С-471

НАСЫПАТЬ СОЛИ НА ХВОСТ кому highly coll VP subj: human or collect)

1. to do sth. vile, underhanded to s.o. , create trouble for s.o. : X насыпал Y-y соли на хвост — X did something nasty (mean, lowdown etc) to Y

X did Y dirt X screwed Y.

2. (the only thing one can do is) to feel anger and helplessness (because the act in question is irrevocable and/or the person who carried it out has left): теперь X может Y-y только соли на хвост насыпать - now all X can do is curse Y from afar.

«Она уехала, не заплатив за квартиру, и я не знаю её нового адреса». - «Да, теперь ты можешь только соли ей на хвост насыпать». "She left without paying the rent and I don't know her new address." "Well, all you can do now is curse her from afar."