1

There's an obscene yet often used expression in Russian which sounds exactly like this:

"Сделать что-то на отъебись"

Which means you do/create/complete something just enough so that it worked (often in a very bad, barely sufficient, shoddy way) and not a single bit more. As a result of such "work", the product can be used for its primary purpose but it leaves a very bad aftertaste and in certain cases can even be dangerous.

Is there a similar expression in English?

A literal translation would be "To do something [so that you or someone else] fucked off".

Artem S. Tashkinov
  • 309
  • 3
    Good enough for government work. – Peter Shor May 20 '21 at 17:49
  • My first thought is that there are so many expressions, we need more clues to narrow it down. "hack" or "kludge" in software engineering, "jury rigging" or "cobbled together" for something assembled out of random bits you have at hand, "half-assed" minimal effort that kind of gets the job done, "close enough for jazz"... Are you looking for a verb/phrasal verb, a noun, or an adjectival phrase describing the product? Is there any special field of endeavour you are involved in (software, engineering, building, etc)? – Stuart F May 20 '21 at 17:50
  • https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/553841/is-there-a-word-for-making-a-shoddy-version-of-something-just-to-get-it-working – Cascabel_StandWithUkraine_ May 20 '21 at 17:53
  • https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/154978/idiom-for-someone-who-works-fast-without-paying-attention-to-the-quality – Cascabel_StandWithUkraine_ May 20 '21 at 17:57
  • "Quick and dirty" doesn't have a very bad connotation this expression absolutely has in Russian. "Kludge" is probably what I'm looking for but I need a general expression, just just one known to IT professionals. Also I like "Haphazardly throw together". – Artem S. Tashkinov May 20 '21 at 17:59
  • 1
    https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/381192/does-a-word-meaning-created-recklessly-for-temporary-use-exist – Cascabel_StandWithUkraine_ May 20 '21 at 18:01
  • @Artem: A lot more English speakers than IT professionals know the word kludge, but maybe it is specialized to science/IT people. – Peter Shor May 20 '21 at 18:04
  • "Makeshift" is a great example but it implies something is done for a temporary use while this Russian expression doesn't imply that. You may as well do something this way and it will survive for decades. – Artem S. Tashkinov May 20 '21 at 18:04
  • "Slapdash" is what I'm probably looking for! Never heard or seen it before, I wonder how common it us. Also the british "to bodge" works as well! Thanks a lot. Please mark this question a dupe of https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/381192/does-a-word-meaning-created-recklessly-for-temporary-use-exist

    "throwaway" BTW almost catches the essence, and is even better. Thanks a lot guys!

     – Artem S. Tashkinov May 20 '21 at 18:06
  • @PeterShor or "good enough for jazz" – Mitch May 21 '21 at 01:54
  • @PeterShor the jibe about government work is not an accepted idiom. Nor does it reflect the reality of much government work, which is often concerned with the niceties and details of legislation and its implementation. One might as well tilt at private enterprise such as the faulty PIP breast implants, the marginally effective UK PPE provision, or the callously disregarding Bhopal affair. – Anton May 21 '21 at 13:12
  • @Anton: It absolutely is an accepted idiom. Look at Google Ngrams, which shows that it's been a relatively common idiom for the last 30 years. You can argue that it's not necessarily an accurate or a politically correct one (and I won't disagree), but it's an idiom. – Peter Shor May 21 '21 at 13:22
  • @PeterShor does it universally apply to all English-speaking countries? I presume it might be relevant for e.g. the UK/US, but not for example NZ or India. – Artem S. Tashkinov May 21 '21 at 13:27
  • Google Ngrams shows that it started in the U.S., and has now spread to the U.K. I don't know much about Australian, NZ, or Indian English. – Peter Shor May 21 '21 at 13:30
  • Thanks, I wouldn't use this expression for one reason: it refers to the government/sort of shifts the blame, as if what you've done is actually sort of acceptable because it's how the government could have done it. I'm not a native English speaker of course, but this connotation/connection (even though it could not be implied) is too conspicuous to me. What's funny is that Russians are unable to find a non-explicit version of this expression either: https://twitter.com/varlamov/status/435130281067315200?lang=en – Artem S. Tashkinov May 21 '21 at 13:38
  • @PeterShor OK, I am convinced; I retract the non-idiom remark. I have never heard it or anything like it. Clearly I move in less prejudiced circles than ngram. I must get out and meet more tories. – Anton May 21 '21 at 13:48

0 Answers0