What does phraseologism mean to put a pig. What does the expression "put a pig in. See what "Put a pig" in other dictionaries

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The negatively dismissive, emotional expression "to put a pig" means to declare not what it really is, to deceive, to put the wrong product. Most often used in colloquial communication, referring to conditions that were not known before.

As some Eastern peoples know, Jews and Muslims, whose religion forbids eating pork. Therefore, if such a person was imperceptibly served pork meat during the meal, in order to deceive. In this case, they said - "They planted a pig."

There is a legend about the origin of this concept. It says that about 200 thousand years ago, the Roman army under the command of Titus got close to the city of Jerusalem and began to besiege it. Despite the fact that famine began in the city, the Romans could not break into it. Why?

It turned out that the inhabitants daily brought a sacrifice to the altar - a young lamb, as a result of which they managed to maintain their strength. But one day the lambs ran out and then the townspeople went to the trick - they agreed with the Romans that every day they would lower a basket of gold on a rope, and they, in turn, would give them one lamb. That's what they decided on.

And so a day passes, another, a week, a month, but nothing changes, and Titus was extremely surprised by this turn of events. After some time, some traitor told him the whole truth about the altar, and then Titus, the leader and commander, went to the trick. When the townspeople lowered another basket of gold, instead of a lamb, he put a pig in it, which the inhabitants could not eat. Hunger did its job, the fortress surrendered!

From here comes the steady negative concept and expression - “put a pig in”. And as soon as her hooves managed to touch the walls of the city, the whole earth around immediately trembled, the walls began to crumble, and the Romans captured the holy land, and all the Jews were taken into exile. Probably the walls of the fortress could not withstand such a betrayal. In fact, most likely the townspeople could not eat the pig, due to the possible disease of Leprosy, and surrendered by opening the gate.

They put a pig in. What does it mean?

How often do we put a pig on an enemy? The meaning of the phrase is familiar to everyone. Putting a pig on means to do disgust or trouble to someone, and always on the sly. It sounds nice enough, but it doesn't look very good. An unworthy and bad occupation, which does not at all paint the one who does it.
Where did this expression come from in our everyday life? It should be noted that the pig is offended quite undeservedly. After all, it was this pig that the German knights tried to put on Alexander Nevsky on Lake Peipsi. The construction of the “pig” (triangle) army was very formidable and effective. Hence the first meaning of the expression appears, which means the following: to make someone a big trouble. In this case, the pig is not a domestic animal at all, but only an association.

Second phraseological unit meaning refers to different religions. As some Eastern peoples know, religion forbids eating pork. Therefore, if pork meat was quietly served to such a person during a meal, then his religious feelings were thereby defiled. In some cases, this could cause not only strong rage on the part of the offended, but also his illness.

Third option origin This expression is associated with the folk game, which was called "piggy". The player was given (placed) a grandmother (mumps), which was absolutely unsuitable for the game. In different countries, instead of the animal familiar to us, a fox or a goat often appears in colloquial speech. Which, in principle, does not change the essence of the phrase and action at all.

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Phraseologism "Put a pig" meaning

Hearing the word "pig", each of us immediately draws a well-known domestic animal. This image has long acquired a not very honorable meaning, and many are surprised, say, when they meet in history the noble boyar surname "Svinyny". What a fantasy people had to be called a "pig" name!

Meanwhile, the ancestor of the Svinins received this surname as a reward for military merit: he was the first to build a large - princely army with a “pig”, that is, a “wedge”. It is also known that Alexander Nevsky managed to defeat the knightly "pig" on Lake Peipus.

The triangular battle formation "pig" was considered very formidable.

Perhaps that is why the words “put a pig” (on someone) began to mean: to arrange a big trouble. It is curious that in German the idiomatic expression "to have a pig" means "luck". “Er hat shwein” (“he has a pig”) - he is lucky.

An episode from F. Rabelais's book "Gargantua and Pantagruel" about the trick that brother Jean resorted to in preparing for the battle with sausages can also be considered interesting to explain the turnover "put a pig in". Having repeated the trick of the ancient Greeks during the siege of Troy (see "Gifts of the Danaans"), he ordered the construction of a huge pig and, together with the cooks, hid inside it. At the decisive moment, the cooks, led by Brother Jean, jumped out of hiding and put the stunned enemy to flight.

