лезть

Etymology

From Old East Slavic лѣзти (lězti), from Proto-Slavic *lězti (“to crawl, climb”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [lʲesʲtʲ]

• Audio

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Verb

лезть • (leztʹ) impf (perfective зале́зть or влезть or поле́зть)

1. to climb (up, on to), scramble

   лезть на сте́ну ― leztʹ na sténu ― to climb up the wall

2. to clamber, crawl, scramble (through, into, under)
3. to get (into); thrust the hand (into)

   лезть в во́ду ― leztʹ v vódu ― to get into the water

   лезть в дра́ку ― leztʹ v dráku ― to get into the fight

4. to thrust oneself (upon); intrude (upon)

   Не лезь ко мне! ― Ne lezʹ ko mne! ― Don't touch me! / Don't intrude on me! (protest to sexual advances)

5. meddle (in, with)
6. to fit (into)

   Боти́нки ему́ не ле́зут. ― Botínki jemú ne lézut. ― He can't get the boots on.

7. to fall out, come out (of hair or fur)
8. to stick out, be conspicuous
9. to slip out of position
10. to come on, do something despite obstacles or objections
11. to try to climb, try to reach a better position in life
12. to come to pieces (of cloth or leather)
13. used in idioms:

    лезть из ко́жи вон ― leztʹ iz kóži von ― to go all out, to bend over backwards (get out of own skin)

    не лезть за сло́вом в карма́н ― ne leztʹ za slóvom v karmán ― to have a ready tongue, not to be at a loss for a word, to have a way with words (not to rummage for a word in the pocket)

    лезть кому́-ли́бо в ду́шу ― leztʹ komú-líbo v dúšu ― to worm oneself into smb.'s confidence (to get into somebody's soul)

    лезть не в своё де́ло ― leztʹ ne v svojó délo ― to poke one's nose into other people's affairs; to pry

    хоть в пе́тлю лезть ― xotʹ v pétlju leztʹ ― I am at my wit's end (ready to get a noose to hang myself)

References

• Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), “лезу”, in Etimologičeskij slovarʹ russkovo jazyka [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), translated from German and supplemented by Trubačev O. N., Moscow: Progress
• Černyx, P. Ja. (1999), “лезть”, in Istoriko-etimologičeskij slovarʹ russkovo jazyka [Historical-Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), volume 1, 3rd reprint edition, Moscow: Russkij jazyk, page 474