What does the saying strike while the iron is hot mean? The meaning of "strike while the iron is hot" and examples of use

Many have heard the expression “sprinkle ashes on your head.” It can be heard from the lips of Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev. So what does this common rheologism mean?

“Sprinkle ashes on your head” Means to be in great despair, to mourn. This expression is used when a person sobs loudly, sighs and laments from grief. Our ancestors were not as restrained in showing emotions as we are. People in despair were expected to scream and cry. They tore not only their clothes, but also their hair. According to ritual custom, unfortunate people sprinkled ashes on their heads or land.

This expression also appears in many places in the Bible. Jews sprinkled ashes on their heads at funerals their loved ones as a sign of grief and despair. The Book of Esther tells the story of Mordecai, who covered his head with ashes after learning that King Ahasuerus had ordered the death of all the Jews.

Now these bizarre actions seem meaningless to us. The custom of sprinkling ashes on the head was preserved only among some peoples of the East and South. In our culture, custom has left its mark only in the language. To this day we say “sprinkle ashes on the head” when we want to show great sorrow and grief.

encyclopedic Dictionary winged words and expressions. - M.: “Locked-Press”. Vadim Serov. 2003.

Ash Wednesday for Catholics

Many people know that at the end of Maslenitsa, fasting begins, which continues until Easter. Christians of both directions (Catholics and Orthodox) adhere to it until the day of the Resurrection of Christ. However, Catholics and Orthodox fast starts at different days and has its own name.

Thomas Eliot's work, written in verse in 1930, is dedicated to this day. To understand what exactly Eliot described as Ash Wednesday, it is important to know the essence of the day itself.

The meaning of the holiday

For Catholics, Lent begins on Wednesday. We’ll find out why this happens a little later, but first let’s look at why Ash Wednesday is called that. At the beginning of Lent, the priest in the church places a cross on the forehead of the parishioners with blessed ashes. This reminds people that their bodies are but dust. The priest carries out the procedure with the words: “Remember, O man, that you are dust and to dust you will return.”

The ash used is not simple, it must be from palm branches that have been preserved from the last holiday of Palm Sunday (the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem). In European countries, willow branches are used. People often call them cats. Many parishioners believe that blessed ashes contribute to a good harvest.

There are other names for this day:

• Bad environment.
• Black Wednesday.
• Adam's day.
• Crooked environment.
• Crazy Wednesday.

All of these names refer to the same day and begin a fast that is supposed to last 46 days.

Story

The custom itself initially involved sprinkling ashes on the head, but over time it changed in some countries. It has an ancient biblical origin. Even in the Old Testament, such an action meant repentance and humility of a person.

It is already known that Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent. This tradition arose in the 4th century. Moreover, at first its duration was 40 days, and by the 8th century it was decided to add a few more days. From that time on, fasting began on Wednesday.

Easter does not have a set date, which is repeated year after year. It is celebrated every year on different time, which is why Ash Wednesday starts differently. For example, in 2015 it was held on February 18.

Why does Adam's day begin 46 days before Easter?

The answer lies in the fact that Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, and it lasts 40 days, that is, 6 weeks. But Catholics do not adhere to it on Sundays, so these days fall out. That's why they start it earlier, that is, on Wednesday, and not on Monday.

For the Orthodox, fasting is continuous and lasts for 40 days in a row. Therefore, it begins on Monday, which is called Clean.

Interestingly, Catholics call the last day before Lent Fat Tuesday. The Orthodox know it as Forgiveness Sunday.

Mad Wednesday days until 2020

The dates presented are calculated using an algorithm developed by the Catholic denomination. IN next years Ash Wednesday for Catholics will be held:

• 2016 – February 10;
• 2017 – March 1;
• 2018 – February 14;
• 2019 – March 6;
• 2020 – February 26.

Ash Wednesday in Slavic traditions

It is always very difficult for ordinary people to resist any prohibitions, so not everyone can adhere to fasting. If today priests talk more about the spiritual side, and not about abstaining from food, then in the last century it was about strict adherence to Christian dogmas.

In European countries these days it was customary to wear dark clothes, it was allowed to eat only a certain list of foods and drinking alcohol was not allowed. However, the last point was quite severe for the male half of the population, so many found an excuse for their weaknesses. In general, Ash Wednesday is the same for Catholics everywhere, although some countries have their own rituals.

