пиши пропало

• ПИШИ ПРОПАЛО coll

[indep. clause; Invar; fixed WO]

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⇒ (if sth. mentioned in the immediately preceding context comes about or has come about, then) failure, loss is inevitable:

- it's hopeless;

- that's the end;

- it's as good as lost (done for);

- you can forget it;

- you (we etc) might as well write sth. (s.o.) off as a (total) loss;

- [in limited contexts] you (we etc) have had it.

     ♦ Фаина считала, что [Ольге] нужно срочно искать мужа: "Не будь дурой. Сергея не вернешь, а себя погубишь. Имей в виду, у тебя времени в обрез: год, два, потом пиши пропало" (Трифонов 3). Faina thought Olga should start looking for another husband at once: "Don't be a fool. You can't bring Sergei back, and you're destroying yourself. Bear in mind that you don't have much time - a year or two, and after that you can forget it" (3a).

     ♦ ...Есть вещи, которых дамы не простят никому, будь он кто бы то ни было, и тогда прямо пиши пропало! (Гоголь 3)...There are things ladies never forgive anyone, whatever he may be, and then he might just as well be written off as a loss (3e)