ПУЩЕ ГЛАЗА

• ПУЩЕ ГЛАЗА беречь кого-что, хранить что; ПАЧЕ ГЛАЗА <ОКА> obs

[AdvP; these forms only; adv; fixed WO]

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⇒ (to treat s.o. or sth. that one cherishes, that is very valuable etc) as very dear, (to guard, watch over sth. valuable) vigilantly, attentively:

- (cherish (treasure) s.o. (sth.)) more than life itself (more than one's life);

- (guard sth.) with one's life.

     ♦ [Мигаев:] Да, чудак, давно б я его [портсигар] заложил, да нельзя - дареный, в знак памяти, пуще глазу его берегу (Островский 11). [М.:] I'd have pawned it [the cigar case] long ago, but I mustn't; it was given to me as a token of remembrance. I treasure it more than my life (11a).