[once in a while] {adv. phr.} Not often; not regularly; sometimes;occasionally. We go for a picnic in the park once in a while. Once in a while the puppy would run away, but usually he stayed inthe yard. Syn.: AT TIMES, FROM TIME TO TIME, NOW AND THEN.
[asleep at the switch] {adj. phr.} 1. Asleep when it is one’s duty to move a railroad switch for cars to go on the right track. The new man was asleep at the switch and the two trains crashed. 2. {informal} Failing to act promptly as expected, not alert to an opportunity. When the ducks … Читать далее
[together with] {prep.} In addition to; in the company of; alongwith. John, together with his brother, has gone to the party. The police found a knife, together with the stolen money, hidden in ahollow tree.
[best bib and tucker] or [Sunday best] or [Sunday go-to-meeting clothes] {n. phr.}, {informal} Best clothes or outfit of clothing. The cowboy got all dressed up in his best bib and tucker to go to the dance. Mary went to the party in her Sunday best and made a hit with the boys. Compare: GLAD … Читать далее
[yum-yum] {interj.}, {informal} — Used usually by or to children, to express great delight, especially in the taste of food. «Yum-Yum! That pie is good!»
Идиома: do one’s thing Перевод: делать то, что кому-либо хочется и нравится Пример: My friend enjoys doing his thing when and where he chooses. Моему другу нравится делать то, что ему хочется когда и где угодно.
Идиома: on the right track Перевод: выполнять, делать что-либо правильным образом; двигаться в верном направлении Пример: You are on the right track to find the answer. Ты двигаешься в верном направлении в поисках ответа на вопрос.
[heartbreaker] {n.} One with numerous admirers of the opposite sex;one with whom others fall in love readily. Tom, who has four girlsin love with him at college, has developed the reputation of being aheartbreaker.
[fly blind] {v. phr.} 1. To fly an airplane by instruments alone. In the heavy fog he had to fly blind. 2. {informal} To do somethingwithout understanding what you are doing. I’m glad the car runsnow; I was flying blind when I fixed it. He’s flying blind when hetalks about philosophy.
Идиома: same old story Перевод: что-либо, что происходило таким же образом раньше Пример: It is always the same old story with my friend. He borrows money but he never wants to pay it back. С моим другом всегда одно и то же. Он занимает деньги, но никогда не хочет отдавать их.
[roasting ear] {n.} An ear of corn young and tender enough to becooked and eaten; also corn cooked on the cob. The scouts buriedthe roasting ears in the coals of their campfire. At the Fourth ofJuly picnic we had fried chicken and roasting ears.
[hell and high water] {n. phr.} Troubles or difficulties of anykind. After John’s father died he went through hell and high water, but he managed to keep the family together. Compare: COME HELL ORHIGH WATER.
Идиома: back of beyond Перевод: где-то очень далеко Пример: Every summer we go to the back of beyond for a camping trip. Каждое лето мы очень далеко ездим в поход.
[out of sight, out of mind] If one doesn’t see something for anextended period of time, one tends to forget about it. — A proverb. After Caroline moved out of town, Ray soon found other women to date. As the saying goes, «out of sight, out of mind.»
[nuke a tater] {v. phr.} 1. To bake a potato in a microwave oven. «We have no time for standard baked potatoes in the oven,» she said.»We’ll just have to nuke a tater.»
[tar and feather] {v.} To pour heated tar on and cover withfeathers as a punishment. In the Old West bad men were sometimestarred and feathered and driven out of town.
[have a good head on one’s shoulders] {v. phr.} To be smart;intelligent; well educated. Rob is not the handsomest guy in theworld but the girls appreciate him because he has a good head on hisshoulders.
Идиома: on the way (somewhere) Перевод: по пути куда-либо Пример: We got something to eat on the way to the airport. Мы перекусили по пути в аэропорт.
Идиома: avenue of escape Перевод: путь к отступлению Пример: There was no avenue of escape for the bank robbers. Для грабителей банка не было пути к отступлению.
[come down in the world] {v. phr.} To lose a place of respect or honor, become lower. The stranger plainly had come down a long way in the world. Compare: DOWN ON ONE’S LUCK.
Идиома: in good hands Перевод: в хороших руках Пример: My dog was in good hands when I gave him to my father to look after. Мой пес был в хороших руках, когда я дал его отцу, чтобы он за ним приглядывал.
Идиома: rub it in Перевод: сыпать соль на рану Пример: I know I made a mistake, but you don’t have to rub it in. Я знаю, что сделал ошибку, но не нужно сыпать мне соль на рану.
[on die money] {adv. phr.} Exactly right; exactly accurate. Algernon won the lottery; the numbers he picked were right on themoney. Compare: ON THE NOSE.
[security blanket] {n.}, {slang}, {colloquial} An idea, person, orobject that one holds on to for psychological reassurance or comfortas infants usually hang on to the edge of a pillow, a towel, or ablanket. Sue has gone to Aunt Mathilda for a chat; she is hersecurity blanket.
[to one’s feet] {adv. phr.} To a standing position; up. AfterHenry had been tackled hard by four big players, he got to his feetslowly and painfully. When Sally saw the bus coming, she jumped toher feet and ran out. Compare: ON ONE’S FEET.
Идиома: big shot / big gun Идиома: big shot / big gun разг. Перевод: важная и влиятельная фигура; большая «шишка» Пример: The man is a big shot in the oil and gas industry. Этот человек очень влиятелен в нефтегазовой отрасли.
Идиома: quite a number Перевод: много (употребляется с неисчисляемыми существительными) Пример: Quite a number of the teachers agreed to use the new textbooks. Многие учителя согласились пользоваться новыми учебниками.
