на равных

• НА РАВНЫХ говорить, держать себя с кем, работать, разговор и т.п.

[PrepP; Invar; adv, nonagreeing modif, or subj-compl with copula (subj: usu. human)]

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⇒ (to speak, conduct o.s., work etc with s.o.) as one equal with another or as if one were equal to another (in terms of age, position, social status etc); (a conversation is held, discussion takes place etc) with all parties being equal or treating each other as equals:

- as equals;

- as if (though) we (you, they) were equals;

- on equal terms;

- on an equal footing <basis>.

     ♦ Зачем солизился с Тимофеем? Зачем поехал с ним на сенокос? От них надо подальше, а он раскис, держался на равных... (Рыбаков 2). Why did he have to get to know Timofei? Why had he gone haymaking with him? He ought to have kept himself at a distance, whereas he had relaxed, he'd behaved as if they were equals... (2a).

     ♦ Его [императора] крайне забавляло, что она [девушка] не догадывалась вовсе, с кем имеет дело, и держала себя с ним на равных (Окуджава 2). Не [the emperor] was vastly amused that she [the girl] had no idea who he was and behaved as though they were equals (2a).

     ♦ [Валя:] Да почему он мне должен что-то давать? Почему нельзя на равных?.. (Рощин 1). [V..] But why does he have to give me something? Why can't we be on equal terms?.. (1b).

     ♦ "Мы не умеем сотрудничать на равных, мы умеем приручать..." (Горенштейн 1). "We don't know how to work together on an equal basis, we know how to tame.. " (1a).