For example, in the Czech Republic, after serving on Crooked Wednesday, men believed that a glass of alcohol drunk on this day would save them from mosquito bites and other insects in the summer. In some areas they even said: “Wash down the ashes.”

Because Ash Wednesday divided people's lives between celebrations and prolonged abstinence, it was treated in a special way. Thus, it was believed that threads should not be spun on this day. Failure to comply with the ban can lead to a poor harvest of flax and hemp, and misfortune will fall on the one who gets such clothes.

In Slovakia, you cannot put eggs under hens at this time, so that they do not hatch crookedly. Women also cooked long noodles to make tall ears of corn, and baked large pies to make pigs grow fat.

In Poland there was a tradition according to which on this day a person could steal something from the owner of the house, and then sell it back to the owner in the tavern.

Traditions with soot

In addition to sprinkling and anointing with ashes in the church, the Slavs performed their own rituals. So, in Slovakia, guys tried to anoint young girls with soot, women also anointed themselves with it. The Poles hung a sieve with ashes over the entrance to the house so that everyone entering the house would be showered with it.

Many Catholic Slavs collected meat ashes from the oven to sprinkle them on seeds, homes, and fields. This was supposed to protect against fires, pests, and natural disasters.

Ash Wednesday, photos of the celebration of which are presented in the article, has many traditions that complement it. Most often, people came up with them on their own, so in different countries and even areas they may differ.

Reasons for Easter discrepancies between Catholics and Orthodox Christians

It just so happens that the celebration of Christian Easter among Orthodox and Catholics does not coincide. This did not happen because of a split and not on purpose. The fact is that the celebration is calculated by studying the phase of the moon. More specifically, this should be on the 14th day of the phase after the day spring equinox. Many ancient countries had their own calculation for this day, so Gaul, Italy, and Egypt had their own Easter date back in the 4th century.

Another contradiction was the calendar split that occurred in the 16th century. Was introduced Gregorian calendar, and the world was divided into those who lived according to the New and Old styles. Orthodox Church left in rituals Julian calendar, so all holidays continue to be celebrated according to the Old Style.

Most often, the difference between Easters is from one to five weeks. But it can't be two or three weeks. All these calculations are carried out using a special algorithm. Moreover, once every few years, Easter may coincide for both faiths. For example, this was the case in 2014. The next match will be in 2017. The main condition is that the Christian Easter does not coincide with the Jewish one.

What does the expression “Sprinkle ashes on your head” mean and where did it come from?

SPREAD ASHES ON YOUR HEAD
When you are overwhelmed by grief or despair, you, like everyone around you, begin to cry, “wring your hands,” and sigh heavily. Sometimes it comes to loud sobs... It happens that a person falls into complete stupor.
Ancient people expressed their grief much more violently. According to ritual custom, deeply grieving over misfortune, it was customary to tear one’s clothes, tear out one’s hair, and sprinkle earth or ashes on one’s head.
Here, for example, is how Homer describes in the Iliad the grief that gripped Achilles (or Achilles) when he died in battle best friend Patroclus:



They themselves, the great one, covered the great space in dust,


Language has preserved for us, in our everyday life, traces of the time when our ancestors behaved in grief, like Achilles. We say “spread ashes on our heads,” “tear out our hair,” “tear our clothes” (or “robes”) when we want to express an extreme degree of grief or despair.

Jancha

Sprinkle ashes on your head
From the Bible. Found in many places in the Old Testament (Pentateuch, Book of Job, Book of Esther, etc.) Everywhere refers to the ancient custom of the Jews to sprinkle ashes or earth on their heads, mourning their misfortune or their loved ones. Thus, the Book of Esther (chapter 4, verse 1) talks about how a certain man named Mordecai, having learned that King Artaxerxes had issued a decree on the extermination of all the Jews, “torn his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and he went out into the middle of the city and cried out with a great and bitter cry..."
“Sackcloth” translated from the Old Church Slavonic language means “rags” and “old, shabby clothes.”

