• НА НОГАХ{{}}
[PrepP; Invar; subj-compl with copula (subj: human), obj-compl with увидеть etc (obj: human), or adv]
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1. in a standing position:
- on one's feet;
- standing.
♦ Майор Мышин сидел в кресле, а Наделашина держал на ногах... (Солженицын 3). Major Myshin was seated in his armchair, and he kept Nadelashin standing... (3a).
2. awake and not in bed:
- X был на ногах{{}}≈ X was up (and about);
- X was (had got<ten>) out of bed.
♦ "В шесть чтобы был на ногах. Поедем к этому генералу" (Шолохов 5). "You've got to be up at six. We'll be going to see this general..." (5a).
♦ Пришёл Захар и, найдя Обломова не на постели, мутно поглядел на барина, удивляясь, что он на ногах (Гончаров 1). Zakhar came back and glared dully at his master, astonished that he should have got out of bed (1a), [context transl] Zakhar came back and stood gazing dully at his master, surprised at not finding him in bed (1b).
3. in motion, active and busy:
- on one's feet;
- on the go.
♦ Он устал: с утра на ногах (Эренбург 2). He was tired. He had been on his feet all day (2a).
4. healthy, not sick:
- X был на ногах{{}}≈ X was up and about;
- X was on his feet.
♦ Ему [Твардовскому] Демичев сурово выговаривал, что не оказался он в нужную минуту на ногах: надо было ехать в Рим выбираться вице-президентом Европейской Ассоциации Писателей, не хотели там ни Суркова, ни Симонова (Солженицын 2). Demichev had harshly reprimanded him [Tvardovsky] for not being up and about when he was needed: he was supposed to go to Rome and be elected vice-president of the European Community of Writers; they didn't want either Surkov or Simonov (2a).
♦ Возчиком был Тимофей Лобанов, а какая же помощь от Тимофея? Замаялся человек брюхом - день на ногах да день лежит на нарах (Абрамов 1). The driver was Timofei Lobanov, and how could he be of any help? The man's gut was all out of whack; he'd be on his feet one day and flat on his back the next (1a).
5. (to be ill, combat illness) without taking to one's bed:
- (stay) on one's feet.
♦ "Я вот, например, в больницах не лежу совсем. Должность не позволяет. На ногах болею" (Дудинцев 1). "I, for instance, do not use hospitals at all. My job wont allow me to. If I am ill, I stay on my feet" (1a).
Большой русско-английский фразеологический словарь. — М.: ACT-ПРЕСС КНИГА. С.И. Лубенская. 2004.