вольному воля

• ВОЛЬНОМУ ВОЛЯ coll

[sent; Invar; fixed WO]

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⇒ (said - occas. with resignation - to or of a person when he acts or is about to act the way he wants to; often his behavior is considered imprudent or foolish by the speaker) one can do as he wishes:

- one can <may> do as one likes <pleases>;

- let one have it his <her etc> way;

- it's your <his etc> decision;

- to each his own;

- [in limited contexts] nobody is forcing you <him etc>;

- [when addressed to the hearer only] do as you like;

- have it your way;

- suit yourself.

     ♦ Надев фартуки, мы перетирали фарш с водой... Я напоролся в фарше на что-то, порезался: кусочек полуды... "Люди будут есть?" - "Помалкивай. Вольному воля. Пусть не жрут" (Кузнецов 1). After putting on aprons, we kneaded the ground meat in water. ...I struck on something in the ground meat and cut myself: a piece of tin. ..."Are people going to eat that?" "Quiet. They can do as they like. They don't have to" (1a).

     ♦ "Я провожу тебя, если ты боишься, - сказал он ей, - ты мне позволишь идти подле себя?" - "А кто те [substand = тебе] мешает? - отвечала Лиза, - вольному воля, а дорога мирская" (Пушкин 3). "I'll accompany you if you're afraid," he said. "Allow me to walk beside you?" "Who's to stop you?" Lisa replied. "You may do as you please; anyone is free to use the road" (3b).

     ♦ "Пусть государь и его ближайшие слуги выдумывают уставы и определяют необходимый цвет исподнего, чтобы тем самым противостоять европейским заразам. Вольному воля" (Окуджава 2). "Let the tsar and his intimate servants dream up laws that determine the required color for underwear, thereby countering European infections. To each his own" (2a).

     ♦ ...Сойдясь в упор с недвижным взглядом хозяина, [Золотарёв] понял, что тот заранее отказывался долее слушать гостя. "Как знаешь, - выходя, замкнулся Золотарёв, - вольному воля!" (Максимов 1).

     ♦ ... Catching Matvei's motionless gaze [Zolotarev] realized that he had already decided not to listen to him any longer. "As you wish," he thought sullenly as he went out, "nobody's forcing you" (1a).

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← Reduced version of the saying "Вольному воля, спасённому рай".