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άσε [áse] (& άσ' when followed by definite art. or pron of 3rd person) 2sg imper, άστε 2pl ① let, allow, permit (syn άφησε): ⓐ leave (alone), let (be) (syn άφησε): ⓑ let's wait until, wait and see (syn κάτσε, περίμενε): ② let go, drop (it), never mind, leave, forget (syn άφησε): ⓒ cut out, cut off, enough of, stop (syn κόψε, σταμάτα): ③ phr ας τα forget it!, don't ask!: ⓓ phr άσε (που) let alone, not to speak of (near-syn L εξάλλου): [syncopated fr ας (← άφες) w. -ε, 2sg aor imper of αφίω, αφίνω ← αφίημι]
For an intensified "don't ask" we also use «Βράσ' τα» (literally: boil them):
(έκφρ.) να βράσω
, δεν υπολογίζω, περιφρονώ κπ. ή κτ.: Nα σε βράσω, δε σε έχω ανάγκη, μου είσαι αδιάφορος, άχρηστος. Nα βράσω τα λεφτά σου, δεν τα υπολογίζω, τα περιφρονώ. ΦΡ βράζει στο ζουμί* του. όλοι στο ίδιο / σε ένα καζάνι* βράζουμε. βράσε ρύζι* / όρυζα*). The phrases «βράσε ρύζι» and «βράσ' τα» are used to describe a situation that's definitely going downhill and there's no point talking about it.
Then, according to the recipe of whoever coined the rhyming phrase in question, we take a part of «άσ' τα», stir it in with an equal part of «βράσ' τα»
(well boiled of course) and we get: «άσ' τα, βράσ' τα». If the mixture is not simply stirred but well shaken, the product becomes «άστα, ράστα», and for a sweet aftertaste we add «και φάε πάστα» (and eat some pastry). In such a concoction, it's not unlikely that the sound of «ράστα» (rasta
-farian) had something to do with the omission of β from «βράσ' τα».
άστα ράστα: Έχει την ίδια ερμηνεία με το άστα να πάνε. Την αναφέρει κάποιος που περνά μια δύσκολη φάση.
There's also «άσ' τα να πάν' στο διάολο» (let it all go to hell), and «άσ' τα να πάνε» is sometimes joined when speaking rapidly, and playfully written in one word «ασταναπάν».
That «άσ' τα» (or «ας τα» according to the first dictionary entry), is sometimes written as one word: άστα, as it is usually pronounced. But since it's a verb accompanied by a pronoun (άφησέ με > άσε με, άσε τον > άσ' τον, άσε την > άσ' την, άσε το > άσ' το, άσε μας, άσε τους > άσ' τους, άσε τις > άσ' τις or άσ' τες, άσε τα > άσ' τα), if we start joining them, we should join them all, so I prefer to keep them separate, at least for the time being, and depending on the speed and rhythm of the utterance; they are mainly used in writing when the text renders colloquial speech.