под самую завязку

• ПОД <ПО> (САМУЮ) ЗАВЯЗКУ highly coll

[PrepP; these forms only; fixed WO]

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1. наполнить, нагрузить, набить что (чем or, less often, кем) под самую завязку [usu. adv]

⇒ (to fill, load etc sth.) to its uppermost physical capacity, to a point beyond which it is impossible, unadvisable, unrealistic etc to go:

- to the limit;

- right to the top;

- chock-full <chockful>;

- full up;

- to the breaking <bursting etc> point;

- (so that) there isn't room for (more <another [NP] etc>).

     ♦ "...Нагрузили мою машину снарядами по самую завязку"... (Шолохов 1). "...My lorry was loaded with shells right to the top..." (1a). "We loaded up my lorry chockful of shells" (lc).

     ♦ "...Мы этого вашего Чонкина в настоящий момент до себя [substand = к себе] взять не можем, местов [substand = мест] нету. Гарнизонная гауптвахта - под завязку" (Войнович 4). "We are not taking that Chonkin of yours at the present moment because we have no room here. The garrison guardhouse is full up" (4a).

     ♦ "Вот это квас! Аж дух зашибает. Погоди, бабка, не уноси. Сейчас я сбегаю по малому делу, ешё выпью, а то уж некуда, под завязку" (Войнович 5). "That's kvass. Ikkes your breath away. Hold on, don't take it away. I'll go run and take a leak and then I'll have some more. There isn't room for another drop in me right now" (5a).

2. под самую завязку чего (у кого, в ком) [quantit subj-compl with copula (subj/ gen: abstr or concr) or adv]

⇒ (of work, some emotion, some quality etc) sth. is present in the most extreme (usu. maximum) amount possible, tolerable etc:

- у Y-a X-a под самую завязку ≈ Y has all the X he can handle;

- Y is up to his neck <his ears etc> in X;

- [of work only] Y is swamped (plowed under, snowed under) with X.