К-382

СТАВИТЬ/ПОСТАВИТЬ КРЕСТ VP subj: human or collect usu. this WO

1. - на ком, на кого having become disillusioned with s.o. , to cease hoping for anything good from him

X поставил крест на Y-e = X gave up on Y (as hopeless)

X gave Y up as hopeless X wrote Y off.

Всякий раз его сознание, описав фантастический логический круг, взмыв спиралью, обернувшись, находило объяснение любому человеческому поступку с гуманистической точки зрения, когда ещё не все потеряно, рано ставить крест и т. д. (Битов 2). His consciousness would travel a fantastic logical circle, spiraling up and back, to find an explanation for any man's deed from the humanistic viewpoint - when all was not lost, it was still too early to give the man up as hopeless, and so forth (2a).

2. - на чём, на что having become convinced that sth. is worthless, some undertaking is sure to fail etc, to stop thinking about it, stop investing time, energy etc into it

X поставил крест на Y-e - X gave Y up as hopeless (lost, a waste of time etc )

X kissed Y good-bye (goodbye) X wrote Y off X called it quits with Y.

...Михаил решил: немедля, сегодня же ехать за сеном на Среднюю Синельгу. Сена на Средней Синельге оставалось возов пятнадцать, и, если не вывезти его сейчас, в эти два-три дня, пока еще не поплыла дорога, ставь крест на сене (Абрамов 1). .Mikhail resolved to go to Middle Sinelga immediately and fetch the hay. There were about fifteen cartloads of hay left there, and unless it was picked up in the next two or three days, before the road was awash, you could kiss the whole lot goodbye (1a).

Кириллов - самый опасный из всех бесов Достоевского. Он не случайно поселился в одном доме с Шатовым. Они заключат союз, и тогда можно будет на всём поставить крест (Мандельштам 2). ( context transl ) Kirillov is the most dangerous of all Dostoevski's "possessed," and not for nothing does he go to live in the same house as Shatov. One day the two could form an alliance - and then it will be the end of everything (2a).