есть тот грех

• ЕСТЬ (ТАКОЙ <ТОТ> ГРЕХ (за кем) coll

[VPsubj; pres or past; fixed WO]

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⇒ that is true, (the behavior or action in question) does or did take place (said to confirm a statement about one's own or another's undesirable action, habit etc, be it real or simply viewed as such):

- I'm sorry to say I did (he does etc);

- [of a habit etc] I have (he has etc) that failing (weakness);

- [when the speaker responds to a statement referring to his shortcoming, wrongdoing etc] I (have to) admit it;

- I (must) confess;

- I own up;

- [in limited contexts] guilty as charged.

     ♦ "Говорят, ты выпиваешь". - "Есть такой грех". "They say you've been hitting the bottle." "I'm sorry to say I have."

     ♦ [Устинья Наумовна:] Все, чай, друг на друга любуетесь да миндальничаете. [Подхалюзин:] Есть тот грех, Устинья Наумовна, есть тот грех! (Островский 10). [U.N.:] I suppose you're all the time billing and cooing. [P:] We have that failing, Ustinya Naumovna; we have it (10b).

     ♦ Сознавайтесь, Жеребятников, брали деньги у иностранца по имени Лерой? Жеребятников от напряжения часто мигал, будто глаза засорил. Был грех, сознавался он (Аксёнов 12). "Confess, Zherebyatnikov, did you take money from a foreigner named Leroy?" Zherebyatnikov blinks from the pressure, as if there is something in his eye. "I admit it," he confesses (12a).

     ♦ "Вы раньше спортом занимались?" - "Был грех. До тридцати пяти годков футбол гонял, пока не выдохся" (Чернёнок 1). "You used to be an athlete?" "I confess. I chased a soccer ball around until I was thirty-five and worn out" (1a).

     ♦ "Вы опираетесь на Хунту, сеньор Сиракузерс", - дрожащим от возмущения голосом говорю я... "Есть грех, иногда опираюсь" (Аксёнов 3). "You lean on Junta for support, senor Syracuzers," I said in a voice quivering with indignation. ..."I own up, sometimes I do a bit of leaning" (3a).