Eduard Yagant

This expression came from the Jews as a sign of repentance and sadness. They are still
have been eating bread and eggs sprinkled with ashes on July 9th, the anniversary of the
destruction of ancient JERUSALEM.
Remember the self-immolation of the Phoenix bird - the bird of immortality, longevity
Tia. It is not without reason that, in the beliefs of the peoples of the world, it feeds on DEW. Russia
Now this path of ashes and rebirth is just passing, so that sooner
dawn came to Rus' and the Russians began to think, to live dewy, clean,
which will later lead everyone to real immortality. No wonder the current
R.F.'s coat of arms contains a Mutant eagle with hints of processes "X", time "X"!
Whoever does not burn his dirt will not see longevity like his ears.

Where did the expression “sprinkle ashes on your head” come from? And what does it mean?

♑❇ Lɐǝɹ ʌ ɐvmʎ ❇♑

Expression meaning:
to be in despair, sadness, great sorrow or regret for one's wrong actions

Ancient people expressed their grief very violently. According to ritual custom, deeply grieving over misfortune, it was customary to tear one’s clothes, tear out one’s hair, and sprinkle earth or ashes on one’s head.

Here, for example, is how Homer describes in the Iliad the grief that gripped Achilles (or Achilles) when his best friend Patroclus died in battle:

He quickly grabbed the unclean ashes in both hands,
He showered it all over his head and desecrated his beautiful face;
His fragrant robe was all blackened under the ashes.
He himself, the great one, having covered a great space, in dust,
Silently he prostrated himself and tore out his hair, hideously tormenting...

From the Bible. Found in many places in the Old Testament (Pentateuch, Book of Job, Book of Esther, etc.). Everywhere we refer to the ancient custom of Jews to sprinkle ashes or earth on their heads, mourning their misfortune or that of their loved ones. Thus, the Book of Esther (chapter 4, art. I) talks about how a certain man named Mordecai, having learned that King Artaxerxes had issued a decree on the extermination of all the Jews, “torn his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes ; and he went out into the middle of the city and cried out with a great and bitter cry...” Queen Esther did the same, having learned about this news (Book of Esther, chapter 4, v. 17): “And Queen Esther ran to the Lord, overwhelmed with mortal grief, and, taking off the clothes of her glory, put on clothes of sorrow and lamentation, and, instead of valuable colors, she sprinkled ashes and dust on her head..."

All these strange, from our point of view, actions were (and still remain among some peoples of the South and East) a natural expression of their grief and extreme despair.

Language has preserved for us, in our everyday life, traces of the time when our ancestors behaved in grief, like Achilles. We say “spread ashes on our heads,” “tear out our hair,” “tear our clothes” (or “robes”) when we want to express an extreme degree of grief or despair.

Wiktionary
http://www.otrezal.ru/catch-words/356.html

Neznaika

From the Bible. Found in many places in the Old Testament (Pentateuch, Book of Job, Book of Esther, etc.). Everywhere we refer to the ancient custom of the Jews to sprinkle ashes or earth on their heads, mourning their misfortune or that of their loved ones.

Strike while the iron is hot- Russian proverb meaning: You need to act when circumstances favor it.

The proverb arose from the life of blacksmiths - when exposed to heat, metal becomes softer. Therefore, the metal was heated with blacksmith bellows, and forged until it began to harden.

The expression also applies in English language- strike while the iron is hot. It is indicated in American dictionary"American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms" by Christine Ammer, 1992, which notes that the expression has been used in English since the late 14th century.

Examples

(1891-1940)

"The Life of Monsieur de Molière"- "- Fickle the mighty of the world this! - Moliere said to Madeleine. - And I would give advice to all comedians. If you find yourself in mercy, immediately grab everything you are entitled to. Don't waste time strike while the iron is hot. And go away yourself, don’t wait until they kick you out!”

(1749 - 1832)

"Faust" (translation by B. Pasternak)

"War is not your shoulder to work with,
Do not confuse questions from strangers with her.
And if there is an opportunity, seize the moment,
Strike while the iron is hot,"

(1897-1937) and (1903-1942)

" " (1927), part 2 ch. 25: "For concessionaires, the time of suffering. Ostap argued that chairs need to be forged while they are hot."

" " (1931), part 2 ch. 16: "The accountant, seeing that the iron is hot, I began to forge it. He pushed the good doctor and let out a long scream, which alarmed all the patients, especially the little idiot, who sat down on the floor..."

