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ломать через колено

English translation: smash

11:19 Jul 3, 2013
Russian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Government / Politics / геополитическая катастрофа
Russian term or phrase: ломать через колено
Ломали через колено систему образования, здравоохранения, дошкольного воспитания.
kergap --
Russian Federation
Local time: 13:03
English translation:smash
Explanation:
I don't think anything would be gained by using the particular idiom "break something over one's knee" in this sentence. It comes out sounding awkward.
Selected response from:

Rachel Douglas
United States
Local time: 06:03
Grading comment
Спасибо!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +5to break over the knee
Natalya Sogolovsky
3 +1smash
Rachel Douglas
4to shatter / snap
Michael Korovkin
4to rush to something (without the necessary circumspect)
Ellen Kraus
3the system was put through forcible breaking, thoughtlessly, just breakinf for the sake of breaking
673286 (X)
3to subject to heavy-handed reforms
Pavel Altukhov


  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
to break over the knee


Explanation:
Очевидно, имеется в виду буквально следующее:
Zambrano smash! Cubs 'Big Z' breaks bat over knee - Big League ...
sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/.../zambrano-breaks-ba?...‎
Jun 1, 2011 - Comprehensive Major League Baseball news, scores, standings, fantasy games, rumors, and more.
Bryce Harper breaks bat over knee - DC Sports Bog - The ...
www.washingtonpost.com/...breaks...over-knee/.../gJQANMUArW...
Jul 17, 2012 - After a frustrating day at the plate, the 19-year old goes snap with his twig.




Natalya Sogolovsky
Israel
Local time: 13:03
Native speaker of: Native in HebrewHebrew, Native in RussianRussian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  GaryG: as I once did with a golf club :-)
1 min
  -> Thank you!
agree  Alexander Grabowski
4 mins
  -> Thank you!
agree  Sergei Tumanov
6 hrs
  -> Thank you!
agree  cyhul
14 hrs
  -> Thank you!
agree  alex suhoy
21 hrs
  -> Thank you!
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14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
the system was put through forcible breaking, thoughtlessly, just breakinf for the sake of breaking


Explanation:
*

673286 (X)
Local time: 16:03
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

38 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
to subject to heavy-handed reforms


Explanation:
n/a

Pavel Altukhov
Local time: 13:03
Native speaker of: Russian
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
smash


Explanation:
I don't think anything would be gained by using the particular idiom "break something over one's knee" in this sentence. It comes out sounding awkward.

Rachel Douglas
United States
Local time: 06:03
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 205
Grading comment
Спасибо!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  James McVay
57 mins
  -> Thanks, James.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
to shatter / snap


Explanation:
rarely does a metaphor translates well into its literal "equivalent" in another language
In English, "пуганная ворона i палки боится" is "once scared twice shy" and not "once scared, a crow is afraid even of the stick".

Michael Korovkin
Italy
Local time: 12:03
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 64
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
to rush to something (without the necessary circumspect)


Explanation:
it´s an idiomatic Expression which means to do something very quickly without giving the matter sufficient thought e.g. don´t rush to conclusions = не делайте поспешных выводовю

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Note added at 7 Stunden (2013-07-03 18:54:03 GMT)
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see also the great Russian English Oxford Dictionary

Ellen Kraus
Austria
Local time: 12:03
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 12
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