The expression to wash bones has been known to everyone since childhood and is interesting because it is, perhaps, one of the most ancient idioms in the Russian language.
Washing the bones- means to speak unflatteringly about a person, to discuss behind their backs. But why do they say this? Now we will find out everything...
In this case we are talking about a forgotten reburial rite. Its roots go back to the times of Kievan Rus. Then there were a great many pagan rituals that did not survive to our times.
There was then a ritual that was carried out after the burial of the deceased, or rather after several years had passed from that moment (the exact number is unknown, there are several versions, up to several days).
It was carried out as follows. The grave was dug up and the remains were rescued from there. Only relatives were present at the ceremony. Relatives rescued the remains and cleaned the bones from the remains of other tissues. During this, they praised the deceased, said only good things about him, and remembered the good deeds he had done - this part of the ritual was mandatory. After the bones were “washed” (in the literal and figurative meanings of the word), the remains were buried again, again only relatives were present at the burial. It was believed that in the process of washing the bones, the spirit of the deceased became beneficial to relatives and found peace.
There is also a version that if the corpse was found undecayed and swollen, this meant that during life this person was a sinner and he was cursed to emerge from the grave at night in the form of a ghoul, vampire, ghoul and destroy people. Thus, the ritual of washing the bones was necessary to ensure that there was no such spell.
So it turns out that in Kievan Rus the expression “to wash the bones” meant “to speak good words about the deceased.” The whole, so to speak, irony of this expression lies in the fact that in our time it has acquired a negative character. Although in some ways it has not lost its meaning, namely that the discussion of a person takes place in his absence.
In Israel, by the way, guides tell almost the same thing about this place:
Here's what tourists say: We stood on an observation deck located at the highest point in Jerusalem. And from this height they listened to stories about the various temples that were visible. then the guide asked us to turn our gaze beyond the railing of the observation deck. Literally five meters below, a washing stone was preserved in its original form - the place where the dead were prepared for their last journey in ancient times.
Please note that there are niches in the wall next to the stone. The burial ceremony took place as follows:
First, the deceased was washed on this stone, smeared with incense, wrapped in cloth and placed in these niches in the wall. After 40 days, only bones remained from the body of the deceased. They were taken out, put back on the stone and washed the bones remembering the life of the deceased and saying all sorts of good words about him.
Phraseologisms have firmly established their position in the modern Russian language and are now often used in ordinary colloquial speech. Such turns make it quite original and rich. The phrase “washing the bones” has been familiar to many since childhood. And she says that someone becomes the object of active gossip and discussion. As a rule, this phraseological turn sounds in a negative context.
History of the expression
Like many catchphrases, this expression has come to the present time from distant historical times. Its occurrence has a rather interesting etymology. From the very beginning, “washing the bones” was not just an expression with a hidden meaning, but a literal action. In ancient Greek ritual culture, there was a certain custom of double burial of the dead. Namely, the bodies of the dead were dug up from their places of last residence, and then the bones of the deceased were literally thoroughly washed with water and strong red wine. Then the absolutely clean and alcohol-preserved parts of the skeleton were again placed in their rightful place.
History is modestly silent about who was the first to think of this, but that this “gargle raccoon” decided to “wash the bones” of the dead is a very strange and interesting fact. This ritual partially passed into Slavic culture, and therefore similar strange actions were performed by our distant ancestors. From that time on, this expression came to the people and took hold there, acquiring its real meaning.
“Washing the bones” in a modern interpretation
The “gossips” gather in flocks of birds, and let’s “wash the bones” of everyone they know. And these are not always benign discussions, but often angry and envious ones. This phraseological turn has a clearly negative connotation and a rather heavy emotional load. If we go back to the distant past, a fair question arises. Why the hell did they wash and sprinkle wine on the bones of the dead? And the answer will not be long in coming. There was a belief that if the soft tissues of the deceased remained intact to the bones, then it was none other than a ghoul, a vampire or a ghoul. This “comrade” gets up from time to time from his grave to drink human blood. If the flesh has decayed and only bones remain, everything is fine. They washed them, sprinkled them with wine and put them to rest again. Everything seems clear. Only, if the bones are washed, it means that the deceased was quite good, and not vice versa. And why then does this phraseological unit have such a meaning now?
