за плечами

• ЗА ПЛЕЧАМИ{{}}

[PrepP; Invar]

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1. за плечами чьими, у кого [the resulting PrepP is subj-compl with быть, остаться etc (subj: abstr) or obj-compl with иметь (obj: abstr)]

⇒ sth. is part of a person's past experience:

- X у Y-а за плечами{{}}≈ X is behind Y;

- Y has X behind him;

- Y has X under Y's belt;

- [of sth. unpleasant whose consequences are still felt] X is still around Y's neck.

     ♦ Я совсем не хочу сказать, что была такая уж умная, но за моими плечами был печальный опыт лагеря... (Ивинская 1). I am far from wanting to claim I was being all that farsighted, but I had the sad experience of the camp behind me... (1a).

     ♦ "В Москву меня не пустят. Значит, опять скитаться, да еще с пятьдесят восьмой [статьей Уголовного кодекса] за плечами" (Рыбаков 2). "They won't let me go back to Moscow, so it'll mean wandering around again, and with Article Fifty-eight [of the Criminal Code] still around my neck" (2a).

2. за плечами (у кого) [subj-compl with быть, стоять etc (subj: abstr)]

⇒ (usu. of sth. unwelcome, dangerous; often of death) sth. is impending, about to happen:

- X за плечами{{}}≈ X is (close) at hand;

- X is not far off;

- X is just around the corner.

     ♦ Страшный, кровавый бой, не предсказывавший ничего доброго, был за плечами (Герцен 2). A fearful, bloody conflict, foreboding nothing good was at hand (2a).