при деле

• ПРИ ДЕЛЕ coll

[PrepP; Invar, subj-compl with copula (subj: human)]

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⇒ one is occupied, engaged in some kind of activity:

- X при деле{{}}≈ X has something to keep him busy <to keep himself occupied>;

- X has something to do;

- X is (keeps <himself>) busy;

- [in limited contexts] X is in business;

- X has a job.

     ♦ Достоинство человека здесь [в этом городке] определяется одной фразой: "Строит дом". Строит дом - значит, порядочный человек, приличный человек, достойный человек. Строит дом - значит, человек при деле... значит человек пустил корень... (Искандер 6). In this town a man's whole worth was defined by the phrase: "He's building a house." A man who's building a house is an honest man, a decent and deserving man. A man who's building a house is a man who keeps himself busy...a man who has put down roots (6a).

     ♦ ...Коля Зархиди снова оказался при деле. В ближайший год он наладил закупку табака у населения, переработку и дальнейшую продажу за границей (Искандер 3). Kolya Zarhidis found himself back in business. The next year he organized the purchase of tobacco from the population, its processing and subsequent sale abroad (За).

     ♦ Мне двадцать три, хорошо зарабатываю, голод, слава богу, кончился, карточки отменили, отец при деле на фабрике... дома только Генрих, Дина, Саша и маленький Игорек (Рыбаков 1). I was twenty-three, earning good money, the famine was over, thank God, ration cards were a thing of the past, father had his job at the factory., and at home there were only Genrikh, Dina, Sasha and little Igorek (1a).