так-сяк

• (И) ТАК И СЯК coll

[AdvP; these forms only; fixed WO]

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1. [adv or predic (subj: human)]

⇒ (to do or try to do sth.) in various ways:

- this way and that;

- first one way, then another;

- in all different ways.

     ♦ Редкие стрелы дождя, утратившего и строй, и вес, и способность шуметь, невпопад, так и сяк вспыхивали на солнце (Набоков 1). Stray arrows of rain that had lost both rhythm and weight and the ability to make any sound, flashed at random, this way and that, in the sun (1a).

2. Also: ТАК-СЯК [adv]

⇒ not especially well but bearably, tolerably:

- so-so;

- passably;

- fair to middling.

     ♦ "Каково торгует ваша милость?" - спросил Адриян. "Э-хе-хе, - отвечал Шульц, - и так и сяк. Пожаловаться не могу" (Пушкин 3). "How's Your Honor's business?" asked Adrian. "Oh, well," answered Schulz, uso-so. I can't complain" (3a).

     ♦ Остальной персонал отеля относится ко мне так-сяк (Лимонов 1). The rest of the hotel staff treat me passably (1a).

3. Also: ТАК-СЯК [subj-compl with copula (subj: any common noun)]

⇒ a person (thing, place etc) is not especially good but is bearable, tolerable, such that one can accept him (or it):

- X и так и сяк{{}}≈ X is not so bad;

- X is not that bad;

- X is satisfactory (acceptable);

- X will do.

     ♦ [Себейкин:] Шашлычная ешё так-сяк, у нас там возле артели стекляшку построили... (Рошин 2). [S.:] A shashlik place isn't so bad. They built one near our shop, all made of glass... (2a).

     ♦ [Ихарев:] Балык, кажется, не того, а икра ешё так и сяк (Гоголь 2). [I.:] The salmon's not up to scratch, but the caviar's satisfactory (2a).