(1823 - 1886)

“Your own dogs are fighting, don’t bother someone else’s”: - Young Balzaminov is looking for a rich bride. The young widow sent him a letter inviting him to meet. The matchmaker (Krasavina) tells him: “strike while the iron is hot,” urging him to meet as quickly as possible.

(1738—1833)

“The life and adventures of Andrei Bolotov, described by himself for his descendants,” 1771:

About the King of Prussia - “He did not have time to reach Prague and unite with all his separate corps, no matter how much hesitation and despite all the advantageous location occupied by the Caesars and their very trenches and batteries with which they were surrounded, he decided to attack them, telling his generals, who advised against it, what is necessary strike while the iron is hot."

“Here at the general’s place we have nothing more to do. The piece has already been cut off and will not stick, and so we need to hurry and try, while the idea about us has not yet been written, and how to write it for anyone else, as I need, then I will try already Meanwhile, how long can they hesitate? Go, go, there’s no point in delaying, gentlemen! strike while the iron is hot. Look for benefactors and patrons and come to me again tomorrow and much earlier."

Strike while the iron is hot FORGE WHILE THE IRON IS HOT. Razg. Express Don't waste time taking advantage of favorable circumstances. - Margarita began to agree, and I struck while the iron was hot, and suggested that I myself was ready to go and settle everything in this place(Leskov. Polunoshniki). STRIKE WHILE THE IRON IS HOT. - Vlas, be sarcastic and re-ulcerate!.. You can handle it in a day, but you’ll stretch it out for half a week. - I’m already fired up, Fedot Fedotich. - I want the best for you, fool. Of good. We'll thresh faster, with fewer losses. Strike while the iron is hot. Oh, Vlaska, you can’t live well(I. Akulov. Kasyan Ostudny).

Phrasebook Russian literary language. - M.: Astrel, AST.

A. I. Fedorov.

strike while the iron is hot 2008. See what “Strike while the iron is hot” is in other dictionaries:

- Act while there is a favorable environment for this...- (from the last. Strike the iron while it’s hot from the last. Strike the iron while it’s hot, hurry up to do something while you have the opportunity, favorable conditions; spoken during the period of perestroika 1985 1990) original value. Strike iron while Gorbachev Do the little thing until... ...

strike while the iron is hot- (foreign language) take advantage of the opportunity. Strike iron when it boils. Wed. Here's my friendly advice to you: strike while the iron is hot, and seize the happiness that a beneficent fate apparently sends you. N. Makarov. Memories. 9, 11. Wed. We don't have time... ... Michelson's Large Explanatory and Phraseological Dictionary

Strike iron while Gorbachev- use it while Gorbachev is in power, make money. Paraphrased common usage. proverb “Strike while the iron is hot”... Dictionary of Russian argot

- Act while there is a favorable environment for this...- This expression is an adaptation of the famous Strike while the iron is hot. New option The classic sentence arose during the leadership of the country by M.S. Gorbachev, when new species were allowed economic activity, and for enterprising people… … Dictionary of folk phraseology

Strike while the iron boils!- Strike while the iron boils (while it's hot)! See HELP BTW... IN AND. Dahl. Proverbs of the Russian people

Strike while the iron is hot- Strike while the iron (boils) is hot (foreign language) take advantage of the opportunity. In those times, strike iron when it boils. Wed. Here is my friendly advice to you: strike while the iron is hot, and seize the happiness that a beneficent fate apparently sends you. N. Makarov... ... Michelson's Large Explanatory and Phraseological Dictionary (original spelling)

FORGE WHILE THE IRON IS HOT. Razg. Express Don't waste time taking advantage of favorable circumstances. Margarita began to agree, and I strike while the iron is hot, and propose that I myself am ready to go and settle everything in this place (Leskov... ... Phraseological Dictionary of the Russian Literary Language

STRIKE THE IRON, // WITHOUT LEAVING THE CHOSER / UNTIL GORBACHEV- last front: Strike while the iron is hot. The same: Strike iron while it’s hot, rough, euphem... Dictionary modern colloquial phraseological units and proverbs

Strike the iron while it's hot- (from the last. Strike iron, while in a hurry to do something, while there are opportunities, favorable conditions; strike is consonant with dick; pronunciation with an eastern accent; rude) 1) original meaning; 2) about the male genital organ in a state of erection... Live speech. Dictionary of colloquial expressions