на мели

• СИДЕТЬ НА МЕЛИ; НА МЕЛИ быть, оказаться и т.п. both coll

[VP (1st var.) or PrepP, Invar, subj-compl with copula (2nd var.; subj: human]

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⇒ to be (be left etc) with very little or no money:

- X сидит на мели{{}}≈ X is (almost <practically, flat etc>) broke;

- X is (really) short of <on> cash;

- X is without <does not have> a kopeck <a penny, a cent etc> to his name;

- X is pressed for cash;

- X is (completely <practically etc>) without means.

     ♦ Теперь мы сами удивлялись, куда ушли все деньги и почему мы сразу на мели (Гинзбург 2). And now we were ourselves astonished at where all the money had gone; all at once we were without means (2a).