поворачивать оглобли назад

• ПОВОРАЧИВАТЬ/ПОВЕРНУТЬ <ПОВОРОТИТЬ> ОГЛОБЛИ (НАЗАД) highly coll

[VP; subj; human]

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1. rude when addressed to the interlocutor to set off back i n the direction from which one came, leave some place (usu. with the implication that one has failed, or is about to fail, to accomplish what one set out to do):

- X повернул оглобли{{}}≈ X went back (where he came from);

- X (gave it up and) turned back;

- X turned back empty-handed;

- [in limited contexts] X turned tail.

     ♦ [Подхалюзин:] А то вон, что сватался за Алимпияду Самсоновну, благородный-то, - и оглобли назад поворотил (Островский 10). [Р:] As for that noble's courting Olimpiada Samsonovna-why he's turned tail already (10b).

2. often disapprov to retreat from one's former position, renounce one's former convictions, go back on one's promise(s) etc:

- X повернул оглобли{{}}≈ X did (made) an about-face;

- X back-pedaled;

- X changed his tune.