с плеча

I

• С ПЛЕЧА отвечать, осуждать и т.п. coll

[PrepP; Invar; adv]

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⇒ (to answer, condemn s.o. or sth. etc) right away, without thinking:

- (condemn <judge, reject>) out of hand;

- (answer) rashly;

- (decide) on the spur of the moment.

     ♦ [author's usage] ...Решено было, что Капа расскажет ей о письме Миная, о Родичеве и Гузуне всё, как оно есть... Как она воспримет эту историю?.. Не осудит ли с беззаботного плеча? (Солженицын 10). It had been decided that Kapa should tell her about Minai's letter and the whole truth about Rodichev and Guzun. ...How would she react?...Mightn't she condemn them thoughtlessly, out of hand? (10a)

II

• С ПЛЕЧА чьего coll

[PrepP; Invar; the resulting PrepP is a nonagreeing postmodif or subj-compl with быть (subj: a noun denoting a piece of clothing)]

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⇒ (a piece of clothing that) belonged to, was worn by another:

- a hand-me-down (from s.o.);

- from (part of) s.o.'s wardrobe;

- once (at one time) s.o.'s;

|| со своего плеча{{}}≈ from one's own wardrobe;

- off one's own back.

     ♦ Чемодан внесли кучер Селифан... и лакей Петрушка, малый лет тридцати, в просторном подержанном сюртуке, как видно, с барского плеча... (Гоголь 3). The trunk was brought in by the joint efforts of Selifan the coachman...and the valet Petrushka, a fellow of thirty or so, wearing a very loose, well-worn coat, evidently a hand-me-down from his master... (3e). The trunk was brought in by Selifan, the coach man... and Petrushka, the valet, a fellow of about thirty, wearing a shabby loose frock coat (apparently at one time his master's)... (3c).

     ♦ Эта Ира чем-то так очаровала всемогущую Гридасову, что та снабдила ее чистым паспортом, одела с ног до головы в одежду со своего плеча и на свой счёт отправила на материк (Гинзбург 2). Ira had somehow cast such a spell on the omnipotent Gridasova that the latter had provided her with a perfectly clean passport, given her a complete set of clothing from her own wardrobe, and paid for her passage back to the mainland (2a).

     ♦ "Ваше благородие! Отец наш вам жалует лошадь и шубу с своего плеча..." (Пушкин 2). "Your Honor, the Tsar Our Father is sending you as a present this horse and a fur coat off his own back" (2a).