палец о палец не ударить

• ПАЛЕЦ <ПАЛЬЦЕМ, ПАЛЬЦА rare> О ПАЛЕЦ НЕ УДАРИТЬ (для кого-чего) coll, disapprov

[VP; subj: human; prep obj; usu. human or collect]

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⇒ not to undertake any action at all (may refer to a lack of effort in reaching some goal, an unwillingness to help s.o. needing one's assistance, or a lazy, unproductive way of spending time):

- X пальцем о палец не ударил (для Y-a) - X didn't lift a finger (to help Y);

- X didn't do a thing (for Y);

- X didn't make a move (to help Y);

- [in refer, to an unproductive use of time only] X goofed off.

     ♦ Анфиса вздохнула. Всем хорош у неб муженёк, а по дому палец о палец не ударит (Абрамов 1). Anfisa sighed. Her man was good in every way, but he didn't lift a finger around the house (1a).