на месте

I

• НА МЕСТЕ{{}}

[PrepP; Invar]

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1. [adv]

⇒ right there where sth. is happening:

- on the spot;

- at the scene (of sth.).

     ♦ "...Неужели ты все это тогда же так на месте и обдумал?" - воскликнул Иван Федорович вне себя от удивления (Достоевский 2). "...Can you possibly have thought of all that right there on the spot?" Ivan Fyodorovich exclaimed, beside himself with astonishment (2a).

2. [usu. subj-compl with быть, бывать etc (subj: human)]

⇒ in the room or place where a person works and should be:

- X на месте{{}}≈ X is in (his office);

- X is at his desk (station);

- [in limited contexts] X is where he is supposed to be.

     ♦ Как раз именно полковник Добренький, которого никогда не бывает на месте, [лейтенанту] и нужен (Войнович 4)...It was precisely Colonel Dobrenky, who was never in, with whom he [the lieutenant] needed to speak (4a).

     ♦ Майор, против обыкновения, оказался на месте (Максимов 1). For once the major was in his office (1a).

     ♦ Разбирать конфликт должен заведующий... но его никогда нет на месте, целыми днями где-то пропадает... (Рыбаков 2). It was the manager's responsibility to straighten out problems...but he was never where he was supposed to be, he vanished for days at a time... (2a).

3. на месте чьем, кого [adv or subj-compl with copula (subj: human; subjunctive only)]

⇒ (if s.o. were) in another person's situation:

- будь X (если бы X был) на месте Y-a ≈ (if X were) in Y's place (shoes, position) (X would...);

- [1st pers only] if I were you.

     ♦ ...Его лицо ничего не выражало особенного, и мне стало досадно: я бы на его месте умер с горя (Лермонтов 1). ...His face did not express anything unusual, and this annoyed me; in his place, I would have died of grief (1a)...His face showed nothing in particular, and that annoyed me. If I'd been in his place, I'd have died of grief (Ic).

     ♦ [Тригорин:] Я бы вот хотел хоть один час побыть на вашем месте, чтобы узнать, как вы думаете... [Нина:] А я хотела бы побывать на вашем месте. [Тригорин:] Зачем? [Нина:] Чтобы узнать, как чувствует себя известный талантливый писатель (Чехов 6). [Т.:] I'd like to be in your shoes, if only for an hour, to find out how you think... [N.:] And I should like to be in your shoes. [T.:] Why? [N.:] To find out how it feels to be a famous, gifted writer (6a).

     ♦ "А я бы на твоём месте, знаешь, что сделал? Для начала я перестал бы быть холуём при Иванько" (Войнович 3). "And in your position, you know what I would do? To start, I would stop toadying to Ivanko!" (За).

     ♦ "...Аябы на вашем месте поостерёгся..." (Стругацкие 3). Td be worried if I were you" (3a).

4. уложить, убить, прихлопнуть и т.п. кого ≈ coll [adv].

⇒ Also: КЛАСТЬ/ПОЛОЖИТЬ НА МЕСТЕ [VP; subj: human; usu. pfv; fixed WO] to kill s.o. outright, immediately:

- X уложил Y-а на месте{{}}≈ X killed Y on the spot;

- X killed Y where Y stood;

- [in limited contexts] X blasted Y on the spot.

     ♦ ...Он пригласил к себе старшего помощника для объяснений и убил его на месте (Богданов 1). ...He summoned his assistant for an explanation and killed him on the spot (1a).

II

• НА МЕСТЕ; НА СВОЕМ МЕСТЕ

[PrepP; these forms only; subj-compl with copula (subj: human)]

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⇒ a person who is engaged in work or activities that suit his abilities, vocation:

- X на (своём) месте{{}}≈ X is the right man in the right place;

- X is the right man for the job;

- X is in his right (proper) place;

- X is right (exactly) where he belongs;

- X is in his element;

|| Aleg X не на своём месте{{}}≈ X is the wrong man for the job;

- X is not in his right (proper) place;

- X is out of place (out of his element).

     ♦ Экспериментатором он быть не мог - только теоретиком, но здесь уж он был на месте (Грекова 2). He could not conduct experiments, he had to confine himself to theoretical work but here he was the right man in the right place (2a).

     ♦ ...Я думаю, генералом он был бы больше на месте, чем монахом... (Герцен 1). ...I think he would have been more in his right place as a general than as a monk... (1a).