от звонка до звонка

• ОТ ЗВОНКА ДО ЗВОНКА отсидеть, отработать и т.п. coll

[PrepP; Invar; adv; more often used with pfv verbs]

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⇒ (to serve in prison, stay at work etc) the entire required length of time, (to participate in sth.) from the very beginning to the very end:

- (participate in sth. etc) from start to finish <(the) beginning to (the) end, the first day to the last etc>;

- <stick out etc> the whole day (year etc);

- [in refer, to work only](put in) a full day;

- (stay) till the whistle blows;

- [in refer, to prison, a labor camp etc] (serve out) one's (the) full term (sentence);

- (do one's) full time (five years etc).

     ♦ При старом начальнике можно было уйти раньше, если не было работы, а теперь приходится отсиживать от звонка до звонка. Under the old boss we could go home early if there wasn't any work to be done, but now we have to stick out the whole day

     ♦ "За икону я три года от звонка до звонка в зоне оттрубил" (Чернёнок 2). "I did my full three years for the icon" (2a).