Akademik

• БРАТЬ/ВЗЯТЬ НА АРАПА кого highly coll

[VP; subj: human; often neg pfv fut, gener. 2nd pers sing не возьмёшь]

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⇒ to (try to) get sth. from s.o., make s.o. do as one wishes by telling him sth. deceitful (and getting him to act before he has had time to realize he is being tricked):

- X взял Y-а на арапа{{}}≈ X pulled a fast one on Y;

- Y was taken in by X;

- X hoodwinked Y;

- X threw dust in Y's eyes.

     ♦ Билеты на этот концерт давно распроданы, а попасть очень хочется. Решил я взять администратора на арапа: пришел к нему, заговорил с акцентом, выдал себя за шведского журналиста - и вот они, билеты! The concert has been sold out for a long time, but I really wanted to go, so I decided to pull a fast one on the concert hall manager: I went up to him and, speaking with an accent, passed myself off as a Swedish journalist. And... here are the tickets!