дело наживное

• ДЕЛО НАЖИВНОЕ coll

[NP; Invar; subj-compl with быть (subj: concr, abstr, or, rare, human); pres only; fixed WO]

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⇒ (of money, material possessions etc or knowledge, some skill etc) sth. can or will be acquired eventually; (of a spouse, friends etc) some person can or will be gotten, won over eventually:

- X - дело наживное{{}}≈ it (thing X) will come with time;

- it's (just) a matter (a question) of time;

- [of knowledge or skills] one will pick it (thing X) up as one goes along;

- [of friends or money] X can (always) be made;

- there are always Xs (there is always X) to be made;

- [of a spouse or material possessions] X can (always) be gotten;

- [of material possessions only] there are always Xs to be had;

- X can be bought again.

     ♦ "Отпускные мои все до копейки кончились, а без денег далеко не разбежишься..." - "Деньги - дело наживное", - сказал Антон (Чернёнок 2). "I've spent the last cent of my vacation money, and you can't go far without money." "Money can be made," Anton said (2a).

     ♦ "...Ко мне приходил офицер, просят, чтобы дать несколько подвод под раненых. Ведь это все дело наживное; а каково им оставаться, подумай!.." (Толстой 6). "...An officer came to me...they are begging me to let them have a few carts for the wounded. ...After all, it's only a question of a few things that can easily be bought again, and think what it means for them to be left behind!..." (6a).