Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Russian term or phrase:
поставить кому всякое лыко в строку
English translation:
[tried] every trick in the book against [the Japanese]
Added to glossary by
James McVay
Jan 1, 2011 20:13
13 yrs ago
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Russian term
United States
Quality translations at reasonable rates
Native in: English 
Works in: Russian to English, Bulgarian to English
поставить кому всякое лыко в строку
Russian to English
Art/Literary
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Даже американский юрист Уэстел Уиллоуби, бывший консультантом китайского посольства в Вашингтоне и помогавший ему вести антияпонскую пропаганду, в 1940 г. публично объявил меморандум сомнительным и не счел возможным использовать его в своей аргументации. Хотя стремился ***поставить японцам всякое лыко в строку.***
From an article arguing that the Tanaka Memorandum is a forgery. I found " не всякое лыко в строку" in MultiTran. But I can't twist the suggested translations there around to make sense here.
From an article arguing that the Tanaka Memorandum is a forgery. I found " не всякое лыко в строку" in MultiTran. But I can't twist the suggested translations there around to make sense here.
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+1
18 hrs
Russian term (edited):
[стремился] поставить [японцам] всякое лыко в строку
Selected
[tried] every trick in the book against [the Japanese]
In the context:
... tried to come up with anything (any argument) that might possibly condemn/criticize the Japanese [policy/actions/etc]
The idea of
"всякое лыко в строку"
is not that Willoughby just wouldn't let any wrongdoing pass unnoticed.
It's about his craftily trying to use any pretext, no matter how far fetched or even somewhat illogical it would seem, to criticize the Japanese
The example is borrowed from the reference
... tried to come up with anything (any argument) that might possibly condemn/criticize the Japanese [policy/actions/etc]
The idea of
"всякое лыко в строку"
is not that Willoughby just wouldn't let any wrongdoing pass unnoticed.
It's about his craftily trying to use any pretext, no matter how far fetched or even somewhat illogical it would seem, to criticize the Japanese
The example is borrowed from the reference
Example sentence:
Having lost the game and tried every trick in the book against Obama, the Clintons are now shamelessly eyeing the second spot.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "All good answers, but I can only pick one. Thanks, everyone!"
+1
14 mins
wink at nothing; let nothing past
http://www.classes.ru/dictionary-russian-english-Smirnitsky-...
Or: Although he was trying not to let the Japanese get away with anything
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Note added at 16 mins (2011-01-01 20:30:16 GMT)
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You can't make sense of translations in Multitran as there is a similar phrase, but with HE, so the meaning is opposite
Or: Although he was trying not to let the Japanese get away with anything
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Note added at 16 mins (2011-01-01 20:30:16 GMT)
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You can't make sense of translations in Multitran as there is a similar phrase, but with HE, so the meaning is opposite
22 mins
Mark Berelekhis
United States
United States
Native in Russian
&
English
Works in field
United States
Exemplary quality, truly bilingual
Native in: Russian , English
Works in: Russian to English, English to Russian, English
Related KudoZ points
:
136
though it wasn't in his practice to give the Japanese any break
For this context.
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Note added at 23 mins (2011-01-01 20:36:40 GMT)
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should be breakS
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Note added at 23 mins (2011-01-01 20:36:40 GMT)
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should be breakS
19 mins
Yuri Larin
Ukraine
Ukraine
Native in Russian
Ukraine
Quality Translations for Quality Clients
Native in: Russian 
, Ukrainian
Works in: Russian to English, English to Russian, English to Ukrainian, and 6 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
20
fault smb for smth/ blame smth on smb/ judge smb severely, etc.
This is an outdated expression though
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Note added at 40 mins (2011-01-01 20:54:13 GMT)
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Probably, I should have made it "fault smb for everything/ blame everything on smb". Would be more on target.
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Note added at 40 mins (2011-01-01 20:54:13 GMT)
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Probably, I should have made it "fault smb for everything/ blame everything on smb". Would be more on target.
3 hrs
Kiwiland Bear
New Zealand
New Zealand
Native in Russian
New Zealand
Translation with excellence
Native in: Russian
Works in: Russian to English, English to Russian, French to English, and 3 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
32
[He thought] anything goes [to use against the Japanese]
Although he thought/believed that anything goes against the Japanese, even he baulked at using that report. -- Or some similar words to that effect.
14 hrs
give (absolutely) no excuses to smbd.
The hole sentence seems to be looking better as a clause in the beginning, e.g. "Even ... Willoughby, who ... and would give absolutely no excuses to the Japanese".
In its original position, I'd render it as "And Willoughby was known to give absolutely no excuses to the Japanese".
In its original position, I'd render it as "And Willoughby was known to give absolutely no excuses to the Japanese".
20 hrs
Eric Candle
Native in Russian
Works in field
Better than native
Native in: Russian
Works in: English to Russian, Russian to English, German to Russian
Related KudoZ points
:
8
Russian term (edited):
всякое лыко в строку ставить
mess with
here is some Info about "лыко" in conjunction with "строка",
http://www.otrezal.ru/catch-words/266.html
http://www.otrezal.ru/catch-words/266.html
1 day 28 mins
Alexandra Taggart
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Native in Russian
&
English
Russian Federation
proficient translation
Native in: English , Russian
Works in: Russian to English, English to Russian, English
Related KudoZ points
:
24
to threw a monkey wrench into the Japs' plans
"Liko" is a "comma" in written sentence. Normally you put comma before "but" - "..., but...". There's another similar expression: "Ставить палки в колёса" ( in order to stop wheels moving).
1 day 1 hr
he picked fault in everything they did
==
1 day 2 hrs
katerina turevich
Netherlands
Netherlands
Native in Russian
&
English
Works in field
Netherlands
attentive to detail and fast
Native in: English , Russian
Works in: Dutch to English, Russian to English
Related KudoZ points
:
8
though he cast aspersions on everything else they did
though he cast aspersions on everything else they did
Cast aspersions : to make insulting remarks about someone
http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definitions/Aspers...
Cast aspersions : to make insulting remarks about someone
http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definitions/Aspers...
Example sentence:
The woman is always casting aspersions on her colleagues at work.
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