Р-171

В POT HE БРАТЬ coll VP subj: human

1. - чего to refrain totally from eating certain foods or drinking certain beverages

X Y-a в рот не берёт — X never touches (eats, drinks, goes near) Y

X won't touch (eat, drink, go near) Y X stays away from Y X steers clear of Y (in refer, to alcohol only) X won't touch a drop (of Y) X never lets Y pass (touch) his lips

X is a teetotaler. "...(Штольц) ухи терпеть не может, даже стерляжьей не ест баранины тоже в рот не берёт» (Гончаров 1). "Не (Stolz) can't bear fish soup-not even sturgeon, and he never touches mutton" (1b).

(Фёкла:) ...И такой купец трезвый, совсем не берет хмельного в рот... (Гоголь 1). (Е:) . ..Such a sober man he is, too, never touches a drop... (1a).

Женившись, он в рот не брал водки. Раньше-то пил много (Семенов 1). Once he was married he didn't touch a drop of vodka. Before he had been a heavy drinker (1a).

2. usu. ничего \Р-171 not to eat or drink anything

X ничего в рот не брал - X hasn't touched a thing (a bite)

X hasn't had anything (a thing) (to eat or drink) X hasn't had a bite to eat.