Английские идиомы

Идиома: all along Перевод: все время, с самого начала Пример: I knew all along that my friend would not get the promotion. Я с самого начала знал, что мой друг не получит повышения.

[up to no good] {adv. phr.} Intending to do something bad;perpetrating an illicit act. We could tell from the look on Dennisthe Menace’s face that he was once again up to no good.

[speak the same language] {v. phr.} To have similar feelings, thoughts, and tastes; have a mutual understanding with another person. We both love listening to Mozart. Obviously, we speak the samelanguage.

[take a dim view of] {v. phr.} 1. To have doubts about; feel unsureor anxious about. Tom took a dim view of his chances of passing theexam. Betty hoped to go on a picnic, but she took a dim view ofthe weather. 2. To be against; disapprove. John’s father took adim view of his wanting … Читать далее

[dry behind the ears] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Experienced; knowing how to do something. Usually used in the negative. John had just started working for the company, and was not dry behind the ears yet. Compare: KNOW ONE’S WAY AROUND. Contrast: WET BEHIND THE EARS.

[in bad] {adv. phr.}, {substandard} Out of favor; unpopular; indifficulty; in trouble. No, I can’t go swimming today. Father toldme to stay home, and I don’t want to get in bad. — Usually used with»with». Mary is in bad with the teacher for cheating on the test. The boy is in bad with the police … Читать далее

Идиома: wear the trousers Перевод: быть хозяином в доме, верховодить в семье Пример: I don’t think there’s any doubt about who wears the trousers in their house. Думаю, нет никаких сомнений в том, кто хозяин в их доме.

[wade in] or [wade into] {v.}, {informal} 1. To go busily to work. The house was a mess after the party, but Mother waded in and soonhad it clean again. 2. To attack. When Bill had heard Jim’sargument, he waded in and took it apart. Jack waded into the boyswith his fists flying.

[just for the fun of it] {adv. phr.} Merely as a matter ofamusement. «I’ll bring a goat to class,» Bob said to hisclassmates, «just for the fun of it; I want to see what kind of a faceProfessor Brown will make.»

[lie down on the job] {v. phr.}, {informal} To purposely fail to doyour job; neglect a task; loaf. Bill isn’t trying to learn hislessons. He is lying down on the job. If you lie down on your job, you will lose it.

Идиома: touch / strike / hit a (raw) nerve Перевод: задеть нерв; затронуть больную тему; расстроить Пример: The newspaper article touched a raw nerve — people still resent the closure of the local school. Статься в газете затронула больную тему — люди все еще негодуют о закрытии местной школы. I think I hit a nerve … Читать далее

[old hat] {adj.}, {informal} Old-fashioned; not new or different. By now, putting satellites in orbit is old hat to space scientists. Andrea thought her mother’s ideas about dating were old hat.

[hit the books] {v. phr.}, {informal} To study your schoolassignments, prepare for classes. Jack broke away from his friends, saying, «I’ve got to hit the books.»

Идиома: turn a blind eye (to someone or something) Перевод: делать вид, что не замечать что-либо; закрывать на что-либо глаза Пример: Our teacher usually turns a blind eye to the fact that the student often comes to school a few minutes late. Наш учитель обычно закрывает глаза на то, что этот ученик часто опаздывает на … Читать далее

Идиома: on someone’s or something’s last legs Перевод: быть почти выдохшимся, на исходе, при последнем издыхании Пример: My computer is on its last legs and soon I will have to buy a new one. Мой компьютер уже почти совсем сломался, и скоро мне придется покупать новый. I felt like I was on my last legs … Читать далее

[last-ditch] {adj.} Made or done as a last chance to keep fromlosing or tailing. He threw away his cigarettes in a last-ditcheffort to stop smoking. Compare: BACK TO THE WALL.

[in line ] {adv. phr.} In or into a straight line. The boysstood in line to buy their tickets. Tom set the chairs in linealong the wall. The carpenter put the edges of the boards inline.

[level with] {v. phr.} To tell someone the truth; not engage inlies and subterfuge. «You can level with me,» his father said. «Didyou break that window?»

[put in mind of] {v. phr.}, {nonstandard} To remind of; suggest to;call up the memory of. She puts me in mind of my sister. Thatputs me in mind of a story.

[take the offensive] {v. phr.} To make oneself the attacking party. After many months of preparation, the freedom fighters were readyto take the offensive. Contrast TAKE THE DEFENSIVE.

Идиома: under a cloud Перевод: в тяжелом положении Пример: She has been under a cloud of depression since her cat died. Она была очень подавлена после того, как умерла ее кошка.

[move in on] {v. phr.}, {slang}, {colloquial} To take oversomething that belongs to another. He moved in on my girlfriend andnow we’re not talking to each other.

Идиома: of one’s own accord / of one’s own free will Перевод: добровольно, по собственному желанию Пример: The supervisor decided to leave her job of her own free will and was not fired. Менеджер решила уйти с работы по собственному желанию, она не была уволена.

[fine feathers do not make fine birds] {literary} A person whowears fine clothes may not be as good as he looks. — A proverb. Mary is pretty and she wears pretty clothes, but she is very mean. Fine feathers do not make fine birds. Compare: HANDSOME IS ASHANDSOME DOES.

[let one’s hair down] or [let down one’s hair] {v. phr.},{informal} Act freely and naturally; be informal; relax. Kings andqueens can seldom let their hair down. After the dance, thecollege girls let their hair down and compared dates. Compare: LETGO.

[down the drain] {adj.} or {adv. phr.}, {informal} Wasted; lost. It is money down the drain if you spend it all on candy. Our plans to go swimming went down the drain when it rained. Compare: GO BY THE BOARD.

