АРШИН ПРОГЛОТИЛ

• (КАК <БУДТО, СЛОВНО, ТОЧНО> АРШИН ПРОГЛОТИЛ coll, humor

[(как etc +) VP; adv (variants with как etc) or predic with subj: human (all variants); past only; fixed WO]

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⇒ (a person who) has unnaturally straight posture (may refer to a permanent or a temporary characteristic):

- straight as a ramrod;

- ramrod-straight;

- stiff as a poker;

- (one) looks like he has a broomstick <a poker> up his butt.

     ♦ "Я вот чего хотел-то: разводец бы нам организовать...Да что ты молчишь?" - как будто удивился [Дмитрий]... А она [Маруся] стоит и крикнуть не может... Ведь её - Дмитрий! Как же так?.. "Ну вот, будешь теперь стоять, как аршин проглотила..." (Суслов 1). "What I wanted was this: we should get a divorce. ...Why are you so quiet?" he [Dmitry] asked, as if he were surprised. ...And she [Marusia] stood there and couldn't cry out. ...It was her Dmitry! How could this be?..."So now you just stand there, stiff as a poker" (la).

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