Meaning:
Lit. “a parrot” which used to mean “a (defense) lawyer” in Polish prison/criminal slang only. The knowledge of the expression has spread and is now used by people from various trades, not just criminals.
Lit. “a parrot” which used to mean “a (defense) lawyer” in Polish prison/criminal slang only. The knowledge of the expression has spread and is now used by people from various trades, not just criminals.
Lit. “a little monkey” is a Polish idiom for a small (0.1-0.2 litre) bottle of strong alcohol (mostly 30-40% vol.) – either a pure or flavoured vodka. You can buy them in most “monopolowy” shops and also in some supermarkets.
Lit. “a gardener’s dog” which is the phrase in Polish to describe a person not willing to share something even though he/she does not use it. So either following some rules very strictly or out of pure malice. The dog in the manger.
Lit. “healthy as a fish” – which means to be in a perfect condition, healthy and strong, with no complaints whatsoever. The expression is used following medical check-ups but also as a response to someone asking about a person who has recently been sick.
Lit. “to show where crayfish overwinter”. Which is a clear, however, a bit comical, threat. It has been used in Poland over generations and now sounds slightly antiquated but still understandable.