солдатская косточка

• ВОЕННАЯ (СОЛДАТСКАЯ) КОСТОЧКА coll

[NP; sing only; usu. subj-compl with быть (subj: human, male); fixed WO]

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⇒ a man from a military family or with a military background who possesses the qualities characteristic of a military person:

- an officer <a soldier> through and through;

- an officer <a soldier> to the core <the marrow>;

- every inch a soldier <an officer>;

- soldier's soldier;

- army man.

     ♦ Он [Николай Тихонов] умел покорять людей... Его приход в литературу встретили радостно: Коля молодой, Коля живой, Коля непосредственный... Он новый человек, он военная косточка, он удивительный рассказчик (Мандельштам 1). Не [Nikolai Tikhonov] ... was good at winning people over His literary debut was greeted with joy by all those who spoke of him in such glowing terms as a man of the new generation, a wonderful story-teller - and every inch a soldier to boot (1a).

     ♦ "Подполковник Г., видать, не из вертухаев. Строевик, военная косточка" (Копелев 1). "...Lieutenant Colonel G., he's not one of the screws He's a line officer, an army man" (1a).