[as much as] {adv. phr.} 1. or [much as] Even though; although. As much as I hate to do it, I must stay home and study tonight. 2. or [so much as] Just the same as; almost; practically; really. By running away he as much as admitted that he had taken the money. You as … Читать далее

[keep track] {v. phr.} To know about changes; stay informed orup-to-date; keep a count or record. What day of the week is it? Ican’t keep track. — Usually used with «of». Mr. Stevens kept trackof his business by telephone when he was in the hospital. Thefarmer has so many chickens, he can hardly keep track … Читать далее

Идиома: worth one’s salt Перевод: стоящий своих денег; стоящий, хороший (о работнике) Пример: The man is definitely worth his salt and is one of our best employees. Этот человек просто отличный работник, он один из наших лучших служащих.

[doctor up] {v. phr.} To meddle with; adulterate. You don’t have to doctor up this basic salad with a lot of extras as I am trying to lose weight.

[own] See: COME INTO ONE’S OWN, DOSE OF ONE’S OWN MEDICINE, HOLDONE’S OWN, IN A WORLD OF ONE’S OWN, KEEP ONE’S OWN COUNSEL, OF ONE’SOWN ACCORD or OF ONE’S OWN FREE WILL, ON ONE’S OWN ACCOUNT or ON ONE’SOWN HOOK, ON ONE’S OWN TIME, SIGN ONE’S OWN DEATH WARRANT, TAKE THELAW INTO ONE’S OWN HANDS, … Читать далее

[overhead] {n.} Expenses incurred in the upkeep of one’s plant andpremises, employees’ salaries, etc., which are not due to the cost ofindividual items or products. «Our overhead is killing us!» theused car lot owner complained. «We have to move to a cheaper place.»

[crux of the matter] {n. phr.} The basic issue at hand; the core essence that one must face. The crux of the matter is that he is incompetent and we will have to fire him.

[no good] {adj. phr.} Not satisfactory; not adequate; not approved. «That’s no good,» I told him when he began to cry. He was nogood at arithmetic. He tried appealing to the man’s pride, but itdid no good.

[boys will be boys] Boys are only children and must sometimes get into mischief or trouble or behave too roughly. Boys will be boys and make a lot of noise, so John’s mother told him and his friends to play in the park instead of the back yard.

[sleep around] {v. phr.}, {slang}, {vulgar}, {avoidable} To be freewith one’s sexual favors; to behave promiscuously. Sue Catwallenderis a nice girl but she sleeps around an awful lot with all sorts ofguys.

[yoo-hoo] {interj.} — Used as an informal call or shout to a personto attract his attention. Louise opened the door and called»Yoo-hoo, Mother — are you home?» See: ALL RIGHT FOR YOU, I’M TELLINGYOU, SAYS WHO or SAYS YOU, THAT’S — FOR YOU, WHAT HAVE YOU.

[double up] {v.} 1. To bend far over forward. Jim was hit by the baseball and doubled up with pain. 2. To share a room, bed, or home with another. When relatives came for a visit, Ann had to double up with her sister.

[well-off] {adj. phr.} 1. Rich. They may not be millionaires, but they are sufficiently well-off. 2. In good condition; free ofproblems or difficulties. He is pleased that his business iswell-off.

[control room] {n.} A room containing the panels and switches used to control something. While a television program is on the air, engineers are at their places in the control room.

[silver anniversary] or [wedding] {n. phr.} The twenty-fifthwedding anniversary of a couple; the twenty-fifth anniversary of abusiness or an association, etc. «The day after tomorrow is Mom andDad’s silver anniversary,» Sue said to her brother. «I hope you have anice present picked out.»

Идиома: pull oneself together Перевод: взять себя в руки Пример: The woman tried hard to pull herself together after learning about her boyfriend’s accident. Женщина очень старалась взять себя в руки после того, как она узнала о несчастном случае с ее молодым человеком.

[lodge a complaint] {v. phr.} To make a complaint; complain. Ifour neighbors don’t stop this constant noise, I will have to lodge acomplaint with the management.

Идиома: an open book Перевод: кто-либо или что-либо, что очень легко понять Пример: My friend is an open book and everything about him is easy to understand. Мой друг словно открытая книга, и все в нем очень легко понять.

[smell a rat] {v. phr.}, {informal} To be suspicious; feel thatsomething is wrong. Every time Tom visits me, one of my ashtraysdisappears. I’m beginning to smell a rat. When the policeman saw alight go on in the store at midnight, he smelled a rat.

[be even-Steven] {v. phr.} To be in a position of owing no favors or debt to someone. Yesterday you paid for my lunch, so today I paid for yours; now we’re even-Steven.

Идиома: get in touch with someone Перевод: связаться с кем-либо, выйти на связь с кем-либо Пример: I plan to get in touch with my friend when I arrive in New York in August. Я собираюсь связаться со своим другом, когда приеду в Нью-Йорк в августе.

[on one’s mind] {adv. phr.} In one’s thoughts. I’m glad you wantto talk about this. It’s been on my mind for weeks. What’s on yourmind? Compare: IN MIND.

Идиома: How come? Перевод: Почему? Как так? Как так случилось, получилось? Пример: How come you don’t telephone her if you want to talk to her? Почему ты ей не звонишь, если ты хочешь с ней поговорить?

[stone-cold] {adj.} Having no warmth; completely cold. — Used todescribe things that are better when warm. The boys who got up latefound their breakfast stone-cold. The furnace went off and theradiators were stone-cold.