent people from participating in the trade that flourished in the country at that time. Caravans flourished and fairs were launched, trading houses were founded. Transactions were sometimes associated with very large amounts and were made almost every minute.

The tablets we talked about earlier were invented to help illiterate merchants. With the help of them, they fixed their own financial transactions in memory, inflicting notches. The notebook was deciphered by counting the nicks created. This is not very convenient, but remember that in those days there were no electronic gadgets.

In medieval Europe, such adaptations were also widespread, because even there the literacy situation was deplorable at that time.

Emotional color

So why do people today threaten their opponent, seriously or jokingly, when they say the phrase "hack on the nose"? The expression acquired an emotional color in connection with the main purpose of the small boards that replaced the notebook. After all, they were the main means for fixing debts.

An example of such a record is very easy to give..

Other phraseological units

There are other catchphrases that seem to be related to the respiratory organ. Among them there are phrases that have a simple explanation, and expressions that were formed in a complex way.

• The characteristic "with a gulkin's nose" is an example of an easy and stable phrase, it means a small amount of something. The saying "gulkin's nose" means the beak of a dove, which has a small size.
• You've probably heard the phrase "get away with your nose," which has the same long history as the phrase "hack on the nose." The offer has survived from the days when bribery flourished. For example, it was difficult to hope for a positive resolution of the issue in court if they did not prepare a gift for a representative of the authorities. Such a gift was not called a bribe, but was designated as a nose, a gift. If a person was left with a nose, then this indicated that the gift was refused, because of which the achievement of the goal seemed unrealistic.

Many catchphrases from the past have been forgotten, but the idiom "hack on the nose" is actively used today in the Russian language.