Well, these are, so to speak, small nuances. But the modern interpretation of this expression “washing the bones” still implies saying all sorts of nasty and obscene things about a person. Phraseologism also has words and phrases that are similar in meaning:
To gossip;
gossip;
Whisper;
ring;
Slander:
Digging through dirty laundry;
Separate into pieces;
scratching tongues;
Scratching teeth;
Spread gossip;
Spread rumors:
Thrash your tongue;
re-judgment;
to speak evilly;
Disassemble thread by thread;
To speak in vain;
Discuss behind the scenes.
All these words and phrases carry negative energy associated with the destruction of the reputation and dignity of an individual. But in this case, not only the good name of the person is destroyed, but also the name of the one who says nasty things about him. After all, if you become known as a gossip in society, you risk losing the trust and respect of others. Discussing behind someone's back means being afraid to say it to the person's face. And this is already called cowardice. In general, the conclusion is disappointing for someone who is actively trying to destroy someone’s reputation.
Phraseologism in literature
In fiction, this catchphrase is used everywhere. Authors of works of art of the early 19th century actively use this phrase in their imperishable creations. Writers Saltykov-Shchedrin, Melnikov-Pechersky, Chekhov, Dostoevsky - they all use this expression in their literary works to convey, using a well-known phraseological turn, the mores that reigned in society.
At N.V. Pomyalovsky’s essays “Porečane” use this phraseological unit. He carries here a light emotional load, indicating only the talkativeness and narrow-mindedness, and not the malice, of the female audience: “... finally, the Porechanki, due to the general weakness of women - to wash the bones of their neighbors, loved to chat in Krutogorsk during the campaign.” It is known that women are famous talkers and gossips. And as for a beautiful girlfriend in their company, she definitely won’t be immune to gossip.
Melnikov-Pechersky also has such a phrase in his novel “On the Mountains”, and it already has a certain evil sense of inevitability from human malice: “...Everyone’s bones were washed, everyone got it for the rolls, - a well-known thing, from gossip, and vain lies, Yes, gossip can’t escape on foot or on horseback.”
Also, Melnikov-Pechersky, with this phraseology in “Grandma’s Tales,” shows that unkind rumors can do a lot of harm to a person: “They washed her bones for that: they didn’t invent any gossip... so as to somehow discredit her honor and good name. .."
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov points out in his work “From the Notes of a Hot-tempered Man” to a familiar picture that still exists, but in modern society. “...One of the girls gets up and leaves. Those who remain begin to wash the bones of the one who has left. Everyone finds her stupid, obnoxious, ugly...” A familiar picture, isn't it? Society has changed, but morals have remained the same. But for the sake of fairness, it should be noted that a person is not always discussed because of dislike for him. This often happens due to ordinary boredom.
Of course, this is not an excuse for the fact that bored people entertain themselves by saying all sorts of nasty things about their absent comrade, but such actions cause less harm, first of all, to the gossipers themselves. It is much worse when discussions of a third party occur due to black envy of his merits. Such “washing of the bones” brings destructive power to those who speak “in vain.” It would seem that they harm those whom they discuss behind their backs. His reputation is suffering. But if a person is really worthy, dirt will not stick to him for a long time. But the gossipers will get what they deserve. The dirty words that come out of their mouths will be a heavy burden on themselves.
Phraseologisms are the heritage of language culture
The strange custom of double burial has fallen into oblivion. Maybe the phraseology “washing the bones” will cease to be practiced as an action, and will remain only an ornate phrase in the imperishable works of writers. Time will show. Society is changing. Maybe morals will change. Envy of other people's victories will be replaced by admiration and logical respect. And there will be no “gossips” telling nasty tales about a character they don’t like. Maybe this requires total individualism to set in. And no one and nothing will be of interest, but only your own world. After all, if you “wash your own bones,” then at least you have every right to do so. After all, who knows us better than ourselves? Well, in the meantime, behind our backs they are “washing the bones,” which means someone needs it. And if this makes them a little happier, then let them wash for their health.
Washing the bones(meaning) - gossip, condemn (Big Explanatory and Phraseological Dictionary (1904))
Washing someone's bones(colloquial) - gossip about someone (Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language (1992), N. Yu. Shvedova)
The expression is associated with an ancient and forgotten ritual of reburial, common among some Slavic peoples, when, some time after the death of the deceased, he was removed from the grave, the bones were cleaned of decay and buried again. This action was accompanied by memories of the deceased, an assessment of his character, deeds and actions.
This ritual was well known back in the 12th century. For example, in “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” it is said: “Who will wash your relics?” (“Yaroslavna’s Lament”).
