Английские идиомы

[toll free] {adv. phr.} Calling an telephone number with thecall paid by the business whose number one has dialed. You can callus day and night, seven days a week, toll free.

[social climber] {n.} A person who tries to mix with rich orwell-known people and be accepted by them as friends and equals. People do not like Mrs. Brown very well; she is known as a socialclimber. Social climbers are usually soon known and they are notaccepted by those they run after.

[cry for] or [cry out for] {v.}, {informal} To need badly; be lacking in. It has not rained for two weeks and the garden is crying for it. The school is crying out for good teachers.

[yours truly] {adv. phr.} 1. Signing off at the end of letters. Yours truly, Tom Smith. 2. I, the first person singular pronoun, frequently abbreviated as t. y. As t. y. has often pointed out… T. y. is not really interested in the offer.

Идиома: under fire Перевод: под обстрелом; быть мишенью нападок Пример: The owner of the company is under fire for not paying his employees a fair salary. На владельца компании обрушился град нападок за то, что он недостаточно платил своим служащим.

[sporting blood] {n.} Willingness to take risks; spirit ofadventure. The cowboy’s sporting blood tempted him to try to ridethe wild horse. The boy’s sporting blood caused him to run awaywith a circus.

Идиома: dog days Перевод: самые жарки дни лета (обычно с начала июля по начало сентября) Пример: We like to watch baseball during the dog days of summer. В самые жаркие дни лета нам нравится смотреть бейсбол.

[little pitchers have big ears] Little children often overhearthings they are not supposed to hear, or things adults do not expectthey would notice. — A proverb. Be especially careful not to swearin front of little children. Little pitchers have big ears.

Идиома: in light of something Перевод: в свете чего-либо нового; из-за чего-либо Пример: In light of his contribution to the company we decided to give him a large summer bonus. Из-за его вклада в развитие компании мы решили дать ему большую премию на лето.

[go to show] or [go to prove] {v. phr.}, {informal} To seem toprove; act or serve to show ; demonstrate. — Often used after»it». Our team beat a bigger team, and it just goes to show you canwin if you play hard enough. The hard winter at Valley Forge goesto show that our soldiers suffered … Читать далее

[hit on] or [hit upon] {v.} To happen to meet, find, or reach; tochoose or think by chance, John hit on a business that was juststarting to grow rapidly. There seemed to be several explanationsof the crime, but the detectives hit on the right one the first time. Compare: HAPPEN ON.

[make a match] {v. phr.} To bring a man and woman together for thepurpose of an engagement or marriage. Sheila’s aunt is anxious tomake a match between her and an attractive, wealthy man.

[no two ways about it] {n. phr.} No other choice; no alternative. The boss said there were no two ways about it; we would all have towork late to finish the job.

[pull the rug out from under] {v. phr.}, {informal} To withdrawsupport unexpectedly from; to spoil the plans of. Bill thought hewould be elected, but his friends pulled the rug out from under himand voted for Vin. We were planning a vacation, but the baby’sillness pulled the rug out from under us.

Идиома: at the top of the hour Перевод: в начале часа — то есть в 11.00, 12.00 и т. д. (под top of the hour имеется в виду верхняя часть часов, т. е. начало часа) Пример: The radio news always starts at the top of the hour. Новости по радио всегда передаются в начале каждого … Читать далее

[plunk down] {v.}, {informal} 1. To drop down; fall. Afterwalking a mile we plunked down on a bench to rest. 2. To dropsomething noisily or firmly. He plunked the heavy suitcase down atthe station. 3. To pay out, primarily an excessive amount I had toplunk down $55 for a concert ticket.

[slated for] or [slated to be] Going to be; planned or intendedfor. People think the governor is slated to be president. Thatsubject is slated for debate at the next meeting.

Идиома: put a stop to something / put an end to something Перевод: положить чему-либо конец Пример: The company is trying to put an end to the personal use of computers during office hours. Компания пытается положить конец использованию компьютеров в личных целях в рабочее время.

Идиома: a matter of opinion Перевод: дело вкуса Пример: It was a matter of opinion as to what design would be best for the new art gallery. Выбор лучшего дизайна для новой художественной галереи было делом вкуса.

[spell out] {v.} 1. To say or read aloud the letters ot a word, oneby one; spell. John could not understand the word the teacher wassaying, so she spelled it out on the blackboard. 2. To read slowly, have trouble in understanding. The little boy spelled out theprinted words. 3. {informal} To explain something in … Читать далее

[perish the thought] {v. phr.} Let us not even think of it; may itnever come true. — Used as an exclamation. If John fails thecollege entrance exam — perish the thought — he will go back to highschool for one more year. Perish the thought that Mary should havecancer. Compare: GOD FORBID.

[glutton for punishment] {n. phr.} A greedy person; someone whowants too much of something, such as food or drink, which will makehim sick. Fred eats so much red meat that he is a regular gluttonfor punishment.

[throw open] 1. To open wide with a sudden or strong movement. He dashed in and threw open the windows. 2. To remove limits from. The Homestead Act threw open the West. When a hurricane and floodleft many people homeless, public buildings were thrown open toshelter them.

Идиома: meet the requirements (for something) Перевод: удовлетворять требованиям Пример: The new nurse does not meet the requirements to be a nurse in our hospital. Новая медсестра не удовлетворяет условиям, чтобы быть медсестрой в нашей больнице.

Идиома: like water off a duck’s back Перевод: как с гуся вода; не задевая; без всякого эффекта Пример: My boss always criticizes my friend but he ignores it and the criticism is like water off a duck’s back. Мой начальник всегда критикует моего друга, но он все игнорирует, и критика не оказывает никакой эффект на … Читать далее

Идиома: not set foot somewhere Перевод: не ступать куда-либо, не ходить куда-либо Пример: We did not set foot in the old factory that we passed on our hike. Мы не заходили на старый завод, который мы прошли во время нашей прогулки.

