Acts like a pava. Many are familiar with this expression from Pushkin's fairy tale, but the meaning of the word "pava" is not known to everyone. A woman of noble birth, or perhaps a representative of another nationality? And if at the time of Alexander Sergeevich this word, apparently, was more popular, then among our contemporaries it is not known to many at all. But really, what kind of pava is this?
Ironically, the pava is just a female peacock. By analogy with turkey and turkey, goose and goose, pava means bird. Today, however, this word is practically not used. However, there is also a figurative meaning, it means a proud woman who walks with her head held high and does not want to notice anyone around. Have you seen how peacocks stroll in the palaces of the padishahs or in their homeland? The head is raised, the tail is straightened, the gait, as they say, from the hip … That is why poets and writers often used this comparison to emphasize the excessive pride and narcissism of a woman.
But do not assume that the title of Pava is exclusively negative. "Acts like a pava" is rather a flattering characteristic. After all, a woman who knows her own worth and knows how to show others all her dignity cannot but admire men. Pava is not necessarily an unapproachable pride. It may well be an ordinary woman who knows how to stand up for herself. And although excessive pride was never considered a woman's virtue, being proud for a woman of those times was synonymous with self-respect.
There is, however, a second side to the coin. Like any word used to denote high spiritual qualities, beauty or dignity, dad was actively used in a negative context. For example: "Neither pava, nor crow" - clearly does not make a worthy compliment to the woman to whom it is pronounced. The word "pava" was used and is used in speech more allegorically. And despite the fact that in the mind of a person it has not evoked associations with a peacock for a long time, it does not bear the direct meaning of a proud and important woman.
Today this word is practically not heard in modern speech, which is why the current generation for the most part does not know its meaning and, reading fairy tales and literature of past years, imagines a completely different meaning under it. However, there is an opinion that the fashion for old words, just like the fashion for clothes and culinary dishes, will return with time. And, who knows, perhaps in tens or even hundreds of years, when the memories of the true meaning of this word are lost, it will acquire a completely different meaning.