качать права

• КАЧАТЬ ПРАВА slang, orig. camp and prison slang

[VP; subj: human]

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⇒ to demand that the law, the rules etc be observed, demand that one be given or allowed sth. that is (or that he considers) his by right:

- X качал права{{}}≈ X stuck (stood) up for his rights;

- X pushed (shouted) for his rights.

     ♦ Паек этих тысячу не одну переполучал Шухов в тюрьмах и в лагерях, и хоть ни одной из них на весах проверить не пришлось, и хоть шуметь и качать права он, как человек робкий, не смел, но всякому арестанту и Шухову давно понятно, что, честно вешая, в хлоборезке не удержишься (Солженицын 7). Shukhov had had thousands of these rations in prisons and camps, and though he'd never had a chance to weigh a single one of them on a scale and he was always too shy to stick up for his rights, he and every other prisoner had known a long time that the people who cut up and issued your bread wouldn't last long if they gave you honest rations (7a).

     ♦ Ну, представьте себе... если грешники в аду начнут права качать - на что это будет похоже? (Буковский 1). Well, I ask you, what would it be like if the sinners in hell suddenly started shouting for their rights-what sort of a situation would that be? (1a).