как дважды два четыре

• КАК ДВАЖДЫ ДВА (ЧЕТЫРЕ) coll

[как + NP; these forms only; fixed WOl

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1. ясно, понятно - [modif]

⇒ absolutely, completely (clear, understandable):

- as clear (simple) as twice (two times) two makes (is) four;

- as clear (plain) as can be;

- (as) plain as day.

     ♦ Отдельно от общих... способностей ума, чувствительности, художнического чувства, существует частная, более или менее развитая в различных кружках общества и особенно в семействах, способность, которую я назову пониманием... Ни с кем, как с Володей, с которым мы развивались в одинаковых условиях, не довели мы этой способности до такой тонкости. Уже и папа давно отстал от нас, и многое, что для нас было так же ясно, как дважды два, было ему непонятно (Толстой 2). Apart from the general faculties ..of intelligence, sensibility, and artistic feeling, there is a particular faculty, developed to a greater or lesser degree in various circles of society and especially in families, that I choose to call understanding... With no one was this faculty developed to such a pitch of subtlety as with Volodya and myself, who had grown up together in identical circumstances. Even Papa was far behind us in this respect and much that was as clear as twice two makes four to us was incomprehensible to him (2b).

2. доказать, растолковать и т.п. как дважды два четыре [adv; usu. used with pfv verbs]

⇒ (to prove) convincingly, (to explain) clearly, completely:

- (prove) beyond a shadow of a doubt;

- (make it) perfectly (clear);

- (make it clear) in no uncertain terms.

     ♦ ... [Капитан] как дважды два объяснил Капе, что хотя она и является вольнонаемной, но служба в военном учреждении в военное время обязывает ее выполнять приказания беспрекословно, точно и в срок... (Войнович 2)...[The captain] made it perfectly clear to Kapa that although she was a civilian her position in a military institution during wartime obliged her to carry out orders unquestioningly, to the letter and to the minute. (2a)

3. [adv; used with pfv verbs, usu. fut]

⇒ (sth. will happen) definitely, certainly:

- as sure as twice (two times) two makes (is) four;

- as sure as I'm standing here;

- as sure as God made little (green) apples.

     ♦ "Дело известное, что мужик: на новой земле, да заняться еще хлебопашеством, да ничего у него нет, ни избы, ни двора, убежит, как дважды два, навострит так лыжи, что и следа не отыщешь" (Гоголь 3). "You know perfectly well what a Russian peasant is like: settle him on new land and set him to till it, with nothing prepared for him, neither cottage nor farmstead, and, well, he'll run away, as sure as twice two makes four. He'll take to his heels and you won't find a trace of him" (3a).