лечь костьми

• ЛЕЧЬ КОСТЬМИ{{}}

[VP; subj: human]

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1. лечь костьми (за кого-что) elev. Also: ПОЛЕЧЬ КОСТЬМИ obs to perish, fall in battle (usu. in a fight for a just cause):

- X ляжет костьми (за Y-a) ≈ X will lay down his life (for Y);

- X will give (up) his life (for Y).

     ♦ ...Он [рыцарь] всегда готов был лечь костьми за то, что считал правым... (Герцен 2)...Не [the knight] was always ready to lay down his life for what he thought right... (2a).

2. [usu. fut foll. by Conj "а" or "но" and another pfv verb]

⇒ to exert every effort in order to accomplish sth. (when used in the 1st pers, expresses the speaker's firm resolve to accomplish sth.):

- X костьми ляжет{{}}≈ X will do his damnedest (darnedest);

- X will go all out;

- X will do it even if it kills him;

- X will knock himself out.

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← "Костьми" is the old instrumental plural form of "кость" (the contemporary form is "костями").