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• ТРАВИТЬ ДУШУ (СЕРДЦЕ) кому coll

[VP; subj: human or abstr; often infin (with зачем, незачем, ни к чему, не хочется etc) or neg imper]

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⇒ to cause s.o. emotional pain, often by saying sth. that upsets, distresses etc him:

- не трави Y-y душу{{}}≈ don't torment Y;

- don't make Y <Y's life> more miserable;

- [in limited contexts] don't rub salt into the wound <into Y's wounds>.

     ♦ Эти детские воспоминания... травили [Саше] душу: для чего воспитывал волю, для чего ковал характер? (Рыбаков 2). These memories of his childhood tormented him [Sasha] now: Why had he cultivated such willpower, why had he toughened his character? (2a).

     ♦ "Пойдём, Надька, на Максима посмотрим. Посмотрим, какие теперь мужики, и обратно". - "А чё [ungrammat = что] на него глядеть? Только душу травить. На чужое счастье не наглядишься" (Распутин 2). "Come on, Nadya, let's go take a look at Maxim. Let's see what the men look like now, and then we'll come back." "What is there to see? It'll just make me more miserable. You won't get any satisfaction looking at another's happiness" (2a).