не верить ушам

• НЕ ВЕРИТЬ/НЕ ПОВЕРИТЬ (СВОИМ) УШАМ coll

[VP; subj: human]

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⇒ to be extremely surprised by sth. one has heard and wonder if it really could be so:

- X ушам своим не верит{{}}≈ X can't (didn't, can hardly, is unable to, is hardly able to) believe his ears.

     ♦ "Вы, кажется, не расположены сегодня петь? Я и просить боюсь", - спросил Обломов... "Жарко!" - заметила тётка. "Ничего, я попробую", - сказала Ольга и спела романс. Он слушал и не верил ушам. Это не она: где же прежний, страстный звук? (Гончаров 1). "I don't suppose you feel like singing today, do you? I'm afraid to ask you," Oblomov said. ..."It's too hot!" her aunt remarked. "Never mind, I'll try," said Olga, and she sang one song. He listened and could not believe his ears. It was not she: where was the former note of passion? (1b).

     ♦ Я просто ушам не поверила, когда уже на исходе развода утомлённая Верка небрежно бросила мне: "В гостиницу пойдёшь... Бригадир - Анька Полозова" (Гинзбург 1). I could hardly believe my ears when, after the rest of the team had passed through the gate, she said to me casually: "You're to work in the guesthouse. Report to Anka Polozova" (1b).

     ♦ "Так... кто же... убил?.." - "Как кто убил?.. - переговорил он, точно не веря ушам своим, - да вы убили, Родион Романыч!" (Достоевский 3). "So then...who...did the murder?"... "What? Who did the murder?" he echoed, as though unable to believe his ears. "Why you did, Rodion Romanich!" (3a).

     ♦ Пьер, приподняв плечи и разинув рот, слушал то, что говорила ему Марья Дмитриевна, не веря своим ушам (Толстой 5). Pierre hunched his shoulders and listened open-mouthed to what Marya Dmitrievna was saying, hardly able to believe his ears (5a).