The role of phraseological units in the Russian language can hardly be overestimated. Thanks to their use, the speaker's speech acquires a special brilliance, liveliness, and imagery. The roots of a great many set expressions should be sought in the vernacular. It is he who is the storehouse of truly precious treasures of our modern vocabulary.
The meaning of the expression "hedgehogs"
When one person wants to characterize the methods or techniques of raising another, emphasizing their particular severity, maybe even cruelty, he most often states that he keeps his family in a black body. It is appropriate in the same sense to use the idiom "hedgehogs".
Combinations like “fox coat”, “beaver hat” are quite common, but what does a piece of clothing made from a prickly mammal look like and does it really exist? We learn this by examining the etymology of the phraseologism.
History of the origin of the expression
It turns out that such mittens were not made from the skin of an animal, but to capture it. As you know, hedgehogs, along with cats, are good mousers. And the peasants in the old days very often used them for this very purpose, running them into their cellars and cellars.
And how is it more convenient to catch a prickly creature, so as not to get hurt yourself, and not to injure him? This is where hedgehog gloves came to the rescue - specially made for catching mouse hunters. They were sewn without lining, from very rough leather, and they were called golits.
Using the expression in colloquial speech and literature
It is believed that "hedgehogs" mean not just strictness in upbringing, attitude, but restriction of freedom, perhaps overstated, but out of the best of intentions - for the benefit of the educated person.
An old expression, which was used more than once in their work by classic writers, during the years of Stalinist repressions suddenly acquired a new sound. These same mittens were associated among the people with the name of the head of the NKVD Yezhov - much more eloquent!
If we note the use of the expression in literature, then an episode from Pushkin's "The Captain's Daughter" immediately comes to mind. There, the protagonist, having handed over a letter from his father to his future boss, tries to cheat, in his own way explaining to the German general the meaning of the words "keep tight." Say, this means treating gently, without severity, but he quickly realizes that this is not so, continuing to read the letter.
In modern colloquial speech, this expression is not so common.
