Akademik

• КТО КУДА coll

[Invar; fixed WO]

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1. [usu. adv or indep. sent (often in response to an inquiry beginning with "Куда" about several or many people)]

⇒ some people (go, run etc) in one directon, others in other directions, (people go etc) to various places:

- in different (all) directions;

- each (going) his own way;

- some (going) one way, some another;

- to all different places.

     ♦ Немцы оставили кинотеатр и с криками: "Спасайтесь! Крещатик взрывается!" - бросились бежать кто куда... (Кузнецов 1). The Germans now fled from the cinema, shouting, "Run for your lives! Kreshchatik is blowing up!" They ran in all directions... (1a).

     ♦ "Раз, - это было за Тереком, - я ездил с абреками отбивать русские табуны; нам не посчастливилось, и мы рассыпались кто куда" (Лермонтов 1). "One time - this happened beyond the Terek - I rode with the abreks to seize Russian horse herds; we had bad luck, and scattered, each his own way" (1a).

     ♦ "Айда по домам, старик". - "Ну уж это кто куда, - ответил Валя, - я человек молодой и свободный" (Семёнов 1). [context transl] "We might as well go on home, old man." "You go where you like," answered Roslyakov. "But I'm still young and free" (1a).

2. [adv]

⇒ (the people in question do sth.) without agreement, cooperation, or coordination among themselves (may refer to singing and playing musical instruments):

- everyone doing his own thing;

- [in limited contexts](all) at sixes and sevens.