в четырех стенах

• В ЧЕТЫРЕХ СТЕНАХ сидеть, жить и т. п.

[PrepP; Invar; adv]

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1. (to spend all or almost all of one's time) in one's home or a certain building:

- (be <live>) within these (those, one's own) four walls.

     ♦ [Домна Пантелевна:] Измучилась я в театре-то: жара, духота, радехонька, что выкатилась. [Матрена:] Да вестимо, летнее дело в четырех стенах сидеть... (Островский 11). [context transl] [D.P:] That theatre wore me out; it was so hot and stuffy I was glad to come away [M.:] It's a shame to be cooped up in summer (11a).

2. (to live) like a recluse, associating little or not at all with others and spending all one's time inside:

- (stay <be buried, hole o.s. up>) within these (those, one's own) four walls.

     ♦ [Войницкий:] Двадцать пять лет я вот с этою матерью, как крот, сидел в четырёх стенах... (Чехов 3). [V.:] For twenty-five years I have sat here with this mother, buried like a mole within these four walls... (3a).