тихушник

English translation: a "snake in the grass"

00:00 Sep 7, 2023
Russian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Slang / Social relationships
Russian term or phrase: тихушник
Уважаемые коллеги и друзья!

Какой вариант вам кажется наиболее удачным для обозначения человека, в котором за мнимой скромностью, уравновешенностью и молчаливостью (например, предпочитает не участвовать в острых дискуссиях, хотя они затрагивают жизненно важные интересы всех сотрудников компании) скрывается подлый, мстительный и чересчур принципиальный тип, про которого никак не подумаешь, что он на такое способен? Такой человек необязательно промышляет темными (противозаконными) делами, однако его с виду неприметные или невинные поступки доставляют всем кучу неприятностей. Например, настрочил кляузу на нерадивых поставщиков оборудования в обход руководства, хотя на презентациях о плановых показателях из него слова не вытянешь (там не знает, здесь не помнит) и своим поведением не демонстрирует явных волевых качеств для решения насущных вопросов внутри компании. При этом назвать его доносчиком, вором или предателем нельзя, но его мотивы скрыты и не считываются коллегами, с которыми он давно работает.
На ум приходит давняя идиома still waters run deep, но это общая характеристика ситуации (хотя в литературе встречаются фразы His waters run deep and murky), а нужно что-нибудь из ярких оборотов или существительных, которые отражали бы склонность человек действовать втихаря. Loose cannon здесь не подойдет, так как отсутствует элемент скрытности (ближе к "ходячей катастрофе") и обособленности (вместе со всеми, но сам себе на уме).
Roman Bouchev
Russian Federation
Local time: 07:28
English translation:a "snake in the grass"
Explanation:
Deceitful or treacherous person (informal).
Selected response from:

JJ Shaw
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:28
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +4a "snake in the grass"
JJ Shaw
4undercover, operates in the shadows, is slick a pig shit, nefarious, duplicitious, scheming/schemer
Justin Bearden
3 +1backstabber
Frank Szmulowicz, Ph. D.
3sly
IrinaN
3mum keeper
Eugenio 85
3rat
Sofia Gutkin
3deep one / nobody's fool / shrewd
Turdimurod Rakhmanov


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
sly


Explanation:
Но обыграть можно только в конкретном предложении. Например, What a sly creature he is.

IrinaN
United States
Local time: 23:28
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 4
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
undercover, operates in the shadows, is slick a pig shit, nefarious, duplicitious, scheming/schemer


Explanation:
Будет очень тяжело отвечать на такой вопрос потому что, вариант, который исползуешь зависит от многых вещей. Вот, смотри екземплари внизу.

You have to be wary of him. He seems innocent, non-descript, or innocent. He's not. He is undercover; he is more calculating than he seems.

Watch out. If you give her too much information, you'll be sorry. She operates in the shadows like the CIA. You won't know there is a problem until the war has started.

Don't trust that man! He is slick a pig shit and will fuck you over without a second thought. He listens well and remembers even the smallest details. He will ruin you on a whim if he gets bored.

The previous week, he was on BBC1's Question Time for the first time, with Max Hastings, the former editor of The Daily Telegraph, who described him and Peter Mandelson as the two most duplicitous men in public life.

That old man runs schemes. He is a schemer – always trying to get something for free on a technicality.

Don't believe the propaganda of the Christian missionaries. They are nefarious in their actions in the developing world and always have been. There is no reason for a nun spreading the good news of the savior in Peru and Ecuador to be paid 800K per year by an oil company. She may seem sweet and kind, but she never mentioned to the natives in the Amazon she was getting paid 800K a year; she also didn't mention it to the diocese. They are only making waves about her monetary gain because they did not get a cut. Missionaries are tools of the capitalists and economic hitmen.

Justin Bearden
United States
Local time: 23:28
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
mum keeper


Explanation:
There is an expression: to keep mum, so , presumably, mum keeper may be derived from this, though I choose not to insist.
All the best. Eugene N

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Note added at 9 hrs (2023-09-07 09:58:06 GMT)
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It is someone as silent as a fish with his plans and intentions at the back of his mind.
One'd better avoid or keep clear of him!
Eugene N

Eugenio 85
Local time: 07:28
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Boris Shapiro: Care to provide usage examples? Not "to keep mum", or "keeping mum", mind you, but "mum keeper" specifically?
19 days
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13 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +4
a "snake in the grass"


Explanation:
Deceitful or treacherous person (informal).

JJ Shaw
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:28
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sofia Gutkin
5 days

agree  Boris Shapiro
22 days

agree  Laura Friend
25 days

agree  Hardboiled_Cat
76 days
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6 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
rat


Explanation:
Это, конечно, намного более размытая опция, но ее очень удобно использовать в предложение и в разных контекстах.

Collins English Dictionary: If you call someone a rat, you mean that you are angry with them or dislike them, often because they have cheated you or betrayed you.
[informal, disapproval]
What did you do with the gun you took from that little rat Turner?
Synonyms: rogue, scoundrel [old-fashioned], heel [slang], cad [old-fashioned, informal, British]

Sofia Gutkin
Australia
Local time: 14:28
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 4
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18 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
backstabber


Explanation:
backstabber (plural backstabbers) A traitor or hypocrite, such as a co-worker or friend assumed trustworthy but who figuratively attacks when one's back is turned.

Frank Szmulowicz, Ph. D.
United States
Local time: 00:28
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PolishPolish
PRO pts in category: 20

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Oleg Lozinskiy: A backstabber may say one thing to you, like feigning concern for you, but then tell others something totally different. In other cases, a backstabber might spread rumors and lies about you to make you look bad.
1 hr
  -> Thank you, Oleg, for your detailed analysis.
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18 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
deep one / nobody's fool / shrewd


Explanation:
deep one / nobody's fool / shrewd
deep file

Turdimurod Rakhmanov
Kyrgyzstan
Local time: 10:28
Native speaker of: Native in UzbekUzbek, Native in KirghizKirghiz
PRO pts in category: 4
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