[branch out] {v.} To add new interests or activities; begin doing other things also. First Jane collected stamps; then she branched out and collected coins, too. John started a television repair shop; when he did well, he branched out and began selling television sets too.
[to the hilt] or [up to the hilt] {adv. phr.} To the limit; as faras possible; completely. The other boys on the team told Tom hecouldn’t quit. They said, «You’re in this to the hilt.» TheSmith’s house is mortgaged up to the hilt. Compare: HEART AND SOUL, TO THE FULL, UP TO THE — IN.
Идиома: open someone’s eyes (to something) Перевод: открыть кому-либо глаза на что-либо; рассказать, показать кому-либо что-либо Пример: The scandal opened our eyes to the problems that could occur in a large company. Этот скандал открыл нам глаза на то, какие проблемы могут возникнуть в большой компании.
[happen on] or [happen upon] {v.}, {literary} To meet or findaccidentally or by chance. The Girl Scouts happened on a charminglittle brook not far from the camp. At the convention I happenedupon an old friend I had not seen for years. Syn.: CHANCE ON, COMEACROSS, . Compare: HIT ON.
[strike gold] {v. phr.} 1. To find gold. Ted struck gold near anabandoned mine in California. 2. To find suddenly the answer to anold puzzle. Professor Brown’s assistant struck gold when he came upwith an equation that explained the irregular motions of a doublestar. See: PAY DIRT.
[cluck and grunt] {n.}, {slang}, {avoid it in restaurants} The familiar restaurant dish of ham and eggs; since ham is made of pork and eggs come from hens. «I am sorry I can’t fix you an elaborate meal, but I can give you a quick cluck and grunt.»
Идиома: hit or miss / hit and miss Перевод: незапланированный, случайный Пример: We are looking for a new apartment but it is hit and miss whether we can find a good one or not. Мы ищем новую квартиру, но совсем не понятно, сможем мы найти хорошую или нет.
[steal up on] {v. phr.} To stealthily approach one; sneak up onsomeone. The thief stole up on his victim, snatched her purse, andran away.
[as luck would have it] {adv. clause} As it happened; by chance; luckily or unluckily. As luck would have it, no one was in the building when the explosion occurred. As luck would have it, there was rain on the day of the picnic.
Идиома: find it in one’s heart (to do something) / find it in oneself (to do something) Перевод: иметь смелость или сострадание сделать что-либо Пример: I could not find it in my heart to tell the little boy about his dead dog. Я не осмелился сказать маленькому мальчику о том, что у него умерла собака.
Идиома: gain ground Перевод: продвигаться вперед; делать успехи Пример: The toy company is gaining ground in their effort to sell more products. В своих попытках продать больше товаров компания по производству игрушек делает успехи.
[burn down] {v. phr.} To burn to the ground; be totally gutted by fire. The old frame house burned down before the firefighters could get to it.
[trip up] {v.} 1. To make unsteady on the feet; cause tomiss a step, stumble, or fall. A root tripped Billy up while he wasrunning in the woods, and he fell and hurt his ankle. 2. To cause to make a mistake. The teacher asked tricky questions inthe test to trip up students who were … Читать далее
[go up in the air] {v. phr.} To become angry; lose one’s temper. Herb is so irritable these days that he goes up in the air for noreason at all.
[check with] {v. phr.} 1. To consult. I want to check with my lawyer before I sign the papers. 2. To agree with. Does my reconciliation of our account check with the bank statement?
[out of practice] {adj. phr.} Not in proper condition; unable to dosomething well because of lack of practice. The basketball team gotout of practice during the Christmas holidays. Compare: OUT OF SHAPE. Contrast: IN PRACTICE.
[fancy pants] {n.}, {slang} A man or boy who wears clothes that aretoo nice or acts like a woman or girl; sissy. The first time theysaw him in his new band uniform, they yelled «Hey, fancy pants, whatare you doing in your sister’s slacks?»
[breath] See: CATCH ONE’S BREATH, DRAW A LONG BREATH or TAKE A LONG BREATH, HOLD ONE’S BREATH, IN THE SAME BREATH, OUT OF BREATH, SAVE ONE’S BREATH, SECOND WIND also SECOND BREATH, TAKE ONE’S BREATH AWAY, UNDER ONE’S BREATH, WASTE ONE’S BREATH.
Идиома: in reality Перевод: в действительности, на самом деле Пример: The woman said that she wants a job but in reality I don’t think that she really wants to work. Женщина говорит, что ей нужна работа, но на самом деле, мне кажется, что она не хочет работать.
Идиома: keep someone company Перевод: составить кому-либо компанию Пример: I stayed home last night so that I could keep my mother company. Вчера вечером я остался дома, чтобы составить компанию своей матери.
Идиома: return the favor Перевод: отплатить услугой за услугу; поступить хорошо с кем-либо, кто раньше уже поступил с кем-либо хорошо Пример: I returned the favor to my friend who had recently helped me to move from my apartment. Я помог своему другу, который недавно тоже помог мне выехать из моей квартиры.
[lay into] or [light into] {v.}, {informal} 1. To attackphysically; go at vigorously. The two fighters laid into each otheras soon as the bell rang. John loves Italian food and he reallylaid into the spaghetti. Syn.: PITCH INTO, SAIL INTO. 2. {slang} Toattack with words. The senator laid into the opponents of hisbill. Syn.: LACE … Читать далее
Идиома: bring someone to hill Перевод: заставить кого-либо подчиниться, повиноваться Пример: The new supervisor quickly brought the employees to heel. Новый надсмотрщик быстро заставил служащих ему повиноваться.