In colloquial speech, literature and songs, we often hear how they say about two people: “Do not spill water.” But where this expression came from, not everyone knows. Nevertheless, it is always nice to know some interesting facts about something. Maybe one day you will have the opportunity and you will decorate the conversation with an interesting fact. In any case, let's turn to the depths and origins and find out the history of this expression.
Phraseologism "do not spill water"
The phrase “do not spill water” or “do not spill water” itself cannot have a literal understanding, since this is a typical phraseological unit.
Phraseologisms are stable verbal combinations that play the role of one lexical unit. This means that in the text they can be replaced with one word. Moreover, this combination of words is characteristic of only one language, and when translated into another, you need to know the same phraseological unit for a foreign language or replace it in meaning. Obviously, the literal translation of such phrases loses its meaning and will sound ridiculous.
In our example, phraseologism “you can’t spill water” can be replaced with the word “friends”. But they use this expression when it is necessary to emphasize the quality of this friendship, to say “best friends”.
The expression refers to people who have a strong friendly relationship with each other. Usually they are always seen together and it is generally accepted that it is impossible to quarrel such a couple. Well, if you have such people and you can say "do not spill water."
Where did it come from
This popular expression appeared a long time ago and it is not connected at all with friendship, but, on the contrary, with rivalry. When a second bull appeared on the field where the cows grazed, the two rivals grappled in a fierce battle for leadership. The fact is that there can only be one bull in a herd. When the second appears, they converge in a fight so that it is impossible to breed them, however, the shepherds came up with an effective way. They doused the fighting pair with water, and while the bulls had time to come to their senses, they were bred in different directions.
Since then, they began to call people who are closely related to each other, and subsequently - and friends. So, their friendship is so strong that even if the bulls can be bred with water, then these friends are not. This phrase so stuck in Russian speech that its origin was long forgotten, making it a stable idiom.
Antonyms for the phrase “do not spill water”
Among the wide selection of phraseological units of Russian speech, one can choose both synonyms and antonyms for phraseological units “do not spill water”. Antonym in this case will describe people with mutual antipathy. The phrase “like a cat and a dog” is best suited, meaning two intolerant of each other, in a quarrel or constantly scandalous personalities.
This vivid expression is no less popular than what we are considering. And, unlike the phrase "do not spill water", its origin is obvious.
Synonyms that can be selected for the expression "do not spill water"
There are not so many vivid and exact synonyms for the phrase “do not spill water” among phraseological units, and they are only partly synonyms. For instance:
- Tamara and I walk in a couple (always together);
- Sweet couple (always kind)
- On a short leg (established links).
The use of certain phrases depends on the specific purpose. It is important what the speaker wants to emphasize. So, the expression “on a short leg” speaks more about people who have established business connections than friendships.
Phraseologisms are an excellent way to enhance the effect of what has been said, to make a thought brighter, more accurate and figurative. It is possible that, having learned the meaning of one phraseological unit, the reader will want to learn more about other interesting expressions in the Russian language.