Большой русско-английский фразеологический словарь

ГРЕХ ОДИН

ГРЕХ (СМЕХ) ОДИН (, а не...)coll,disapprov
[NP; these forms only; fixedWO]
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one is completely incompetent, unqualified, ill-suited (for the position, roleetcspecified in the preceding context),sth.is of very poor quality, useless, does not properly fulfill its role or function:
-one (sth.) is a poor excuse for a[NP];
-there's no way you can call one (sth.) a[NP];
- [in limited contexts]one (sth.) is a joke (, not a [NP]).
♦ Какой из него начальник! Грех один, а не начальник. Hima boss? He's a joke, not a boss.