Идиома: stand corrected Перевод: признать ошибку, осознать справедливость (замечания, и т. п.) Пример: I was forced to stand corrected when I made a mistake about the time of the train. Мне пришлось сказать, что я был не прав, когда я ошибся со временем прибытия поезда.

[man-of-war] {n. phr.} 1. A stinging jellyfish in the Gulf ofMexico. «No swimming today,» the sign said, «as we have aman-of-war alert.» 2. A large battleship displaying its national flagor insignia. The shipwreck victims were picked up by an Americanman-of-war. 3. The albatross bird. After several days at sea wenoticed some men-of-war majestically sailing through … Читать далее

[growing pains] {n.} 1. Pains in children’s legs supposed to becaused by changes in their bodies and feelings as they grow. Thelittle girl’s legs hurt, and her mother told her she had growingpains. 2. {informal} Troubles when something new is beginning orgrowing. The factory has growing pains.

[kettle of fish] {v. phr.}, {informal} Something to be considered;how things are; a happening; business. I thought he needed money, but it was another kettle of fish — his car had disappeared. -Usually used with «pretty», «fine», «nice», but meaning bad trouble. He had two flat tires and no spare on a country road at … Читать далее

[here and now ] {adv. phr.} At this very time and place; rightnow; immediately. I want my dime back, and I want it here and now. Compare: THEN AND THERE.

[face-to-face] {adj.} Being in the presence of a person; beingright with someone. The British prime minister came to Washingtonfor a face-to-face meeting with the President.

Идиома: fender-bender / fender bender Идиома: fender-bender / fender bender разг. Перевод: небольшая автомобильная авария Пример: I had a little fender bender with your car, Dad — just a scratch. Я попал в небольшую аварию на твоей машине, пап, но ничего серьезного, просто царапина.

[footloose and fancy-free] {adj. phr.} Free and free to do what onewants. Ron is a merry bachelor and seems toenjoy greatly being footloose and fancy-free.

[under orders] {adv. phr.} Not out of one’s own desire or one’s ownfree will; obligatorily; not freely. «So you were a Nazi prisonguard? » the judge asked. «Yes, your Honor,» the man answered, «but Iwas acting under orders and not because I wished to harm anyone.»

[count one’s chickens before they’re hatched] {v. phr.}, {informal} To depend on getting a profit or gain before you have it; make plans that suppose something will happen; be too sure that something will happen. Usually used in negative sentences. When Jim said that he would be made captain of the team, John told him … Читать далее

[in commission] or [into commission] {adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. Onduty or ready to be put on duty by a naval or military service; inactive service. The old battleship has been in commission fortwenty years. It took many months to build the new bomber, and nowit is ready to be put into commission. 2. In … Читать далее

[offbeat] {adj.}, {informal} Nonconventional; different from theusual; odd. Linguistics used to be an offbeat field, but nowadaysevery self-respecting university has a linguistics department.

[in a bad frame of mind] {adv. phr.} In an unhappy mood. Makesure the boss is not in a bad frame of mind when you ask him for araise. Contrast: IN A GOOD FRAME OF MIND.

[pretty penny] {n. phr.} A large amount of money. Their newhouse is so big and modern that we’re sure it must have cost them apretty penny.

[at one] {adj. phr.} 1. In union or harmony; in agreement or sympathy. Not usually used informally. He felt at one with all the poets who have sung of love. 2. Of the same opinion, in agreement. Husband and wife were at one on everything but money. Contrast: AT ODDS.

[think better of] {v.} To change your mind about; to consider againand make a better decision about. John told his mother he wanted toleave school, but later he thought better of it. Compare: SECONDTHOUGHT, THINK TWICE.

[every other] {adj. phr.} Every second; every alternate. Themilkman comes every other day. On St. Patrick’s Day, it seems asif every other man you meet is wearing a shamrock.

[go through hell and high water] {v. phr.}, {informal} To gothrough danger, or trouble. John is ready to go through hell andhigh water to help his chum. The soldiers went through hell andhigh water to capture the fort. Compare: COME HELL OR HIGH WATER, THROUGH THE MILL.

[call down] also [dress down] {v.}, {informal} To scold. Jim was called down by his teacher for being late to class. Mother called Bob down for walking into the kitchen with muddy boots. Compare: CALL ON THE CARPET, CHEW OUT, BAWL OUT, READ THE RIOT ACT.

Идиома: what makes someone tick Перевод: что кем-либо движет, чем кто-либо живет Пример: I really don’t know what makes that woman tick. She is very strange. Я совсем не знаю, чем вообще занимается эта женщина. Она очень странная.

[by a long shot] {adv. phr.}, {informal} By a big difference; by far. — Used to add emphasis. Bert was the best swimmer in the race, by a long shot. Often used with a negative. Tom isn’t the kind who would be fresh to a teacher, by a long shot. Our team didn’t win — … Читать далее

Идиома: Now you’re talking! Идиома: Now you’re talking! разг. Перевод: Вот это уже другой разговор! Неплохая идея! Пример: «Would you like pizza for dinner?» «Now you’re talking!» Хочешь пиццы на ужин? — Еще как!

[with flying colors] {adv. phr.} With great or total success;victoriously. Tow finished the race with flying colors. Marycame through the examination with flying colors.

[hand on] {v.} To pass along to the next person who should have it. Everyone in class should read this, so when you have finished, please hand it on. In the early days, news was handed on from oneperson to another.