щупать землю ногой

English translation: to test the ground with his foot

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Russian term or phrase:щупать землю ногой
English translation:to test the ground with his foot
Entered by: Olesya Poleschuk

06:13 Oct 15, 2019
Russian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Сленг
Russian term or phrase: щупать землю ногой
Он бежит по лесу сквозь утренний туман. Он осторожно пятится, и временами щупает ногой землю. То ускоряется, то замедляет ход, осматривается по сторонам.
Olesya Poleschuk
Kazakhstan
Local time: 05:02
to test the ground with his foot
Explanation:
Could be "probe", but I don't think "feel" on its own quite does the job.
Selected response from:

David Knowles
Local time: 00:02
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3to test the ground with his foot
David Knowles
3feels (probe) the ground under his feet
Turdimurod Rakhmanov


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
to test the ground with his foot


Explanation:
Could be "probe", but I don't think "feel" on its own quite does the job.

David Knowles
Local time: 00:02
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 206

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Turdimurod Rakhmanov
16 mins
  -> Thanks Turdimurod!

agree  Frank Szmulowicz, Ph. D.
1 hr
  -> Thanks Frank!

agree  Katya Kesten: "probing the earth with his foot" also works, if you want to get literary.
3 hrs
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26 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
feels (probe) the ground under his feet


Explanation:
Interesting question,
you need more time to find the best one,
I hope you understand if it is not relevant to the context, I could not read it attentively,
as if he feels (probe) the ground under or beneath his feet from time to time.

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Note added at 3 hrs (2019-10-15 09:37:53 GMT)
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Сейчас еще раз внимательно прочитал контекст, кажестя здесь значение не test, feel или probe,
это будет прямой перевод,
Я бы предложил вариант,
<gropes his way in the morning mist>

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Note added at 3 hrs (2019-10-15 09:38:29 GMT)
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gropes his way in the morning mist with his feet

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Note added at 3 hrs (2019-10-15 09:40:01 GMT)
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Потому что туман, он острожно, чтоб не упал, думаю grope сюда подходит и idiomatic.!

Turdimurod Rakhmanov
Kyrgyzstan
Local time: 06:02
Native speaker of: Native in UzbekUzbek, Native in KirghizKirghiz
PRO pts in category: 31

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Boris Shapiro: The question reads ногой, not под ногами. / OMG. Try Collins COBUILD for a change: 'If you grope for something that you cannot see, you try to find it by moving your hand'.
1 hr

agree  Frank Szmulowicz, Ph. D.: I think "probes the ground underfoot" should work. After all, the guy was not standing on his head.
3 hrs
  -> Yes, it goes without saying that you probe it with your foot, as it is under your feet. Your feet feel that. This is called logic. Thank you, Frank.
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