Advanced Russian idioms at C1 level with clear English meanings, for English speakers who want to sound natural.
бить баклу́ши
to idle, to loaf around doing nothing
ве́шать лапшу́ на у́ши
to pull someone's leg, to feed someone lies
води́ть за нос
to lead someone by the nose, to string someone along
держа́ть язы́к за зуба́ми
to hold one's tongue, to keep a secret
ему́ па́лец в рот не клади́
he's nobody's fool, you can't put one over on him
души́ не ча́ять
to dote on, to adore
зару́бить на носу́
to get something firmly into your head, to remember it well
из огня́ да в по́лымя
out of the frying pan into the fire
как вы́литый
the spitting image of someone
как с гуся́ вода́
like water off a duck's back (it has no effect on someone)
де́нег ку́ры не клюю́т
to have money to burn, to be rolling in money
наби́ть о́скомину
to become tiresome through repetition, to get old
намота́ть на ус
to take note of something for the future
не в свое́й таре́лке
out of sorts, ill at ease, like a fish out of water
ни пу́ха ни пера́
good luck! (said before an exam or challenge; the reply is "к чёрту!")
одни́м сло́вом
in a word, in short
подли́ть ма́сла в ого́нь
to add fuel to the fire
попа́сть в то́чку
to hit the nail on the head
пиши́ пропа́ло
it's gone for good, you can kiss it goodbye
с гу́лькин нос
a tiny amount, next to nothing
сиде́ть на ше́е
to live off someone, to be a burden on someone
сыгра́ть в я́щик
to kick the bucket (slang: to die)
уби́ть двух за́йцев
to kill two birds with one stone
ходи́ть вокру́г да о́коло
to beat around the bush
язы́к без косте́й
a chatterbox, someone who talks too much without thinking
язы́к до Ки́ева доведёт
if you ask, you'll find your way; it never hurts to ask
расста́вить то́чки над «и»
to dot the i's and cross the t's, to settle things once and for all
проли́ть свет
to shed light on something, to make it clear
разда́ть напра́во и нале́во
to hand out freely, left and right
сжать зу́бы
to grit one's teeth, to bear it
храни́ть как зени́цу о́ка
to guard like the apple of one's eye
воды́ в рот набра́ть
to keep mum, to say nothing (lit. to fill one's mouth with water)
крокоди́ловы слёзы
crocodile tears
ни гроша́ за душо́й
without a penny to one's name
два сапога́ па́ра
two of a kind, birds of a feather
попа́сть впроса́к
to get into a fix, to make a fool of oneself
идти́ в ногу со вре́менем
to keep up with the times
кровь стыне́т в жи́лах
one's blood runs cold
звёзд с не́ба не хвата́ет
to be nothing special, to be no genius
цвести́ и па́хнуть
to be blooming, to look and feel wonderful