[saying]
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⇒ if a person spends a long time saying good-bye to s.o. or seeing s.o. off, he is sure to become upset:
- - long partings mean a lot of tears;
- the longer the good-bye (the goodbye, the leave-taking), the more the tears.
♦ Григорий... попрощался с родными... "Ну, дальние проводы - лишние слёзы. Прощайте!" - дрогнувшим голосом сказал Григорий и подошёл к коню (Шолохов 5). Grigory...said goodbye to his family..."Well, long partings mean a lot of tears. Goodbye!" Grigory said with a quiver in his voice, and walked to his horse (5a).
♦ [Кабанов:] Прощайте, маменька! (Кланяется.) [Кабанова:] Прощай! Дальние проводы - лишние слёзы (Островский 6). [K-ov:] Good-bye Mama! (He bows.) [K-ova:] Good-bye. The longer the leave-taking, the more the tears (6d).
Большой русско-английский фразеологический словарь. — М.: ACT-ПРЕСС КНИГА. С.И. Лубенская. 2004.