кишмя кишеть

• КИШМЯ КИШЕТЬ coll

[VP; fixed WO]

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1. [subj: animal (pi or collect)]

⇒ to be present (usu. in a lake, river, forest etc) in large numbers:

- в месте Y кишмя кишат Х-ы ≈ there are tons (throngs, zillions etc ) of Xs in place Y;

- there is a swarm of Xs in place Y;

- [usu. in refer, to insects and small creatures] there is (there swarms) an army of Xs in place Y.

     ♦ Около оголившихся корней того дуба, под которым я сидел, по серой, сухой земле... кишмя кишели муравьи (Толстой 2). Around the uncovered roots of the oak tree under which I sat and over the dry gray earth... there swarmed an army of ants (2b).

2. кишмя кишеть кем-чем [subj: a noun denoting a place]

⇒ to contain a large number of living organisms:

- место X кишмя кишит Y-ами{{}}≈ place X is alive (crawling, teeming, swarming) with Ys;

- place X abounds with Ys;

- place X is jumping with Ys;

- [in limited contexts] place X is infested with Ys.