на побегушках

• НА ПОБЕГУШКАХ coll

[PrepP; Invar]

=====

1. [subj-compl with быть, находиться (subj: human), obj-compl with держать (obj: human), or nonagreeing postmodif of мальчик, девочка]

⇒ one performs minor services, small tasks for s.o.; (to have s.o.) perform minor services, small tasks for one:

- X (y Y-a) на побегушках{{}}≈ X runs errands (for Y);

- X fetches and carries (for Y);

- X does (all) the legwork for Y;

- X is an errand boy (girl);

- X is a gofer;

|| Y держит X-a на побегушках{{}}≈ Y keeps X running errands;

- Y has made an errand boy (an errand girl, a gofer) out of X;

|| мальчик (девочка) на побегушках{{}}≈ errand boy (girl);

- gofer.

     ♦ И после такой жизни на него [Захара] вдруг навалили тяжелую обузу выносить на плечах службу целого дома! Он и служи барину, и мети, и чисть, он и на побегушках! (Гончаров 1). And after such a life, he [Zakhar] was suddenly burdened with the heavy task of doing the work of a whole household single-handed! He had to look after his master, sweep and clean, and run errands! (1a).

     ♦ Тут старуха стала ругаться, что Скороход не чтит абхазские обычаи, по которым старого человека надо уважать, а не держать его на побегушках (Искандер 5). Now the old woman began to scold, saying that Highspeed didn't revere Abkhazian custom, according to which an old person must be respected and not be kept running errands (5a).

     ♦ У редактора был денщик, мальчик на побегушках, некий Орлов (Довлатов 1). Не [the editor] had a kind of batman or errand boy named Orlov (1a).

2. на побегушках у кого [the resulting PrepP is subj-compl with быть, состоять etc (subj:

- human)] one is under s.o.'s influence or control, fulfills s.o.'s desires, whims without question: X у Y-а на побегушках{{}}≈ X is at Y's beck and call;

- X is at Y's service;

- X waits on Y hand and foot.

     ♦ Дома всем заправляют жена и тёша, он у них на побегушках. His wife and mother-in-law run everything at home: he's at their beck and call.