A similar ritual has been preserved on Mount Athos (see).
Examples
(1860 - 1904)
"From the notes of a hot-tempered man":
"After a long conversation about love, one of the girls gets up and leaves. The rest begin wash the bones gone."
N. Struzhkin
"Business time":
Near the table, in the master's living room,
The ladies sat around
And they engaged in an innocent conversation:
The bones are washed with close friends.
Ch. Uspensky
"From a village diary":
"When we do this (calling someone either a fool or a scoundrel) washed the bones of all our friends... the conversation fell silent for a minute."
(1826 - 1889)
Provincial Sketches, 7, Korepanov.
to whom. WASH THE BONES to whom. Razg. Express Gossiping, gossiping for a long time and with ecstasy, slandering someone. - When we, thus, washed the bones of all our friends, when we talked about all the village affairs and trifles, the conversation fell silent for a minute(Ch. Uspensky. From a village diary). - Initially, the expression had a direct meaning - to wash or wash the bones, bones (remains) of the dead - and was associated with the ritual of the so-called second burial, which existed in the distant past among some peoples. According to the superstitious beliefs of some Slavic peoples, every unrepentant sinner, if a spell weighs on him, after death usually comes out of the grave in the form of a ghoul, vampire, werewolf, ghoul and destroys people by sucking their blood. This allegedly continues until this spell is lifted from the deceased, until the remains of the deceased are dug up several years after burial, and the preserved bones are washed with clean water or wine and buried again. The ritual itself gradually began to be associated with analysis and assessment of various aspects of the character of the deceased person and his actions during life. This is where the rethinking of the expression itself comes from. Lit.: Vinogradov V.V. From the history of Russian vocabulary and phraseology // Dokl. and message Institute of Linguistics. Academy of Sciences of the USSR. - 1954. - Issue. 6. - P. 3.Phraseological dictionary of the Russian literary language. - M.: Astrel, AST. A. I. Fedorov. 2008.
See what “Wash the bones” is in other dictionaries:
wash the bones- wipe, discuss Dictionary of Russian synonyms ... Synonym dictionary
WASH THE BONES
wash the bones- To slander, gossip about someone... Dictionary of many expressions
WASH THE BONES- who to whom, (less often) whom, whose To slander, gossip, gossip about whom l. This means that person (X) discusses in detail, down to everyday and often unpleasant, scandalous details, another person (Y). Spoken with disapproval. unformed ✦ X washes... ... Phraseological Dictionary of the Russian Language
rewash- mo/yu, mo/eat; St. see also to wash, to wash someone or something colloquially. 1) Wash again, again. Floor crossings 2) Wash everything, a lot or all, many. Changes all… Dictionary of many expressions
rewash- wash mine; St. who what. Razg. 1. Wash again, again. P. floor 2. Wash everything, a lot or all, many. P. all the dishes. ◊ Wash the seeds. To slander, to gossip about someone. ◁ Wash, oh, oh; nsv. To wash myself, it seems; suffering... encyclopedic Dictionary
WASH THE BONES- The etymological and cultural-historical roots of many expressions of the Russian literary language go back to deep, pre-literate antiquity. Restore the complete semantic history of these expressions at all stages of their oral and literary history... ... History of words
WASH THE BONES- who to whom, (less often) whom, whose To slander, gossip, gossip about whom l. This means that person (X) discusses in detail, down to everyday and often unpleasant, scandalous details, another person (Y). Spoken with disapproval. unformed ✦ X washes... ... Phraseological Dictionary of the Russian Language
To whom. WASH THE BONES for someone. Razg. Express Gossiping, gossiping for a long time and with ecstasy, slandering someone. When we, thus, washed the bones of all our friends, when we talked about all the village affairs and trifles, the conversation was on... ... Phraseological Dictionary of the Russian Literary Language
They make our speech more interesting. Any, even the most ordinary conversation can become a magnificent example of the richness of our language. We’ll talk about one of the popular phraseological units today in our article.
How often do we get together to wash the bones of mutual friends? Such topics are considered bad form. But at least we're doing it casually. Briefly, the meaning of a phraseological unit can be conveyed as “discussion behind a person’s back.” Without going into the moral side of the process now, let's consider the expression from a philological point of view.
Modern meaning of the expression
Since the phraseological unit has an indirect meaning, at least at the current stage of its use, that is what interests us.
Thus, the main meaning of “washing the bones” at the present stage is “discussion behind one’s back, gossip.” An extremely negative expression is “to slander.” In general, it is always either to discuss a person’s character traits without his presence, or his specific actions.