However, it should be said that these explanations cannot be recognized as indisputable. The possibility is not ruled out that the basis for them was the invincible aversion of some Eastern peoples (in particular, the Tatars) to pork meat. The Mohammedan, who was “placed a pig” at the meal, that is, treated with a fraudulent way of pork, came into the greatest anger and almost fell ill. It is very likely that our expression came from here.

Many sayings that have come into use today have their own background. Let's see where the expression comes from "Put the pig" .

In ancient times, even before our era, the Creator of heaven and earth, gave one of the peoples the laws by which they had to live! One of the points of these laws spoke about food, that is, what can be eaten and what is forbidden to eat.

This people was the Israelites. The pig was considered by them to be an unclean animal, the meat of which could not be eaten:

2 Say to the children of Israel, These are the animals that you may eat from all the livestock on the earth:
3 Every livestock that has cloven hooves and a deep cut in the hooves, and that chews the cud, eat;
4 But do not eat these of those who chew the cud and have cloven hooves: a camel, because he chews the cud, but his hooves are not cloven, he is unclean for you;
5 and the jerboa, because he chews the cud, but his hooves are not cloven, he is unclean for you,
6 and the hare, because he chews the cud, but his hooves are not cloven, he is unclean for you;
7 and pigs, because her hooves are cloven and the hooves are cut deep, but she does not chew the cud, she is unclean to you;
(Lev 11:2-7).

8 And swine, because her hooves are cloven, but she does not chew the cud: she is unclean to you; do not eat their meat, and do not touch their corpses
(Deut 14:8).

She was also considered a symbol of dirt, sin and lack of remorse:

22 Like a gold ring in a pig's nose, a woman is beautiful and reckless.
(Pr 11:22).

6 Do not give anything holy to dogs, and do not cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample it under their feet and turn and tear you to pieces.
(Matthew 7:6).

22 But it happens to them according to a true proverb: the dog returns to his vomit, and: the washed pig [goes] wallow in the mud
(2 Pet 2:22).

Sacrificing a pig and eating pork was equated with idolatry:

3 to the people who constantly offend me in the face, offer sacrifices in the groves and burn incense on potsherds,
4 sits in tombs and spends the night in caves; eats swine meat, and vile brew in his vessels
(Isaiah 65:3-4).

17 Those who sanctify and purify themselves in the groves, one by one, eat swine meat and abominations and mice, they will all perish, says the Lord.
(Isaiah 66:17).

For these reasons, herding pigs was considered a contemptible occupation for a Jew (see Luke 15:15).

The herds of pigs mentioned in the New Testament were grazed in the vicinity of ten Hellenistic cities (cf. for food, the meat of pigs, they could safely sell it to the Hellenes.

Historical context

The Jews had a custom to strictly observe the letter of the law (the prescriptions of the Old Testament), no matter what happens around us, but the rituals must be observed. To paraphrase this, we get the following saying; "War is war, but sacrificing on the altar is on schedule" . Many times the Jews faced this problem when their capital, the main city of the country, Jerusalem, was besieged by the Romans or the Arabs.

At the end of the 60s BC. e. There was a civil war in Judea. Two opposing parties fought among themselves for power. Here is what we have on this subject in written sources:

“... while the clergy and Aristobulus were under siege, the Easter holiday came, on which, according to our custom, plentiful sacrifices are made to the Eternal.

Then the comrades of Aristobulus, in need of material for sacrifices, turned to fellow believers with a request to supply them with such for any money. Despite the fact that the fellow believers appointed 1000 drachmas for each head [of the sacrificial animal], Aristobulus and the clergy willingly agreed to pay this price and paid the money by lowering them on belts from the walls.

However, the besiegers, having taken the money, did not even think of giving sacrificial animals for them, and even went so far as to violate this word and mocked the Eternal, not giving the petitioners the sacrifice they needed ... "

(Flavius, I. "Antiquities of the Jews" // volume 2; book 14; ch. 2; p. 2; article 75).

We find a similar story in the Talmud. At the same time, the sages add several details not mentioned by Flavius:

“... during the war between the Hasmonean princes, Hyrcanus besieged his brother Aristobulus in Jerusalem.

Every day, the besieged lowered a basket of denarii from the walls, and the besiegers placed a sacrificial animal in it. An old man who studied Greek wisdom hinted to the besiegers using Greek wisdom: "As long as the sacrifices continue, you will not take the city."

The next day, instead of a sacrificial animal, the besiegers put a pig in a basket ... "

(Babylonian Talmud, Treatise Sota, 49 b. //