little pitchers have big ears

little pitchers have big ears
посл.
(little pitchers have big (или long) ears)
≈ дети любят слушать разговоры взрослых, дети любят подслушивать

‘Little pitchers have big ears,’ they used to say when I was smaller. Then they stopped saying it... They gave up in despair. If I didn't hear, I guessed; and if I didn't guess I wheedled it out of someone. (S. Chaplin, ‘The Big Room’, ch. 1) — Когда я была маленькой, родители говорили: "Осторожно, у маленького кувшинчика большие уши". Но очень скоро они перестали это говорить... Я приводила их в отчаяние. Если я не слышала чего-нибудь, то догадывалась. А если не догадывалась, то выуживала у кого-нибудь.

I remember odd fragments of gossip from the time when the aunts used to say: ‘Little pitchers have long ears!’ And there would be a pause in the lively conversation if I were about. (K. S. Prichard, ‘Child of the Hurricane’, ch. III) — Мне вспоминаются обрывки разговоров еще тех времен, когда тетки при виде меня говорили: "Много будешь знать, скоро состаришься", и, лишь выпроводив меня, возобновляли оживленную беседу.


Большой англо-русский фразеологический словарь. - М.: «Русский язык-Медиа».. 2006.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Смотреть что такое "little pitchers have big ears" в других словарях:

  • little pitchers have big ears — Little children often overhear things they are not supposed to hear, or things adults do not expect they would notice. A proverb. * /Be especially careful not to swear in front of little children. Little pitchers have big ears./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • little pitchers have big ears — Little children often overhear things they are not supposed to hear, or things adults do not expect they would notice. A proverb. * /Be especially careful not to swear in front of little children. Little pitchers have big ears./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • little pitchers have big ears — little children often overhear things that they are not supposed to hear Little pitchers have big ears she said when she saw her daughter standing at the door listening to her talking to her husband …   Idioms and examples

  • little pitchers have big ears — (USA) This means that children hear more and understand the world around them better than many adults realize …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • little\ pitchers\ have\ big\ ears — proverb Little children often overhear things they are not supposed to hear, or things adults do not expect they would notice. Be especially careful not to swear in front of little children. Little pitchers have big ears …   Словарь американских идиом

  • little pitchers have large ears — Children overhear much that is not meant for them. A pitcher’s ears are its handles. 1546 J. HEYWOOD Dialogue of Proverbs II. V. G4v Auoyd your children, small pitchers haue wide eares. 1594 SHAKESPEARE Richard III II. iv. 37 Good madam, be not… …   Proverbs new dictionary

  • little pitchers have big ears — (USA)    This means that children hear more and understand the world around them better than many adults realize.<br   (Dorking School Dictionary) …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • big — See: IN A BIG WAY, LITTLE FROG IN A BIG POND, LITTLE PITCHERS HAVE BIG EARS, TALK BIG, TOO BIG FOR ONE S BREECHES, WHAT S THE BIG IDEA …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • big — See: IN A BIG WAY, LITTLE FROG IN A BIG POND, LITTLE PITCHERS HAVE BIG EARS, TALK BIG, TOO BIG FOR ONE S BREECHES, WHAT S THE BIG IDEA …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • big — See: in a big way, little frog in a big pond, little pitchers have big ears, talk big, too big for one s breeches, what s the big idea …   Словарь американских идиом

  • have — See: CAT HAS NINE LIVES, ONE S CAKE AND HAVE IT TOO, EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING, EVERY DOG HAS HIS DAY, HAVE NOTHING ON or HAVE ANYTHING ON, LITTLE PITCHERS HAVE BIG EARS, or an important word after this in the sentence …   Dictionary of American idioms


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