потратить нервы

• ТРАТИТЬ/ПОТРАТИТЬ НЕРВЫ coll

[VP; subj: human; often infin with не надо, нечего etc or neg imper]

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⇒ to be nervous, wear o.s. out through excessive worry:

- X тратит нервы{{}}≈ X is (over)straining his nerves;

- X is expending (his) nervous energy;

|| нечего нервы тратить{{}}≈ save wear and tear on your nerves;

- give your nerves a rest.

     ♦ Обидней всего бесцельно тратить нервы и силу доводов не на конференции, не в брошюре, не в споре с важным партийным противником, а просто так, на губошлёпа, который и не думает серьёзно того, что говорит (Солженицын 5). Nothing was more vexatious than expending his nervous energy and his cogency in argument not at a conference, in a pamphlet, in debate with an important party opponent, but, for no good reason, on a lout who didn't even mean what he was saying (5a).

     ♦ "Ладно, ладно, милый, - затараторил он [Шикалов] скороговоркой. - Нечего зря шуметь, нервы тратить, пойди домой, отдохни, попей винца..." (Войнович 2). "All right there, all right," said Shikalov, unloosing a torrent of words. "No cause for a ruckus, save wear and tear on your nerves, go on home, take it easy, drink a little wine..." (2a).