на ходу

• НА ХОДУ{{}}

[PrepP; Invar]

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1. coll [subj-compl with быть (subj: a noun denoting a vehicle, factory etc)]

⇒ sth. is in working condition, working as it should:

- X на ходу{{}}≈ [of a vehicle] X is in running <working> order;

- [of a factory, plant etc] X is operational.

2. на ходу вскочить, соскочить и т.п. [adv]

⇒ (to jump into, jump off etc a vehicle, horse etc) while it is in motion:

- while (the car <the horse etc>) is moving;

- (jump into <onto, from>) a <the> moving (car <train etc>);

- (jump into a car <jump out of a boat etc>) as it is pulling out (pulling in, floating out etc).

     ♦ Трамвай начал делать круг... Зоя ловко соскочила на ходу, потому что отсюда было короче (Солженицын 10). The [trolley] car had already begun its turn around the circle. ... [Zoya] jumped off deftly while the car was moving, so as to cut down the distance she would have to walk (10b).

     ♦ Отомкнув баркас, он [Митька] с силой толкнул его от коряги, вскочил на ходу (Шолохов 2). Не [Mitka] unhitched the boat, pushed it hard and jumped in as it floated out (2a).

3. [adv]

⇒ (of a person) (to do sth.) while continuing to move:

- as one walks (goes) (along);

- on the move (the go);

- without stopping.

     ♦ Перед собой он держал половинку арбуза и ел из нее на ходу столовой ложкой (Аксёнов 6). In one hand he held half a watermelon, which he was eating with a tablespoon as he walked along (6a).

     ♦ ...Буш, как фокусник, извлек из воздуха тетрадь и стал на ходу читать... (Набоков 1). ...Busch, like a conjurer, plucked a notebook out of the air and began to read on the move... (1a).

     ♦ Статный австрийский офицер со спортсменской выправкой шел под конвоем на вокзал. Ему улыбнулись две барышни, гулявшие по перрону. Он на ходу очень ловко раскланялся и послал им воздушный поцелуй (Шолохов 2). A fine-looking Austrian officer with the bearing of an athlete was being taken under guard to the station building. Two young ladies strolling along the platform smiled at him. He managed a very neat bow without stopping and blew them a kiss (2a)

4. coll [adv]

⇒ (to do sth.) hastily, without giving it one's full attention, or while in the process of doing something else:

- on the go;

- on the move.

     ♦ Не стал читать страницу из "Дневника" Делакруа... чтобы не прочесть ее кое-как, на ходу... (Олеша 3). I didn't begin reading a page in Delacroix's Diary, .in order not to read it haphazardly, on the go... (3a).

5. coll [adv]

⇒ quickly, without thinking or preparation:

- on the spur of the moment;

- [in refer, to saying sth., answering etc] off the top of one's head.

     ♦ ...Нужно было разобраться в речевом коде землян. Без помощи специального устройства, на ходу, это не просто (Обухова 1). He had to decipher the speech code of the Earthmen. This was not easy on the spur of the moment, without special instruments (1a).