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Chameleon


На полупьяном лице его как бы написано: «Ужо я сорву с тебя, шельма!» да и самый палец имеет вид знамения победы.

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On his half-drunk face there is written, as it were: “I’ll have it out of you yet, you rogue!” — and the finger itself has the look of a sign of victory.

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Where it stands

Очумелов делает полуоборот налево и шагает к сборищу. Ochumelov makes a half-turn to the left and strides toward the gathering.

Около самых ворот склада, видит он, стоит вышеписанный человек в расстёгнутой жилетке и, подняв вверх правую руку, показывает толпе окровавленный палец. Right by the gates of the yard, he sees, stands the aforesaid man in the unbuttoned waistcoat and, raising his right hand aloft, displays a bloodied finger to the crowd.

В этом человеке Очумелов узнаёт золотых дел мастера Хрюкина. In this man Ochumelov recognizes Khryukin the goldsmith.

В центре толпы, растопырив передние ноги и дрожа всем телом, сидит на земле сам виновник скандала — белый борзой щенок с острой мордой и жёлтым пятном на спине. In the centre of the crowd, its forelegs splayed and its whole body trembling, sits on the ground the very author of the scandal — a white borzoi puppy with a sharp muzzle and a yellow patch on its back.

The words in this sentence

на
on, onto; at
полупья́ном
half-drunk (prep m/n sg adj) — полупьяный
лице́
face (prep sg of лицо) — лицо
его́
his, its (poss. pron.) — он
как
how; as, like
бы
would (conditional particle)
напи́сано
written (short past passive n) — написать
ужо́
just you wait; later on (colloq./arch.)
я
I
сорву́
I'll tear off; I'll settle with you (1sg) — сорвать
с
from, off (prep.)
тебя́
you (gen/acc, informal) — ты
ше́льма
rogue, rascal (colloq)
да
and, and besides (conj.)
и
and; also, even
са́мый
the very, most (adj m)
па́лец
finger (nom sg)
име́ет
has (3sg of иметь) — иметь
вид
appearance, look; view
знаме́ния
sign, portent (gen sg; nom/acc pl) — знамение
побе́ды
victory (gen sg) — победа

А. П. Чехов, «Хамелеон», 1884 · sentence 11 of 53

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