We also note that in general the modern meaning has a negative emotional connotation. Sometimes there are exceptions when discussing a person behind his back happens on the positive side.
Origin of phraseology
Like many others, “washing the bones” has its own very interesting origin story. Let's start with the fact that this combination in itself sounds very ominous. So where did this expression come from?
The history of phraseological units begins in ancient times, the sphere of education is the Orthodox Greek ritual culture, which has passed to some extent into the Slavic one. The expression is associated with the following eerie burial ritual.
So, according to ancient traditions, there was a secondary burial. This ritual involved taking the bones of a deceased person from the grave, washing them with water and wine, and then putting them back into the grave. Hence we have the direct meaning of the expression “to wash the bones.” Phraseologism, which now exists with a specific meaning, came into use through its direct meaning.
The question remains open about the purpose for which that ritual was carried out. Open sources give this explanation.
The bones were washed to ensure that the body was not cursed. The damned dead come out of their graves at night (vampires, ghouls, ghouls) and destroy people, taking their blood to the last drop. Such bodies lie in graves undecayed, only swollen and darkened.
Mentions of the expression in written sources
Researchers of oral folk art did not divert attention from phraseological units and did not miss the opportunity to record them in their works. However, the expression “wash the bones” (the meaning of the phraseological unit and its origin) was not mentioned in the scientific literature until the dictionary created by Dahl.
But already in Dahl’s work both an interpretation of the expression and a historical reference to its origin are given.
Mentions in literary texts
Although the topic of our discussion began to arise quite late in scientific research, the art of words was one step ahead. In fiction, texts contain this expression, and it occurs quite often.
In works of Russian literature starting from the 19th century, we meet it in various contexts. Based on this, researchers suggest that it was during that period that phraseological units entered the literary layer of the Russian language from colloquial speech.
Among the writers whose works this expression is noted are Saltykov-Shchedrin (his “Provincial Sketches”), Melnikov-Pechersky with his novel “On the Mountains”, “Grandmother’s Stories”. Chekhov also decorated his stories with folk expressions (for example, “From the Notes of a Hot-tempered Man”).
Expression options
Phraseological units, like words of a language, have their own synonyms and are used in various forms. The latter can be of varying degrees of similarity to “washing the bones.” We discussed the meaning of phraseological units at the present stage above; everything happened historically in the same way.
Thus, in written sources of the literary Russian language of the 19th century there are three variants, slightly different in morphological form. The meaning remains the same, but the verbs have different prefixes. The original word is the infinitive verb "to wash". With prefixes it forms the following variants: “to rewash” (in fact, we consider it in our article as the most common), “to wash” (it was much less common, today you won’t hear it at all), “to wash” (today it is also unlikely you will hear).
In one of Chekhov's works (the story "Zinochka") we observe another form, similar to "wash the bones", but derived from another root: "sort out". It is considered secondary, most likely a purely author’s decision on a par with the author’s neologisms.
Synonyms of expression
There are not so many synonyms for the phraseological unit “to wash the bones”, modern ones and those that are found only in fiction and scientific literature. Interesting fact: the academic dictionary lists the expression “to shake the bones” (meaning “to gossip”) as synonymous, however, according to available data, literary texts of the 19th and 20th centuries do not contain such a form.
Another, more understandable example with synonyms of the phraseological unit in question, based on the expression “take apart to the bones.” It is almost purely literary, because there is no information about what was used in this form in popular speech. This phrase arose clearly under the influence of “to wash (sort out) the bones.” The meanings converge in some cases or are close in others: “to discuss something or someone in detail”, “to subject to detailed analysis, criticism”, also “to condemn, criticize”.
In the famous “Crime and Punishment” by Dostoevsky, an excellent form of expression is also used: “knead the bones,” which means “to wash the bones.” The essence is the same, only the imagery is partially changed.
On a par with the phraseological unit “to wash the bones” is placed another – “to take apart the threads”. Their meaning is the same, but the imagery is different.
conclusions
So, in our article we tried to comprehensively and as interestingly cover what it means to “wash the bones.” The main thing we were going to extract from the discussion was its meaning: “to discuss, gossip about a person in his absence.”
The historical development of the meaning of this expression has gone through many stages. Initially it was literal and reflected a ritual action, then it moved on to an analysis of a person’s character. Today we have a familiar context and meaning, which we put into it on an intuitive level.
