на здоровье

• НА ЗДОРОВЬЕ coll

[PrepP; Invar; often used with imper]

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1. [adv or formula phrase]

⇒ (usu. used to encourage s.o. to eat or drink when offered, or as a response to s.o.'s thanks) may it prove beneficial:

- [when offering food or drink](please) help yourself;

- eat (drink) in good health;

- take as much as you like;

|| пусть X ест (пьёт) на здоровье ≈ let X <X is welcome to> help himself;

- may X eat (drink) in good health;

- let X (X is welcome to) take as much as he likes;

|| [in response to s.o.'s thanks] you're (very) welcome;

- you're welcome, I'm sure;

- my pleasure.

     ♦ [Рисположенский:] Я, Аграфена Кондратьевна, рюмочку выпью. [Аграфена Кондратьевна:] Кушай, батюшко, на здоровье! (Островский 10). [R.:] I'll just try a drop or two, Agrafena Kondratevna. [A.K.:] Please help yourself, my dear fellow (10a).

2. [adv]

⇒ (if a person, animal etc wants to do sth., let him go ahead and do it) as long as or as much as he wants:

- to one's heartfs content;

- as much (long) as one likes;

- and welcome to it.

     ♦ [Саша:] Папа, ведь это ложь! [Лебедев:] Ну, так что же? Пусть себе мелют на здоровье... (Чехов 4). [S.:] Papa, that's a lie! [L.:] Well, what does it matter? Let them babble on to their heart's content... (4a).

     ♦ "Умоляю, уйми ты эту... как её... твою мамочку! Я же творческим трудом занят!!" - "Ну и твори себе на здоровье..." (Зиновьев 2). "Please, I beg you, can't you do something to calm down this...this...your dear mama? Here I am trying to do some creative work!" "Well create as much as you like..." (2a).

     ♦ Разосланные по всем городам и селам Абхазии гонцы рассказывали народу, что Джамхух - Сын Оленя, просыпаясь, по утрам жует жвачку. Но народ спокойно отнесся к этому известию... "Пусть себе жуёт жвачку на здоровье, лишь бы помогал нам советами и предсказаниями" (Искандер 5). The heralds who had been sent through all the cities and villages of Abkhazia told the people that Jamkhoukh, Son of the Deer, chewed his cud when he woke up in the morning. But the people took this news in stride. ... "Let him chew his cud, and welcome to it, so long as he helps us with advice and predictions" (5a).