ни взад ни вперед

• НИ ВЗАД НИ ВПЕРЕД coll

[AdvP; Invar; fixed WO]

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1. Also: НИ ВЗАД И НИ ВПЕРЕД [adv or predic (subj: human, animal, or a noun denoting a vehicle)]

⇒ (some person, animal, or vehicle is) unable to move in any direction, (does) not move from one's or its place:

- X ни взад ни вперёд{{}}≈ X won't (can't) move <go> backward or forward;

- X won't move <go> one way or the other (either one way or the other);

- X won't move an inch;

- X won't budge (an inch).

     ♦ Машина застряла в грязи - и ни взад ни вперёд. The car got stuck in the mud and couldn't go backward or forward.

2. [predic with subj: abstr, concr, or human]

⇒ (of a person's work, matters etc, or of a person who is trying to do a project, task etc) not to show any progress, be in the same state:

- X ни взад ни вперёд{{}}≈ X is making no progress (headway);

- X is at a (complete) standstill;

- there is absolutely no progress with thing X;

- X isn't getting anywhere.