камешки в огород

• БРОСАТЬ <КИДАТЬ> КАМЕШЕК <КАМЕШКИ, КАМЕНЬ, КАМНИ> в чей ОГОРОД coll

[VP; subj: human]

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⇒ in conversation, to hint, usu. disapprovingly or ironically, at sth. concerning another person (who may or may not be present) without directly referring to that person:

- X бросает камешки в Y-ов огород{{}}≈ [translations vary depending on the speaker's attitude-sarcastic, ironic, joking etc-toward the person in question] X needles Y;

- X takes pokes at Y;

- X makes digs at Y;

- X takes shots at Y;

- X makes snide remarks about Y.

○ КАМЕШЕК <КАМЕШКИ И Т. П.> в чей ОГОРОД [NP] - dig (at s.o.); snide remark (about s.o.); || это не в мой огород камешек? that wasn't aimed (directed) at me, was it?; could that have been aimed (directed) at me?; you aren't referring to me, are you?; || это в чей огород камешек? ≈ at whom is that (could that be) aimed (directed)?; to whom are you referring? [authors usage] [Лиза:] Я говорю: представьте, маменька, он не имеет никакой политики в разговоре и даже такие слова говорит, что совсем неучтиво. [Разлюляев:] Это не в наш ли огород? [Лиза:] Не об вас речь (Островский 2). [L.:] So I said: Fancy that, mama! No tact when he talks to you-why, he even uses impolite words. [R.:] That aimed at me? [L.:] Pooh! I'm not even thinking about you (2b).