и не говори

• (И) НЕ ГОВОРИ(ТЕ) coll

[usu. indep. sent; these forms only]

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⇒ (used to express total agreement with the interlocutor in his evaluation of sth., more often of sth. bad, unpleasant etc) yes, of course, definitely:

- you can say that again!;

- I'll say!;

- that's for sure!;

- you bet!;

- no argument there <here>!;

- [in limited contexts] don't even suggest such a thing;

- perish the thought!

     ♦ "Ну и геройским сынком сподобил тебя господь!.."И польщённый в отцовских чувствах Пантелей Прокофьевич охотно согласился: "И не говори!" (Шолохов 5). "That's a real hero of a son God granted you!..." And with his paternal feelings thus flattered Pantelei readily agreed, "You can say that again!" (5a).

     ♦ [Валя:] Он меня вызвал, а я говорю: "Я устала, Борис Палыч". И села. Представляешь? У него прямо челюсть отвисла. И ребята смотрят, ничего не понимают. А я села, и всё. [Валентин:] Красиво! [Валя:] Не говори! (Рощин 1). [V.:] He called me out, and I said: "I'm tired, Boris Pavlovich." And I sat down again. Can you imagine? His jaw dropped. And the boys and girls stared; they couldn't understand it. And I sat down, and that was all. [Valentin:] Lovely! [V.:] I'll say! (1b).

     ♦ "Чуть было не прошёл мимо великого начинания". - "А что если бы прошли?" - говорил я. "Не говори", - отвечал Платон Самсонович и снова вздрагивал (Искандер 6). "То think that I almost let this great undertaking slip through my fingers!" "Well, and what if you had?" I would ask. "Don't even suggest such a thing," he [Platon Samsonovich] would answer, wincing once again (6a).