какой ни есть

• КАКОЙ НИ (НА) ЕСТЬ coll

[AdjP; modif; fixed WO]

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⇒ it is inconsequential what kind; any representative(s) of the group in question (often with the implication that even an inferior one or ones is or are better than nothing):

- any (kind <sort>) at all;

- any that's available (you have handy etc);

- some sort of;

- a..., it doesn't matter what kind;

- [in limited contexts] what (whatever) [NP] one has (there is etc).

     ♦ "Где у вас штопор? Дайте нож - колбасу нарезать. И какие ни на есть тарелки. Рюмки? Вот они" (Аржак 2). "Where's the corkscrew? Give me a knife to cut the sausage. And any plates you have handy. Glasses? There they are" (2a).

     ♦ [Кусаев] из кожи лез вон, чтоб... в лагере в какие ни на есть начальники попасть (Иоффе 1). ...In camp, [Kusayev] was eager to do his utmost to become some sort of chief (1a).

     ♦ "...Аграфена Александровна для того и выйдут за них, чтобы всё на себя отписать и какие ни на есть капиталы на себя перевести-с" (Достоевский 1). "...Agrafena Alexandrovna will marry him in order to get it all down in her name and transfer whatever capital there is to herself, sir" (1a).